Be it weekend golfers or anyone seeking a new destination to perfect their swing, a trip to some of the best golf courses in the world is always a good travel option. These incredible golf courses surrounded by lush green foliage are indeed a sight to behold while enjoying this interesting sport.

These scenic golf courses, carved out of natural terrains, feature the standard 18 holes, and are curated by renowned course architects. Additionally, many are equipped with clubhouses, restaurants, lounges, resorts with swimming pools and driving carts for vacationers to have a perfect golf-themed holiday.

From elaborate dining facilities at Pebble Beach Golf Links to luxurious villas at Kapalua Golf, these courses make up for a delightful vacation destination. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? Ready to head for a vacation to a spectacular golf course as well as test your golfing skills? We have you covered. Let us take you through the best golf courses in the world which can be explored any time of the year.

15 best golf courses in the world in 2023 that are simply breathtaking

The Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland

Established in the early 15th century, and also known as The Home of Golf, The Old Course at St. Andrews is where the game was first played around 600 years ago. Covering over 6146 metres, the golf course forms the standard 18-hole round. It includes nine holes out and nine holes back. The public golf course offers various packages. These include Old Course Ballot, Old Course Tee Times and Single Golfers, where depending on the size of the group and the availability of the course, players can make their bookings.

The course is also equipped with various dining facilities such as The Old Pavilion, overlooking the first tee of the Old Course and more recently, their Halfway House, every product of which celebrates local Scottish produce. Also, there is an in-house shop at the course that sells official merchandise, gifts and accessories.

Among the many legendary golfers who have played here are Bobby Jones, Peter Thompson, Nick Faldo, Tiger Woods, Bobby Locke, Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, John Daly, Louis Oosthuizen and Zach Johnson.

Address: W Sands Rd, St Andrews KY16 9XL, United Kingdom
Website: Click here
Phone: 44 1334 466718

Plantation Course, Maui, USA

The leading golf course in Hawaii for 15 consecutive years by Golfweek, Plantation Course is designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, using the natural terrain and slopes of the West Maui Mountains. Spread over approximately 6,946 metres, the course was opened in 1992 and features stunning sights of the ocean from every hole. Along with the Bay Course, it enhances the overall experience of Kapalua Golf.

Additionally, the course has an in-house dining facility named The Plantation House Restaurant and there are three luxurious accommodation facilities at Kapalua Golf which include The Ritz-Carlton, The Kapalua Villas (one, two and three-bedroom vacation villas) and Montage Kapalua Bay (two and three-bedroom ocean front villas), where vacationers and players can have some moments of solitude.

Every January, a first-class field of PGA TOUR champions from the previous year competes at the Plantation Course for the Sentry Tournament of Champions which has set the course record to 61 in 2022. The field has featured golf greats such as Woods, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson among many other noted players.

Address: 2000 Plantation Club Dr, Lahaina, HI 96761, USA
Website: Click here
Phone: 808 669 8044

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TPC Danzante Bay, Mexico

Located amid the hills of the Sierra de la Giganta Mountain which offers magnificent views of the Islands of Loreto, the TPC Danzante Bay golf course spans around 6,618 metres. Along with various modern practice facilities, such as an on-site pro store and a clubhouse for golfers, The Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa — which TPC shares with Loreto golf course — makes this place an ideal Mexican location for those who wish to stay and play here.

Additionally, TPC Danzante Bay offers two packages. The Golf or Spa package lets visitors play at the TPC Danzante Bay Championship course, or choose one of their facilities, including relaxation at the award-winning Sabila Spa, fishing in a pond and embarking on an adventure as per the various tour options. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Golf or Spa package offers visitors a chance to choose between playing golf or experiencing all the facilities such as a spa, fishing, scuba diving, and island and ATV tours.

The exemplary course designed by Rees Jones was titled the Best Golf Course in Mexico (2021) and Latin America (2019) by World Golf Awards. Also, many leading sportspersons and entrepreneurs such as Byron Scott and Ricardo Salinas Pliego have played at the stunning course and admired its beauty.

Address: Km. 84, Carretera Transpeninsular, Ensenada Blanca Loreto, 23880 Loreto, B.C.S
Website: Click here
Phone: 1 800 790 4187

Pebble Beach Golf Links, USA

The #1 Public Golf Course in America according to Golf Digest is spread over 6244 metres approximately on the stunning coastline around California’s Monterey Peninsula. The course officially opened in 1919 and is historically more significant than any other course in the nation for being the only venue to host the USGA Championships for many consecutive years.

The course is famous for being the first course from West of the Mississippi to host the U.S. Amateur — one of four major golf championships. It is also known for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which has been held annually at the course since 1947 and is attended by the PGA TOUR.

The course is set to host many upcoming tournaments such as the first U.S. Women’s Open Presented by ProMedica in 2023, three Women’s Opens in 2035, 2040 and 2048 as well as four U.S. Opens in 2027, 2032, 2037 and 2044.

Along with its prolonged history of being one of the best golf courses, the Pebble Beach Golf Links is also known for its dining facilities including Stillwater Bar and Grill, The Tap Room, The Bench, Gallery Cafe, The Terrace Lounge and Hay’s Place. The course also has a spa area with five facial rooms, 15 massage rooms, a conservatory and a sanctuary with a fire pit to keep one warm.

Address: Pebble Beach Resorts, 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA
Website: Click here
Phone: (800) 877‑0597

Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia

Opened in 1932 and designed by golfer Bobby Jones and architect Alister MacKenzie, Augusta National is Georgia’s dream course, the pinnacle of the meadowland and a style of course that most strongly appeals to American taste.

Every year the Augusta National Golf Club hosts the Masters Tournament which is counted as one of the four major championships in golf. This course has also featured some renowned golfers including Nicklaus, Woods, Arnold Palmer, Jimmy Demaret and Sam Snead. Also, the Master Tournament is the first golf event to be broadcasted in full HD.

Spanning over 6836 metres, the course features a clubhouse with dining and seating areas, shower rooms and locker rooms for guests. Also, the in-house course shop includes an imagery store and a publication store offering an official tournament journal which consists of highlights of the tournaments held every year.

Address: 2604 Washington Rd, Augusta, US
Website: Click here
Phone: 1 706 667 6000

Bethpage Golf Course, USA

The 6,826-metre course built in 1936, is listed among America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses by Golf Digest. The course has five 18-hole standard golf courses, including the well-known Bethpage Black Course, which is a hotspot for public golf.

Bethpage has hosted renowned golf tournaments — the United States Open Championships in 2002 and 2009, Barclays in 2011 and 2016 and the PGA Championship in 2019, and will be hosting the Ryder Cup in 2024. Other than golf great Woods, many esteemed golfers such as Lucas Glover, Nick Watney and Patrick Reed have enjoyed their shots here.

The clubhouse at the course has various in-house facilities for guests to unwind and relax such as dining and lounging areas as well as lockers and shower rooms.

The course offers tee times at all its courses — green, blue, yellow, red and black which can be booked on the official website of Bethpage Golf Course.

Address: 99 Quaker Meeting House Rd.Farmingdale, NY 11735
Website: Click here
Phone: 516 249 4040

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Ballybunion Golf Club, Ireland

Established in 1893 as a 12-hole course on the lush expanse of sand dunes with a view of the Atlantic Ocean, in County Kerry, the Ballybunion Golf Club stretches over 6162 metres and comprises the Old Course and the Trent Jones Cashen Course. It was further restructured to include the standard 18 holes in 1926.

The Ballybunion’s clubhouse facilities include a golf shop, restaurant and lounge, bars, locker rooms with steam room and a tuck shop.

The Old Course at the golf club is one of the best and most famous courses in the world among the others with many accolades, and in 2023 it has been ranked #17 among the Top 100 golf courses in the UK & Ireland.

Guests can book a tee time on the club’s official website or book a luxury stay too.

Address: Sandhill Road, Ballybunion, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Website: Click here
Phone: 353 (0) 68 27146

Cabot Cliffs Golf Course, Canada

The 6,189-metre Cabot Cliffs golf course in Nova Scotia, designed by none other than popular course architects Coore and Crenshaw, was rated ninth in the world by Golf Digest’s list of the top 100 golf courses. Also, the course is considered to be Canada’s Best Modern Golf Course by Golfweek magazine.

The course which opened in 2015, has par three 16th hole which is titled as the property’s signature hole, over the cliffs above the beach, while the 13th hole featuring a sizable hump located short of the green, is the designers’ favourite.

The walking-only course has three dining facilities including Cabot Bar, Panorama and Whit’s Public House and an award-winning accommodation facility with 72 rooms and 19 opulent golf villas.

Address: 18 Cabot Lane Inverness, Nova Scotia Canada B0E 1N0
Website: Click here
Phone: 1 902 258 4653

The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia

One of the best golf courses in Australia and the world, The Royal Melbourne West Course in Victoria was designed by MacKenzie in 1926. This course has raised tees, steep greenside bunkers, native Australian tree scrub throughout the fairways and quick greens spread over 6,077 metres.

Named #1 in Australia by Golf Digest in 2018, the course clubhouse has preserved all the honours that belong to it such as the President’s Cup won by Adam Scott in Masters 2013, and pictures of the original club course.

This course has seen many golfers achieve remarkable victories including Wayne Riley (Australia) in 1991, Greg Norman (Australia) in 1987 and 1985, Tom Watson (USA) in 1984 and Gary Player (SA) in 1963.

The Royal Melbourne Professional shop at the course offers guests almost everything related to golf, from professional coaching, club merchandise, and on-course apparel to various equipment.

Address: Cheltenham Rd, Black Rock VIC 3193, Australia
Website: Click here
Phone: 61 3 9599 0500

Naruo Golf Course, Japan

Built in 1920, the traditional course in Hyogo has maintained its original form to date owing to the best Koryo grass in Japan which is evergreen. The nearly 6,050 metres of Naruo Golf Course is noted for its exemplary bunkers that are crafted by taking advantage of the natural deformations of the soil.

The course was designed by architects Joe E. Crane, Harry C. Crane, Bertie E. Crane and C. H. Alison in 1930 which has various on-site luxuries and amenities, including a pro shop, driving range and approach bunker practice area. The restaurant at the course offers the best Naruo cuisine with spectacular views of Hatano.

Guests at the course are not allowed to play on Sunday as it is only reserved for the members.

Address: Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture Nishiuneno Kanegaya 1-4, Hyogo 666-0155, Japan
Website: Click here
Phone: 81 72 794 1011

Utrecht Golfclub de Pan, The Netherlands

Ranked #53 on ‘the greatest courses on the planet’ list in 2021 by Golf World, Utrechtse Golfclub de Pan was designed in 1929 by Harry Colt after it was founded in 1894. The second-oldest golf club in The Netherlands is designed in the traditional English heathland style, which has many other amenities for relaxation.

The 6,085-metre course is famous for two things — the sixth, seventh and tenth driving holes where the tee shot is played through valleys of heather and sand, and the four-shot winning moment of Dave Marr against Peter Thomson as shown in one of the episodes of Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf in 1967.

Address: Golfclub Utrechtse ‘de Pan’, Amersfoortseweg 13735 LJ Bosch en Duin, The Netherlands
Website: Click here
Phone: 31 (0) 30 6969120

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Italy

The Marco Simone Golf & Country Club is located on the grounds of Laura Biagiotti’s stunning historic estate, which includes a renovated castle from the 11th century. Designed by architect Jim Fazio in the late 1980s, the course that spans 1.5 square kilometres includes the clubhouse, which stretches over 7,000 square metres and is one of the biggest in Europe.

The highlights of the club are The European Team Ballroom, The Grand Terraces and a restaurant. The restaurant can host 120 people and exudes Italian hospitality. The European Team Ballroom and The Grand Terraces can host around 200 people each for any event or conference. Along with this, the club has a golf academy which is open to train both beginners and professional athletes.

The course is set to host the upcoming Ryder Cup in 2023.

Address: Via di Marco Simone, 84/88, 00012 Guidonia RM, Italy
Website: Click here
Phone: 39 0774 366469

The Ocean Course, USA

Spanning over 6,727 metres, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina was designed by Alice and Pete Dye to serve as the venue for the Ryder Cup 1991. The course, which is considered to be one of the hardest courses in the world, also held the 2012 PGA Championship, which was won by Rory McIlroy. Later, in 2021 the course again hosted the PGA Championship which was won by Phil Mickelson.

The public course, which is known to have the most beachfront holes in North America, provides players with a driving range, a clubhouse with a Ryder Cup dining bar and the Atlantic Room for fine dining, as well as cottages offering stunning vistas of the course and the Atlantic ocean.

Address: Kiawah Island Golf Resort, One Sanctuary Beach Drive, Kiawah Island, SC 29455
Website: Click here
Phone: (800) 654 2924

Capilano Golf Club, Canada

The Capilano Golf Club was mapped out of a rainforest, by designer Stanley Thompson who crafted it in a way as to include the breathtaking views of Vancouver from each course. The course, which stretches over 6,132 metres, was originally designed in 1937 featuring expansive fairways flanked with trees and innovative bunkers. One of the best golf courses in the entire world, it consistently ranks as one of the top ten courses in Canada as well as the number one course in British Columbia.

The prestigious tournaments at the course have featured many top Canadian players such as Al Balding, Gordon Brydson, Moe Norman and Stan Leonard who have shown excellence on the field with their signature shots.

Address: Capilano Golf and Country Club, 420 Southborough Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7S 1M2
Website: Click here
Phone: 604 922 9331

Shanqin Bay Golf Club, China

Shanqin Bay Golf Club, one of China’s premier golfing destinations and another creation of Coore and Crenshaw, is specifically for the elite as it is extremely private. Located in the southeast of Hainan Island, the course consists of 18 holes surrounded by the sea on three sides with stunning views and distinctive elevations due to the extraordinary topography. The 6304-metre course offers almost all the facilities inside the arena from a pro shop, caddie services, a driving range, chipping bunker to practice areas, bars, a spa and a restaurant.

The 4,500-square metre clubhouse at the course includes a dining room, 270 ocean-view VIP suites, wooden outdoor patios and other amenities which span 2 floors.

Address: 428th County Rd, Longgun Town, Wanning Shi, Hainan, China
Phone: 86 89862779659

(Main and featured image: Golf at Kapalua)

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