Established around 1400 and still open to the public, St Andrews Old Course is a par-72 links of shared fairways, double greens and historic hazards. The Swilcan Bridge, Hell Bunker and Road Hole are famous, but its enduring character lies in how the whole routing works.
Founded in 1889, Royal County Down’s Championship Links grew from Old Tom Morris’s advice and an 18-hole course completed in 1890. Its massive dunes, blind lines and the Mourne Mountains create one of the most dramatic natural links settings in the world.
The Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush combines Harry Colt’s classic architecture with Martin Ebert’s 2019 redevelopment, including two new championship holes. It hosted The Open in 1951, 2019 and 2025, when Scottie Scheffler won by four shots.
Created by Old Tom Morris in 1891 and redesigned by Harry Colt in 1925, Muirfield is defined by two loops of nine holes that run in opposite directions. This unusual routing tests players with changing wind angles and a demanding balance of strategy and execution.
Carnoustie’s Championship Course grew from Allan Robertson’s 1842 ten-hole layout and was extended by Old Tom Morris in 1867. James Braid’s later changes created a formidable Open venue, where the Barry Burn shapes the famous 18th-hole finish.
Golf has been played on Dornoch’s links for centuries, and the club’s 18-hole Championship Course took shape after Old Tom Morris’s 1886 extension. Its elevated greens, firm turf and broad northern skies create a links experience unlike the more southerly Scottish courses.
Reopened after Martin Ebert’s major redevelopment in 2016, Turnberry’s Ailsa Course follows the Ayrshire coast with views to Ailsa Craig and the famous lighthouse. Its defining modern changes include the par-three 9th beside the lighthouse and a demanding new coastal sequence.
Played along the Firth of Forth since the nineteenth century, North Berwick’s West Links is a compact, inventive course where stone walls, ridges and unusual green shapes are part of the strategy. Its original Redan on the 15th has influenced golf architecture around the world.
Opened in 1901, Sunningdale’s Old Course was designed by Willie Park Jr. across sandy heathland of heather, gorse and pine. Its large, undulating greens and diagonal hazards helped establish the inland course as a British architectural classic.
Designed by Harry Colt in 1927 and refined by Ernie Els Design, Wentworth’s West Course is the long-standing home of the BMW PGA Championship. Tree-lined corridors, water and fast SubAir greens demand strategic placement in the Surrey landscape.
