Of all the attributes for which the United Kingdom can be proud, the beauty of its golf courses should never be underestimated.
There are more than 2,500 layouts in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and although this number is alarmingly falling, each and every one has at least one scenic aspect beloved by its golfers.
Golf intertwines with nature and that is why, in this race to build more houses, the golf clubs should be protected. They are often within “areas of outstanding beauty” and invariably only enhance those environs.
On islands as rugged as these, the views are unrivalled across the globe and they should be celebrated. Alas, as is their right, there are some picturesque courses that largely keep their gates locked (Muirfield, which can only be played with a member, springs easiest to mind) and they have not been included in this top 10, whilst others, such as Turnberry, sneak in spite of the reservations caused by the exorbitant green fees.
Inevitably, the top 10 is dominated by the courses which parade their good looks by the seaside and, no doubt, some inland beauties have been omitted as a result. But these contenders are still a varied bunch, each of which is a stunner in its own right.
9= Old Course, St Andrews (Fife)
Has to figure, even though the sea views are actually quite tame in comparison with some other legendary links. In many respects, the Old Course is the view, taking pride of place in the Auld Grey Toon. The Swilcan Bridge, Hell Bunker… these are icons visitors simply come to gawp at as they take in 600-plus years of history.
The clubhouse stands beautifully over the first tee and 18th green, looking down on the participants with the glare of the game’s conscience. The St Andrews skyline only enhances the sense of wonderment as the golfer plays through an 18 that trips off the memory, capped by the Road Hole 17th that somehow even makes a modern hotel seem picturesque.
The great magic of the Old Course is that it is so much more than the sum of its parts. It is a public course, but the greens are, of course, not at public-course prices. It is the destination for the golfing pilgrimage.
???? Yardage (white tees): 6,670 yards. Par 72
???? Green fees: £340 (high season, dropping to £160 in low season)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member. Ballot entry
???? Picturesque rating: 9/10
????️ Playability rating: 10/10
???? Value for money: 4/10
⛳ Overall rating: 23/30
9= Turnberry (Ayrshire)
Pebble Beach would no doubt disagree, but this could easily be the most scenic course in the world. It is such a shame that The Open will not return here until the R&A is confident that President Trump, the Aisla Course owner, will not overshadow the actual golf, because this place has everything – the views, the history, the holes. And, of course, the lighthouse.
Since purchasing Turnberry a decade ago, Trump has spent millions in ensuring that the feature-piece lighthouse is granted a more prominent position on the layout and in his incredible renovation Martin Ebert has spectacularly achieved this mission.
Maybe it is not surprising that the golfer must pay handsomely, if not ludicrously, for the privilege of playing on the stage of the 1977 Duel of the Sun, but the prices still jar. If you can afford it, do it, and stay in the magnificent hotel.
???? Yardage (white tees): 6,511 yards, Par 71
???? Green fees: £545 (rising to £1,000)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member, although cheaper if staying in the hotel
???? Picturesque rating: 10/10
????️ Playability rating: 10/10
???? Value for money: 2.5/10
⛳ Overall rating: 22.5/30
8. Clwb Golff Aberteifi (Ceredigion)
A personal favourite from playing there as a child, this is one of the UK’s hidden gems overlooking Cardigan Bay. From this privileged position on the cliffs, the golfer can often see dolphins swimming by with the view stretching out from the Teifi Estuary.
Inevitably, the course itself suffers from comparison with the incredible vista, but the layout is underrated and the greens, in particular, are of the highest standard, boasting subtle but mischievous contouring. It relies on holidayers and is extremely welcoming. Snootiness is a stranger. You can jump on the course after 3pm for a twilight round that will cost the adult only £15 and a junior £5. A genuine bargain.
???? Yardage: 6,455. Par 72
???? Green fees: £30 (£15 twilight rate)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member
???? Picturesque rating: 8/10
????️ Playability rating: 5/10
???? Affordability: 10/10
⛳ Overall rating: 23/30
7. Royal County Down (Co. Down)
The views are so eye-popping on the front nine you are almost relieved when you get to the 10th and drama starts to drop down a notch. It is perfect terrain, with the town nestling at the feet of the Mountains of Mourne, and the Bay of Dundrum sweeps out into the Irish Sea.
The purple heather and the yellow gorse provide a wonderful contrast to the rugged coastline and the dunes and bearded bunkers ensure that there is barely an inch of the layout that could be described as bland. It is a tough challenge, however – so tough that unless you are at least a proficient mid-handicapper you might struggle to enjoy it for the golf alone. It regularly figures in the top five courses in the world and, alas, the prices are reflective of that standing.
???? Yardage: 7,200. Par 71
???? Green fees: £425
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member, but must book through the Secretary’s Office
???? Picturesque rating: 9.5/10
????️ Playability rating: 10/10
???? Value for money: 4/10
⛳ Overall rating: 23.5/30
6. St Enodoc (Cornwall)
An absolute stunner of a location on Cornwall’s rugged north coast, running alongside the River Camel estuary, the glorious inlet separating the tourist towns of Padstow and Rock. James Braid’s Church course is one of the finest in England even before the vista is taken into account. The fairways meander between and across the dunes, with the seaside an almost constant backdrop as the quirky layout darts this way and that.
Sir John Betjeman is buried in the small churchyard adjacent to the 10th hole, the most difficult on the course. St Enodoc was the scene for the former Poet Laureate’s poem, Seaside Golf.
“In-coming tide, Atlantic waves,
“Slapping the sunny cliffs,
“Lark song and sea sounds in the air
“And splendour, splendour everywhere.”
St Enodoc truly is so much more than a pretty face.
???? Yardage: 6,577. Par 69
???? Green fees: £160 (peak, dropping to £90 off-peak)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member. Ballot entry
???? Picturesque rating: 9/10
????️ Playability rating: 9/10
???? Value for money: 6/10
⛳ Overall rating: 24/30
5. Ilfracombe (North Devon)
The drive from the east on the beautiful A39 coast road is worth taking even if you hate golf. But if you are a golfer and love views, plus a fun test with the sticks, then this short but stunning layout is for you. It has six par-threes and the sea is visible from each. On a clear day it is possible to spot Mumbles in Swansea.
Of course, the weather dictates the nature of the experience on the links and if the wind is up it can be almost unplayable for high-handicappers. But if you strike lucky, the scenery is unforgettable.
It is hilly and the walk is demanding and there are at least four crossing fairways. But these, and perhaps the odd blind shot, are the only negatives at one of the most picturesque courses in south-west England.
???? Yardage: 5,796 yards. Par 69
???? Green fees: £60 (dropping to £35 for twilight rates)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member
???? Picturesque rating: 8/10
????️ Playability rating: 6.5/10
???? Value for money: 10/10
⛳ Overall rating: 24.5/30
4. Royal Dornoch (Sutherland)
A four-hour drive north from Glasgow, this visit to a remote but revered venue is always worth the trip. Dornoch is the perfect balance between rich scenery and challenging sport and the authorities should have found a way to stage big, professional tournaments on the links.
It is similar to St Andrews, in the fact that the history makes the golfer humble. Golf was first played here in the early 17th century. However, unlike the Old Course, it is isolated and nature takes over, with the gorse providing the colour when in bloom and the adjacent sandy beach stretching to the Dornoch Firth. Not cheap, but a must-visit.
???? Yardage: 6,649. Par 70
???? Green fees: £280 (high season, dropping to £155 in low season)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member
???? Picturesque rating: 10/10
????️ Playability rating: 10/10
???? Value for money: 5/10
⛳ Overall rating: 25/30
3. Cruden Bay (Aberdeenshire)
Step on to the fourth tee and try not to say ‘wow!’. It is one of the game’s great par threes, with a view so spectacular it is easy to forget there is a demanding test to be negotiated, with a river to the left and dunes to the right.
Cruden Bay is a box to be emphatically ticked, with a vista across dunes – some of which are 30-feet high – to the bay, 25 miles north of Aberdeen. Tough to reach. Hard to leave.
Bram Stoker was certainly taken with the brutality of the beauty, writing the early chapters of Dracula in the fishing village. It is a layout that, on the right day, even a hacker could get their teeth into. Some purists are put off by a few blind shots and the elevation changes can be tiring, but it is impossible not to be in awe of the setting. Unfortunately, American interest has driven up the green fees.
???? Yardage: 6,609. Par 70
???? Green fees: £200 (high season, dropping to £155 in low season)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member
???? Picturesque rating: 10/10
????️ Playability rating: 9/10
???? Value for money: 6.5/10
⛳ Overall rating: 25.5/30
2. Kington (Herefordshire)
It is not only links that can take the breath away with their beauty. Kington, the highest course in England at almost 1,300 feet above sea level, sums this up, offering remarkable views across the seven “old counties” – Herefordshire, Breconshire, Radnorshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire.
It is not a demanding walk and, in truth, is not the toughest to play, either. It is only 6,000 yards and has no bunkers. Yet what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in variety, proving that wide fairways offer more for the imagination. There is not a more picturesque inland course in the UK. Brilliant value, too.
???? Yardage: 5,873. Par 70
???? Green fees: £35 (peak, dropping to £21 off-peak)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member
???? Picturesque rating: 9/10
????️ Playability rating: 7/10
???? Value for money: 10/10
⛳ Overall rating: 26/30
1. Nefyn & District (Gwynedd)
It is an inescapable fact that the most scenic golf courses are on the coast, and at this north Wales jewel the lucky player can famously ‘see the sea from every tee’. Furthermore, from each green you peer at the peaks of Eryri National Park (Snowdonia in old money), and Anglesey is also rarely out of shot.
On the Old Course, the first 10 holes are good enough, but then you arrive at ‘The Point’ – the eight holes on the narrow peninsula that seem to carry you out into the middle of the Irish Sea. And yes, on a clear day you can see the Wicklow Mountains.
It is one of the most photographed layouts in the UK and has to be one of the most enjoyable to play, as well.
???? Yardage: 6,520. Par 71
???? Green fees: £69 (May to August, dropping to £30 in non-peak months)
???? Rules: Do not have to play with a member
???? Picturesque rating: 9.5/10
????️ Playability rating: 9/10
???? Affordability rating: 8/10
⛳ Overall rating: 26.5/30
