World’s most beautiful clubhouses

We list the world’s most beautiful clubhouses, from Abu Dhabi’s Falcon and Wentworth’s historic castle to a space-age design originally intended to be the home of Marilyn Monroe.

Abu Dhabi Golf Club, UAE

The dramatic Falcon clubhouse at this Peter Harradine-designed course pays homage to the United Arab Emirates’ national birds and the importance of falconry in Arab culture. Dating back hundreds of years, the Bedouin hunters used falcons to help gather food.

Congressional Country Club, USA

In Bethesda, Maryland, Congressional’s Spanish Colonial Revival-style clubhouse is the biggest in the United States. At 140,000 square feet, it surpasses the huge 110,000-square-foot clubhouse at Olympia Fields.

Sunningdale Country Club, UK

30 miles west of London, this is a quintessentially English Tudor-style peaceful haven away from the throbbing metropolis, at arguably England’s prettiest golf course on the Surrey/Berkshire sand-belt. 

Bro Hof Slott, Sweden

Home to two fabulous 18-hole courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr,, this golf club sits directly on Lake Mälaren and is crowned by Bro Hof Castle. The Herman Holmgren-designed Baroque-style castle dates from the 19th century and was renovated to become one of the world’s most beautiful clubhouses.

Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, UAE

One of the most uniquely-designed clubhouses in the world, its design by architect Brian Johnson was inspired by the Arab dhows that used to sail in the waters beside the course. They each stand 35 metres tall.

Ridgewood Country Club, USA

The clubhouse here was designed by Clifford C. Wendehack, the man behind the clubhouse at Winged Foot. His inspiration was the similarity between the landscape of northern France and that of northern New Jersey, hence the Norman-style clubhouse with towers and porches.

The Scandinavian Golf Club, Denmark

Perfectly blending cool and contemporary Scandinavian design with rustic charm, this cathedralesque clubhouse was built using local slate and Douglas fir beams, with windows offering views across the fairways. Designed by Henning Larsen Architects, there’s not one lick of paint anywhere.

Winged Foot, USA

Another Clifford C. Wendehack clubhouse, this time in New York. He designed this one in an English Tudor style. It’s made of brick, slate and stone which was culled from the 7,200 tons of rock blasted during construction of the golf courses.

Wentworth, UK

In 1805, ‘Wentworths’ was a private residence for the extended family of the Duke of Wellington, but today acts as the clubhouse at this esteemed venue. Famous for its crenellated walls and turrets, it’s the birthplace of the Ryder Cup and the headquarters of the DP World Tour.

Burhill Golf Club, UK

Located in a leafy parkland setting close to Walton on Thames, Burhill Golf Club has two excellent golf courses and a stunning clubhouse, a luxurious Georgian mansion steeped in history dating back to 1726.

Loch Lomond Golf Club, Scotland

The clubhouse at this world famous venue is set in Rossdhu House, a grand mansion built in 1773 on the site of the ancestral home of the Clan Colquhoun. With mountain views, it sits on a wooded peninsula on the banks of Loch Lomond.

King Kamehameha Golf Club, USA

Based on an original design by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright who wanted to build a home in Conneticut for Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe. This spaceship-like design ended up in Wailuku, Hawaii and covers 75,000 square-feet with porthole windows offering views of the Central Maui Valley.

Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, South Korea

The 50,000 square-feet clubhouse here was designed by Californian architect Mehrdad Yazdani. It has 360 degree views to the course with the interiors inspired by feng shui, while the gentle undulations of the roof makes a pleasing visual connection to the golfing landscape.