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Best golf holidays

The ultimate golf holiday guide for golfers looking to make the most of their next trip!

Tom Duncombe
Tom Duncombe
8 mins read
Golf toursAll-inclusiveCity breaksGolf & cityGolf & beachCouplesBeginnersGroupsSoloFamilyBucket listGolf for all

One of the best and most unique aspects of golf is the opportunity to travel the world, play different types of courses, and explore wonderful destinations. There’s nothing quite like the sun on your back, with friends or family, ready to enjoy a fun-filled day on the course!

Our carefully selected list of the best golf holidays combines exceptional courses, a great assortment of accommodation options, and top things to do when you’re not on the course. Be that relaxing in the spa, exploring the great outdoors, or exploiting the local nightlife.

Be sure to study this list (in no particular order) to make the most out of your next golf trip!

Algarve

Known for its beautiful beaches, 300 days of sunshine per year, and an incredible selection of golf courses, the Algarve is undoubtedly a top golf holiday destination. Plus, with frequent flights into Faro, it’s incredibly accessible too.

A lot of the golf in this region is centred around the popular resort town of Vilamoura, but the fun doesn’t stop here. The Algarve is also home to Albufiera, Lagos, Tavira, and many more locations, all of which are guaranteed to deliver an exceptional Portuguese golf holiday.

Palmares Golf Club, Lagos

Costa del Sol

Similar to the Algarve, the Costa del Sol is ideal for golfers thanks to its guaranteed sunshine, easy accessibility, and sheer number of golf courses. With 70 courses in total, it is arguably Europe’s no. 1 golf destination!

There are several locations dotted along this sun-kissed coastline which are all great options for golfers. Marbella is perfect for golf and nightlife, with boutique hotels and luxury resorts located on the doorstep of Old Town and Puerto Banus. Golf enthusiasts will be most familiar with Sotogrande, home of Valderrama, 1997 Ryder Cup host, and Finca Cortesin, 2023 Solheim Cup host. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg with other incredible layouts such as Real Club Sotogrande, La Reserva, San Roque, and Alcaidesa Golf Resort.

Closer to Malaga, Fuengirola and Mijas both provide fantastic value. There are great resorts with La Cala and Lauro, superb town centre hotels, and an eclectic mix of golf courses that are ideal for a Spanish golf tour.

La Hacienda Alcaidesa Links Golf Resort, Sotogrande

Belek

Cullinan Links Golf Club, Belek

Le Touquet/Northern France

Lisbon

Golfers who flock to the southern parts of Portugal and Spain should pay close attention to Lisbon, as what it lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. The wider Lisbon area has quietly become one of Europe’s top golfing hotspots with several unique locations such as Obidos, Cascais, and the Troia Penisula, all providing great options.

There is also great course variety too, with modern links, pristine resort layouts, woodland designs, and some unique sand-based courses. For two of the best new courses in Europe, then we strongly recommend West Cliffs (2017), which is on-site at one of our favourite resorts, Praia d’El Rey, and Terras da Comporta (2023), designed by David McLay Kidd (Bandon Dunes, St Andrews Castle Course).

Other great designs include Troia Golf Course, Praia d’El Rey, and Oitavos Dunes... or for some great resort golf then why not stay & play at Penha Longa or Quinta da Marinha!

Terras da Comporta

Florida

Home of the PGA TOUR and with more golf courses than any other US state, UK golfers will certainly be familiar with the quality and allure that Florida brings. Each destination offers something unique from one another, and there are five past and present PGA TOUR venues located throughout the Sunshine State.

For great beach and golf, then we’d suggest Miami and Palm Beaches which is home to an exciting city centre and two of our best resorts on the PGA TOUR rota, Trump National Doral and PGA National. For plenty of choice and sheer quantity, Orlando is hard to beat. The variety of options means you can create great value for yourself or even tick Bay Hill off of your bucket list… plus, there are also regular flights from the UK.

Elsewhere in the state, golfers will love both Tampa and Jacksonville. The former has two excellent resorts in Innisbrook and Saddlebrook, and the former is a haven for history buffs, with TPC Sawgrass (home of THE PLAYERS Championship) and the Hall of Fame at World Golf Village.

THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, TPC Sawgrass

Pebble Beach/Monterey

Moving from one famous golf state to another, although this time specifically focused on mid California on the Monterey Peninsula. The dramatic coastline makes for an incredible golf destination, one where you can tick off multiple top 100 courses in a single US golf trip.

Golf fans will be familiar with Pebble Beach Golf Links, which is probably the most photographed and famous golf course in the world outside of St Andrews. Here, visitors can take on the iconic 7th hole, a short par-3 with an ocean backdrop, and the tough closing hole, a dramatic par-5 that wraps around the Pacific.

Away from Pebble Beach, golfers have their hands full. Within the Monterey area is Spyglass Hill, The Links at Spanish Bay, and Poppy Hills, and then less than an hour north you also have Pasatiempo Golf Club. Gastronomy lovers will appreciate a trip to Carmel Valley, which is full of wineries in a luxurious setting – the perfect accompaniment to world-class golf!

Pebble Beach Golf Links

St Andrews

The Home of Golf is at the top of every golfer’s bucket list and fanatics will love walking around St Andrews, absorbing the history, and enjoying the many traditional pubs and restaurants. The Old Course is located at the centre of the town, with St Andrews Links also offering six other excellent layouts.

The wider region of Fife is rich with modern and traditional classics, with the likes of Fairmont St Andrews, Kingsbarns, Crail, and Dumbarnie Links all less than 30 minutes’ drive from the town centre. For a true bucket-list experience, why not tick off all the courses on the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship – St Andrews Links, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns!

Old Course, St Andrews Links

Northern Ireland

Royal Portrush put Northern Ireland back on the map when it hosted The Open Championship in 2019. A record attendance watched Shane Lowry win The Claret Jug on arguably the best and most dramatic links course on The Open rota. But the fun doesn’t stop here.

Northern Ireland is brimming with world-class links courses, Royal County Down, Portstewart, CastleRock, and Ardglass to name a few. Belfast is a great central point to access the many great courses for a bucket-list golf tour, plus, it’s a city to indulge in sightseeing and nightlife when not on the course!

Championship Links, Royal County Down

South West Ireland

The southwest is Ireland’s answer to St Andrews. Incredible landscapes, jaw-dropping coastlines, and critically acclaimed links courses are to be expected in this part of the world. 7 of the GB&I’s Top 100 courses are in this corner of the world including Ballybunion, Lahinch, Waterville, Trump International, and Old Head – a true links golf haven.

Cork or Killarney are the perfect place to base yourself. Cork is Ireland’s foodie capital, with a great music scene and plenty of traditional pubs and Irish craic. In contrast, Killarney offers timeless beauty and is perfect for adventurers!

For something a little different, Adare Manor offers a luxurious stay & play experience with the best parkland courses in the country located on-site. It is also the home of the 2027 Ryder Cup, which guarantees to make for an amazing spectacle.

Old Course, Ballybunion Golf Club

Dubai

Dubai Hills Golf Club

Edinburgh & East Lothian

Scotland’s golf coast, East Lothian, is undoubtedly one of the premier locations for a world-class golf break. There are 22 outstanding courses situated along this beautiful stretch of coastline, which makes for an epic golf tour where you can tick-off multiple bucket-list layouts.

Most golfers will be familiar with Open Championship host, Muirfield, former Scottish Open host, Gullane, and the quirky North Berwick. While these are top of the pile, we’d also highly recommend Dunbar, Kilspindie, and Craigielaw for something a little different!

East Lothian also provides a great opportunity to pair a golf tour with one of the UK’s best and most cultural cities - Edinburgh. Spend most of your days on the course, but be sure to leave time to visit Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, Royal Mile, Calton Hill, and the famous nightlife.

Muirfield Golf Club

Vietnam

Ayrshire

Very few locations in the world can boast three Open Championship venues, but Ayrshire can do just that! This beautiful piece of coastline south of Glasgow really is a thing of beauty with Turnberry, Royal Troon, and Prestwick all readily available for golfers looking to put together a special Scottish golf trip.

Add to this Dundonald Links, with their modern luxury lodges, Western Gailes, Gailes Links, and Machrihanish or Machrihanish Dunes, which are both well worth the short boat trip from Ardrossan to Campbeltown. All in all, this is certainly one of our favourite golf holiday destinations!

Ailsa Course, Turnberry Resort

Dublin

Very few destinations in the world can match Dublin when it comes to golf & nightlife. The city is home to one of the most renowned nightlife hotspots in the world, with the famous Temple Bar always guaranteed to provide a successful night on the cobbles. On the course, Dublin delivers once again. We offer a great mix of stay & play resorts such as Portmarnock Resort & Golf Links, The K Club, and Carton House, which are located within an hour from the city centre.

Alternatively, The Fair City is also a great golf tour destination. Enjoy accommodation in the city and travel out to some of the best golf courses in Ireland, such as Portmarnoch Old, The Island, The European, and Royal Dublin – which are perhaps some of the most underrated layouts in the country!

Portmarnock Old Golf Club

South Carolina

While a whole state might be too big to be considered a ‘golf holiday destination’, as with Florida, South Carolina offers too much to not be on our list! Within The Palmetto State, three locations should be paid close attention to – Charleston/Kiawah Island, Hilton Head, and Myrtle Beach.

Within the Charleston & Kiawah Island area, Kiawah Island Golf Resort rightly takes most of the plaudits. The resort is home to the Ocean Course, a former Ryder Cup and US Open host, as well as beautiful villas near the beachfront and four other exceptional golf courses. Charleston is also a great destination in its own right with a beautiful and historic city centre, plenty of great golf, and another fantastic resort in Wild Dunes.

South of Charleston sits Hilton Head Island, an exceptional resort town with plenty on offer for active holidaymakers. We offer a selection of stunning properties on the beach which all provide golf, watersports, cycling, and so much more. Hilton Head is also home to the annual RBC Heritage on the PGA TOUR, which is played on Pete Dye-designed Harbour Town Golf Links.

Our final stop is Myrtle Beach, the Golf Capital of the World. There are over 90 golf courses situated along 60 miles of glorious coastline. Here you’ll find multi-course golf resorts, beautiful parkland golf, and lots of entertainment along Myrtle Beach’s famous boardwalk.

Ocean Course, Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Cape Town

Arabella Golf Club

Southport (England's Golf Coast)

We’re staying close to home for the final addition to our list with a trip to the Northeast of England. Running from Liverpool up to Blackpool sits England’s Golf Coast and situated at the very centre is Southport. Along this iconic stretch of coastline lies possibly the most privileged selection of links courses in the whole of the UK & Ireland. The beauty of this location is its accessibility. Nearly all the courses have nearby train stations, which means if you’d prefer not to drive, then you have easy travel options.

Southport itself is a fun coastal town with some nice hotels and plenty of bars, pubs, and restaurants within walking distance. Closest to the town centre lies Open Championship host, Royal Birkdale, English Open host, Hillside, and two underappreciated gems in Southport & Ainsdale and Formby.

But the fun doesn’t stop here… as we move further south towards Liverpool, the historical courses include Open Venue, Royal Liverpool (Hoylake), West Lancs, and Wallasey. Oh, and how could we forget Royal Lytham & St Anne’s in Blackpool, another Open Championship host!

Royal Liverpool Golf Club

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