For golf lovers, there's always one more course to tick off the list. But if you're looking to play the crème de la crème, here’s your 2025 definitive list of the Top 10 Golf Courses across the globe. From the rolling dunes of Nebraska to the dramatic coastlines of Northern Ireland, this list blends heritage, exclusivity, and good old golfing challenge. So, grab your clubs—dreams start here.

Cypress Point Club – California, USA
If golf courses were mythical creatures, Cypress Point would be the Pegasus—beautiful, rare, and nearly impossible to catch. Tucked along the Monterey Peninsula, it’s exclusive enough to make Augusta seem easy to get into. Legend has it that even JFK was once denied entry to the clubhouse. With just 250 members, your best bet is to be very well-connected… or very lucky.

Pine Valley Golf Club – New Jersey, USA
Built on the vision (and untimely demise) of hotelier George Crump, Pine Valley is the gold standard of penal design—golf’s version of tough love. Fairways are framed by thick woods and cavernous bunkers; if you stray, you pay. A must-play for masochists and course architecture purists alike.

Royal County Down (Championship) – Down, Northern Ireland
One of the most fiercely debated “best courses” in the UK, Royal County Down offers blind tee shots, whispering dunes, and more drama than a Netflix period series. Framed by the Mourne Mountains and edged by the Irish Sea, this is bucket-list golf at its most majestic.

Royal Melbourne Golf Club (West) – Victoria, Australia
Alister MacKenzie's 1926 masterpiece is a symphony of strategic design and sandbelt style. The West Course at Royal Melbourne remains Australia’s jewel, playing host to top championships with a layout that punishes recklessness and rewards finesse. Golf history meets timeless challenge.

Royal Melbourne Golf Club (West) – Victoria, Australia
Alister MacKenzie's 1926 masterpiece is a symphony of strategic design and sandbelt style. The West Course at Royal Melbourne remains Australia’s jewel, playing host to top championships with a layout that punishes recklessness and rewards finesse. Golf history meets timeless challenge.

Royal Portrush Golf Club (Dunluce) – Antrim, Northern Ireland
Starting as a humble 9-hole layout in 1888, Royal Portrush has grown into one of the world’s most iconic links. With sweeping views of the rugged coast and a reputation burnished by The Open, it’s a classic case of humble beginnings leading to global fame.

Muirfield – Lothians, Scotland
Home to The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (est. 1744), Muirfield is not just a golf course—it’s a museum you can play on. Its roots run deep into the soil of golf’s history, with the original 13 rules of golf drafted here. The challenge? Impeccably fair. The legacy? Immeasurable.

Hirono Golf Club – Kansai, Japan
Designed by the Englishman Charles Alison, Hirono is Japan’s most revered course—and possibly its most secretive. Tucked away near Kobe, its beauty lies in its rugged elegance and impeccable design. Access is extremely limited, so if you get the invite, don’t think—go.

Fishers Island Club – New York, USA
Perched on a narrow sliver between Long Island Sound and tranquil lakes, Fishers Island Club feels like stepping into a postcard. With natural water views on nearly every hole, it’s coastal golf at its dreamiest. Remote, private, and breathtaking—just don’t miss the last ferry.

Trump Turnberry – Ailsa Course, Ayrshire, Scotland
There’s golf, and then there’s Turnberry. With its dramatic seaside setting, the Ailsa Course delivers epic scenery and equally epic golf. From views of the Isle of Arran to the infamous “Duel in the Sun,” it’s a course steeped in legend—and breeze.

Sand Hills Golf Club – Nebraska, USA
Who knew Nebraska could rival the Scottish Highlands? Sand Hills is a sprawling, minimalist marvel with fairways that slither through mammoth dunes. It’s big, bold, and brilliant—and deceptively punishing. Those bunkers? More like craters. Pack extra balls and a sense of humour.