The Most Expensive Golf Green Fees in The World

Last week, the newly revealed peak green fee for non-resort guests at Turnberry went viral as golfers were stunned to discover that the Ailsa Course could cost £1,000 to play in 2025.

It should be noted that this startling rate only applies for green fees before 1pm, with those later in the day costing £545 during summertime, with golfers staying at the venue able to secure a tee time for £425.

Regardless, it got us thinking about how the iconic Ayrshire layout compares to other eye-watering green fees in the world.

On the face of it, peak Turnberry is the highest on the planet, but others are even more restrictive to those who don't possess the deepest pockets.

If you have heard of Shadow Creek in Las Vegas - it's possibly due to it staging The Match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in 2018 - but this venue grabbed headlines last year when it was reported in Golf Digest that the course would cost $1,250 (roughly £960) per person to play during its peak season.

More than that, to be eligible for a potential tee time, you must also be staying at an MGM property and take an MGM owned limousine to and from the course. Alright then.

Shadow Creek overtook the considerably more famous Pebble Beach in California as America's most expensive green fee. The revered course, which has hosted many a US Open, currently charges $675 (£520) for resort guests and $725 (£559) for other visitors.

You may not be familiar with Wynn Golf Club, but it's another Las Vegas destination, and the lavish nature of this course is reflected in the price, which reportedly stands at $750 (£578) during the peak season. Yikes.

Former Ryder Cup host Whistling Straits is a visually striking creation - a links-style course on steroids - and it costs around $555 (£428) to play in 2024. That's about the same as the "cheapest" peak season rate at Turnberry.

Another place with championship pedigree, Kiawah Island would also set you back if you wish to walk in the footsteps of PGA Championship winners Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson. If you're not staying at the resort and don't want a caddie, the current fee is $600 (£462). We doubt that it's worth that much.

If you enjoyed watching the US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina and fancy playing here, which I have to say is a bucket list dream of mine, you must stay at the resort for a minimum of two nights to qualify for a tee time. Golf.com reported in June that packages included a three-night stay with unlimited golf - with rounds on No. 2 and the newly opened No. 10 - combined with your accommodation, breakfast and dinner, with prices ranging from $3,002 to $3,530.

I better start saving up for that one.

But it's not just in the United States where you find these mind-boggling numbers. 

What about the brilliant Kingsbarns, which will cost £448 ($582) to play in 2025? Legendary Open Championship venues like Muirfield (£365/$474), Royal Birkdale (£370/$480), and Royal Troon (£365/$480) are boosting their fees next season. Trump International Aberdeen is around this price in 2024.

And Sunningdale, perhaps England's ultimate 36-hole golf club, will charge £395 ($513) to play either its Old or New courses next year. Both can be experienced for £700 ($909), which represents a reasonable enough saving in this universe of bonkers numbers.

But wait until you hear about Ardfin on Scotland's Isle of Jura. This is a remote and extraordinary looking place, but you'll be stunned by the cost. Last year, golf travel expert David Jones, who regularly updates his informative UKGolfGuy blog, stated: "There is now a two night minimum stay on the property, at £1,600 a night per rooms, and then you need to pay £500 for your golf on top."

Well, you won't be seeing me there anytime soon. The Scottish island golf of Bute or Arran is more my thing.

Royal County Down is thought by many to be the finest golf course on the planet, but this jewel of Northern Ireland will cost you £425 ($552) to play in 2025.

The remarkably scenic Old Head in Ireland will cost €475 during the peak months of next year, which equates to around £404 or $525.

Should you find yourself in the Dominican Republic and want to play Pete Dye's Teeth of the Dog Course at Casa de Campo, then we recommend that you consider staying there, as non-hotel guests can expect to pay upwards of $550 (£423) for a round.

Venturing even further afield, New Zealand's Cape Kidnappers has garnered much attention due to its otherwordly appearance. It can cost around $450 or £350 in the peak months for international visitors.

If you have long dreamt of striding the fairways of Royal Melbourne, and you're certainly not alone, it will cost you, as David Jones (UKGolfGuy) wrote last year that you would pay around A$850 in the peak season with a caddie (A$170) being mandatory too. That equates to just over £500, which, when compared to several of these, might not seem an entirely outrageous deal.

So, those are just some of the world's most expensive green fees. Whatever you think of those, the option is there to make golfing fantasies become a reality, but between you and us, we would prefer to stick to more affordable possibilities that are easily found in the Golfshake Course Section.

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