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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Purely focused on the design, challenge, and beauty of the golf course itself. Read more
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121
Club image Castlerock Golf Club

Bann Course

8.44
Castlerock Golf Club
Northern Ireland27 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
122
Club image Aberdovey Golf Club

Aberdovey Golf Course

8.44
Aberdovey Golf Club
Wales18 holes
Links course
123
Club image The Addington Golf Club

Addington Golf Club (The)

8.43
The Addington Golf Club
Surrey18 holes
Great hospitalityInland course
124
Club image Seaton Carew Golf Club

Micklem Course

8.43
Seaton Carew Golf Club
County Durham22 holes
Great hospitality
125
Club image Kilspindie Golf Club

Kilspindie Course

8.43
Kilspindie Golf Club
East Lothian18 holes
Links course
126
Club image Reay Golf Club

Reay

8.43
Reay Golf Club
Highland18 holes
Great value for moneyLinks course
127
Club image Glen Golf Club

Glen Golf Course

8.42
Glen Golf Club
East Lothian18 holes
Great hospitalityLinks course
128
Club image Ladybank Golf Club

Ladybank Course

8.41
Ladybank Golf Club
Fife18 holes
Heathland course
129
Club image Saunton Golf Club

West Course

8.40
Saunton Golf Club
Devon36 holes
Great clubhouse
130
Club image Southerndown Golf Club

Southerndown Golf Course

8.40
Southerndown Golf Club
Wales18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
131
Club image Prince's Golf Club

Shore

8.37
Prince's Golf Club
Kent27 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
132
Club image Royal Portrush Golf Club

Valley Links Course

8.37
Royal Portrush Golf Club
Northern Ireland36 holes
Great facilitiesLinks course
133
Club image Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club

Pyle & Kenfig

8.37
Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club
Wales18 holes
Links course
134
Club image Chart Hills Golf Club

Chart Hills Golf Club

8.36
Chart Hills Golf Club
Kent18 holes
Park course
135
Club image Boat of Garten Golf Club

Boat of Garten

8.36
Boat of Garten Golf Club
Highland18 holes
Great hospitalityInland course
136
Club image Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club

Strathpeffer Course

8.35
Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club
Highland18 holes
Great value for moneyInland course
137
Club image Seaford Head Golf Course

Seaford Head Golf Club

8.34
Seaford Head Golf Course
Sussex18 holes
Great value for money
138
Club image Pennard Golf Club

Pennard Golf Course

8.34
Pennard Golf Club
Wales18 holes
Great surroundings
139
Club image Trevose Golf & Country Club

Championship Course

8.33
Trevose Golf & Country Club
Cornwall36 holes
Great facilities
140
Club image Luffness New Golf Club

Luffness New Golf Course

8.33
Luffness New Golf Club
East Lothian18 holes
Great maintenanceLinks 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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