The World's 5 Best Golf Courses According to Golf Digest
Golf Digest has published its annual rankings of the best courses in the United States for years, with panelists scoring courses based on challenge, layout variety, aesthetics, shot options, conditioning, and character. Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey topped the publication's America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses list in 2023, while Augusta National Golf Club (Georgia), Cypress Point Club (California), Shinnecock Hills Golf Club (New York), and Oakmont Country Club (Pennsylvania) rounded out the top five.
In addition, Golf Digest publishes a ranking of the best courses outside of the US. Its 2024-25 World's 100 Greatest Courses list highlights the beauty and modern relevance of the earliest golf course architectural features, specifically sandy dunes and seaside plains on links style courses. More than half of the 100 courses on the list are considered links, meaning coastal courses with sandy soil underneath. Moreover, seven of the top-10 courses are in the United Kingdom, which is no surprise considering it features many of the oldest courses in the world.
Here's a look at Golf Digest's five best courses outside of the US.
Royal County Down Golf Club (Northern Ireland)
One of the oldest courses in Northern Ireland, Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle maintained its No. 1 ranking in Golf Digest's 2024-25 World's 100 Greatest Courses list. Designed by Old Tom Morris in 1889, the private course is a challenging 7,206 yards with multiple blind shots, sloped marram grass sand bunkers, rugged terrain, and dramatic elevation changes, although the greens are relatively flat.
Royal County Down is best played in the spring, when on a clear day patrons can gaze upon the nearby Mountains of Mourne, the Irish Sea, and gorse-covered dunes. Many other renowned architects, including James Braid and Harry Vardon, have contributed to the course's distinct look over the years. Donald Steel, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, created the short par-4 16th hole and made significant changes to the final two holes.
Golf Digest ranked the course as the best outside of the US in each of its rankings during the past decade and even listed it first in its combined US and international ranking in 2016-17. The course has hosted several notable events, including the 2024 Irish Open, 2007 Walker Cup, and 2002 Senior British Open Championship.
Royal Dornoch Golf Club (Scotland)
Built on sloping dune-filled land along the North Sea, Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Scotland is a 6,799-yard public course with picturesque views and challenging holes, often made even more difficult by fierce Dornoch winds. Old Tom Morris also designed the initial layout of the course, which opened in 1892, but others, including John Sutherland and 1920 Open champion George Duncan, have since made alterations.
The par-70 course is one of the finest examples of a links course, with American sportswriter and author of The World Atlas of Golf Herbert Warren Wind calling it the "most natural course in the world." Eight-time major champion Tom Watson also said he enjoyed playing Royal Dornoch more than any other course. It is, however, quite a challenge for amateur golfers, with challenging elevated greens and tight fairways.
The Old Course at St. Andrews (Scotland)
Known as the "Home of Golf," the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland is the site where the beloved game was first played more than six centuries ago. Its design and playability has stood the test of time thanks in part to architectural contributions from Old Tom Morris, Daw Anderson, and more recently Martin Hawtree, who made somewhat polarizing alterations ahead of the 2015 and 2022 Open Championships.
A 7,313-yard, par-72, the Old Course has more than 100 bunkers and an abundance of world-renowned landmarks, including the 14th hole "Hell Bunker," which Golf Monthly called "one of the world's most notorious golfing hazards." The Swilcan Bridge and the eight-foot deep depression before the 18th green, known as the Valley of Sin, are among the other famous features.
The Old Course has hosted more Open Championships (30) than any other golf course. Tiger Woods won there in 2000 and 2005, while other winners include Cameron Smith (2022), John Daly (1995), Nick Faldo (1990), and Jack Nicklaus (1970 and 1978).
Royal Portrush Golf Club (Northern Ireland)
Set to host the 153rd Open in 2025, Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland moved up from No. 8 to No. 4 in Golf Digest's 2024-25 rankings. Also designed by Old Tom Morris with later contributions by H.S. Colt and Martin Ebert, it became the first Irish course to host The Open in 1951. Signature features on and around the course include the challenging 236-yard par-3 16th hole, the ruins of a 13th century castle, and some of the finest greens in the world.
Royal Melbourne Golf Club West (Australia)
The West course at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, designed by Alister MacKenzie, is situated on rolling sandbelt land and features some of the most imaginative and awe-inspiring holes in the world. The rugged course is also known for its impressive putting surfaces, fairway and green bunkers with tall vertical edges, and dramatic undulations.
Royal Melbourne hosted the Presidents Cup, a team golf competition between the best players in the US and the rest of the world minus Europe, in 2019, 2011, and 1998.