Golf courses are typically beautiful places. They are often tranquil, naturally enriching, and laid out across magnificent landscapes, but many of them are also breathtakingly scenic, taking full advantage of a prime location on a rugged coastline or gazing across mountainous peaks from an elevated position.
Everyone has a favourite golf course, the one that connected most deeply, and you will likely have a particular choice when it comes to the scenery that you can behold from the fairways. It might be the same layout, but even if it’s not, the views afforded by so many venues around the world are truly unforgettable.
Great designs might not have much to offer in terms of vistas, while otherwise mediocre holes can be elevated massively by the views that they present. Sometimes you get both and that’s when a golf course becomes undeniably transcendent.
We asked the Golfshake Community on Facebook to name the most scenic golf course that they had ever played.
It was clearly a topic that resonated as we received over 1,500 responses from all over the planet, which include mention of many of the most celebrated destinations in existence alongside lesser-known jewels that are nonetheless sure to captivate those who experience them.
But there were some standouts, the courses that were mentioned frequently, and we can now share some of them for you to explore and compare to the most spectacular views that you’ve ever seen.
The most scenic golf courses in North America
Famed for its views across the Monterey Peninsula and the Pacific Ocean, Pebble Beach is one of the most iconic courses in the game, and much of that status can be attributed to the extraordinary visuals that surround it.
Located in Alberta, in the heart of Canada’s Rocky Mountains, Banff Springs is somewhere that you wouldn’t forget in a hurry, as you play through one of the most remarkable valleys in North America.
Nevada’s Wolf Creek is rather striking too, as you play across what feels and looks like an otherworldly landscape.
You will probably have an image of Hawaii’s Kapalua in your head, as it has hosted the PGA Tour’s year-opening event for decades, but that’s a picture you unfortunately won’t get to see in January 2026. That’s a disappointment for golf fans as the views are stunning.
We recently saw Cypress Point showcased during the 2025 Walker Cup, and if the golfers who responded to us on Facebook really have played this most private and exclusive of courses, then we are certainly impressed!
The most scenic golf courses in Australia & New Zealand
A significant number of the most spectacular golf courses in the world are found in Australia and New Zealand. The designs themselves are strong enough, but when you consider the visual feast of the landscape around them, you have several golf experiences that are simply unbeatable.
Chief among those is the Tom Doak designed Cape Kidnappers that rests on a peninsula on New Zealand’s North Island, providing wonderful views across the sea.
Part of King Island, just an hour from Melbourne, Cape Wickham is a modern course that recalls many of the views that you can see at Turnberry and Kingsbarns – but is arguably even more impressive.
Barnbougle is another modern classic, created by Doak and Mike Clayton, offering a links-style experience on Tasmania that is hard to surpass anywhere else on the planet.
Heading to mainland Australia, Queensland to be precise, Hamilton Island was born from the imagination of five-time Champion Golfer of the Year Peter Thomson and this layout has many incredible, elevated views to behold.
Returning to New Zealand, this time South Island, Jack’s Point is known for its lake and mountain backdrop, while the clifftop Kauri Cliffs, near the summit of North Island, is simply astonishing.
Back to Australia, New South Wales has everything you could possibly desire from a round of golf on the coastline, and we must also give a mention to Narooma that rests along the cliffs of the region.
The most scenic golf courses in South Africa
If you have been a regular viewer of the DP World Tour, then you will likely marvel at the sights of Leopard Creek, which has many views to savour, but also the chance to spot the exceptional wildlife that resides in harmony with the course at the Kruger National Park.
Beyond that, Pinnacle Point is a clifftop course that isn’t as well known, but its vistas across the Indian Ocean are something special to consume.
The most scenic golf courses in continental Europe
There are so many golf courses throughout the continent that take full advantage of the landscape around them, but none are more instantly recognisable than Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps, which is one of the first places that any golfer will think of when they consider venues with amazing views.
Bulgaria isn’t the most obvious golf destination, but Thracian Cliffs is hard to beat, with this striking layout sitting on cliffs across two levels with all the views you could wish for over the Black Sea.
The most scenic golf courses in Ireland
The island of Ireland has arguably the best complement of golf courses in the world. Among these are some of the most scenic too.
Old Head Golf Links is famous for its panoramic views across the Atlantic Ocean from a remarkable piece of headland that the course resides on. It’s easily among the most photographed layouts anywhere – and for very good reason.
Ballybunion is not only one of the most legendary links courses on the island, both its dunes and coastal views make it a visual treasure too.
Heading further south on the west coast, Tralee is another place with visuals to relish, while Cruit Island is a short nine-holer that boasts the most stunning of locations with the sights to match.
Druids Glen is something a little different from the rest featured here but golfers clearly enjoyed the beauty of the venue, while the final word goes to Royal County Down in Northern Ireland, perhaps the finest layout on the entire island, which is enhanced by its backdrop that includes the Mountains of Mourne.
The most scenic golf courses in Scotland
We have no shortage of great – and scenic – courses to pick from in Scotland, the home of golf. Royal Dornoch is one of my favourites and the views across the Dornoch Firth are superb.
Kingsbarns in Fife is a modern masterpiece that is wonderfully scenic, not least alongside the coastal holes like the par 5 12th and the brilliant par 3 15th.
Loch Lomond is an intensely private venue that some of you have played, and the setting is undeniably magnificent, while the Ailsa Course at Turnberry makes the absolute most of its location on the Ayrshire coastline. When you combine that with the exceptional design of the holes, it’s clear to see why this layout is rated so highly.
Cruden Bay is a proper cult favourite in the north east, and the views are a huge part of that alongside the unique and distinctive nature of the holes.
Away from the coast, Gleneagles rests in the heart of the nation and each of the courses there boast fabulous views across the surrounding hills and countryside in Perthshire.
There are many scenic layouts in this part of the country, including Pitlochry, which is a wonderful layout in the base of the Highlands.
Going a little further north, Boat of Garten is surrounded by many glorious peaks and one of the most captivating environments you will find anywhere for golf.
Traigh is an absolutely stunning short layout in a remote part of the west coast of Scotland, while Durness is the most north westerly course in mainland Britain, and it’s truly worth the adventure to get there.
Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae is a thrillingly scenic course with views across the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran, while the eponymous Rothesay Golf Club in my hometown on the nearby Isle of Bute boasts many of the same spectacular views from its elevated position across Canada Hill.
The most scenic golf courses in England
Venturing south to England, there are a quartet of intriguing courses that were frequently mentioned by golfers. Harry Colt’s Thurlestone combines linksland and clifftop golf in emphatic fashion, including views of Thurlestone Rock and the Avon Estuary.
What about Bamburgh Castle Golf Club, which is widely considered to be among the most scenic courses in England? You can see Bamburgh Castle itself, the Farne Islands, Lindisfarne (Holy Island), and the Cheviot Hills from the holes on this fine layout.
Located in the heart of the Lake District, Windermere Golf Club has so many sights to take in, while Isle of Purbeck on the south coast has some of the most special views in the country, encompassing Poole Harbour from its magical setting as part of a heathland nature reserve.
The most scenic golf course in Wales
Wales is home to a vast collection of terrific courses, but when it comes to views, there is one clear standout. Stretching out on a peninsula in the north west of the nation, Nefyn is quite reminiscent of Ireland’s Old Head.
What About Lofoten Links?
How about this for a destination? Lofoten Links is tucked away in the Arctic Circle, it’s quite the adventure to get there, but the rewards are plentiful as this Norwegian golf course is truly remarkable.
Our travel partners Golfbreaks have showcased everything to behold at this extraordinary site in a new video that you can watch below or directly on YouTube.
This place is sure to be a bucket list experience for many golfers!
Kieran Clark is the Digital Editor of Golfshake. He oversees editorial content, community engagement, forums, and social media channels. A lifelong golfer from the Isle of Bute in Scotland who has now lived in St Andrews for a decade, he began playing at the age of five and maintains a passion for exploring courses, with a particular affection for historic layouts. Kieran regularly contributes in-depth opinion pieces and features, drawing on his enthusiasm for the game and its culture.
