Golf has come a long way since the game was first played in Scotland centuries ago. Today, golfers travel across the world to experience legendary links, dramatic coastal layouts, historic championship courses, and modern masterpieces.
But what actually makes a golf course one of the best in the world?
That's a question that can spark endless debate among golfers. Course rankings change, new courses emerge, and established classics are constantly being restored and redesigned.
So, rather than simply updating our old 2022 list, we've refreshed this guide using the latest Golf Digest World's 100 Greatest Courses 2026–2027 ranking.
The result? A new top 10 featuring legendary courses across Northern Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.
If you're planning the ultimate golf trip, these are the courses to put on your bucket list.
1. Royal County Down Golf Club – Championship Course
Newcastle, Northern Ireland
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #1
Royal County Down remains at the top of the golf world. For the sixth consecutive Golf Digest ranking, the Championship Course has been named the world's No. 1 course. Located beneath the Mountains of Mourne and alongside Dundrum Bay, it combines dramatic natural scenery with some of the most demanding links golf you'll find anywhere.
The course was originally designed by Old Tom Morris in 1889 and has since been refined by several architects. Its narrow fairways, blind shots, towering dunes, heather and famous "bearded" bunkers make every hole memorable. The 9th is particularly iconic, with a dramatic elevated tee overlooking the fairway and surrounding dunes.
Royal County Down Green Fee 2026
- £450 per person for the Championship Course during the main 2026 visitor season.
Visitor play is available on selected days from April to October. A caddie or forecaddie is required, and caddie fees are additional. - 2026 price: From £450.
Royal County Down's official visitor information confirms the £450 Championship Course visitor rate for 20 April–15 October 2026.
2. St Andrews Links – Old Course
St Andrews, Scotland
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #2
If Royal County Down is currently No. 1, St Andrews Old Course is arguably the most famous golf course in the world. Known as the Home of Golf, the Old Course has been shaped by centuries of play and has hosted more Open Championships than any other course.
The wide fairways can look forgiving, but the famous pot bunkers, massive double greens, unpredictable links conditions and legendary holes such as the Road Hole make this a serious test. And, of course, there's the Swilcan Bridge. Playing the Old Course isn't just about golf. It's about walking through golf history.
St Andrews Old Course Green Fee 2026
Peak-season visitor rates are approximately £355 per person in 2026, with lower rates available during shoulder and winter seasons.
The Old Course is also closed to golf on Sundays, and securing a tee time can be more difficult than simply paying the green fee.
2026 peak price: £355
3. Muirfield
Gullane, Scotland
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #3
Muirfield has climbed significantly in the latest ranking, moving from No. 6 to No. 3.
Home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Muirfield is one of the most respected links courses in Scotland.
Its routing is particularly fascinating. The front nine runs clockwise around the property while the back nine returns in the opposite direction, meaning golfers face changing wind directions throughout the round.
Unlike many links courses, Muirfield doesn't rely on dramatic blind shots. Instead, it rewards precision, strategy and intelligent positioning.
Muirfield Green Fee 2026
The 2026 visitor rate is:
- 18 holes: £395
- 36 holes: £605, including lunch
Peak-season visitor bookings are extremely limited, and the club states that its 2026 peak season is already fully booked, with additional enquiries placed on a waiting list.
4. Royal Dornoch Golf Club – Championship Course
Dornoch, Scotland
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #4
Royal Dornoch is one of those courses that feels almost untouched by time.
Located along the North Sea in the Scottish Highlands, the Championship Course is famous for its natural dunes, elevated greens and challenging wind conditions.
The course has been praised by some of golf's greatest players, including Tom Watson, who famously described it as one of the most enjoyable courses he had ever played.
One of the defining characteristics of Royal Dornoch is its greens. Many sit on elevated plateaus, demanding accuracy with approach shots and creativity around the putting surfaces.
The Australian Sand Belt is a disgrace of riches and the largest and thinnest jewel in its crown is the West Course at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Royal Dornoch Green Fee 2026
For April–October 2026:
Championship Course:
- Single round: £360
- Two-round ticket: £575
- Combination ticket: £420
- Twilight ticket: £215
2026 price: From £360
Royal Dornoch's official 2026–27 green-fee schedule confirms these rates.
5. Royal Portrush Golf Club – Dunluce Links
Portrush, Northern Ireland
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #5
Royal Portrush has become one of the biggest names in championship golf.
The Dunluce Links is the only course in Ireland to have hosted The Open, with the championship returning in 2019 and again in 2025.
The course is defined by dramatic dunes, natural contours and the rugged Atlantic coastline.
One of its most famous holes is the 16th, known as Calamity Corner — a demanding par 3 that requires a confident shot over a deep ravine.
Following recent changes to the course, including the addition and redesign of several holes, Royal Portrush continues to be one of the world's most exciting links experiences.
Royal Portrush Green Fee 2026
The 2026 high-season visitor rate for the Dunluce Links is:
£420 per person
The main high season runs from 1 April to 31 October.
2026 price: £420
The 2026 visitor fee has been confirmed at £420 for the Dunluce Links.
6. Royal Melbourne Golf Club – West Course
Melbourne, Australia
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #6
Australia's Royal Melbourne West remains one of the world's great golf courses and the highest-ranked course in the Southern Hemisphere.
Designed by Alister MacKenzie with Alex Russell, the West Course sits within Melbourne's famous Sandbelt.
At first glance, the fairways can look generous. But the strategy becomes clear as soon as you start playing. Angles matter more than simply hitting the ball as far as possible.
The course's distinctive bunkering, fast greens and subtle contours have influenced golf-course architecture around the world.
Royal Melbourne Green Fee 2026
Royal Melbourne is a private club, so access is restricted to eligible visiting golfers and reciprocal arrangements.
For overseas visitors, current 2026 rates are approximately:
A$850 per round on the West Course
A caddie is compulsory for overseas visitors and is charged separately.
2026 indicative price: From A$850
Royal Melbourne's visitor access is limited and subject to club requirements, so golfers should confirm the current rate and eligibility directly before planning a round.
Best Golf Courses in Melbourne
7. Tara Iti Golf Club
Mangawhai, New Zealand
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #7
Tara Iti is a very different experience from the historic links of Scotland and Ireland.
Located on New Zealand's North Island, this modern Tom Doak design was built across a spectacular coastal landscape of dunes and sandy terrain.
The course was carefully shaped to feel as though it belongs naturally to the land. Instead of imposing a traditional layout onto the property, Doak and his team created a course that works with the existing landscape.
The result is a minimalist, strategic and visually stunning golf experience overlooking the Pacific.
Tara Iti Green Fee 2026
Tara Iti is a private golf club, so there is no standard public green fee available in the same way as visitor-access courses such as St Andrews or Ballybunion.
Access is generally through members, invitations or approved arrangements.
2026 price: Private / price on request
If Tara Iti is on your bucket list, securing access is likely to be a bigger challenge than the green fee itself.
8. Trump Turnberry – Ailsa Course
Turnberry, Scotland
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #8
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry is one of the most spectacular coastal golf courses in the world.
Set along the Ayrshire coast, the course offers views across the Firth of Clyde towards the Isle of Arran, with the iconic Turnberry Lighthouse standing beside the cliffs.
The course is also deeply connected to golf history. Turnberry has hosted The Open four times, including the legendary 1977 "Duel in the Sun" between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus.
Architect Martin Ebert has also made significant changes to the course in recent years, creating new strategic challenges while preserving its dramatic coastal character.
Turnberry Ailsa Green Fee 2026
Peak-season rates for the Ailsa Course reach approximately:
£1,000 per person
This makes Turnberry one of the most expensive visitor rounds in the world.
2026 price: Up to £1,000
2026 reporting confirms peak-time Ailsa green fees at approximately £1,000 for non-residents.
9. Kingston Heath Golf Club
Melbourne, Australia
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #9
Another Melbourne Sandbelt masterpiece, Kingston Heath has climbed from No. 11 to No. 9 in the latest Golf Digest ranking.
The course was originally designed by Australian golf professional Des Soutar, with Alister MacKenzie later providing input on the bunkering.
Its bunkers are among the course's defining features — long, irregular and strategically positioned throughout the layout.
The course also benefits from Melbourne's unique sandy soil, allowing for firm playing conditions and beautifully shaped fairways and greens.
Kingston Heath is scheduled to host the 2028 Presidents Cup, adding another major chapter to its history.
Kingston Heath Green Fee 2026
Kingston Heath is a private club, so there is no standard public green fee.
Visitor access is subject to the club's arrangements and eligibility requirements.
2026 price: Private / price on request
For golfers planning a Melbourne golf trip, Kingston Heath is one of the courses worth arranging well in advance.
10. Ballybunion Golf Club – Old Course
County Kerry, Ireland
2026 Golf Digest World Ranking: #10
Ballybunion Old Course completes our 2026 top 10.
Located on Ireland's Atlantic coast, Ballybunion is famous for its huge dunes, dramatic coastal scenery and naturally shaped fairways.
The course became internationally famous after Tom Watson praised it following his visit in 1981. Since then, it has become a bucket-list destination for golfers travelling to Ireland.
The Old Course isn't necessarily long by modern standards, but the terrain creates a completely different challenge. Good positioning, creativity and imagination are essential.
Ballybunion Old Course Green Fee 2026
The club's official 2026 visitor rates are:
- 13–30 April: €400
- 1 May–2 October: €450
There is also a two-round offer combining the Old Course and Cashen Course for €575 during the specified 2026 period.
2026 high-season price: €450
Ballybunion's official visitor information confirms the 2026 rates.
Summary of Best Golf Courses in the World
The world's best golf courses aren't necessarily the newest or the most expensive.
Some, like St Andrews Old Course and Muirfield, have been shaped by centuries of golf history. Others, like Tara Iti, demonstrate what modern golf-course architecture can achieve.
What they have in common is that they offer something difficult to replicate: a combination of memorable golf, incredible surroundings, history and a sense of place.
And the rankings will continue to change.
For 2026, Royal County Down holds the top spot, while courses such as Royal Portrush, Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath continue to prove why they belong among the world's elite.
So, which one would you play first?
Planning a Golf Trip?
If you're planning to play golf in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei or beyond. The Deemples golf app is here to help you. Just create a game using the app and let others join you. Click here to find out more! You can also check out more interesting golf blogs at Deemples.
Happy Golfing!🏌️♂️
Common FAQs about famous Golf Courses
What is the No. 1 golf course in the world in 2026?
According to Golf Digest's 2026–2027 World's 100 Greatest Courses ranking, Royal County Down Championship Course in Northern Ireland is the No. 1 course in the world.
What is the most famous golf course in the world?
St Andrews Old Course is arguably the most famous golf course in the world. Known as the Home of Golf, it has hosted more Open Championships than any other course.
How much does it cost to play St Andrews Old Course in 2026?
The 2026 peak-season visitor green fee is approximately £355 per person, with lower rates available during other seasons.
What is the most expensive course on this list?
Among the courses with publicly available visitor rates, Turnberry's Ailsa Course is the most expensive, with peak-season rounds reaching approximately £1,000 per person in 2026.
