World’s 10 Best Golf Resorts

Trump Turnberry and Pebble Beach feature in our list of the 10 best golf resorts around the world, from Europe to the United States, Asia, Dubai and New Zealand.

Trump Turnberry, Scotland

Set on the beautifully rugged Firth of Clyde along the Ayrshire coastline in southwest Scotland, Trump Turnberry provides 5-star facilities with the main hotel housed in a stunning Edwardian building facing the Irish Sea. Guests can play at one of the world’s iconic courses, The Ailsa Course, scene of the famous 1977 Open, better known as the ‘Duel in the Sun’ when Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson went head-to-head.

It was joined in 2017 by the King Robert the Bruce course, named after the warrior who was born in Turnberry Castle over 700 years ago. The famous Lighthouse here now stands among its ruins. The course was met with worldwide acclaim and proudly stands alongside its illustrious neighbour.

Pebble Beach Resorts, United States

This world famous collection of resorts on the Monterey Peninsula in California is home to luxury accommodation options while guests can play at Pebble Beach Links as well as Del Monte Golf Course, Spyglass Hill and The Links at Spanish Bay, making it arguably the crown jewel of American golf. Pebble Beach Links has hosted six US Opens is also the host of the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Tiger Woods’ redesign of The Hay, the resort’s short course, opened in 2021.

The pick of the accommodation options is The Lodge at Pebble Beach, nestled up against the pacific coastline. It’s 5-star luxury right by the famous golf course and would be the golf trip of a lifetime.

Costa Navarino, Greece

Costa Navarino in the Greece Peloponnese is home to a collection of 5-star resorts and world-class golf courses designed by former Masters champions. Nestled in unspoiled countryside along the coast, you’ll find The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, W Costa Navarino and the Mandarin Oriental.

Costa Navarino’s original signature golf course, The Dunes designed by two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer which opened in 2010, was joined a year later by The Bay designed by legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jnr. They have since been joined by two 18-hole signature courses designed by fellow double Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, the International Olympic Academy Golf Course and The Hills.

The Oitavos, Portugal

Just 20 minutes from Lisbon, The Oitavos is a luxurious 5-star haven with a world-class golf course and over 140 rooms and suites with ocean or golf course views. The resort, also just 3km from the charming seaside resort town of Cascais, is set in the heart of Lisbon’s Golf Coast, west of Portugal’s capital on the Atlantic Coast.

Several quality restaurants, a spa, gym, multiple swimming pools, and an Equestrian Centre compliment Oitavos Dunes, the superb Arthur Hills-designed links golf course. It’s a wonderfully natural course against a backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean and Sintra mountains which we rate as the best in Portugal.

K Club, Ireland

Arnold Palmer designed both 18-hole courses at the 5-star K Club in Ireland, where glamorous accommodation and luxurious relaxation awaits just 30 minutes from Dublin. Incorporating the stunning 1830s Straffan House, it’s set on a fantastic 550-acre estate of gorgeous parkland with the River Liffey flowing through the grounds. 

The Palmer North Course was the venue for Europe’s dominant Ryder Cup win in 2006 and has also hosted 11 European Opens and the 2016 Irish Open won by Rory McIlroy. The Palmer South Course is also world-class, having hosted the European Open in the recent past.

Camiral Golf & Wellness, Spain

Less than an hour from Barcelona and close to the beaches of the Costa Brava, Camiral Golf & Wellness is one of the world’s leading golf and lifestyle resorts. Just 15 minutes from the historic town of Girona, this fantastic resort offers two championship golf courses, a luxury 5-star hotel and contemporary four-star hotel, superb wine and gastronomy and a new state-of-the-art Wellness Centre.

The Stadium Course and the Tour Course are both beautiful woodland layouts designed by Angel Gallardo with manicured rolling fairways and pretty lakes framed by pine tress and the Pyrenees mountains. The Stadium Course opened in 1999 and hosted the Spanish Open on the European Tour in 2000, 2009 and 2014.

Mission Hills, China

Mission Hills is China’s most famous golf complex. Made up of two resorts, the original is located in the north between the cities of Shenzhen and Dongguan, and the second in the city of Haikou on the South China Sea island of Hainan. The original is the largest golf complex on Earth with an incredible 12 golf courses.

The resort is home to the world’s largest pro shop, China’s biggest day spa, and the first 5-star resort attached to a golf course in China. Pete Dye, Ernie Els, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, José María Olazábal, Annika Sörenstam, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Vijay Singh have all designed courses here.

Mission Hills Haikou is the world’s second biggest golf complex. There are 10 golf courses all designed by Americans Brian Curley, former colleague of Pete Dye, and Lee Schmidt. There’s also a luxury hotel and an outdoor water-theme park. Among the courses, Lava Fields and The Blackstone are especially good.

Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, Mauritius

This resort is regarded as one of the most luxurious hotels on this magical tropical island. It’s 5-star with outstanding service set in tropical gardens on a secluded lagoon overlooking Bambous Mountain. The onsite Ernie Els-designed Anahita golf course is laid out over a former sugar plantation between magnificent mountains and a crystal clear lagoon. The final three holes run alongside the coastline and provide one of the most beautiful finishing stretches in all of golf.

Guests also get to play at Bernhard Langer’s Ile aux Cerfs, another championship course set on its very own island, accessible via a quick boat transfer. Langer has created an incredibly scenic course, snaking through a coral island refuge with volcanic rock formations, lakes and tropical plantations.

Park Hyatt Dubai, UAE

This 5-star luxury waterfront haven is home to a superb 18-hole championship golf course, while guests have access to several legendary courses designed by stellar names such as Ernie Els and Sir Nick Faldo. The resort is just minutes from the city centre and the world-class shopping district, with over 250 rooms and suites with gorgeous skyline views.

The resort sits next to the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and the Dubai Creek golf course, a two-time host of the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour. Guests can also play at The Majlis at Emirates Golf Club, the current host of the Desert Dubai Classic, as well as the Faldo course at Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course by Greg Norman, which hosts the DP World Tour Championship, and The Els Club.

Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand

Spectacular cliffs, reminiscent of California‘s Torrey Pines, are the signature of this stunning Tom Doak course near Hawkes Bay on New Zealand’s North Island. Some of the holes play 800 feet above the Pacific Ocean with perilous drops on both sides, and the back nine extends along several breathtaking fingers of land separated by deep gullies. It’s one of the most dramatic courses anywhere in the world.

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers is set on a 6,000-acre sheep and cattle farm and nature sanctuary with incredible views over the Pacific. The main lodge building has a dining room where guests can sample gourmet food, a wine cellar, a lounge with open fireplaces, an infinity pool with a hot tub, fitness centre and a spa. The luxurious 5-star accommodation options include private suites, villas and a four-bedroom self-contained cottage.

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