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
1
Club image Royal County Down Golf Club

Royal County Down Golf Club

9.52
Northern Ireland36 holes
Great value for moneyLinks course
m.w.helfrichGold

Handicap 8

"A nice appetizer for the finest links course I’ve played."

20 Jun 2025Read full review
2
Club image Walton Heath Golf Club

Walton Heath Golf Club

9.41
Surrey36 holes
Great hospitalityHeathland course
NorwegianGolferSilver

Handicap 15

"Walton is on the top of the list - and I have played a few top courses."

16 Jul 2025Read full review
3
-2
Club image Kingsbarns Golf Links

Kingsbarns Golf Links

9.34
Fife18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
thegolfpilgrimExpert

Handicap 10.9

"Kyle Phillips has done a staggering job designing Kingsbarns — dramatic links that feel much older than their 20 years."

4
Club image The Royal St George's Golf Club

The Royal St George's Golf Club

9.29
Kent18 holes
Great maintenanceLinks course
stijn.grevelingGold

Handicap 9.6

"Everything about it was spectacular — towering dunes, beautifully maintained fairways and a sense of grandeur throughout."

31 Jul 2025Read full review
5
+1
Club image Trump International Golf Links

Trump International Golf Links

9.20
Aberdeenshire18 holes
Great facilitiesLinks course
jrarendsSilver

Handicap 8.7

"On a rainy, misty day we played this fantastic course with two Scots — a truly unforgettable experience."

20 Jul 2025Read full review
6
Club image Muirfield Golf Club

Muirfield Golf Club

9.19
East Lothian18 holes
Great facilitiesLinks course
AndrzejKnigawkaGold

Handicap 11.9

"At Muirfield a marshall welcomes you at the club gate — a truly exceptional and historic links experience."

7
Club image Loch Lomond Golf Club

Loch Lomond Golf Club

9.18
Argyll and Bute18 holes
Great surroundingsPark course
thegolfpilgrimExpert

Handicap 10.9

"Since beginning my quest to play top-100 courses, I'd dreamed of playing at Loch Lomond because of its exclusivity and challenging access."

10 Nov 2025Read full review
8
Club image Queenwood Golf Club

Queenwood Golf Club

9.18
Surrey18 holes
Great value for moneyInland course
johnhall61Expert

Handicap 3.5

"I've been lucky enough to play lots of high end clubs globally, and the Queenwood experience is right up with the very best."

27 Oct 2025Read full review
9
-5
Club image Castle Stuart Golf Links

Castle Stuart Golf Links

9.17
Highland18 holes
Great value for moneyLinks course
CollieSilver

Handicap 5.6

"The holes sit beautifully alongside the water — a stunning and dramatic setting throughout."

13 Aug 2025Read full review
10
-8
Club image Royal Portrush Golf Club

Royal Portrush Golf Club

9.15
Northern Ireland36 holes
Great facilitiesLinks course
johnhall61Expert

Handicap 3.5

"We were fortunate to play both courses while the majority of the Open Championship infrastructure was in place."

11 Aug 2025Read full review
11
-3
Club image Trump Turnberry Resort

Trump Turnberry Resort

9.15
South Ayrshire45 holes
Great facilitiesLinks course
12
-9
Club image Sunningdale Golf Club

Sunningdale Golf Club

9.14
Surrey36 holes
Great value for moneyHeathland course
13
Club image St George's Hill Golf Club

St George's Hill Golf Club

9.07
Surrey18 holes
Great maintenanceInland course
14
Club image Lancaster Golf Club

Lancaster Golf Club

9.05
Lancashire18 holes
15
Club image Royal Birkdale Golf Club

Royal Birkdale Golf Club

9.03
Lancashire18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
16
Club image Royal Troon Golf Club

Royal Troon Golf Club

9.02
South Ayrshire45 holes
Great hospitalityPark course
17
-7
Club image Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

9.02
Wales18 holes
Great hospitalityLinks course
18
Club image Dumbarnie Links

Dumbarnie Links

9.01
Fife18 holes
Links course
19
-12
Club image Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club

9.01
Kent18 holes
Great surroundingsLinks course
20
Club image The Alwoodley Golf Club

The Alwoodley Golf Club

9.01
Yorkshire18 holes
Great facilitiesInland 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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