Golf Courses in the British Isles

- UK and Republic of Ireland -

Scotland - England - North and Republic of Ireland - Wales

The Scottish are said to have invented the sport. It is said the first ever game of golf may have been played at the Bruntsfield Links in 1456, claimed by the history of the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society, now The Royal Burgess Golfing Society.

Golf courses in Scotland

Archerfield and Archerfield Links

Country house (now hotel) and pair of golf courses in the parish of Dirleton, East Lothian, Scotland. An older golf course, also called Archerfield Links, occupied the area before falling into disuse after World War II.

Carnoustie Golf Links

In the town of Carnoustie, Angus, in the east of Scotland is one of the venues in the Open Championship rotation. In North America, the course is nicknamed "Car-Nasty" due to the famously difficult conditions.

http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/

Fereneze Golf Club

A golf club in the Glasgow commuter town in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is a hilly in land heathland course, 5918 yards par 71 off competition tees. It was founded in 1904, so recently celebrated its centenary.

Forres golf course

A more than century old golf course located in Forres in the northern part of Scotland on the Moray coast. The sixteenth hole, named the pond, is the feature hole of the course and requires a well hit tee shot to avoid water and bushes.

Gleneagles Hotel

A luxury hotel near Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross. It has remained famous for its world class golf courses, including the PGA Centenary Course

Machrihanish Golf Club

A classic Scottish links course situated in Machrihanish at the southern tip of the Mull of Kintyre. The main course, with views of the western seaboard including the Paps of Jura and Ireland.

Moray Golf Club

Situated in Lossiemouth (on the south coast of the Moray Firth), Moray, Scotland. The club has two eighteen hole courses appropriately called the Old Course and the New Course.

Mortonhall Golf Club

A golf club in the suburbs of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.

Muirfield

A golf course in Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland which is one of the courses used in rotation for The Open Championship. Muirfield has hosted The Open Championship fifteen times. It has hosted the the Amateur Championship, the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup, and the Curtis Cup. A links course. The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, based at Muirfield, is the oldest golf club in the world.

Musselburgh Links

In the small town of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland, it is one of the oldest golf courses in the world, and claims to be the oldest on which play has been continuous. There is documentary evidence that golf was played at the links in 1672, and it is reputed that Mary Queen of Scots played there in 1567. There were originally seven holes. An eighth was added in 1838 and a ninth in 1870.It is has now dropped out of the rotation for the Open.

http://www.musselburgholdlinks.co.uk/

North Berwick West Links golf course

The North Berwick Golf Club (NBGC) was founded in 1832. It is the 13th oldest golf club in the world and only St Andrews hosts a club which has played continuously over the same course for longer. Although the NBGC was the first club in the world to allow female members, full membership rights were only granted to ladies in 2005.

Panmure Golf Club

A golf club in Barry, Angus, Scotland. It is one of the clubs that originally helped purchase the Amateur Championship trophy, and is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world, dating back to 1845. Due to its location next to Carnoustie it is often overlooked by visitors, and with the number of members limited to 500 it is one of the most underplayed courses in Scotland. first and last three holes are fairly flat although still interesting, but the middle twelve holes are classic links holes. This is because the clubhouse had to be built near to a railway station, and the first and last three holes were needed to get to the land where the course was originally going to be built.

Prestwick Golf Club

Is located in the town of Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is approximately 30 miles southwest of Scotland's largest city, Glasgow. Prestwick is a classic links golf course, being built on the rolling sandy land that links, the beach, and the land further inland. The course is located near Prestwick airport and some holes run along railroad tracks on the eastern side of the course. Prestwick is famous as the initial sponsor of The Open Golf Championship, the oldest of golf's four major championships.

Royal Aberdeen Golf Club

In Aberdeen, Scotland, was founded in 1780 and claims to be the sixth oldest golf club in the world. It was founded as the Society of Golfers at Aberdeen and became the Aberdeen Golf Club in 1815. The members played on Aberdeen's Queen's Links and over the its Broad Hill until 1888, when they moved to a new links at Balgownie two miles north of the city.

The Royal Burgess Golfing Society

Is a parkland golf course, considered to be one of the oldest courses in Scotland. It is currently an exclusive golf club, situated in the area of Barnton, Edinburgh, there the golfers are mainly middle aged and elderly men, as the club has a strict clientele. It can take a long time for a person to become a member as they must be seconded, thirded etc.

The Royal Perth Golfing Society and County and City Club

A golfing and gentleman's club in Perth, Scotland, with premises overlooking the North Inch.

Royal Troon Golf Club

A links golf course located in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The club was founded in 1878, and its Old Course is now one of the host courses for The Open Championship, one of the major championships on the PGA Tour and European Tour. Royal Troon is home to the longest and shortest holes in Open golf.

http://www.royaltroon.co.uk/

St Andrews Links "The home of golf"

In the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is regarded as the home of golf. It is the oldest course in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century. Today there are six public golf courses including the Old Course which is widely considered one of the finest, and the most famous and traditional, courses in the world. The courses of St Andrews Links are owned by the local authorities and operated by St Andrews Links Trust, a charitable organisation. St Andrews is also home to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, one of the most prestigious golf clubs and one of the two rule making authorities of golf. The Old Course at St Andrews is one of the oldest golf courses in the world and possibly the oldest surviving course in Scotland. The Old Course is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) club house sits adjacent to the first tee and although it might be imagined that they own the course, they are but one of many clubs that have playing privileges on the course, along with the general public.

It is the host of the final day of the Dunhill Links Championship, an annual event on the European Tour. It is the hosat of the open every half decade.

http://www.randa.org/

Turnberry Links

A golf resort on the Atlantic Coast of Scotland. It is located in South Ayrshire.

It has three golf courses :

Ailsa Course, which staged The Open Championship three times. The course is next scheduled to host the Open in 2009.
Kintyre Course: eighteen holes.
Arran Course: nine holes.

A commercial operation open to the public and its current official name is The Westin Turnberry Resort.

http://www.turnberry.co.uk/

Turnhouse Golf Club

A golf club situated in the West of Edinburgh on Lennie Hill at Turnhouse, Scotland. The course dates back to 1897 when there were only 9 holes. By 1900, the layout was expanded to 18 holes. Club host an annual 7 day tournament which is regarded as one of the best in the Lothians and usually attracts high calibre players.

Golf courses in England

Arscott

Opened in 1992, a 18-hole golf course at and is the home of Arscott Golf Club. website

Ash Valley Golf

A golf course located in Hertfordshire, England, near to the village of Little Hadham. A failry open course and is often cited as a type of links course. The par is 71 but at one stage was par 72 as the 18th was briefly a par 5. A new clubhouse was opened recently replacing old wooden hut where one payed your green fee. A few more bunkers have been added as has a few more water hazards.

Banbury Golf Club

Open since 1993 it has 3 separate 9 hole loops the Golf Club is situated five miles south of Banbury on the B4100 at Adderbury. The Clubhouse at Banbury Golf Club, formed from the former stone dairy buildings, located in the centre of three loops of 9 holes, comprises a combined lounge/bar area, dinning room to seat up to 40 people, and gentleman's and ladies locker rooms.

De Vere "Belfry"

A golf resort in Wishaw, Warwickshire, near Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England. The facility is more commonly known simply as "The Belfry". "De Vere" is a hotel brand, owned by the private company the Alternative Hotel Group (AHG) who operate the Belfry. The Belfry is owned by Irish billionaire Sean Quinn, who acquired the course in 2005. The club has three golf courses. The Brabazon Course is the main tournament course, and the others are "The PGA National Course" and The Derby Course. The headquarters of The Professional Golfers' Association are located nearby. The Belfry hosted the Ryder Cup in 1985, 1989, 1993 and 2002, and has staged many European Tour events. As of 2007, The Belfry has 324 hotel rooms and suites.

Cambridge Meridian Golf Club AKA Cambridge National Golf.

A golf club located near to the village of Toft in Cambridgeshire, England. Par 73 with over 100 bunkers. On three consecutive holes, shots are required over water twice. They are the 8th, 9th and 10th. The course claims the Meridian Line runs up the 14th fairway. The Proshop has now moved to behind the 1st tee where it was originally. The former Proshop/reception area is now a TV room. On the road that approaches the course there is a tree which has a placard that denotes the true Meridian Line. The club is also know as Cambridge National Golf.

City Golf

A nine hole, pay and play golf course in Kirkstall, Leeds.

Condover

Shrewsbury Golf Club have their main golf course here.

Farringford House

A farm and golf course, located at Freshwater on the Western tip of the Isle of Wight in England.

Formby Golf Club,

In Formby, Merseyside. A golf links that hosted the Curtis Cup and The Amateur Championship. It is located next to the Freshfield railway station on the Merseyrail network, and is currently undergoing a massive expansion to add a hotel. The club hosted the Amateur Championship in 1957, 1967, and 1984, and is scheduled to host again in 2009. The Curtis Cup was played there in 2004.

Guildford Golf Club

A private members golf club located in Merrow, Guildford, England. Founded in 1886, it is the oldest golf club in the county of Surrey, The clubhouse looks out over the Downs. The course is a 18 hole park land golf course set on the North Downs. It measures 6090 yards off the men's competition tees and has a par of 69. Being situated on chalk, it is seen as a good all-weather course. Often, there is a fairly strong wind across the Downs, increasingthe difficulty of the Course. Very low scoring is rare.

Hawkstone Park Golf course
Hawkstone Park has two 18 hole golf courses, set in and around the parkland.

Hillside Golf Club

It is located near Southport, England. It lies almost side by side with Royal Birkdale course, amid a stretch of sandhills, and the quality of the individual holes is such that golfers may find it difficult to separate the two. Typical of the links courses on the Northwest coastline, Hillside is open to the wind coming in from the Irish Sea and laid out in a truly stunning setting, the course is a true test for golfers of all handicaps.

Luffenham Heath

18 hole golf course near South Luffenham in Rutland, England,

Moor Park Golf Club

It is located in Hertfordshire, England. It has two courses. A High Course and the West Course of which High Course is more demanding having hosted a fair share of both professional tournaments and English Golf Union events, including the Carris Trophy in 2001. The clubhouse is set within Moor Park Mansion. The High Course : Course type: Parkland Architect(s): Harry S. Colt. Holes: 18 Par: 72 Length: 6903 yards Course rating: Handicap (men): 28 Handicap (ladies): 36

Prince's Golf Club

, Sandwich is in Sandwich in Kent in South East England, on the same stretch of coastline as the more famous Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports clubs. The present day 27 hole layout is the result of a 1950 re-design following war-time damage to the original course.
It is a links style course with three sets of nine holes known as Himalayas, Shore, and Dunes.

Royal Birkdale Golf Club

In the town of Southport, England, is one of the clubs in the Open Championship rotation. Royal Birkdale has also hosted the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup, and the Curtis Cup. Has hosted the open.

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club

Is in the town of Deal in the County of Kent in Southern England. It was founded in 1892. The name derives from Deal's membership of an ancient group of trading towns granted special privileges by the medieval English monarchs, the Cinque Ports. The club's single eighteen hole golf course is a links which runs along the coast of Sandwich Bay.

The Royal Liverpool Golf Club

A leading golf club in Merseyside in North West England. It was founded in 1869 and received the Royal designation in 1871. Despite the club's name, its course is located in the small town of Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula, which is separated from the city of Liverpool by the estuary of the River Mersey. Consequently, the course is often referred to as Hoylake, after the town. It has a single 18 hole course, which is a seaside links.

Tournaments staged at Hoylake include: The Open Championship: 1897, 1902, 1907, 1913, 1924, 1930, 1936, 1947, 1956, 1967, 2006 Walker Cup: 1983
Curtis Cup: 1992 The Amateur Championship: 1885 (the inaugural event), 1887, 1890, 1894, 1898, 1902, 1906, 1910, 1921, 1927, 1933, 1939, 1953, 1962, 1969, 1975, 1995, 2000 Ladies' British Amateur Championship: 1896, 1989, 1996

http://www.royal-liverpool-golf.com/index.htm

Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club

In Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England is one of the courses in the Open Championship rotation. The Women's British Open has also been played on the course: once prior to becoming a major tournament and twice since. The club was founded in 1886. It was the site of the first British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship in 1893. The course is unique as it is the only course on the Open Championship rota which starts with a par 3 hole.

http://www.royallytham.org/

The Royal St George's Golf Club

One the premier golf clubs in the United Kingdom, and one of the courses on The Open Championship rotation. It has hosted 13 Open championships since 1894.

Saint George's Hill

900-acre private estate in Weybridge, Surrey in the UK. The estate features both a Golf and Tennis club. The estate is a popular residential location for celebrities.

Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club

Situated near the Merseyside (formerly Lancashire) towns of Southport and Ainsdale on the north west coast of England, not far north of the city of Liverpool. It has a single 18 hole course set amongst ranges of tall sandhills and smaller sand dunes.

Wentworth Club

A privately owned golf club and health resort in Virginia Water, Surrey on the south west fringes of London, not far from Windsor Castle, founded in 1926. The headquarters of the PGA European Tour are located at the club, and each year it hosts the Tour's BMW PGA Championship and HSBC World Matchplay Championship.

http://www.wentworthclub.com/

Woburn Golf and Country Club

It is near Milton Keynes in England, about fifty miles north of central London.

Wokefield Park

Golf courses in Ireland, North and Republic

Ballybunion Golf Club

Considered one of the finest links courses in the world, Ballybunion's reputation grew over time. Unfortunately, its remote locale on the Irish coast has prevented the course from being selected for many top championship events.

http://www.ballybuniongolfclub.ie/

Carton House

Carton House is one of Ireland's greatest stately homes and

The Golfing Union of Ireland located their National Headquarters to the estate. Also opened was the GUI National Academy, a 22 acre teaching facility for up and coming golfers as well as being a facility available to all golfers in Ireland.

"K Club" The Kildare Hotel and Golf Club
The Palmer Course (7,337 yd), also known as the North Course or the Old Course.
The Smurfit Course, also known as the South Course or the New Course.

It hosted the 2006 Ryder Cup.

http://www.kclub.com/

Moyola Park

An 18-hole championship golf course set in 130 acres (53 hectares) of wooded parkland in the Shanemullagh Estate of Castledawson, County Londonderry. It was founded in 1977

Old Conna Golf Club

Is an 18-hole golf course in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. With a total yardage of over 6,500, this par 72 course features views of the Irish Sea and rolling hills. Opened in July, 1987, the Old Conna Golf Club is home to 700 members.

http://www.oldconna.com/

Ormeau Golf Club

It is located at: 50 Park Road Belfast BT7 2FX Northern Ireland. This course is very famous for being, "The Course in the heart of the city" as it is in a prime location, just a mile from the city centre of Belfast.

Portstewart Golf Club

Consists of three 18-hole courses situated in the town of Portstewart on the north coast of Northern Ireland. The strand course at Portstewart is a championship course and considered one of the best in Ireland.

Powerscourt Golf Club

It is located at the Powerscourt Estate in County Wicklow, Ireland

http://www.powerscourt.ie/

Royal County Down Golf Club

Well known golf club in Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland. It has two eighteen hole links courses, the Championship Course and the Annesley Links. It has hosted prestigious tournaments such as the Senior British Open, The Amateur Championship, the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship, and the Curtis Cup.

Royal Dublin Golf Club

The Royal Dublin Golf Club was formed in 1885 and has held the Irish Open three times -- in 1983, 84, and 85. It is one of the biggest golf clubs in The Republic of Ireland. In more recent years, The Royal Dublin was host to the Irish Amateur Open for three years and regularly welcomes participants in GUI cups and shields.

http://www.theroyaldublingolfclub.com/

Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim

In Northern Ireland, is the only golf club outside of Great Britain which has hosted The Open Championship, the oldest of golf's major championships. It is considered a highly testing course, with a particularly scenic setting.

Golf courses in Wales

Celtic Manor Resort

A golf-based resort in the city of Newport, Wales,

The resort consists of a golf and country club and a hotel.

http://www.celtic-manor.com/

Tredegar and Rhymney Golf Club

A golf club established in 1921 opened officially on the 6th June 1925 as a 9 hole golf club is situated between Rhymney and Tredegar in S Wales. It was included in the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews rule book as having the highest green in Great Britain. The course was officially opened as an 18 hole golf course on the 5th July 2003 after being given help to extend the course with a sportlot grant.

Wenvoe Castle Golf Club

A golf course situated in the south of Cardiff

In Scotland many links courses are found. Many links, though not all, are located in coastal areas, on sandy soil, often amid dunes, with few water hazards and few if any trees. The Open Championship is always played on links courses. The challenges of links golf fall into two categories. Firstly the nature of the courses themselves, which tend to be characterised by uneven fairways, thick rough and small deep bunkers known as "pot bunkers". and due to their coastal location many links courses are frequently windy.