The Most Scenic Golf Courses You Can Play

There are those who will tell you that if you have time to take in the scenery when playing golf then you are not doing the job properly. What utter nonsense.

I love my golf and there are courses that stick in my mind because of the degree of difficulty and the element of challenge they pose but the ones that truly live in my memory are those where you are stopped in your tracks by breathtaking scenery no matter how well (or poorly) you may happen to be faring.

Here are 10 of my personal favourites:

Pebble Beach

I consider it to be one of the privileges of my life to be able to say that I have played the magnificent Pebble Beach in California. Hole after hole provides stunning views of the Pacific coast but it is the final hole that I will never forget until the day I die. On the day that I played the course the tide was in and there were waves crashing up from the beach onto the final fairway. It was one of those magical moments. The sky was blue, the sun shone down and the thermometer hit 25C. It was glorious.

Thorpeness

As you approach this fine James Braid-designed course in the heart of Suffolk you just know that you are heading towards a special venue. It is a wonderful heathland course, requiring straight hitting from the tee. There are stunning views aplenty but the one that deserves your attention is when you stand on the 18th tee and look up and see the House in the Clouds towering above the course on what is an extremely challenging finishing hole.

Kingsbarns

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

I still find it hard to believe that Nick Faldo was given the opportunity to design a course on the land upon which KIngsbarns now stands and decided it wasn’t fit for purpose. Fortunately, Kyle Phillips did see the potential and created a true masterpiece. It is a visual treat but there are two standout holes - the par five 12th and the stunning 15th, a par three. The 12th is a gentle dogleg with amazing views of the sea on the left, while your tee shot at the 15th looks terrifying as the water encroaches the green. I have only played this course once but these two holes are as fresh in my mind today as they were the day I played them. This remains my all-time favourite British golf course.

Old Course, St Andrews

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

This is all about standing on the 18th tee and looking towards the Auld Grey Toun. Let’s be honest, this is not the most challenging golf hole on the planet but you can’t help thinking about all the legends who have bestrode this fairway before you, the golfers playing in their final Open Championship and stopping on the Swilcan Bridge to have their picture taken. And there are always a few souls gathered behind the 18th green - hit a decent approach and you will be rewarded with a round of applause. It is spine tingling.

Stoke by Nayland

There is a perception that Suffolk is a flat county. Anybody who tells you that has never played either of the courses at Stoke by Nayland, the Gainsborough and the Constable, named after two of Britain’s most famous landscape painters with good reason. There are astonishing views over the magnificent Suffolk countryside, with ancient churches and chocolate box cottages part of the magnificent vista.

Sheringham

I only recently discovered the charms of Sheringham, located on the Norfolk coast. It is as pretty as a picture. A true links course, several elevated tees offer unrestricted views of the coastline and the town. And as an added bonus, the North Norfolk Railway runs alongside the course, and that means steam trains go chugging past on a regular basis. It also happens to be a wonderful test of golf, with some of the fastest greens you will ever experience.

Gleneagles

There are several courses at Gleneagles and I have to say that it really doesn’t matter which one you play. Yes, the courses are wonderful but, for me, this part of the world is all about the views. Go at the right time of year and the surrounding hills will be covered in purple heather. If the sun shines there is simply nowhere better to play golf.

Royal Dornoch

Not only is this one of the best golf courses in the world, but it is also one of the most beautiful. I defy anybody to play here without stopping to take in the views. If you have your mobile phone handy you must take some pictures because no matter how good your descriptive powers, I guarantee that you will not be able to do Royal Dornoch justice when you tell your friends and family all about it.

St Mellion

Where to begin? Cornwall is one of the most beautiful counties in the UK and Jack Nicklaus could scarcely believe his luck when he was asked to design the course at St Million. From the back tees it is an absolute brute but ask anybody who has ever played it what they think of it and, no matter how badly they may have played and no matter how many golf balls they may have lost, they will all sing its praises and tell you how beautiful it is. 

Old Head

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Located in County Cork on the southwest coast of Ireland, Old Head is a thing of beauty. If you ever get the chance to play here, grab it with both hands. It is built on a headland that stretches two miles out into the Atlantic Ocean. The course is one of the best on the planet - and so are the views. It is not cheap but if you have a golf bucket list, Old Head should be right at the top of it.

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