It is no surprise that the dominant theme of a majority of 2017’s top 100 golf courses of the world is their proximity to the sea. Across the globe, golf’s most stunning designs use the topography of the coastline to create some of the most visually stunning and challenging layouts.
The Old Course at St Andrews Links
St Andrews, Scotland / 7279 yard Par 72
St Andrews is the holy grail of golf. It is from where all forms of golf architecture have stemmed, and is the one pilgrimage that every golfer dreams of making in his or her lifetime. Located in Fife, Scotland and originally designed by Old Tom Morris, the links have seen some changes over the years, to counter the rapidly advancing golf equipment industry. It is home to numerous editions of the Open Championship, that have witnessed some of golf’s most epic duels. I had the fine fortune of competing at St Andrews in an International Inter University Championship that commenced the day after the historic 2005 Open, where I witnessed Tiger Woods lifting the claret jug and the legendary Jack Nicklaus bidding adieu to his Open Championship career on the Swilken Bridge.
Teeing off The course at Pebble Beach, California, and (top) the old course at St Andrews, Scotland, looking up the 18th fairway from the Swilken Bridge
Golf Club
Augusta, Georgia, USA / 7435 yard Par 72
Augusta National is definitely golf’s most hallowed grounds. The entire calendar year of the course maintenance revolves around preparing it for The Masters. It is the only course in the world that is shut for six months of the year in preparation for a tournament that lasts less than a week. The Masters is every professional golfer’s dream tournament, not only to win, but to even participate in. The symbolic green jacket that comes with winning the tournament is unarguably each of its owner’s most coveted piece of clothing. Augusta National was conceptualised by the famous Bobby Jones and built by Alister MacKenzie. No course has seen more effective changes made over the years to its layout, with each version providing a more scenic and challenging track than the previous. The 2004 film, Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius , is a great insight into the life of Bobby Jones and why he decided to create Augusta National.
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach, USA / 6826 yards Par 72
Pebble Beach is golf’s greatest rendezvous of land and sea. Nine of the 18 holes are perched on the cliffs of California’s Monterey Peninsula, directly above the Pacific Ocean, with sprays during high tide hitting players and sometimes even bringing the game to a standstill. With the constant gale winds from the coastline and the stamp-sized targets to hit into, the Gods have probably heard more prayers from Pebble Beach than from any place of worship. Being a public course, anyone with a booking (and some serious $$$) can walk in and experience a round of golf at this stunning piece of golfing architecture. It has played host to numerous prestigious golf tournaments, including five US Open Championships and is gearing up to host the 2019 edition. If you are planning a golfing vacation in the US, this definitely has to be on your list.
Old Head Golf Links
Downmacpatrick, Ireland / 7100 yard Par 72
Old Head Golf Links in Cork, Ireland is built on a 200-acre diamond of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean. The drive into the property is so surreal that golfers often pinch themselves to make sure that what they are seeing is real. This quasi island setting, with the Atlantic Ocean some 300 feet below, has numerous ancient caves right under the golf course. The lighthouse at one tip of the golf course provides for a breathtaking view of the setting sun, and is the most commonly photographed point on the course. Though Old Head has not played host to any major golf championships, it is fast becoming a must-visit for golfing aficionados from around the world. Michael Breed of the PGA.com advisory board aptly stated that though the links will test you, it will be the scenery of the course that will move you.
Mission Hills Golf Club
Shenzhen, China / 7294 yard Par 72 (the World Cup Course)
I have added Mission Hills to this list, not for its history or landscape, but more for its sheer magnitude. In 1992, Dr David Chu, a Chinese businessman, set out to create the largest golfing facility the world had ever seen. What resulted was a 216-hole golfing haven comprising 12 courses, designed by some of golf’s greatest, including Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman. The golf courses are all interconnected with multiple club houses, a resort and a host of other facilities to make sure that every need of a golfing holiday is fulfilled. The facility is so large that playing the two courses at the two extremities of the property will actually require you to fly into two different cities. Mission Hills Golf Club has played host to the Omega Mission Hills World Cup and has had the world’s top professional golfers compete for the prestigious trophy year after year.
