Though you undoubtedly appreciate any time spent out of the house this year, you will probably want to broaden your horizons in 2021. This is especially true if you have been practicing your golf skills but are tired of the same course at home.

Here are 10 of the best golf courses in the world to get you dreaming of a getaway with your clubs or to watch the world’s best in action.

Pine Valley 

Location: Pine Valley, New Jersey, USA

The Pine Valley Golf Club was founded by George Crump in 1913. It regularly features in top 100 lists for the world’s best golf courses and is known for being one of the hardest to complete.

Major international competitions are rarely hosted here; only two Walker Cup matches have taken place in the past.

When the course opened in 1919, nobody could complete a round of 70 strokes for the first three years.

The course is only accessible to members and their guests.

Royal County Down

Location: Newcastle, Northern Ireland, UK

The Royal County Down golf course was founded by businessmen from Belfast in 1889.

Unlike the Pine Valley Golf Club, Royal County Down has hosted numerous global championship events. These include the Open Championship, Senior Open Championship, and Irish Professional Championship.

Famous golfers to have stepped onto the prestigious course include Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, as well as Tiger Woods and Tom Watson.

If you’re looking to have a go yourself, you and a group of friends have various booking options and can pay for your own caddie too. Prices vary.

The Course at Old St. Andrews Links

Location: St. Andrews, Scotland, UK

The Old St. Andrews Links course is the oldest golf course in the world and known as the ‘Home of Golf’. It’s located on the quiet, scenic east coast of Scotland.

The first game on the old course is believed to have been played almost 600 years ago. Since then, various amateur tournaments have been played – such as the St. Andrews Links Trophy.

Despite its prestige, the Old St. Andrews Links golf course is quite accessible. You can enjoy unlimited golf tickets and other packages and play on the numerous other courses at St. Andrews Links. Caddies are available too.

Cypress Point

Location: Pebble Beach, California, USA

Cypress Hill opened in 1928 and can be found on Monterey Peninsula, surrounded by significant natural beauty. It is known to be one of the best golf courses in the US, as well as one of the trickiest.

Until 1990, the course was the venue for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament.

Cypress Point is one of the world’s most exclusive clubs, and playing golf here is only realistic if a member invites you. If you are lucky enough to get invited, you will experience golf in one of the world’s most beautiful settings.

Augusta National

Location: Augusta, Georgia, USA

Augusta National was founded in 1933 and is the venue for the Masters Tournament each year. Membership is by invitation only, and non-members must be accompanied by a member whenever they are at the club.

Despite how exclusive the club is, you might get a chance to visit one year. Chances of playing are limited, but you could get lucky and secure tickets for the Masters.

Royal Portrush

Location: Portrush, Northern Ireland, UK

Royal Portrush is a 36-hole club with two links courses. The club was founded in 1888, with the first course opening in the following year.

The club hosted the Open Championship in 2019, having done so in 1951 too. Two more events will be held here before 2040.

You can visit both the Dunlace and Valley Links, with group booking also a possibility. If you choose to, you can also stay in overnight accommodation.

You can also review this article to check out other courses in Ireland, both the north and south.

Sand Hills

Location: Mullen, Nebraska, USA

Sand Hills is one of the newer courses on this list, having opened in 1995. The course is only open for four months each year.

The course has 18 holes and is challenging to complete because much of the surface is sand.

Sand Hills is also known for its unique remote location; Mullen has only 500 residents and is a four-hour drive from Lincoln. If you can get an invitation from one of the few members, you’re in for a golfing experience you will never forget.

Shinnecock Hills

Location: Southampton, New York, USA

Shinnecock Hills Golf Club was founded in 1891. It is the oldest golf club in the US and one of the USGA’s five founding members.

The course has hosted several prestigious international events, including the US Open multiple times. The Walker Cup has also been played here, and in 2026 the US Open will make a return.

It is possible to play at Shinnecock Hills if you aren’t a member, but you must know a member who can sign you in first. Sometimes the club also allows you to bid for charity auctions, meaning you can play golf on a prestigious course while also donating thousands of dollars to a good cause.

Tara ITI

Location: Mangawhai, New Zealand

Tara ITI is situated on New Zealand’s northern island and surrounded by stunning nature. It was founded in 2015 and has since become known as one of the world’s greatest golf courses.

In its short history, the course has been visited by Barack Obama. Membership is deliberately kept small to maintain a humble, intimate vibe.

Non-members must receive an invitation before they are allowed to play, but trying to find someone who can help is worth it.

Muirfield

Location: Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland, UK

Today’s Muirfield Golf Club was founded in Leith in 1744 before moving to Muirfield in 1891. The course has 18 holes and is just 20 miles from Edinburgh.

The Muirfield course has hosted 16 Open Championships in the past, most recently in 2013.

It’s possible to play golf at Muirfield if you aren’t a member. Winter green fees are cheaper than at other times of the year, though you must also consider the weather in Scotland from November to March.

Golf Inspiration for 2021

The best golf courses in the world may be exclusive for the most part, but visiting for a round isn’t impossible. At the very least, you can take inspiration and look for more local golf courses if necessary.

Can’t yet afford to visit the courses mentioned in this list? Read our blog for more golf-inspired tips, as well as how-to tricks for other areas of life.