From Augusta National to Los Cabos, discover the courses every golfer must play before they die — ranked by the experts who know them best.
The world's finest fairways await
Every year, golfers around the globe dream of playing the courses that have defined the sport — from windswept links along the Irish coast to immaculate parklands carved into the Japanese countryside. In 2025, these ten courses stand above all others as the pinnacle of the game.
1. Augusta National Golf Club — Augusta, Georgia, USA
Home of The Masters, Augusta National is arguably the most iconic golf course in the world. Designed by Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie in 1932, its perfectly manicured fairways, azalea-lined holes, and historic Amen Corner make it a sacred pilgrimage for any golfer. The course is private — making it all the more legendary.
2. St Andrews Links (Old Course) — St Andrews, Scotland
The "Home of Golf" has hosted The Open Championship more times than any other venue. Walking across the Swilcan Bridge is one of the most emotional experiences in sport. The Old Course's double greens, hidden pot bunkers, and unpredictable winds make every round a unique adventure.
3. Pine Valley Golf Club — Clementon, New Jersey, USA
Consistently rated the world's #1 course by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine, Pine Valley is a private masterpiece carved through dense forest and sandy scrubland. Designed by George Crump and H.S. Colt, its strategic demands are unmatched. Getting an invitation to play here is a rare honor.
4. Cypress Point Club — Pebble Beach, California, USA
Perched on the Monterey Peninsula, Cypress Point offers three consecutive oceanside holes (15, 16, 17) that are among the most photographed in golf. Alister MacKenzie's design blends seamlessly with the Pacific coastline's dramatic terrain.
5. Royal Melbourne Golf Club (West Course) — Melbourne, Australia
The finest course in the Southern Hemisphere, Royal Melbourne's West Course was designed by Alister MacKenzie and features some of the best greens on the planet. The composite course used for international events combines holes from both West and East courses.
6. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club — Southampton, New York, USA
One of the founding members of the USGA, Shinnecock Hills is a true links-style test that mirrors the Scottish courses its founders admired. Its exposed hilltop location makes wind a constant factor, and its undulating fairways demand creativity on every shot.
7. Muirfield — Gullane, Scotland
Home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (the world's oldest golf club), Muirfield has hosted 16 Open Championships. Its traditional layout — front nine going clockwise, back nine counterclockwise — ensures players face every wind direction. Jack Nicklaus loved it so much he named his course design firm after it.
8. Pebble Beach Golf Links — Pebble Beach, California, USA
The most famous public course in the world has hosted six U.S. Opens and countless magical moments. Its final stretch of holes running along Stillwater Cove is as breathtaking as golf gets. Tiger Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open here by 15 shots — the largest margin in major championship history.
9. Oakmont Country Club — Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA
Known as the hardest course in America, Oakmont has hosted more major championships than any other venue in the U.S. Its infamous "Church Pews" bunker, lightning-fast greens (consistently the fastest on the PGA Tour), and demanding rough have broken the spirit of the greatest players in history.
10. Cabo del Sol (Ocean Course) — Los Cabos, Mexico
Closer to home, Los Cabos houses one of the world's great resort courses. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Cabo del Sol's Ocean Course features seven oceanfront holes along the Sea of Cortez — with the 17th and 18th being among the most spectacular finishing holes in resort golf. Its combination of desert landscape, Pacific breezes, and blue water views is simply unforgettable.
Honorable Mentions
The world is full of extraordinary golf. Honorable mentions include Ballybunion (Old Course) in Ireland, Hirono Golf Club in Japan, Kingston Heath in Australia, and Royal County Down in Northern Ireland. Every one of them would be a career highlight for any golfer lucky enough to play them.
Plan your bucket-list round
Whether your dream is teeing it up on the windswept linksland of Scotland or walking the sun-baked fairways of Los Cabos, the journey starts with a reservation. At TeeReserve Golf, we make it simple to book tee times at the finest courses in Mexico — including the legendary Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf designs in Los Cabos. Start planning your golf trip today.