This part of the world is well known for golf, but when it comes to the most picturesque golf courses in the UK, where do we rate highly?
Links, heathland, moorland – there is plenty to choose from when it comes to golf in this country.
But what about the most picturesque courses? The linksland options can take you as far north as the Scottish Highlands, down to the south east corner of England, and across to the coastline of Ireland as well.
Inland, there are heathland beauties in Yorkshire, Surrey and the Midlands of England, all of which rank highly on any Top 100s list.
- RELATED: National Club Golfer Top 100s
Looking for picture-perfect golf? Look no further…
We have complied a ten-strong list of courses in the United Kingdom that will be a sight for sore eyes.
From north to south, east to west, there are links courses, heathland courses and plenty in between! There are also some you will have heard of, and others that may be new to you.
We appreciate that not everyone will agree with our list, but that is what these lists are for.
In no particular order, here are our favourites…
Royal County Down
Royal County Down isn’t just the best course in Northern Ireland, or even the isle of Ireland, it is the best course in the British Isles.
Old Tom Morris designed the original 18-hole layout in the late 19th Century, and it is a routing that remains to this day. The great Harry Colt also laid his hand to the course in the 1900s, and between the two, they came up with a masterpiece.
Not only do we love the course layout, but the views that you get from pretty much every part of the course just add that cherry on the top. The Mourne Mountains provide the back drop, while the Murlough Nature Reserve and the Irish Sea make it glorious on all four sides.
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Those views really kick in at the par 3 4th. With the Mourne Mountains dominating the view back towards the clubhouse, and the whole course laid out in front of you, there are few more picturesque spots in world golf
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s GB&I – Royal County Down
Bamburgh Castle
There are plenty of delightful layouts in the northeast of England, with the likes of Dunstanburgh Castle and Goswick in that region.
When it comes to incredible views, Bamburgh Castle beats the lot. To get to the course, you have to drive past Bamburgh Castle itself, and while you’re on the grass, you can see the beautiful structure, which has been around for some 1500 years.
The course itself is relatively unique, in that it begins with two par 3s and then two par 5s. When you reach the brow of the hill on the tough 3rd hole, the views properly come into play, and you really have to refocus on your game of golf!
When you are stood on the 14th tee, take a moment to enjoy those incredible views. The sea on three sides, miles and miles of unspoilt beaches, Holy Island and, of course, the eponymous castle, which on a bright morning is framed stunningly by the rising sun behind it.
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s – Bamburgh Castle
Pennard
The first of several Welsh venues to make it onto our list of the most picturesque golf courses in the United Kingdom is Pennard.
James Braid and C.K. Cotton were the men behind the design at Pennard, which first opened way back in 1896. Tom Doak and Clyde Johnson were brought in during the 2010s to add more character to an already stunning visual prospect.
Known as the “Links in the Sky”, Pennard offers up incredible views thanks to being 200 feet above sea level, whilst also on the coastline.
Thanks to that height, golfers can enjoy views of the Gower Peninsula while they play at Pennard, but you cannot be distracted, as there is a tricky task at hand to get round this beautiful layout.
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s GB&I – Pennard
Conwy
Moving north from Pennard, all the way to the northern tip of Wales, you will come across the incredible Conwy Golf Club.
Conwy is the third oldest golf club in the country, behind only Rhyl and Tenby, dating back to the 1870s. Jack Morris, Old Tom’s nephew, designed the course, while Frank Pennink, Brian Huggett, and Neil Coles have all had a hand in changes in more recent times.
The course itself has been seen good enough to play host to the Martini International in 1970, with the 2021 Curtis Cup also being held at the North Wales venue.
Add in the picture-perfect scenery, with the Irish Sea, Conwy Mountain, Llandudno and Anglesey all coming into view at different points of the course, and you have a lovely evening’s golf ahead of you…
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s Wales – Conwy
Royal Dornoch
Go north, and keep going north. You’ll eventually get to Royal Dornoch, and trust us, it is well worth the journey to the Scottish Highlands.
Dornoch’s history dates all the way back to the early 17th Century, but Royal Dornoch was not created as a club until the 1870s. There are two courses, the Championship and the Struie.
In the late spring, when Dornoch’s omnivorous gorse is in full bloom and the evenings seem to last forever, there can be few finer spots for golf. With views out to the North Sea, and with that gorse looking fantastic, you’ll struggle to keep your mind on the task in hand.
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s GB&I – Royal Dornoch
Nefyn & District
The picture says it all really. Why would you not want to visit Nefyn & District to play golf on this sublime piece of land, with those incredible views?
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Opened in 1907, the brains of JH Taylor and James Braid are two of the men to have made slight alterations at the venue. There are now 27 holes, with the Championship Course and ‘The Point’ (above).
‘The Point’ is the icing on the cake, and allows golfers to walk out into the sea, in essence, with the Irish Sea around the course on three sides.
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s Wales – Nefyn & District
Perranporth
Perranporth is another British golf course where words might not be able to do the course justice.
Designed in the 1920s by five-time Open Champion James Braid, the course has barely changed since, a sign of Braid’s fantastic design on the Cornish coast.
One should pause for a few moments on the 5th & 14th tees, where the setting and views are as fine as anywhere in the world.
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s England – Perranporth
Kington
If you’re not one for playing at sea level, then Kington is the course for you! The course sits almost 1,300 feet above sea level, making it the highest golf course in the United Kingdom.
Under 6,000 yards, a Par 70, and with fast draining turf that allow year-round golf, this Herefordshire venue is one that should be higher on your list that it probably is.
Add in the epic views, including a magical panorama towards Wales and the Brecon Beacons, and the fact that there are no sand bunkers to fall into, and you’ve got a great golf course.
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s England – Kington
Thurlestone
Akin to the journey north to Dornoch, Thurlestone also requires a lengthy journey. The venue, which sits in Devon, and halfway between Plymouth and Torquay.
If you take the long trip down to Thurlestone, you will be rewarded with glorious views and a beautiful golf course to test your game on.
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Expect quintessential Devon scenery and a clifftop course running along the stunning coastline of Bigbury Bay with breathtaking views from Thurlestone Rock in the east to Burgh Island in the west.
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s – Thurlestone
Royal West Norfolk
Last, but by no means least, is Royal West Norfolk. On the opposite side of the country to Thurlestone lies this glorious piece of land.
There are not many places in the country where the course is separated from the mainland at high tide… It occupies a narrow strip of land between Brancaster Bay and salt marshes.
Thanks to its proximity to the bay and the water beyond, golfers who play at Royal West Norfolk are treated to beautiful views out to sea.
- READ MORE: NCG Top 100s GB&I – Royal West Norfolk
Now have your say
What would you say is the most picturesque course in the United Kingdom? Would you agree with our list, or would you make some changes? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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