9 Best Golf Courses in the UK
Thanks to its rich history and golf tradition, the United Kingdom is home to several historic and scenic golf courses. These are exciting and pristine, offering a great summer experience. For instance, Scotland is blessed with a natural terrain that seems perfectly tailored for stunning golf courses, rightly named the home of golf. If you’re planning a golf outing, we are bringing you a list of the best golf courses in the UK.
The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa
- Location: St. Andrews
- Fees: £135-270* (depending upon season)
- Best for: History & prestige
Old Course is the oldest and the most iconic golf course not only in Scotland but in the world too. Its 600-year history has made it the mecca of golfers around the world. However, age hasn’t worn it down. In fact, its charm and appeal have only increased with the years.
The now standard 18 holes layout was first introduced by the Old Course. It is open to the public, so you can book it anytime you please. Before that, it had 22-11 holes along the shoreline and 11 back. The rich history and exceptional prestige make it one of the best golf courses in the UK.
Royal County Down - Newcastle, Northern Ireland
Location: Newcastle, Northern Ireland
Fees: £160-180 & £40* caddie fees
Best for: Golf challenges
The Royal County Down has been featured twice in the last four years in the top 100 Golf Courses in Golf Digest’s annual list. Located at the breathtaking Mountains of Mourne and Bay of Dundrum, it flows effortlessly, paying tribute to its legendary designer Tom Morris in 1889.
The 486-yard par four is its most famous hole. Talking about the challenges, players are unable to see the fairway while standing at the tee box. So, they have to use Ireland’s highest mountain, Slieve Donard, as their target. Therefore, guidance from a caddie becomes crucial during such challenges.
Sunningdale Old Course, Berkshire
Location: Berkshire
Fees: £300-550* (depending upon season)
Best for: Natural beauty
If you’re eyeing golfing perfection, look no further than the Sunningdale Old Course. The staff here is incredibly friendly, and the caddies are genuinely knowledgeable and helpful. With its slick green grass and beautiful scenery, Sunningdale has an enchanting grip. And if you feel hungry between your golfing sessions, the halfway hut’s famous sausages aren’t very far away.
In earlier times, golf courses were located between the coast and fertile inland, locations that were unsuitable for farming, like heathland areas. Surrey and Berkshire both have an abundance of such lands. Therefore, they contain some of the best golf courses in the UK.
The Twenty-Ten Course - Newport, Wales
Location: Newport, Wales
Fees: £67-199*
Best for: The resort experience
The Twenty-Ten Course is a new golf course built in 2010 to host the Ryder Cup. It is a true testing ground for any golfer among the best golf courses in the UK, given the tricky water hazards on almost half the holes. Therefore, it presents an enticing as well as a perilous opportunity for players to score.
The course is undoubtedly stunning. However, that’s not the only thing going for it, which is the resort on its location. The 2000-acre countryside is well embellished with a spa, two hotels, fitness facilities, outdoor activities like archery and other courses.
Royal Birkdale, Southport, England
Location: Southport, England
Fees: £250-275*
Best for: Biodiversity
It was called Birkdale only until King George VI granted it the Royal Charter, after which it became Royal Birkdale. It has now become one of the best golf courses in the UK. With sand dunes around it, the golfer needs a skilful observation of the greens to hit perfect shots.
There is also a stunning art-deco clubhouse near it. Moreover, an enchanting seaside beside it adds to the overall experience and freshens the mind.
Wentworth Golf Course (West Course), Surrey
Location: Surrey
Fees: £195-360*
Best for: Prime property
Wentworth is a prime property sprawling on 1750 acres with around 800 houses. Besides that, it has 3 full-sized golf courses. In fact, one reason behind the premium charged on these properties is the existence of the golf courses.
Although this golf course has had its fair share of controversies, like the last decade redesign, it still remains amongst the most elite good courses in the United Kingdom.
Swinley Forest, Ascot, Berkshire
Location: Ascot, Berkshire
Fees: £195*
Best for: Royal appeal
If you want to play at a golf course with true royal connections, Swinley Forest is amongst the top golf courses in the UK for that. From Queen Mothers to Dukes to Edinburgh & York, all have been associated with it. It has stunning rhododendrons, which add to its appeal.
However, it is a private club, thanks to its royal heritage. Therefore, you’ll need to know someone in touch with the staff here to play. It is said that Lord Derby couldn’t clear his tee shot between the 1st and the 18th fairway, so he created an unnatural looking zigzag to tackle the issue.
Liphook - Hampshire
Location: Hampshire
Fees: £120-140*
Best for: Beautiful terrain
Liphook is one of the best golf courses in the UK that you can enjoy all year round, thanks to its delightful terrain and peaceful surroundings. It offers great value for money, making it a suitable attraction for all players. The management has also tried to transform it four times in the last few years, which shows their commitment and dedication.
As a result, they have improved the crossing on the road after the 14th, created a better routing flow, and maximised the potential of this terrain. Before these changes, it was already one of the best in Hampshire. Now, it’s simply unbeatable.
Royal St. George's Golf Club
Location: Sandwich, Kent, England
Fees: £125-250*
Best for: Testing conditions
This golf course on the stunning Kent coast has been the epitome of natural beauty since its establishment in the 1880s. It has thick grass and dramatic undulations, which amount to a tough test for any golfer.
It makes the golfer constantly monitor the direction and speed of wind because it doesn’t have the traditional 9 out and 9 back design. Many champion players, such as Collin Morikawa, Greg Norman, etc., have played here.
Conclusion
There you have it, the best golf courses in the UK where you can enjoy your game as well as the location. There could have been other additions to this list too, but we have chosen these after carefully considering everything from location to fees to different facilities.
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