The best bucket list golf courses you can actually play include the Old Course at St Andrews, Pebble Beach, Royal County Down, Pinehurst No. 2, Pacific Dunes, Royal Portrush, Ballybunion, Bethpage Black and TPC Sawgrass. Most cost $300 to $700 a round, and many require a hotel stay, a ballot or a year’s notice.
That last part is what most bucket-list lists leave out. Plenty of “courses to play before you die” articles are really lists of courses you’ll never play: Augusta National, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, Shinnecock Hills. They’re wonderful to read about, and useless for planning a trip.
This page does it the other way round. Every course here is one a visiting golfer can realistically play, and for each one we tell you roughly what it costs, how far ahead to book, and what the catch is: a resort stay, a handicap limit, a ballot, a walking-only rule, or visitor times on only two days a week. Then we cover the courses you can’t normally play, and the legitimate ways people sometimes do.
Green fees below were checked in September 2026, from club websites where we could reach them and from published fee tables where we couldn’t. British and Irish fees are converted at $1.35 per pound and $1.16 per euro (published rates on January 1, 2026). It’s the hub for all our bucket-list, “can you play” and golf heritage guides, so each section points to a deeper page when you need one.
At a glance
- Most famous course you can play: the Old Course at St Andrews, through the daily ballot or an advance booking. High-season fee around £355 (about $480) in 2026.
- Most famous in the US: Pebble Beach Golf Links, $695 (April 2026 to March 2027), with priority for guests staying at least two nights.
- Best value bucket-list rounds: Bethpage Black and Torrey Pines South, both municipal-style courses that have hosted U.S. Opens.
- Most expensive in Britain and Ireland: Turnberry’s Ailsa course, with a peak summer fee of £1,000 (about $1,350).
- Hardest to book: Royal County Down, whose 2027 visitor times sold out in seven hours.
- You can’t play (normally): Augusta National, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links and most other top-ranked private clubs.
- Book ahead: 12 to 18 months for the famous British and Irish links; 6 to 12 months for US resort courses in peak season.
What makes a golf course bucket-list?
Bucket-list courses usually combine at least three of these: championship history, a famous architect, spectacular or unique scenery, and a story golfers tell each other. Crucially, for a travel list, they should also be courses a visitor can actually book, even if it takes planning or money.
Rankings are one guide. GOLF.com’s world ranking for 2025–26 lists the Old Course at St Andrews at No. 3 in the world, Royal County Down at No. 4, Royal Melbourne’s West Course at No. 7, Muirfield at No. 11, Royal Dornoch at No. 12, Royal Portrush at No. 14, Pebble Beach at No. 15, Turnberry’s Ailsa at No. 18 and Pinehurst No. 2 at No. 20. Every one of those accepts visitors in some form.
But rankings miss what makes a round memorable for most golfers. The 17th at TPC Sawgrass isn’t a top-10 hole architecturally. Walking over the Swilcan Bridge doesn’t change your score. Bethpage Black is a public park with a sign warning that it’s too hard for most golfers. People want to play all three anyway, because they’ve watched them on TV for decades.
We’ve weighted our picks toward three things:
- Significance. Championship history, architectural importance or a place in golf’s story.
- The experience of playing it. Setting, walk, clubhouse, caddies, the feeling on the first tee.
- Realistic access. You can book it, by ballot, resort stay or phone call, without knowing a member.
The bucket-list golf courses you can actually play
This is the master list: the courses most serious golfers want to play at least once, and what it takes to get on. Fees are high-season visitor rates for 2026 unless noted.
| Course | Location | How you get on | Green fee (2026) | Book ahead | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Course, St Andrews | Scotland | Daily ballot, advance ballot, or a licensed operator package | About £355 ($480) | Advance ballot the year before; daily ballot 2 days out | Closed Sundays; handicap certificate required |
| Pebble Beach Golf Links | California | Resort guests (2-night minimum) get priority; non-guests generally only close to the date | $695 | 12+ months for guests in peak season | Carts or caddies |
| Royal County Down | Northern Ireland | Limited visitor times | £450 ($608); £495 in 2027 | A year or more; 2027 sold out in seven hours | Walking; caddies available |
| Pinehurst No. 2 | North Carolina | Resort guests only, usually 2-night minimum | About $495–$695 | Months ahead for spring and fall | Walking with caddie encouraged |
| Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes | Oregon | Resort guests book first; limited day play | $130–$375 for resort guests by season | 12 months for guests; day guests within 21 days | Walking only; caddie $100 per bag plus tip |
| Royal Portrush (Dunluce) | Northern Ireland | Visitor times on set days | £420 ($567); £475 in 2027 | 12+ months; no visitor times on Wednesdays | Prepaid, non-refundable |
| Ballybunion (Old) | Ireland | Weekday visitor times | €450 ($522); €500 in 2027 | 12+ months | Handicap caps 24 men / 36 women; caddie per group |
| Lahinch (Old) | Ireland | Visitor times | €450 ($522); €500 in 2027 | 12+ months | Caddie required per group; no buggies |
| Carnoustie (Championship) | Scotland | Visitor times | £360 ($486); £450 reported for 2027 | 6–12 months | Hosted the Open eight times |
| Kingsbarns | Scotland | Visitor times | About £486 ($656) | 6–12 months | Modern links, opened 2000 |
| Royal Dornoch (Championship) | Scotland | Visitor times | £360 ($486) | 6–12 months | Remote Highlands setting |
| Muirfield | Scotland | Visitor days (Tuesdays and Thursdays) | £325 ($439) | 12+ months | Traditional foursomes lunch |
| Turnberry (Ailsa) | Scotland | Hotel guests and visitors | Up to £1,000 ($1,350) peak | 6–12 months | Most expensive round in Britain and Ireland |
| TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) | Florida | Resort guests up to 12 months ahead; others 14 days | From $775 (Sept–May); $550 summer | 12 months with lodging | Includes cart, forecaddie and range; blackouts around THE PLAYERS |
| Kiawah Island Ocean Course | South Carolina | Resort guests and visitors | Not published; recent reports around $600 peak | Months ahead | Historically walking with caddie most of the year |
| Whistling Straits (Straits) | Wisconsin | Public, resort guests get priority | Reported around $645 peak | Months ahead | Walking only; caddie $90 plus recommended $70 tip |
| Erin Hills | Wisconsin | Public | $495 peak; $395 shoulder; replay $295 | Months ahead | Walking only |
| Bethpage Black | New York | New York State park, residents book first | A fraction of resort fees; non-residents pay more | Days to weeks; competitive | Walking only; “extremely difficult” warning sign |
| Torrey Pines (South) | California | City-owned; residents book first | Roughly $300–$400 for non-residents (reported) | Competitive; plan ahead | Home of the Farmers Insurance Open |
| Harbour Town | South Carolina | Sea Pines guests get better access | Dynamic: about $378–$651 in 2026 samples | Months ahead | RBC Heritage venue |
| Cabot Cape Breton (Links and Cliffs) | Nova Scotia, Canada | Resort guests first; non-guests 14 days ahead | Check resort | 12 months for guests | Walking is the norm |
| Teeth of the Dog, Casa de Campo | Dominican Republic | Resort guests only | Check resort | With your stay | Pete Dye’s Caribbean masterpiece |
| Valderrama | Spain | Limited visitor times, mostly Monday to Thursday | €600 ($696) plus €70 forecaddie | Months ahead; very limited in summer | Mandatory forecaddie |
A few of those need more than a table row, so here’s the rest of the story, region by region.
Scotland: the home of golf
If you only make one bucket-list golf trip abroad, most golfers would tell you to make it Scotland.
The Old Course, St Andrews. The oldest and most famous golf course in the world, with records of golf at St Andrews going back to 1552. It’s public, owned by the St Andrews Links Trust, and green fees are the easy part. Getting a tee time is harder. Most visitors get on through the daily ballot, a free lottery for groups of two to four that you enter two days before you want to play. The Old Course is closed on Sundays, so there’s no Friday ballot. Solo golfers can try a separate singles draw. There’s also an advance ballot for the following year, and licensed tour operators sell guaranteed times inside packages at a significant premium. You’ll need a handicap certificate, and the course closes to visitors for weeks around the Open, which returns in July 2027.
Carnoustie. “Carnasty” to anyone who watched Jean van de Velde in the burn in 1999. It’s one of the hardest championship courses in the world when the wind blows, and it has hosted the Open eight times, most recently in 2018. A round cost £360 in 2026, with a big increase reported for 2027.
Kingsbarns. A modern course, opened in 2000, on the coast six miles from St Andrews, with sea views from nearly every hole. About £486, among the priciest rounds in Scotland.
Royal Dornoch. In the Highlands, a long way north, and worth every mile. Tom Watson famously called it the most fun he’d had on a golf course. It cost £360 in 2026.
Muirfield. Home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, and one of the most exclusive clubs on the Open rota, but it does accept visitors on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Book a year ahead, and if you can, stay for the traditional lunch and an afternoon round of foursomes.
Turnberry. The Ailsa course on the Ayrshire coast, with the lighthouse and the “Duel in the Sun”. It’s also the most expensive round in Britain and Ireland, at up to £1,000 for a peak-season summer morning.
North Berwick. Quirky, historic and cheaper, at £320, with the famous Redan 15th, one of the most copied holes in golf.
Our Scotland golf trip guide covers how to combine these, what a trip costs in dollars and how the Old Course ballot really works.
Ireland and Northern Ireland
Royal County Down. Ranked No. 4 in the world by GOLF.com and argued about as the best course anywhere. It sits in Newcastle, under the Mountains of Mourne, with blind tee shots over heather-topped dunes and bunkers fringed with long marram grass. It cost £450 in 2026 and £495 in 2027, and its 2027 visitor allocation sold out in seven hours. If this is your bucket-list course, plan two years out, or use a tour operator who still holds times.
Royal Portrush. The Dunluce Links on the Causeway Coast, host of the Open in 2019 and 2025. Visitor tee times are restricted by day (there are none on Wednesdays), green fees are paid in full when you book and are non-refundable, and it cost £420 in 2026.
Ballybunion and Lahinch. The southwest’s great pair. Ballybunion’s Old Course runs through huge Atlantic dunes, takes visitors only on weekdays, sets maximum handicaps of 24 for men and 36 for women, and requires at least one caddie or forecaddie per group. Lahinch, “the St Andrews of Ireland”, also requires a caddie per group and has no carts. Both cost €450 in 2026 and €500 in 2027.
Old Head of Kinsale. A cliff-top headland course that exists mostly for the view, at €500 in 2026. Worth it if you want the photos more than the golf.
Ireland is expensive and getting more so, but it’s also where many American golfers have their favorite trips. The guides below on the world’s best courses and links golf cover more Irish options.
England and continental Europe
England’s great courses are often overlooked by American visitors heading to Scotland and Ireland, but the Open rota courses and the London heathland courses belong on any serious list.
- Royal Birkdale. One of the best Open venues, in the dunes near Southport. Its top 2026 fee was £495 (about $670).
- Royal Liverpool (Hoylake). A flat, subtle links where Tiger Woods won the 2006 Open with a famous display of iron play. £400.
- Royal St George’s. In Sandwich, Kent, with huge dunes and blind shots. Visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, £400.
- Sunningdale (Old and New). Heathland golf southwest of London, all heather and pine, with a halfway hut famous for its sausage sandwiches. £450.
- Valderrama, Spain. Host of the 1997 Ryder Cup and a long-time European Tour venue. €600 with a mandatory forecaddie (€70, plus tip), and visitor times mostly Monday to Thursday, very limited in summer.
For all of these, the same rules apply as in Scotland: book months ahead, bring a handicap certificate, and read each club’s visitor days.
The best bucket-list golf courses in the United States
The US has more great golf than anywhere in the world, but most of the very best is private. These are the bucket-list courses you can actually book, with what it takes.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California. The most famous public course in America and one of the most expensive at $695. Guests staying at least two nights at The Lodge, the Inn at Spanish Bay or Casa Palmero get priority tee times up to a year ahead (three nights, Thursday to Sunday, in fall). Non-guests generally only get times in the last day or two before a round. It hosts its seventh U.S. Open in June 2027, and it will close to the public for a period around it. See our Pebble Beach golf trip guide.
Pinehurst No. 2, North Carolina. Donald Ross’s masterpiece and a four-time U.S. Open venue since 1999, with more scheduled. Resort guests only, usually with a two-night minimum, at about $495 to $695. Our Pinehurst golf trip guide covers access and everything else at the resort.
Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes, Oregon. Tom Doak’s Pacific Dunes, opened in 2001, is often ranked among the very best public courses in America, and the resort’s other courses are almost as good. Walking only, with caddies at $100 per bag plus tip. Resort guests pay $130 in winter to $375 in summer, and it’s one of the best-value bucket-list golf experiences anywhere. See our Bandon Dunes golf resort guide.
TPC Sawgrass (Stadium Course), Florida. Home of THE PLAYERS and the island-green 17th. From $775 September to May, including cart, forecaddie and range, and $550 in summer. Resort guests can book up to 12 months ahead, everyone else 14 days. It’s blacked out around THE PLAYERS (February 15 to March 16, 2027) and for a few other weeks.
Bethpage Black, New York. A.W. Tillinghast’s brute, in a New York State park on Long Island, famous for the sign at the first tee warning that it’s “an extremely difficult course” recommended only for highly skilled golfers. It hosted the U.S. Open in 2002 and 2009, the PGA Championship in 2019 and the Ryder Cup in 2025, and the PGA Championship returns in 2033. Walking only. New York residents get cheaper rates and earlier booking, and non-residents pay more but still a fraction of resort prices. The price list is on the state parks website. See Bethpage Black tee times.
Torrey Pines (South), California. A city-owned course on the cliffs above the Pacific in La Jolla, home of the Farmers Insurance Open and site of the 2008 U.S. Open, won by Tiger Woods on a broken leg, and the 2021 U.S. Open. San Diego residents pay much less than visitors. Non-resident rates have been reported at roughly $300 to $400.
Whistling Straits and Erin Hills, Wisconsin. Two walking-only championship venues within an hour or so of each other. Whistling Straits, Pete Dye’s man-made links on Lake Michigan, hosted three PGA Championships and the 2021 Ryder Cup; its caddie fee is $90 per bag with a recommended $70 tip. Erin Hills hosted the 2017 U.S. Open and cost $495 in peak season in 2026.
Kiawah Island Ocean Course, South Carolina. Pete and Alice Dye’s windswept course on the Atlantic, host of the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championships. The resort doesn’t publish rates on its course page; recent secondary reports put peak rates around $600.
Chambers Bay, Washington. A county-owned links-style course on Puget Sound, built on an old sand and gravel quarry, and host of the 2015 U.S. Open. It’s one of the more affordable U.S. Open venues to play, with better rates for local residents.
Harbour Town, South Carolina. Pete Dye’s tight, tree-lined course with the famous lighthouse finish, host of the RBC Heritage. It moved to dynamic pricing in 2026, with sample rates from about $378 to $651.
Also on many lists: Streamsong (Florida), Sand Valley (Wisconsin), Pasatiempo (California), the Plantation Course at Kapalua (Hawaii), Spyglass Hill (California) and Shadow Creek (Las Vegas, available to guests of MGM Resorts properties).
Our detailed guides: bucket list golf courses in the US, the best public golf courses in the US and the best public golf courses by state.
Which major championship courses can the public play?
Plenty. In the US, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No. 2, Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines South, Chambers Bay, Erin Hills, Whistling Straits and Kiawah’s Ocean Course have all hosted majors and take public tee times. In Britain and Ireland, every course on the Open rota accepts visitors, subject to visitor days and handicap rules.
A quick guide to which majors each has hosted:
| Course | Major or big event history | Public access |
|---|---|---|
| Pebble Beach | Six U.S. Opens (seventh in 2027), PGA Championship 1977 | Yes, guest priority |
| Pinehurst No. 2 | U.S. Opens 1999, 2005, 2014, 2024; future Opens scheduled | Resort guests only |
| Bethpage Black | U.S. Opens 2002, 2009; PGA 2019; Ryder Cup 2025; PGA 2033 | Yes, state park |
| Torrey Pines South | U.S. Opens 2008, 2021 | Yes, city course |
| Chambers Bay | U.S. Open 2015 | Yes, county course |
| Erin Hills | U.S. Open 2017 | Yes |
| Whistling Straits | PGA Championships 2004, 2010, 2015; Ryder Cup 2021 | Yes |
| Kiawah Ocean Course | Ryder Cup 1991; PGA Championships 2012, 2021 | Yes |
| The Old Course, St Andrews | 30 Opens, the 31st in 2027 | Yes, by ballot or booking |
| Carnoustie | 8 Opens | Yes |
| Royal Portrush | Opens 1951, 2019, 2025 | Yes, visitor days |
| Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, Royal St George’s, Royal Troon, Muirfield, Turnberry | Multiple Opens | Yes, with visitor rules |
Private major venues such as Augusta National, Oakmont, Shinnecock Hills, Winged Foot, Merion, Oakland Hills and Baltusrol are a different story, and we cover them next.
The full list is in major championship courses you can play.
Can you play Augusta National?
Not as a paying visitor. Augusta National is private, and the only way to play is as the guest of a member, through a rare invitation such as media or charity programs connected to the club, or by playing in the Masters or the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. There’s no green fee, no public tee sheet and no package.
The same is true, more or less, of most courses at the top of world rankings: Pine Valley, Cypress Point, Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links of America, Oakmont and Merion. What you can do:
- Get a Masters ticket. Not the same as playing, but seeing Augusta in person is its own bucket-list item. The application window runs each June at masters.com.
- Play the courses Augusta inspired. Many golfers find that Pinehurst No. 2 or a round at a great Georgia or Carolina course scratches a similar itch.
- Stay open-minded about invitations. Members do bring guests, charity auctions occasionally include rounds, and some golfers get lucky through work or friends. Just don’t pay anyone who claims to sell “guaranteed” Augusta tee times. Those offers are almost always scams.
Read more in can you play Augusta National?.
How can you play private golf courses without a membership?
The legitimate routes are an invitation from a member, reciprocal privileges through your own private club, charity events and outings held at private clubs, and in Britain and Ireland, simply booking a visitor tee time, since most famous private clubs there welcome visitors on set days.
That last point surprises many Americans. At Muirfield, Royal St George’s, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, private members’ clubs, visitors can book tee times directly, pay a green fee and play, subject to visitor days and handicap limits. The US model, where a top private club is off limits to anyone without a member, is the exception globally.
In the US, the realistic options are:
- A member’s invitation. The most common way. Ask around; you may know someone who knows someone.
- Reciprocal play. If you belong to a private club, your head professional can often arrange a round at another private club for you, paying a guest fee. Not all clubs participate, and top clubs are selective.
- Charity outings and member-guest events. Many private clubs host fundraisers open to paying players.
- Caddie and staff programs. Some clubs allow caddies and staff to play on Mondays. Not a trip strategy, but a real route for a few people.
- Private clubs with resort lodging. A small number of private or semi-private clubs offer stay-and-play access to hotel guests.
- Amateur qualifying. Qualifying for USGA championships occasionally takes place at top private clubs, if you’re good enough.
Our guides to playing private golf courses without a membership and reciprocal golf explain each route in detail.
Beyond the US and Britain: bucket-list golf around the world
- Cabot Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs on the island of Cape Breton are among the most spectacular public courses in the world, with cliff-top holes over the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Resort guests book first, and non-guests can book 14 days ahead. Walking is the norm.
- Teeth of the Dog, Dominican Republic. Pete Dye’s course at Casa de Campo, with seven holes on the Caribbean. Resort guests only.
- Royal Melbourne, Australia. The heart of Melbourne’s famous sandbelt, ranked No. 7 in the world for its West Course. It’s a private club, and visitor access is limited, usually by introduction or arrangement. Several other sandbelt courses have somewhat easier access.
- Barnbougle, Tasmania, and Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand. Remote, dramatic courses by Tom Doak and others, and bucket-list trips in their own right for golfers willing to fly a long way.
- Valderrama, Spain. See above: €600, a mandatory forecaddie and very limited summer times.
Our list of the best golf courses in the world you can play ranks the international options with access notes for each.
What does a bucket-list golf trip cost?
Green fees for the famous courses cluster between about $450 and $700, but the green fee is usually the smaller part of the cost. Resort stays, flights and caddies add much more.
Here’s a rough ladder of bucket-list golf by total trip cost per golfer, including flights from the US mainland, sharing rooms.
| Trip | Typical length | Rough all-in cost per golfer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethpage Black or Torrey Pines South | 1–2 nights | About $600–$1,500 | Municipal green fees; the cost is travel and a hotel |
| Whistling Straits and Erin Hills | 3 nights | About $2,000–$3,000 | Big green fees plus caddies, but reasonable lodging |
| Bandon Dunes | 3–4 nights | About $2,500–$4,000 | Walking-only golf at fair guest rates; getting there costs time and money |
| Pinehurst with No. 2 | 3 nights | About $2,200–$4,000 | Resort stay required for No. 2 |
| TPC Sawgrass | 2–3 nights | About $1,800–$3,500 | $775 green fee; stay-and-play widens your booking window |
| Pebble Beach | 2 nights, 2 rounds | About $2,850–$3,300+ | $695 green fee plus a two-night stay from about $800 a night |
| Scotland | 7 nights, 5–6 rounds | About $5,000–$9,000 | Old Course ballot, famous links, driver or car |
| Ireland | 7 nights, 5–6 rounds | About $5,000–$9,000 | €450–€500 green fees, caddies required at some courses |
A lot of golfers find that the smart way to tick off bucket-list courses is one per trip, surrounded by excellent but cheaper golf. Play Pebble once, then Spyglass Hill, Pasatiempo and Pacific Grove. Play the Old Course once, and then the Jubilee, the New Course and Crail.
A few other ways to play bucket-list golf for less:
- Twilight and shoulder-season rates. Many famous public courses cut their fees sharply for late-afternoon tee times and outside peak months. At Erin Hills, the 2026 shoulder rate was $395 against $495 in peak season, and a replay cost $295. In Britain and Ireland, April, May and October rates are often well below high-season prices.
- Resident rates. Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines and Chambers Bay all charge locals less. If you have family or friends nearby, playing as their guest on a resident tee time can help.
- Winter at Bandon. Pacific Dunes costs resort guests $130 in the depths of winter, a fraction of the summer rate. You’ll need rain gear and a sense of humour.
- The second course at famous venues. The Valley at Royal Portrush (£200), the Castle Course at Lahinch (€60) and the New Course at St Andrews (£155) all give you the setting, the clubhouse and the town for much less.
How to plan a bucket-list golf trip
- Pick the one course the trip is built around. Everything else follows from its booking rules.
- Read the access rules closely: stay-to-play minimums, visitor days, handicap limits, walking-only policies and cancellation terms.
- Book that tee time first, or the resort stay that unlocks it, before flights or anything else.
- Add the “second-tier” courses nearby. They’re usually cheaper, easier to book and sometimes just as enjoyable.
- Plan for weather. Bucket-list rounds are often prepaid and non-refundable, and links golf goes ahead in wind and rain. Know the policy.
- Get a handicap certificate if you’re going to Britain or Ireland, and bring proof on your phone and on paper.
- Book a caddie for at least the headline round. Local knowledge matters more on famous courses, and caddies make the day.
- Budget for the whole day, not just the green fee: caddie fee and tip, range balls, a logo flag or ball marker, lunch and a drink afterward.
- Consider travel insurance for expensive, non-refundable golf abroad.
- Take the photo on the Swilcan Bridge anyway. Everyone does. Nobody regrets it.
The same sequence works for almost any trip built around one course.
Golf heritage: links, history and the great architects
For many golfers, the point of a bucket-list trip isn’t just a great course. It’s standing somewhere important.
Links golf. A “links” is a specific kind of course: built on sandy coastal land between the sea and farmland, with firm turf, few trees and wind as the defining hazard. The word comes from the Old English hlinc, meaning rising ground or a ridge. True links are mostly in Britain and Ireland. The US has a handful of courses with genuine links character, such as those at Bandon Dunes, and links-style courses such as Chambers Bay and Whistling Straits. See what is a links golf course? and links golf courses in the US.
The oldest courses. Golf was being played at St Andrews by 1552, and the Old Course gave the game its 18-hole round. Musselburgh Old Links near Edinburgh has records of golf from 1672 and a legend that Mary, Queen of Scots played there in 1567, and you can still play it today, with hickory clubs if you want the full experience. Which is “the oldest” depends on how you define it, and golf historians have argued about it for a long time. See the oldest golf course in the world.
Architect pilgrimages. Some golfers build trips around one designer. Donald Ross, who designed Pinehurst No. 2 and hundreds more, is the classic American choice, and many of his courses are public. Others follow Alister MacKenzie, A.W. Tillinghast, Pete Dye, Tom Doak, or Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, whose public courses include Streamsong Red, Bandon Trails and Cabot Cliffs. See Donald Ross golf courses and famous golf courses.
Every guide to bucket-list golf
This page is the hub. Each guide below goes deeper on one part of playing golf’s great courses.
Rankings and lists
- The best golf courses in the world you can play
- The best public golf courses in the US
- Bucket list golf courses in the US
- The best public golf courses by state
- Famous golf courses and whether you can play them
Getting on
- Can you play Augusta National?
- How to play private golf courses without a membership
- Reciprocal golf
- Major championship courses you can play
- Bethpage Black tee times
Golf heritage
- What is a links golf course?
- Links golf courses in the US
- The oldest golf course in the world
- Donald Ross golf courses
Frequently asked questions
What golf courses should every golfer play before they die?
Among courses you can actually book, the Old Course at St Andrews, Pebble Beach, Royal County Down, Pinehurst No. 2, Pacific Dunes, Royal Portrush and Ballybunion top most lists. In the US, Bethpage Black and Torrey Pines South are the best-value bucket-list rounds, and TPC Sawgrass has the most famous single hole.
What is the most famous golf course you can play?
The Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. It’s public, owned by a trust, and open to visitors through a daily ballot, an advance ballot or booking through licensed operators. In the US, the most famous course you can play is Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.
How much does it cost to play Pebble Beach?
The green fee is $695 from April 2026 to March 2027. Resort guests who stay at least two nights get priority tee times; non-guests generally can only book in the last day or two. With a two-night stay, a round at Pebble typically costs well over $2,000 per golfer in total.
Can the public play the Old Course at St Andrews?
Yes. It’s a public course. Most visitors get tee times through the free daily ballot, entered two days in advance for groups of two to four, or through the advance ballot for the following year. The course is closed on Sundays, and a handicap certificate is required.
What is the most expensive golf course to play?
In Britain and Ireland, Turnberry’s Ailsa course, with a peak summer fee of £1,000 (about $1,350). In the US, TPC Sawgrass’s Stadium Course (from $775 in season, including cart and forecaddie) and Pebble Beach ($695) are among the most expensive public rounds.
Can you play Pine Valley or Cypress Point?
Not without an invitation. Both are private clubs, generally accessible only as the guest of a member. The same is true of Augusta National, Shinnecock Hills and most of the world’s top-ranked American clubs.
What is the best bucket-list golf course in the US that’s affordable?
Bethpage Black in New York and Torrey Pines South in San Diego are the best-value US Open venues, especially for local residents. Pacific Dunes at Bandon, at $130 to $375 for resort guests by season, is the best-value world-top-100 course.
Is a tour operator worth it to guarantee an Old Course tee time?
Sometimes. Licensed operators sell guaranteed Old Course times inside packages, and the premium over entering the free ballot can be large. If the Old Course is the whole point of the trip and your dates are fixed, the certainty can be worth it. If you’re flexible and staying several nights in St Andrews, try the ballot first.
Which bucket-list course is best for a first trip abroad?
For most American golfers, the Old Course at St Andrews. It’s public, the town is built around golf, and a week there can include Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and several cheaper links nearby. Royal County Down and Royal Portrush make a strong alternative, as a combined Northern Ireland trip.
How far in advance do you need to book bucket-list golf courses?
For the famous British and Irish links, 12 to 18 months ahead, and longer for Royal County Down. For Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No. 2 and Bandon Dunes in peak season, book resort stays 6 to 12 months ahead. Municipal courses like Bethpage Black book much closer to the date.
If Valderrama, Sunningdale or Le Golf National is on your list, the trip around the round matters as much as the round. Valderrama’s Monday-to-Thursday visitor times pair naturally with two nights in Seville and a few days around Sotogrande. Sunningdale is about 25 minutes from Heathrow, which makes it a good first round of an England week, and Le Golf National, the 2018 Ryder Cup and Paris 2024 Olympic course, takes visitors about 20 miles from central Paris. Our European golf trip guide has week-long itineraries built around each.
Canada belongs on the list too. Cabot Cliffs, a 2015 Coore and Crenshaw course on the cliffs of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, has topped Canadian rankings since it opened. In 2026, resort guests paid CA$450 (about $330) in peak season and as little as CA$220 (about $160) midweek in May and from late September. Stanley Thompson’s mountain courses at Banff Springs and Jasper Park Lodge are bucket-list rounds for the setting alone. Our golf in Canada guide covers how to play them all.
Sources
Primary sources and official pages, checked September 2026 unless noted.
- St Andrews Links, Old Course ballot: standrews.com
- New York State Parks, Bethpage State Park golf: parks.ny.gov
- TPC Sawgrass, FAQ, rates and blackout dates: tpc.com
- Erin Hills, rates and fees: erinhills.com
- Royal Portrush Golf Club, visitors: royalportrushgolfclub.com
- Also consulted: National Club Golfer’s summer 2026 green fee table for top courses in Britain and Ireland; The Irish Times on 2027 Irish green fees (August 19, 2026); Ballybunion and Lahinch visitor pages; GOLF.com’s 2025–26 world course rankings; The Golf News Net on Pebble Beach and Harbour Town pricing (2026); GolfForKings on California and Hawaii green fees (2026); Kohler on Whistling Straits caddie fees; Bandon Dunes 2026 rates; Golf in Spain on Valderrama 2026 rates; Wikipedia and Scottish golf history sources on the oldest courses. Exchange rates from x-rates.com, January 1, 2026.
Image credits
| Image | Credit and license |
|---|---|
| Chambers Bay Golf Course (17563878454) (featured) | Photo by Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Swilcan Bridge, Old Course, St Andrews | Photo by Eddy23, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Carnoustie Golf Links | Photo by Macieklew, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Royal Portrush Golf Club 5th hole | Photo by The Average Golfer, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Bethpage Golf Course | Photo by Bonnachoven, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Torrey Pines Golf Course plaque | Photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Augusta National, 10th hole (Camellia) | Photo by No machine-readable author provided. Mbrooks assumed (based on copyright claims)., public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Whistling Straits Irish | Photo by Jasonbook99, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Pebble Beach Golf Links, 18th hole on Carmel Bay | Photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |