When golfers reflect on how successful their year has been, quick to mind will emerge whether they played anywhere particularly memorable.
One of the greatest aspects of this magical game is exploring widely and experiencing a variety of different layouts. Some of these will have been on your list to play for a long time, they could be among the most revered venues in the world, or they might even be an underrated jewel that captured your heart.
Either way, at Golfshake, we’re always keen to see where golfers have been playing, so we once again asked our Community on Facebook to identify the best course that they had played this year.
It was a thrill to see that many of you had played a few of the finest destinations in the UK and beyond, which you may have visited yourself, or perhaps have been planning to for a considerable period.
Take the following as the best golf courses (which were repeatedly mentioned) that other golfers recommend that you play!
Aberdovey
Location: Aberdovey, Gwynedd
Golfshake Rating: 4.90
Review Comment: “Cracking course. Very welcoming club, breakfast is a must. Practice facilities perfectly manicured, almost as good as the course. Tee boxes were on a par with some greens I’ve played this year. Fairways undulating and defined, greens best I’ve played this year. Ticked off my bucket list at last, but think I’ll be back!”
Burnham & Berrow
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Location: Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
Golfshake Rating: 4.90
Review Comment: “Great spring day, great course, little wind, great company, always look forward to playing this links course.”
Carnoustie (Championship)
Location: Carnoustie, Angus
Golfshake Rating: 4.88
Review Comment: “Every hole presented a different challenge, requiring the use of every club in the bag. The course was in fantastic condition and was a great upgrade from my normal course. I definitely recommend this course to any golfer looking for a great experience on a course with so much history!”
Cruden Bay
Location: Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.90
Review Comment: “Proper golf. Fantastic venue. People at the course are great. Was a pleasure to play. We did have fantastic weather so that was a great bonus.”
Dumbarnie Links
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Location: Upper Largo, Fife
Golfshake Rating: 4.90
Review Comment: “Exceptional. A fantastic links course. Great service from the moment you arrive at the club. The little shot of whisky on the 1st tee was a really nice touch. The course was in fantastic condition, though the greens were slightly slower than I’d have liked.”
Elie
Location: Elie & Earlsferry, Fife
Golfshake Rating: 4.92
Review Comment: “Another round at this magnificent links course in an amazing setting with kind weather. Course played very well and was in excellent condition.”
Formby
Location: Formby, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.96
Review Comment: “Absolute gem of a course with rolling fairways and true greens. Friendly service in the clubhouse with huge breakfast rolls.”
Ganton
Location: Ganton, North Yorkshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.97
Review Comment: “Superb course with extremely challenging holes. The course layout is outstanding and provides a real test of golf.”
Glasgow Gailes
Location: Irvine, Ayrshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.82
Review Comment: “After a fairly short par 4 to open, the course grabs your attention with its tricky greens and some very well placed and hidden bunkers. Don’t recall a weak hole. Well worth a visit.”
Gleneagles (King’s)
Location: Gleneagles, Perth & Kinross
Golfshake Rating: 4.89
Review Comment: “One of the best courses in Scotland. Beautiful, sunny, still day. The King’s looked magnificent and played magnificently. The course was in tip top condition and the greens were so good to putt on. This is a must play for anyone golfing in Scotland.”
Hillside
Location: Southport, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.94
Review Comment: “Truly amazing. Fourth time playing here and it never disappoints. From tee to green, start to finish, Hillside has it all. Great mix of holes. I could play here every minute of every day. Cannot wait to return.”
Hollinwell (Notts Golf Club)
Location: Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.91
Review Comment: “Another chance to play this lovely gem of course in Nottingham. The visit to Hollinwell is truly superb and a proper golfing test for all involved.”
JCB Golf & Country Club
Location: Rocester, Staffordshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.95
Review Comment: “Incredibly difficult but beautiful course with top notch hospitality. Feel incredibly lucky to have played here twice now.”
Kingsbarns
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Location: Kingsbarns, Fife
Golfshake Rating: 4.96
Review Comment: “One of the best courses I’ve ever played. From the initial greeting as we arrived, everything was outstanding. The staff greeting you and checking you in were friendly and efficient, we had some lunch before our round, the food was great and staff inside were chatty, friendly and seemed genuinely happy to be doing their jobs. The course was in great condition, it had only opened a few days before the round so that was to be expected. The pace of play was excellent, to the point that for most of the round we felt like there was no one else on the course with us even though it was busy. All in all not only one of the best courses I’ve played but also one of the best golf experiences I’ve had. I’ll definitely be going back again!”
Muirfield
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Location: Gullane, East Lothian
Golfshake Rating: 4.86
Review Comment: “The overall experience was excellent. The course requires you to hit good golf shots at every turn – the design is a great test of golf for your average golfers. Interesting, it’s hard to pick one standout hole, as the quality is spread across the course. Off course, the clubhouse is full of interesting memorabilia, and the lunch worth the effort of a jacket and tie with views to die for out across the links.”
Nairn
Location: Nairn, Highlands
Golfshake Rating: 4.93
Review Comment: “Well kept in immaculate condition with lots of interesting holes. Changes made by Mackenzie & Ebert have improved the course.”
Royal Cinque Ports
Location: Deal, Kent
Golfshake Rating: 4.85
Review Comment: “The course was in sublime condition; tight, firm fairways, wickedly undulating greens and the traditional out and back layout. The club has a quaint halfway house serving a selection of hot and cold items. We were warmly welcomed in the clubhouse and the pro shop had a great selection of clothing and trinkets to buy. An excellent day out made better by the helpful weather!”
Royal Dornoch
Location: Dornoch, Highlands
Golfshake Rating: 4.94
Review Comment: “Exceptional. Truly stunning. Its ranking as one of, if not the best course in the world is well deserved. Masterpiece.”
Royal Portrush
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Location: Portrush, County Antrim
Golfshake Rating: 4.97
Review Comment: “Wonderful golf course. Magnificent Harry Colt design adapted and improved by Mackenzie & Ebert. It is a brilliant design in an epic setting. Conditioning is exemplary. The historic clubhouse is worthy of a couple of hours to closely examine its artefacts and memorabilia. We used a fore caddie for our fourball and it added so much to the enjoyment of our game.”
Royal St George’s
Location: Sandwich, Kent
Golfshake Rating: 4.96
Review Comment: “What a great course, so hard but really fair, and greens perfect and bunkers are so deep and lots of blind drives.”
St Andrews (Old)
Location: St Andrews, Fife
Golfshake Rating: 4.92
Review Comment: “The best. Just love playing the Old Course. Everything about the place brings me so much joy. Following the footsteps of the golfing greats. Out and back and aiming everything left, the conditions were superb and the sun made it an even better experience. Defo something all golfers should experience, once in their life.”
Sunningdale (Old)
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Location: Sunningdale, Berkshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.95
Review Comment: “Amazing golf course! True challenge and a delight to play. We had near perfect conditions with the sun shining the whole way round.”
Trevose
Location: Padstow, Cornwall
Golfshake Rating: 4.89
Review Comment: “Great facilities here and a championship course to match. Greens were in fantastic condition for the time of year. The starter was very helpful as it was my first visit.”
Trump International Golf Links
Location: Menie Estate, Aberdeenshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.92
Review Comment: “Best of the best. Amazing quality, playability, overall experience and architecture.”
Turnberry (Ailsa)
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Location: Turnberry, Ayrshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.97
Review Comment: “A real treat. Lived up to all the hype. Amazing place. Course just immaculate and testing but fair. People make this also. The staff are just brill!”
Wallasey
Location: Wallasey, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.61
Review Comment: “High quality links course. Course condition immaculate. Very friendly welcome.”
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.