Outstanding club2026

The best golf courses in United Kingdom (2026)

Find the top golf courses in the United Kingdom, with rankings based on verified golfer reviews. Golf was invented here and the ground it was invented on is still the best in the world for it. Nowhere else combines this many links coastlines and heathland belts in one place.Read more
Based on 791 verified reviews

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The highest-rated clubs based on the combined score of course quality, facilities, and hospitality. Read more
101
-70
Club image Southerndown Golf Club

Southerndown Golf Club

8.27
Wales18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
102
-62
Club image Pennard Golf Club

Pennard Golf Club

8.27
Wales18 holes
Great surroundings
103
-57
Club image Kilspindie Golf Club

Kilspindie Golf Club

8.26
East Lothian18 holes
Links course
104
Club image Reay Golf Club

Reay Golf Club

8.26
Highland18 holes
Great value for moneyLinks course
105
Club image Notts Golf Club

Notts Golf Club

8.26
Nottinghamshire18 holes
Great value for moneyInland course
106
Club image Galgorm Castle

Galgorm Castle

8.24
Northern Ireland18 holes
Great maintenancePark course
107
-54
Club image Boat of Garten Golf Club

Boat of Garten Golf Club

8.24
Highland18 holes
Great hospitalityInland course
108
Club image Lanark Golf Club

Lanark Golf Club

8.24
South Lanarkshire27 holes
Inland course
109
-70
Club image Hayling Golf Club

Hayling Golf Club

8.24
Hampshire18 holes
Great maintenanceLinks course
110
Club image Montrose Golf Course

Montrose Golf Course

8.23
Angus, Scotland36 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
111
Club image Langland Bay Golf Club

Langland Bay Golf Club

8.23
Wales18 holes
Great surroundingsPark course
112
Club image Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club

Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club

8.23
Northumberland18 holes
Great value for moneyLinks course
113
-69
Club image Castlerock Golf Club

Castlerock Golf Club

8.22
Northern Ireland27 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
114
-69
Club image Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club

Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club

8.22
Highland18 holes
The 15th Oldest Recorded Club in the World - 1793Great value for moneyLinks course
115
Club image Formby Ladies Golf Club

Formby Ladies Golf Club

8.22
Lancashire18 holes
Great hospitalityGolf course architect: Douglas McEwan
116
Club image Reddish Vale Golf Club

Reddish Vale Golf Club

8.21
Cheshire18 holes
Great maintenancePark course
117
Club image Royal Belfast Golf Club

Royal Belfast Golf Club

8.20
Northern Ireland18 holes
Great value for moneyPark course
118
-63
Club image Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club

Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club

8.20
Highland18 holes
Great value for moneyInland course
119
-77
Club image Murcar Links Golf Club

Murcar Links Golf Club

8.19
Aberdeen27 holes
Great hospitalityLinks course
120
-71
Club image Chart Hills Golf Club

Chart Hills Golf Club

8.19
Kent18 holes
Park course

Everything about the top golf courses in United Kingdom

The best golf courses in the United Kingdom represent the game's deepest and most varied catalogue, and no other country comes close to matching the combination of historic links, heathland classics and championship venues that sit within a compact set of islands. Any serious golfer asking where to begin will find the answer pulls in several directions at once, which is precisely the point. Royal County Down in Newcastle is the course that anchors this conversation globally. It appears at the top of world rankings with a consistency that reflects genuine consensus rather than national sentiment. Architects and playing visitors who have worked through the world's great courses name it first more often than any other layout. It sets the benchmark against which the rest of British golf is measured. Royal Dornoch gives this list historical and architectural depth that no other northern links provides. Its connection to Donald Ross, Tom Watson's well-documented admiration and its consistent top-ten global positioning make it the second reference point that golfers who know British golf well will expect to find. It also signals that the best courses in the UK extend well beyond the Open Championship rota. The Old Course at St Andrews is the most visited and most symbolically significant course in the game. It may not rank first in every architectural assessment, but it is the course that every golfer wants on their record. For any golfer planning a UK trip, it is non-negotiable. Muirfield, Sunningdale Old Course and Royal Birkdale handle the serious inland and Open venue credentials. Muirfield brings Ryder Cup and Open history with a design precision that appeals to golfers who understand what great bunkering actually means. Sunningdale is the inland reference point, the course that defines English heathland golf in a single address. Royal Birkdale provides the Lancashire links presence and the weight of nine Open Championships on English soil. Royal Portrush, Carnoustie and Turnberry's Ailsa Course round out a first tier that no other country can assemble at the same depth. The United Kingdom does not have a handful of great courses. It has a catalogue, and a visit of any serious length will only scratch the surface of what is available.

How we rank the best 18-hole golf clubs in United Kingdom

This ranking of the best 18-hole golf clubs in United Kingdom is based on the overall score from verified golfer reviews and represents the total experience at a club. The ranking is calculated by aggregating scores across all categories, including course design, maintenance, hospitality, facilities, surroundings, and value for money. To be included in this list, a club must have a sufficient number of reviews to ensure a reliable and representative average.

How we rank the best golf courses in United Kingdom (Course Only)

This ranking isolates the quality of the playing surface from the rest of the club's amenities in United Kingdom. While our "Golf Club" rankings include factors like the clubhouse and hospitality, this "Course Only" list focuses exclusively on the architectural layout, hole variety, and turf conditions. It identifies the best-rated golf courses in United Kingdom for players who prioritize the technical challenge and design of the course above all else.

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