World's 10 Best Golf Courses

There are several locations that could compete for a spot on the list of the world’s 10 best golf courses.  Though golf is played around the world, most of the best courses are in Northern Europe, where the game originated, and in the United States, where it has flourished.

1. The Old Course at St. Andrew’s. This course is the oldest golf course and no doubt the greatest of the world’s 10 best golf courses.  To play here, golfers need to line up almost a year in advance.
2. Augusta National. Augusta National was built and designed by legend Bobby Jones and is the host of the Masters Tournament. It is renowned for its beauty, particularly in the spring, and is one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. Played here, the Masters has become the world’s premier golf tournament.
3. Pebble Beach. Pebble Beach is one of the most beautiful courses in the world, abutting the Pacific Ocean and bringing the water into play on many holes. The course opened in 1919 and hosts several major tournaments.
4. Muirfield. Muirfield is in Scotland and is a classic European links course, in that it “links” the land with the ocean. It’s unique design of two loops of nine holes allows for a different wind direction on every hole. It has hosted the British Open 15 times.
5. Pine Valley. Pine Valley is consistently ranked as one of the world’s 10 best golf courses and is extremely challenging. Sand traps and dense woods severely punish bad shots. Membership at the club can only be obtained via invite from the board of directors.
6. Oakmont. Oakmont was founded in 1903. This course, one of the world’s 10 best golf courses, is known for it’s extremely fast and undulating greens. It’s also known for the 1962 U.S. Open, where a young Jack Nicklaus beat Arnold Palmer on a course Palmer had been playing his whole life. The course has 165 sand traps, including the infamous “church pew” bunkers.
7. Royal Melbourne (West). Royal Melbourne is Australia’s most famous and oldest course and one of the world’s 10 best golf courses. The course sometimes plays host to the President’s cup, a competition between U.S. players and an international team. It was designed by course architect legend Alister MacKenzie.
8. Pinehurst, No. 2. Pinehurst has wide, generous fairways but greens that are very difficult to hold. It is a strict test of championship golf and it has become a frequent host of the U.S. Open.
9. Turnberry. Turnberry is one of the world’s 10 best golf courses and has hosted the British Open four times. It was famously the home of the “Duel in the Sun” showdown between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in the Open in 1977, ultimately won by Watson.  Turnberry Point Lighthouse is one of the course’s signature landmarks.
10. Royal County Down. This course was designed by British golfing legend Old Tom Morris and is a very exclusive club, populated by the Belfast rich. The course has a very “ancient” feel to it and is very demanding. It is an extremely long course at 7,200 yards.