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
61
Club image Royal West Norfolk Golf Club

Royal West Norfolk Golf Club

8.56
Norfolk18 holes
Great value for moneyLinks course
62
Club image Prestwick Golf Club

Prestwick Golf Club

8.54
South Ayrshire18 holes
The Birthplace of the Open ChampionshipGreat value for moneyLinks course
63
Club image Hillside Golf Club

Hillside Golf Club

8.54
Lancashire18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
64
Club image Royal St David's Golf Club

Royal St David's Golf Club

8.53
Wales18 holes
Links course
65
Club image Woldingham Golf Club

Woldingham Golf Club

8.52
Surrey18 holes
Park course
66
-19
Club image Gullane Golf Club

Gullane Golf Club

8.50
East Lothian54 holes
Great maintenanceLinks course
67
Club image Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club

Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club

8.49
Wales18 holes
Great clubhousePark course
68
Club image The Duke's St. Andrews

The Duke's St. Andrews

8.48
Fife18 holes
69
Club image Royal Cromer Golf Club

Royal Cromer Golf Club

8.47
Norfolk18 holes
Great maintenanceLinks course
70
-35
Club image Perranporth Golf Club

Perranporth Golf Club

8.47
Cornwall18 holes
Great hospitalityHillside course
71
Club image Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club

Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club

8.45
South Ayrshire27 holes
Links course
72
Club image Hunstanton Golf Club

Hunstanton Golf Club

8.45
Norfolk18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
73
Club image West Cornwall Golf Club

West Cornwall Golf Club

8.45
Cornwall18 holes
Great value for moneyLinks course
74
-48
Club image Brora Golf Club

Brora Golf Club

8.44
Highland18 holes
A James Braid traditional links courseLinks course
75
-41
Club image Lundin Golf Club

Lundin Golf Club

8.43
Fife18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
76
Club image Aberdovey Golf Club

Aberdovey Golf Club

8.43
Wales18 holes
Links course
77
Club image Vale of Llangollen Golf Club

Vale of Llangollen Golf Club

8.43
Wales18 holes
Great hospitalityPark course
78
Club image Vale Resort

Vale Resort

8.42
Wales36 holes
Great hospitalityPark course
79
Club image North Wales Golf Club (Llandudno)

North Wales Golf Club (Llandudno)

8.42
Wales18 holes
Links course
80
-32
Club image Mullion Golf Club

Mullion Golf Club

8.42
Cornwall18 holes
Great value for moneyLinks 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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