2026-2027 World’s 100 Greatest Courses Golf Digest surveyed hundreds of international course- ranking panelists to determine this year’s World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses outside the United States. Here are the results.
Most of the 16 courses that debut on our new world ranking illustrate the joys of travelling off the beaten path or at least seeking places devoid of bus caravans. Some, like West Sussex (No 97) and St George’s Hill (T-53) in the London heathlands, are as aesthetically vivid and architecturally bulletproof as Sun- ningdale’s Old and New courses (No 12, and 36), Swinley Forest (No 29) or Wal- ton Heath (No 81) if not as well known. Others like Point Hardy at Cabot Saint Lucia (No 23) or Carne in northwest Ire- land (No 63) are remote points of light that demand dedicated but existentially worthwhile efforts to see. No one will be faulted for focusing an overseas trip around Royal County Down, our No 1 course for the sixth con- secutive ranking, or taking an entire day to ensure a tee time at the Old Course at St Andrews (No 2). These and every entry on the World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses ranking deliver outstanding, sometimes transcendent golf. But our favourite rounds are often those that come with the least expectations played on the strength of faith alone. And that can make all the difference.
1. (1) Royal County Down GC (Championship) - Newcastle, Northern Ireland Old Tom Morris (1889), George Combe (1907), Harry Vardon (1920), H S Colt (1926), Donald Steel (1998) 7 206 yards, par 71 2. (3) The Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland Allan Robertson (1848), Old Tom Morris (1865-’85), Martin Hawtree 3. (6) Muirfield, Gullane, Scotland Old Tom Morris (1891), H S Colt (1925), Martin Hawtree (2011) 7 245 yards, par 71 4. (2) Royal Dornoch GC (Championship), Scotland Old Tom Morris (1892), George Duncan (1947), Donald Steel (1993), Tom Mackenzie (2013) 6 799 yards, par 70 5. (4) Royal Portrush GC (Dunluce), Northern Ireland Tom Gilroy (9, 1888), Old Tom Morris (9, 1889), H S Colt (1932), Martin Ebert (2015 & 2024) 7 317 yards, par 72 6. (5) Royal Melbourne GC (West), Black Rock, Australia Alister MacKenzie, Alex Russell (1931), (2013-’14; ’20; ‘25) 7 313 yards, par 72
12. (12) Sunningdale GC (Old), England Willie Park Jr. (1901), H S Colt (1922), Donald Steel (1986), Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner (2026) 6 666 yards, par 70 13. (14) Cape Wickham Links, King Island, Australia Mike DeVries, Darius Oliver (2015) 6 725 yards, par 72 14. (13) Cabot Cliffs, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2015) 6 835 yards, par 72 Allan Robertson (1838), Old Tom Morris (1895), James Wright (1931), Martin Hawtree (2006), Martin Ebert (2016) 7 421 yards, par 71 16. (26) Hirono GC, Hyogo, Japan C H Alison (1932), Martin Ebert (2018-’19) 7 169 yards, par 72 17. (19) Royal Birkdale GC, Southport, England George Lowe (1897), F G Hawtree, 15. (16) Carnoustie Links (Championship), Scotland J H Taylor (1931), F W Hawtree (74-’85), M Hawtree (2010), T Mackenzie (2024) 7 156 yards, par 70 18. (20) Royal St George’s GC, Sandwich, England W Laidlaw Purves (1887), H S Colt (1914), Martin Ebert (2010) 7 204 yards, par 70 19. (17) Morfontaine GC, France Tom Simpson (1927), Kyle Phillips (2004) 6 584 yards, par 70 20. (30) Barnbougle Dunes, Bridport, Tasmania, Australia Tom Doak, Mike Clayton (2004) 6 724 yards, par 71 21. (27) Lahinch GC (Old), Ireland Old Tom Morris (1894), Alister MacKenzie (1928), M Hawtree (2003) 6 950 yards, par 72 22. (23) New South Wales GC, Australia Des Soutar, Carnegie Clark, Alister MacKenzie (1928), Eric Apperly (1936), Greg Norman (2010), Tom Doak (2018) 6 829 yards, par 72 23. (NEW) Cabot Saint Lucia (Point Hardy), Cap Estate, St Lucia Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2023) 6 616 yards, par 71
Tom Doak (2015-’16) 6 645 yards, par 72 7. (7) Tara Iti GC, Mangawhai, New Zealand
Tom Doak (2015) 6 951 yards, par 71
8. (8) Trump Turnberry, Scotland P M Ross (1951), Martin Ebert (2015) 7 489 yards, par 71 9. (11) Kingston Heath GC, Heatherton, Australia Des Soutar, Mick Morcom (1925), Mike Clayton (2002), Ogilvy, Cocking & Mead (2005) 7 102 yards, par 72 10. (10) Ballybunion GC (Old), Ireland Lionel Hewson (9, 1906), Reginald Beale (9, 1927), Tom Simpson (1937), Martin Hawtree (2011), Graeme Webster (2015) 6 802 yards, par 71 11. (9) North Berwick GC, Scotland
David Strath (1877), C K Hutchison (1935) 6 551 yards, par 71
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 111
JUNE 2026
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