Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm are among the biggest names in golf to have revealed their favourite golf courses.
Tiger Woods won two of his three Claret Jugs at the Old Course at St. Andrews and loves the place. “Playing at St Andrews is literally the best. It’s like going back in time. It’s one of the greatest walks coming up 18, to see the whole town there. Every great player that has ever played the game has played St Andrews. You can’t say that about any other golf course.”
Rory McIlroy, who wasn’t a fan in the past, has now come around to the hallowed venue: “The more you play it, the more you learn about the course and its nuances, the more you learn to appreciate it. Now it’s my favourite golf course in the world.”
Though he still loves the courses from his youth in Northern Ireland: “Royal County Down, a gem of a links course. Known around the world, it regularly stands high in ‘top 100 courses’ guides, and rightly so.”
Brooks Koepka also revealed his love for the Old Course: “St Andrews, my favourite golf course in the world. I can play that every day and not get tired of it, it’s my favourite place in the entire world. The town is just so much fun.”
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler chose Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma as his favourite course, while No. 3 Jon Rahm said: “There are too many. Pine Valley would be at the top of the list, though.” Phil Mickelson named Pebble Beach as his final favourite golf destination: “For a golfer, Pebble Beach and the surrounding area is a must-visit.”
Viktor Hovland picked Real Club Valderrama, host of the 1997 Ryder Cup, as his favourite European course, though he recently set the course record at Lofoten Links in his native Norway, 95 miles above the Arctic Circle, and said: “It’s amazing how they can build a golf course in such a remote area and still have the course be really good. It’s pretty special.”
Justin Rose, asked by All Square to pick his top courses, had a special mention for Sunningdale Old Course in England: “It’s just how I see golf. You’re walking through a forest; it’s like a walk and you’re carrying your golf clubs. The aesthetics of it are unbelievable. It’s called heathland-style golf and it’s quite specific to that region, and this is how I see the game.”
Martin Kaymer also sat down with All Square and was asked about his favourite golf courses and his bucket-list venue. “I would say St Andrews because I’ve won there and it’s one of the most iconic golf courses.” His bucket-list course? “That must be Pine Valley. I would also like to play Cypress Point, but Pine Valley is apparently the number one golf course in America.”
Going back a few years, what about golf’s true legends? 18-times major winner Jack Nicklaus named his Muirfield Village Golf Club, venue for the Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour, after Muirfield in Scotland where he won the first of his three British Opens.
But the 73-time PGA Tour winner said Pebble Beach in California was his favourite: “I’ve always said, if I had one round of golf left to play, I’d play it at Pebble Beach. I think the Monterey Peninsula is probably the most unique place in the United States for golf.”
Gary Player picked St. Andrews as his number one followed by Augusta National and Trump Turnberry, while Tom Watson once said about Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Scotland, where he’s an honorary member: “It’s the most fun I’ve ever had on a golf course”.
