Updated on November 10, 2026
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What is the best links course in the world? Royal County Down, in Northern Ireland, at the foot of the Mourne Mountains: ranked No. 1 by Golf Digest for the sixth consecutive year, No. 3 by Top100GolfCourses, and No. 4 by GOLF Magazine. Next is the’Old Course at St Andrews, the birthplace of golf, and Muirfield, near Edinburgh. A links course is a course laid out on the sandy terrain bordering the sea: short grass, few trees, and plenty of wind. Scotland has seven courses in our selection, Ireland and Northern Ireland have five each, England and Australia have three each, and New Zealand and the United States have one each.
The 20 best links courses in the world: the ranking
20 courses shown.
| Rank | Course | Location | Top100 World | GOLF Magazine | Golf Digest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal County Down (Championship) | Newcastle, County Down, United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2 | St Andrews Links (Old Course) | St. Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom (Scotland) | 7 | 3 | 2 |
| 3 | Muirfield (Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers) | Gullane, East Lothian, United Kingdom (Scotland) | 10 | 11 | 3 |
| 4 | Royal Portrush (Dunluce) | Portrush, County Antrim, United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) | 9 | 14 | 5 |
| 5 | Royal Dornoch (Championship) | Dornoch, Sutherland, United Kingdom (Scotland) | 15 | 12 | 4 |
| 6 | Trump Turnberry (Ailsa) | Turnberry, South Ayrshire, United Kingdom (Scotland) | 12 | 18 | 8 |
| 7 | Tara Iti Golf Club | Te Arai, Auckland Region, New Zealand | 21 | 19 | 7 |
| 8 | Royal St George's | Sandwich, Kent, United Kingdom (England) | 19 | 30 | 18 |
| 9 | Ballybunion (Old) | Ballybunion, County Kerry, Ireland | 29 | 29 | 10 |
| 10 | North Berwick (West Links) | North Berwick, East Lothian, United Kingdom (Scotland) | 42 | 25 | 11 |
| 11 | Barnbougle Dunes | Bridport, Tasmania, Australia | 25 | 41 | 20 |
| 12 | Lahinch (Old) | Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland | 32 | 34 | 21 |
| 13 | Carnoustie (Championship) | Carnoustie, Angus, United Kingdom (Scotland) | 34 | 39 | 15 |
| 14 | Pacific Dunes (Bandon Dunes Golf Resort) | Bandon, Oregon, United States | 26 | 35 | n/r |
| 15 | New South Wales Golf Club | La Perouse, Sydney, Australia | 68 | 46 | 22 |
| 16 | St Patrick's Links (Rosapenna) | Downings, County Donegal, Ireland | 37 | 44 | 58 |
| 17 | Royal Birkdale | Southport, Merseyside, United Kingdom (England) | 82 | 42 | 17 |
| 18 | Cruden Bay (Championship) | Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom (Scotland) | 70 | 61 | 26 |
| 19 | Cape Wickham Golf Links | King Island, Tasmania, Australia | 47 | 100 | 13 |
| 20 | Royal Lytham & St. Annes | Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire, United Kingdom (England) | 61 | 68 | 31 |
Consensus Rank = the average of the rankings in the world rankings of Top100GolfCourses, GOLF Magazine (2025–2026), and Golf Digest (2026–2027). “n.c.”: Golf Digest does not include U.S. courses in its world rankings. “—”: Course not included in the rankings. Click on a column header to sort.
Where are these links courses?
Click on a number to view the golf course, then click on its name to read its profile. Base map © OpenStreetMap.
How we ranked the links courses
None of the major rankings publish a global list of links. So we started with three recent global rankings: the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World by Top100GolfCourses (accessed November 10, 2026), the GOLF Magazine's Global Top 100 (November 19, 2025) and the Golf Digest's 100 Greatest (May 20, 2026). We included courses that Top100GolfCourses classifies as “links”; when this field is left blank, the course is included only if its official website describes it as a links course (Barnbougle Dunes, Pacific Dunes). The consensus ranking is the average of the rankings; a course not included in a ranking is assigned the 110th rank. Since Golf Digest does not include U.S. courses in its world rankings, Pacific Dunes is ranked on the other two lists. In the event of a tie, the highest individual ranking determines the order. Cypress Point, in California—which Top100GolfCourses classifies as a links course and which would have ranked first—is excluded: some of its holes wind through the forest, and its most famous holes run along a rocky coastline, far from links country. Royal Lytham & St Annes thus enters the ranking at No. 20. New South Wales, in Sydney, is included because Top100GolfCourses classifies it as a links course, even though it is often described as a cliff-top course. Green fees: rates published by the golf courses, as of November 10, 2026; several clubs (Royal County Down, Turnberry, Royal Birkdale) do not publish their rates.
The Rankings in Detail
Architects and years of opening: official websites of the courses and the ranking lists cited, accessed on November 10, 2026; no information is provided when the source does not specify it. Photos under a free license via Wikimedia Commons.
1. Royal County Down (Championship) 🇬🇧
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 3 · GOLF Magazine 4 · Golf Digest 1
Designer: Old Tom Morris; opened in 1889. Royal County Down is ranked No. 1 in Golf Digest’s world rankings for the sixth consecutive edition (2026–2027). The course, at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, is renowned for its blind tee shots, particularly on holes 2, 5, and 9. Access: visitors (by reservation only; closed Wednesdays and Saturdays).
2. St Andrews Links (Old Course) 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 7 · GOLF Magazine 3 · Golf Digest 2
Architect: Shaped by nature and the players; Old Tom Morris (19th century); opened: 15th century (documented play). The birthplace of golf, the Old Course is known for its vast double greens, blind bunkers, the Road Hole (17), and the Hell Bunker. The Old Course is ranked No. 2 in the world by Golf Digest in the 2026–2027 edition. Access: open to the public (municipal links course; reservation or “ballot” lottery). Published green fee: from £240 (April 2026) to £355 (high season, April 21–October 18, 2026) — Golf Rates.
3. Muirfield (Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers) 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 10 · GOLF Magazine 11 · Golf Digest 3
Architects: Old Tom Morris (1891), H.S. Colt (1925); opened in 1891. Muirfield has hosted the Open sixteen times. Jack Nicklaus, who won here in 1966, named his own course in Ohio after it: Muirfield Village. Access: Visitors (Tuesdays and Thursdays, by request). Published green fee: £395 for 18 holes in 2026 (£420 in 2027), visitors on Tuesdays and Thursdays — Golf Rates.
4. Royal Portrush (Dunluce) 🇬🇧
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 9 · GOLF Magazine 14 · Golf Digest 5
Designer: H.S. Colt; opened: 1929 (Colt’s layout). It is the only course outside of England and Scotland to have hosted the Open. Two new holes (7 and 8) were created for the 2019 Open, replacing the former 17 and 18. Access: visitors (by reservation). Published green fee: £475 per player from April through October 2027 (only published rate) — Golf Rates.
5. Royal Dornoch (Championship) 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 15 · GOLF Magazine 12 · Golf Digest 4
Designer: Old Tom Morris; opened in 1886. The famous architect Donald Ross grew up in Dornoch. After playing there in 1981, Tom Watson spoke of “the most fun part” of his life. Access: visitors (by reservation). Published green fee: £360 from April to October 2026, £200 from November 2026 to March 2027 — Golf Rates.
6. Trump Turnberry (Ailsa) 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 12 · GOLF Magazine 18 · Golf Digest 8
Architects: Willie Fernie (1909), Mackenzie Ross (1946), Martin Ebert (2016); opened: 1946 (current layout). The current layout is based on Mackenzie Ross’s redesign following World War II; Martin Ebert renovated it to make better use of the cliff, adding a new par-3 9th hole near the lighthouse. Turnberry has hosted the Open since 1977, and Tom Watson was the hero of two of its greatest tournaments. Access: public (resort, reservation required).
7. Tara Iti Golf Club 🇳🇿
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 21 · GOLF Magazine 19 · Golf Digest 7
Architect: Tom Doak; opened in 2015. Tara Iti entered GOLF magazine’s Top 100 in 2017, one of the highest-ranked debuts in the history of the list. The course stretches across the Pacific dunes, featuring fine fescue fairways. Access: private (members and guests).
8. Royal St George's 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 19 · GOLF Magazine 30 · Golf Digest 18
Architects: W. Laidlaw Purves (1887), H.S. Colt (1922); opened: 1887. Royal St George’s has hosted the Open fifteen times, most recently in 2021 (won by Collin Morikawa). Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, was particularly fond of the elevated 10th green. Access: visitors (weekdays, by reservation). Published green fee: £215 to £400 depending on the season in 2026 — Golf Rates.
9. Ballybunion (Old) 🇮🇪
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 29 · GOLF Magazine 29 · Golf Digest 10
Architects: P. Murphy (1893), Tom Simpson (1936); opened in 1893. Tom Watson called it “one of the best and most beautiful links golf courses.” Ballybunion (Old) is ranked 10th in the world by Golf Digest in the 2026–2027 edition. Access: visitors (by reservation only, not on weekends).
10. North Berwick (West Links) 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 42 · GOLF Magazine 25 · Golf Digest 11
Architect: David Strath; opened: 1895 (current layout; club founded in 1832). The 15th, “Redan,” a par-3 toward a diagonally elevated green, is one of the most imitated holes in the world. On the 13th, “The Pit,” the green is hidden behind a low stone wall. Access: visitors (by reservation). Published green fee: £320 Sunday through Thursday, April through October 2026 — Golf Rates.
11. Barnbougle Dunes 🇦🇺
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 25 · GOLF Magazine 41 · Golf Digest 20
Architects: Tom Doak, Mike Clayton; opened in 2004. GOLF Magazine describes it as Australia’s largest links course, with the dunes extending only about 320 m inland. The par-3 7th hole is compared to the “Postage Stamp” at Royal Troon. Access: open to the public (resort). Published green fee: 285 AUD for 18 holes for a foreign visitor during peak season (October 2026 to April 2027), 260 AUD during off-season — Golf Rates.
12. Lahinch (Old) 🇮🇪
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 32 · GOLF Magazine 34 · Golf Digest 21
Architects: Old Tom Morris (1893), Alister MacKenzie (1927), Martin Hawtree (2003); opened: 1893. The layout combines Old Tom Morris’s original design (1893), Alister MacKenzie’s revisions (1927), and Martin Hawtree’s expansion into the large dunes (2003). The course is located just south of the Cliffs of Moher. Access: visitors (by reservation). Published green fee: €450 from April 27 to October 16, 2026 — Golf Rates.
13. Carnoustie (Championship) 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 34 · GOLF Magazine 39 · Golf Digest 15
Architects: A. Robertson (1842), Old Tom Morris (1872), James Braid (1926); opened: 1842. This links course, reputed to be the toughest on the Open circuit, has crowned champions such as Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Tom Watson. The Barry Burn, a winding stream, runs through the course; holes 4 and 14 share a double green. Access: public (links course managed by Carnoustie Golf Links). Published green fee: £249 in April 2026, £360 from May through October 2026 — Golf Rates.
14. Pacific Dunes (Bandon Dunes Golf Resort) 🇺🇸
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 26 · GOLF Magazine 35 · Golf Digest n/r
Architect: Tom Doak; opened: 2001. The back nine begins with an unusual sequence of par 3-3-5-4-3-5 holes, approved by owner Mike Keiser. This course brought Tom Doak to prominence in the early 2000s. Access: open to the public (resort). Published green fees: from $180 (January) to $425 (June through September) in 2026, excluding resort guests — Golf Rates.
15. New South Wales Golf Club 🇦🇺
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 68 · GOLF Magazine 46 · Golf Digest 22
Designer: Alister MacKenzie (1928), Eric Apperly (1947); opened: 1928. The par-3 6th hole is played over an inlet at Cape Banks. The par-5 5th hole slopes down a long hill toward the Pacific Ocean. Access: visitors (limited, weekdays).
16. St Patrick's Links (Rosapenna) 🇮🇪
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 37 · GOLF Magazine 44 · Golf Digest 58
Architect: Tom Doak; opening: 2021. Opened in 2021, the course feels as though it has been around for a century. It is the newest of the 20 links courses in this selection. Access: public (resort). Published green fee: €380 (€330 for resort guests), 2027 season rates — Golf Rates.
17. Royal Birkdale 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 82 · GOLF Magazine 42 · Golf Digest 17
Architects: George Low (1889), Fred Hawtree (1932); opened in 1889. Peter Thomson won the first Open held at Birkdale in 1954; the course has hosted nine other Open tournaments, including Jordan Spieth’s victory in 2017. The par-3 12th hole, added in the 1960s by Fred Hawtree Jr., is one of the youngest holes on the Open circuit. Access: visitors (by reservation; sold out for 2027).
18. Cruden Bay (Championship) 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 70 · GOLF Magazine 61 · Golf Digest 26
Architects: Old Tom Morris and Archie Simpson (1899), Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler (1926); opened: 1899. The course was designed by Old Tom Morris and Archie Simpson for a railroad company and opened in 1899, then redesigned in 1926 by Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler. It is one of the favorite courses of architects Pete Dye and Tom Doak. Access: Visitors (preferably on weekdays).
19. Cape Wickham Golf Links 🇦🇺
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 47 · GOLF Magazine 100 · Golf Digest 13
Architects: Mike DeVries, Darius Oliver; opened in 2015. Located at the northern tip of King Island in Bass Strait, it is, according to GOLF Magazine, the windiest course in its Top 100 worldwide. The 18th hole requires a tee shot over Victoria Cove. Access: open to the public. Published green fee: 315 AUD for 18 holes for a foreign visitor in 2026 — Golf Rates.
20. Royal Lytham & St. Annes 🏴
Rankings: Top 100 in the world 61 · GOLF Magazine 68 · Golf Digest 31
Architect: George Lowe; modified by Harry Colt between the two world wars; opened in 1897. Has hosted the Open eleven times; it is the northernmost Open links course in England, about fifteen kilometers from Royal Birkdale. The only course on the Open circuit to begin with a par-3 hole, measuring 206 yards (188 m) from the back tees. Access: visitors (reservations required through the club).
What is a links course?
A links course is a course laid out on “linksland”—the strip of sandy, undulating land unsuitable for cultivation that separates the sea from farmland. The word is thought to derive from the Old English “hlinc,” meaning “ridge.” This well-drained soil produces a short, firm turf on which the ball rolls a long way; there are few or no trees, and the wind is part of the game. As the website notes History of Scottish Golf, “links” refers to the type of soil and terrain, not just a course along the coast.
See also
The Best Golf Courses in Scotland
The 15 Best Golf Courses in England
Top 100 Golf Courses in the World
The 20 Most Beautiful Golf Courses in the World
The 15 Most Challenging Golf Courses in the WorldFrequently asked questions about links golf
What is the best links course in the world?
Royal County Down, in Northern Ireland: No. 1 on Golf Digest’s world rankings (2026–2027), No. 3 on Top100GolfCourses, and No. 4 in GOLF Magazine. The Old Course at St. Andrews and Muirfield round out the top three in our rankings.
What is a links course?
A course built on “linksland”—the sandy, undulating terrain between the sea and farmland: short, firm grass, few or no trees, and exposure to the wind. The term refers to the type of soil, not just the proximity to the sea.
How much does a green fee cost at a major links course?
On the Open courses, published rates range from £240 (St. Andrews Old Course in April 2026) to £475 (Royal Portrush, 2027 rates); Lahinch, in Ireland, lists a rate of €450 during the season (rates as of November 10, 2026).