World’s Top 100 Golf Courses – golfscape (Part 2)
golfscape has been working with the expertise of industry leaders to put together our first World’s Top 100 Golf Courses, 2019
The golf courses that have been selected to feature in the ranking are those that offer unique, memorable, and luxury experiences worldwide. From the lush tropical greens of Bali to the bustling, beautiful city of Dubai, we have traveled far and wide to bring you the world’s greatest golf. Join us on the countdown from 100 to 1 and find out who we have selected as a Top 100 golf course and what course managed to make it to our top spot.
The second part of our World’s Top 100 Golf Courses will take you through all the courses that reached the 75–51 spots!
Can’t handle the suspense? Head over to part three to discover the world-class golf courses that secured positions 50–26 here.
75 – Real Club Sevilla Golf, Spain
Renowned for its superb golf, Real Club Sevilla Golf is recognized as one of Europe’s greatest golf courses. Major worldwide events support its prestige, consolidating it as one of the best international golf courses. The course was designed by Jose Maria Olazabal (Integral Golf Design), it is a 6,529-meter course, par-72. It has a balanced layout able to accommodate any type of competition, both amateur, and professional.
74 – Golfclub Adamstal, Austria
Golfclub Adamstal is located in Lower Austria’s Alpine foreland in Ramsau and is considered one of Europe’s most beautiful and spectacular golf courses. A spectacular setting – Lower Austria’s Alpine foreland provides the ideal surrounding for impressive views and also has unmatched scenery. A dedicated architect – the Canadian Jeff Howes, a disciple of Jack Nicklaus, who gave Adamstal its unique design.
73 – La Playa Beach & Golf Resort, US
At the luxurious La Playa Beach & Golf Resort, golfers are invited to tee off amidst the resort course’s lush, meticulously manicured fairways dotted with colorful sprays of bougainvillea. Designed by Robert Cupp, the 18 hole links golf course is both scenic and challenging and is steeped in Florida’s natural beauty, featuring gently rolling hills, 14 sparkling lakes, and water features and plenty of opportunities to spot native wildlife.
72 – Monte-Rei North, Monte-Rei Golf & CC, Portugal
Set in a private estate, spanning over 1000 acres of glorious countryside in Algarve, Portugal, Monte Rei Golf & Country Club is firmly established as one of the jewels in the crown of European golf. The centerpiece of Monte Rei’s attractions is its Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, Monte Rei North. Each hole is a design triumph, blending effortlessly into the natural canvas.
71 – Chateau des Vigiers, France
Chateau des Vigiers is a 27 hole course, designed by Donald Steel – one of the best golf course architects. Since it first opened in 1992, the course still holds its title as one of the top courses in South West France. The 18th hole has a vintage and picturesque feel, as the round ends in front of the Chateau.
70 – The Dunes Course, Costa Navarino, Greece
The multi-award winning Costa Navarino, in Greece, has two golf courses – The Dunes and The Bay courses – and will add two spectacular José María Olazábal-designed tracks at Navarino Hills, in 2021. The par-71, 6,018m, Bernhard Langer and EGD-designed Dunes Course offers spectacular sea and river views and incorporates links-style features in areas closest to the sea, while occasionally venturing into olive and fruit groves
69 – Tralee Golf Club, Ireland
Tralee Golf Club was designed by Arnold Palmer in 1984. The stunning 1st and 2nd holes of the course were the locations of the beach scenes in the 1970 movie Ryan’s Daughter, which won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. The golf course setting represents a true paradise for those willing to take on the challenge, at what is widely acclaimed as one of the most famous links courses in the world.
68 – Falsterbo Golfklubb, Sweden
Falsterbo is one of few true classic links courses in Continental Europe. It is located in the southernmost tip of Sweden in a nature reserve. The club was founded in 1909 and is among the oldest in Scandinavia. The layout remains the same even when renovation work on the course is done every winter. Each of the 116 bunkers is handmade revetted. With the wind from the sea, a round at Falsterbo is always great fun and a challenge.
67 – Great Northern, Denmark
Great Northern is created with inspiration from some of the world’s best golf courses and built up with respect for the local area’s countryside and history. Nordic generosity at Great Northern is enjoyment, inclusiveness, a shared passion for the sport, and a firm conviction that golf should be a social activity.
66 – Durban Country Club, South Africa
A combination of lush vegetation, sand dunes, and stunning views of the Indian Ocean make this course one of the most unique, and challenging, in all the world. One of the defining characteristics of Durban Country Club is the massive undulations in the fairways, especially the 5th, 8th, and 17th.
65 – The Royal Dublin Golf Club, Ireland
The Royal Dublin Golf Club, Ireland’s second oldest golf club, was established in 1885 and is home to one of the finest links courses in Ireland. Located on North Bull Island, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it combines nature at its finest with a stunning backdrop of Dublin City. Designed by the legendary Harry Colt and host to numerous championships, it is a must-visit for any golfer looking for a true links experience.
64 – The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, Canada
Carved out of the slopes of the Coast Mountain range in British Columbia, this magnificent Whistler golf course allows nature to dictate the path without constraints of commercial influence. The mountain course traverses creeks, ponds, stands of ancient Douglas fir, and granite rock. Elevation changes of more than 400 feet overall create an impressive golf opportunity and a naturally spectacular BC golf experience.
63 – Shangri-La’s Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka
Spread across a vast coconut palm plantation, the par-70, 18 hole golf course at Shangri La’s Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa offers spectacular views of the Indian Ocean, with distinctive challenges for both beginners and seasoned players. Designed by Rodney Wright, the globally celebrated designer, the course offers lush fairways and challenging bunkers.
62 – Brautarholt Golf Club, Iceland
At Brautarholt Golf Course you will enjoy a terrific landscape: the golf holes are perched atop dramatic clifftops and the waterfront location offers unique views to Reykjavik city and in the distance to Snæfellsjökull glacier. Each hole is different, weaving in and out of the lava formations and alongside the ocean cliffs. In June and July, the course offers midnight golf! There is something magical and enlightening about playing golf in the midnight sun.
61 – Mount Juliet Estate Golf Course, Ireland
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Mount Juliet Estate golf course first opened in 1991 with a friendly match between Jack Nicklaus and Christy O’Connor Snr. Since then, the course has established itself as a premier venue for all levels of golfer. Set in the rolling pastures and woodland of Ireland’s sunny South East, the course is both captivating and memorable.
60 – The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course, US
Home to one of the world’s floating, movable Island green, The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course, located in scenic North Idaho, boasts views of Lake Coeur d’Alene from nearly every hole. Although the par-3 14th hole, the floating green, is the iconic golf hole recognized worldwide, The Coeur d’Alene sets itself apart with services and amenities.
59 – Kingsbarns Golf Links, Scotland
Kingsbarns Golf Links is a traditional Scottish links course located alongside the picturesque North Sea coastline, where each hole embraces the sea. Kingsbarns co-hosts the annual European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship together with the Old Course at St Andrews and Carnoustie.
58 – Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club, New Zealand
The host of 12 New Zealand Opens, Paraparaumu Beach Golf Course has long been regarded by many as the spiritual home of New Zealand Golf. Designed in 1949 by Alex Russell, whose design credits include the world-famous Royal Melbourne golf course, Paraparaumu Beach is a regular inside the World Top 100 Golf Course lists and is considered one of the best links courses in the Southern Hemisphere.
57 – The European Club, Ireland
The European Club is unique in the world of golf in that it is owned by the person who built and designed its fine links. It benefits greatly from more than three decades devoted to refining every design aspect to ensure that the links are aesthetically stunning, that it interfaces strongly but very fairly with modern golfers of all standards, and is as perfect as possible in all respects. The golfer even gets to play alongside the sea on holes 12 through 15 and some even leave the country when hitting a stray shot onto the beach or out into the water!
56 – Punta Espada Golf Club, Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
Punta Espada Golf Course is the first of three Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses to be developed at Cap Cana. It incorporates all the paradise-like characteristics of Cap Cana throughout its 18 holes, 8 of which are oceanfront and all the rest have a view of the sea. From all points of Punta Espada, golfers are blessed with extraordinary views of the Caribbean, where the sea contrasts against the emerald fairways and the perfect greens.
55 – Tranquilo Golf Course, Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club, US
Set amongst abundant wildlife and protected wetlands, Tranquilo Golf Course presents a world-class experience – allowing golfers to escape and truly connect with nature. Recently renovated, the Tom Fazio designed course offers an unparalleled 18 hole journey into the game of golf.
54 – Castle Stuart Golf Links, Scotland
This stunning championship course opened in 2009 but already has a remarkable history, hosting some of the world’s leading golfers in the European Tour’s Scottish Open on four occasions. Designed by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse, it is regarded as a model for modern golf architecture, being fun, engaging, and playable for every-day players of all abilities, but also a challenge for the very best.
53 – Danang Golf Club, Vietnam
Located alongside one of South East Asia’s most beautiful beachfront, the Dunes Course at Danang Golf Club is undoubtedly one of the most compelling courses to play in the region, if not the world. The Dunes course, designed by Greg Norman “The Shark,” puts Vietnam on the map as a premier golf destination. The new Nicklaus Course is Asia’s first truly bulkhead course and creates a stunning contrast to the Dunes Course.
52 – St Francis Links, South Africa
St Francis Links, nestled in the dunes above the Indian Ocean, in the village known as St Francis Bay, combined the great design skills of Jack Nicklaus and the great land he was provided with. The Championship 18, features strong par-5, short and long fours with par-3 that can be played from 90 to 210 yards. The more you play golf here in the dunes, the more you embrace the challenges and the rewards. Jack Nicklaus said the course would evolve with time and it has in so many ways.
51 – Ile Aux Cerfs Golf Club, Mauritius
Designed by the famous golf player Bernhard Langer, the golf club is accessible to players of all levels. The course covers 38 hectares on the southern half of the Ile Aux Cerfs with holes snaking up and down the length of the island. All 18 holes of the tropical course are complete with magical views of the ocean.