The Most Beautiful Golf Courses on the Planet

Far away from the Sunshine State’s gaudy theme parks lies one of the most innovative resorts in world golf. Ninety minutes southwest of Orlando, Streamsong’s 36 holes are located on the site of a former-phosphate mine in a massive 16,000-acre property. If this sounds incidental, it isn’t: phosphate is mined by gouging huge trenches, while the sandy spoils are left in dune-like piles. The trenches eventually fill with water, and native grasses grow over the mounds. The result? A wild and dramatic setting for two sets of pioneering non-interventionist golf architects to run riot. The Red by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and Tom Doak’s Blue represent the most exciting use of wasteland since… Well, ever. With a third championship course, The Black, due to open in the autumn of 2017 – created by by acclaimed golf course architect Gil Hanse, designer of the 2016 Olympic Course in Rio de Janeiro – Streamsong will continue its rapid rise to prominence, as one of the finest golf destinations in the world. streamsongresort.com

Pebble Beach’s widespread impact on the world of golf is succinctly explained by the sheer number of courses that are proclaimed “the Pebble Beach of…” someplace; in reality few, if any, can hold a candle to the original. Laid out across several rugged headlands on California’s Carmel Bay, this par 72 offers everything a golfer could possibly wish for in an on-the-course experience: incredible ocean views, stunning risk-reward holes, testing tactical shots, and lightning fast greens. The 106-yard 7th and the 543-yard 18th are respectively the most iconic par 3 and finishing hole in the world of golf, but choosing a favourite is near impossible with so many magnificent holes in a single round. pebblebeach.com

Far away from the Sunshine State’s gaudy theme parks lies one of the most innovative resorts in world golf. Ninety minutes southwest of Orlando, Streamsong’s 36 holes are located on the site of a former-phosphate mine in a massive 16,000-acre property. If this sounds incidental, it isn’t: phosphate is mined by gouging huge trenches, while the sandy spoils are left in dune-like piles. The trenches eventually fill with water, and native grasses grow over the mounds. The result? A wild and dramatic setting for two sets of pioneering non-interventionist golf architects to run riot. The Red by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and Tom Doak’s Blue represent the most exciting use of wasteland since… Well, ever. With a third championship course, The Black, due to open in the autumn of 2017 – created by by acclaimed golf course architect Gil Hanse, designer of the 2016 Olympic Course in Rio de Janeiro – Streamsong will continue its rapid rise to prominence, as one of the finest golf destinations in the world. streamsongresort.com

Pebble Beach’s widespread impact on the world of golf is succinctly explained by the sheer number of courses that are proclaimed “the Pebble Beach of…” someplace; in reality few, if any, can hold a candle to the original. Laid out across several rugged headlands on California’s Carmel Bay, this par 72 offers everything a golfer could possibly wish for in an on-the-course experience: incredible ocean views, stunning risk-reward holes, testing tactical shots, and lightning fast greens. The 106-yard 7th and the 543-yard 18th are respectively the most iconic par 3 and finishing hole in the world of golf, but choosing a favourite is near impossible with so many magnificent holes in a single round. pebblebeach.com

Pebble Beach’s widespread impact on the world of golf is succinctly explained by the sheer number of courses that are proclaimed “the Pebble Beach of…” someplace; in reality few, if any, can hold a candle to the original. Laid out across several rugged headlands on California’s Carmel Bay, this par 72 offers everything a golfer could possibly wish for in an on-the-course experience: incredible ocean views, stunning risk-reward holes, testing tactical shots, and lightning fast greens. The 106-yard 7th and the 543-yard 18th are respectively the most iconic par 3 and finishing hole in the world of golf, but choosing a favourite is near impossible with so many magnificent holes in a single round. pebblebeach.com

To say Lofoten Links is worth the journey is no small understatement: expect a flight to Oslo, a two-hour internal flight to the northern reaches of Norway and a further three-hour drive before you even step onto the first tee. Your reward, however, is one of the most remote and unique locations in the world of golf. Rising from the Norwegian Sea on the island of Gimsøya, the tight fairways of Lofoten’s par-71 course snake through craggy rock and freezing-cold water, with the mountains the only spectators.  That a golf course can exist in the perishing conditions of the Arctic Circle is no small miracle, that it should be quite so spectacular is an unforgettable gift. lofotenlinks.no

To say Lofoten Links is worth the journey is no small understatement: expect a flight to Oslo, a two-hour internal flight to the northern reaches of Norway and a further three-hour drive before you even step onto the first tee. Your reward, however, is one of the most remote and unique locations in the world of golf. Rising from the Norwegian Sea on the island of Gimsøya, the tight fairways of Lofoten’s par-71 course snake through craggy rock and freezing-cold water, with the mountains the only spectators.  That a golf course can exist in the perishing conditions of the Arctic Circle is no small miracle, that it should be quite so spectacular is an unforgettable gift. lofotenlinks.no

To say Lofoten Links is worth the journey is no small understatement: expect a flight to Oslo, a two-hour internal flight to the northern reaches of Norway and a further three-hour drive before you even step onto the first tee. Your reward, however, is one of the most remote and unique locations in the world of golf. Rising from the Norwegian Sea on the island of Gimsøya, the tight fairways of Lofoten’s par-71 course snake through craggy rock and freezing-cold water, with the mountains the only spectators.  That a golf course can exist in the perishing conditions of the Arctic Circle is no small miracle, that it should be quite so spectacular is an unforgettable gift. lofotenlinks.no

Visionary golf architect Tom Doak took a patch of New Zealand farmland on Hawke’s Bay, formerly colonised by sheep, and turned it into one of the most visually stunning courses on the planet. Doak moved very little land in the construction of Cape Kidnappers, strategically using the topography at his disposal to forge a natural path along the rolling hills it calls home. Case in point is the 6th: a 225-yard par 3 requiring a nerveless drive over a gully to reach the safety of its green. On the back nine the course extends along several fingers of headland, but it’s only when you reach the greens that you discover how high above the ocean the cliffs extend. Expect your jaw to drop at several points throughout the round – but keep your composure, this par-71 course bites. capekidnappers.com

Visionary golf architect Tom Doak took a patch of New Zealand farmland on Hawke’s Bay, formerly colonised by sheep, and turned it into one of the most visually stunning courses on the planet. Doak moved very little land in the construction of Cape Kidnappers, strategically using the topography at his disposal to forge a natural path along the rolling hills it calls home. Case in point is the 6th: a 225-yard par 3 requiring a nerveless drive over a gully to reach the safety of its green. On the back nine the course extends along several fingers of headland, but it’s only when you reach the greens that you discover how high above the ocean the cliffs extend. Expect your jaw to drop at several points throughout the round – but keep your composure, this par-71 course bites. capekidnappers.com

Visionary golf architect Tom Doak took a patch of New Zealand farmland on Hawke’s Bay, formerly colonised by sheep, and turned it into one of the most visually stunning courses on the planet. Doak moved very little land in the construction of Cape Kidnappers, strategically using the topography at his disposal to forge a natural path along the rolling hills it calls home. Case in point is the 6th: a 225-yard par 3 requiring a nerveless drive over a gully to reach the safety of its green. On the back nine the course extends along several fingers of headland, but it’s only when you reach the greens that you discover how high above the ocean the cliffs extend. Expect your jaw to drop at several points throughout the round – but keep your composure, this par-71 course bites. capekidnappers.com

Although Kingsbarns Golf Links opened in 2000, a nine holer once existed on the site of the current golf course and dates as far back as 1793. The original course fell victim to World War Two, commandeered by the military as they believed the local beach to be a potential invasion risk. It took architect Kyle Phillips to rebuild Kingsbarns, painstakingly studying neighbouring courses to ensure the design would look as natural as possible. Stretched along the coastline, with the sea visible from every hole, Kingsbarns is links golf at its most picturesque. It hosts the Women's British Open this year, and deservedly so. kingsbarns.com   

Although Kingsbarns Golf Links opened in 2000, a nine holer once existed on the site of the current golf course and dates as far back as 1793. The original course fell victim to World War Two, commandeered by the military as they believed the local beach to be a potential invasion risk. It took architect Kyle Phillips to rebuild Kingsbarns, painstakingly studying neighbouring courses to ensure the design would look as natural as possible. Stretched along the coastline, with the sea visible from every hole, Kingsbarns is links golf at its most picturesque. It hosts the Women's British Open this year, and deservedly so. kingsbarns.com  

Although Kingsbarns Golf Links opened in 2000, a nine holer once existed on the site of the current golf course and dates as far back as 1793. The original course fell victim to World War Two, commandeered by the military as they believed the local beach to be a potential invasion risk. It took architect Kyle Phillips to rebuild Kingsbarns, painstakingly studying neighbouring courses to ensure the design would look as natural as possible. Stretched along the coastline, with the sea visible from every hole, Kingsbarns is links golf at its most picturesque. It hosts the Women's British Open this year, and deservedly so. kingsbarns.com  

Golf architect Pete Dye is a sadist who puts players through more pain than any other designer on the planet – and, boy, do we love it. On the western edge of Lake Michigan, the defining characteristic of this par 72 is, surprisingly, not the frequent coastal dangers but the 1,000-plus bunkers that blanket the turf at every twist and turn of this dramatic track. Errant shots will result in a lost ball or a sandy landing; stay straight and there’s plenty more danger eager to double your score. Even in the face of such torture, players need only step onto the staggeringly beautiful par-3 17th – its views of Lake Michigan, the steep drop-off to the left of the green, the bunkers and sand dunes – to realise it’s all worth it. americanclubresort.com

Golf architect Pete Dye is a sadist who puts players through more pain than any other designer on the planet – and, boy, do we love it. On the western edge of Lake Michigan, the defining characteristic of this par 72 is, surprisingly, not the frequent coastal dangers but the 1,000-plus bunkers that blanket the turf at every twist and turn of this dramatic track. Errant shots will result in a lost ball or a sandy landing; stay straight and there’s plenty more danger eager to double your score. Even in the face of such torture, players need only step onto the staggeringly beautiful par-3 17th – its views of Lake Michigan, the steep drop-off to the left of the green, the bunkers and sand dunes – to realise it’s all worth it. americanclubresort.com

Golf architect Pete Dye is a sadist who puts players through more pain than any other designer on the planet – and, boy, do we love it. On the western edge of Lake Michigan, the defining characteristic of this par 72 is, surprisingly, not the frequent coastal dangers but the 1,000-plus bunkers that blanket the turf at every twist and turn of this dramatic track. Errant shots will result in a lost ball or a sandy landing; stay straight and there’s plenty more danger eager to double your score. Even in the face of such torture, players need only step onto the staggeringly beautiful par-3 17th – its views of Lake Michigan, the steep drop-off to the left of the green, the bunkers and sand dunes – to realise it’s all worth it. americanclubresort.com

At the end of the Baja peninsula, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Quivira may be the most spectacular golf course in Latin America. Designed by the great Jack Nicklaus, this par-72 layout has several tricks up its sleeve. You won’t have to wait long in your round to see for yourself. A three-quarters of a mile buggy ride up the side of a cliff sees you arrive at the 5th tee – and at roughly that moment your jaw will drop. A slim strip of fairway is all the landing area you have before this 310-yard par 4 heads steeply downhill towards the ocean and a small green. Go long, and you’re into oblivion – or down the cliff, to be exact. This course turns the Mexican heat up several notches. quiviragolfclub.com

At the end of the Baja peninsula, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Quivira may be the most spectacular golf course in Latin America. Designed by the great Jack Nicklaus, this par-72 layout has several tricks up its sleeve. You won’t have to wait long in your round to see for yourself. A three-quarters of a mile buggy ride up the side of a cliff sees you arrive at the 5th tee – and at roughly that moment your jaw will drop. A slim strip of fairway is all the landing area you have before this 310-yard par 4 heads steeply downhill towards the ocean and a small green. Go long, and you’re into oblivion – or down the cliff, to be exact. This course turns the Mexican heat up several notches. quiviragolfclub.com

At the end of the Baja peninsula, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Quivira may be the most spectacular golf course in Latin America. Designed by the great Jack Nicklaus, this par-72 layout has several tricks up its sleeve. You won’t have to wait long in your round to see for yourself. A three-quarters of a mile buggy ride up the side of a cliff sees you arrive at the 5th tee – and at roughly that moment your jaw will drop. A slim strip of fairway is all the landing area you have before this 310-yard par 4 heads steeply downhill towards the ocean and a small green. Go long, and you’re into oblivion – or down the cliff, to be exact. This course turns the Mexican heat up several notches. quiviragolfclub.com

Improbably sprouting out of the Nevada desert, some 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, this Dennis Rider-designed layout traverses steep cliffs, gaping chasms, water hazards and arid wasteland. It’s adventure golf, a rollercoaster of a round, where wild elevation changes and incredible topography are the norm from the outset. On the 2nd hole, a 445-yard stroke-index-one par 4, the player is required to drive from one side of a canyon to another before taking a sharp turn left uphill to the green; the 227-yard 3rd hole is an all-carry uphill par 3 waiting and willing to wreck your score; by the par-5 17th you’re almost ready for the severe downhill drive, the second shot over a creek and the third to a green guarded by water at the front and back. It’s all in a day’s work at Wolf Creek. golfwolfcreek.com

Improbably sprouting out of the Nevada desert, some 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, this Dennis Rider-designed layout traverses steep cliffs, gaping chasms, water hazards and arid wasteland. It’s adventure golf, a rollercoaster of a round, where wild elevation changes and incredible topography are the norm from the outset. On the 2nd hole, a 445-yard stroke-index-one par 4, the player is required to drive from one side of a canyon to another before taking a sharp turn left uphill to the green; the 227-yard 3rd hole is an all-carry uphill par 3 waiting and willing to wreck your score; by the par-5 17th you’re almost ready for the severe downhill drive, the second shot over a creek and the third to a green guarded by water at the front and back. It’s all in a day’s work at Wolf Creek. golfwolfcreek.com

Improbably sprouting out of the Nevada desert, some 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, this Dennis Rider-designed layout traverses steep cliffs, gaping chasms, water hazards and arid wasteland. It’s adventure golf, a rollercoaster of a round, where wild elevation changes and incredible topography are the norm from the outset. On the 2nd hole, a 445-yard stroke-index-one par 4, the player is required to drive from one side of a canyon to another before taking a sharp turn left uphill to the green; the 227-yard 3rd hole is an all-carry uphill par 3 waiting and willing to wreck your score; by the par-5 17th you’re almost ready for the severe downhill drive, the second shot over a creek and the third to a green guarded by water at the front and back. It’s all in a day’s work at Wolf Creek. golfwolfcreek.com

Unbeknownst to many seasoned players, Nova Scotia is rapidly becoming North America’s golfing gem – and nowhere better epitomises why as the newly opened Cabot Cliffs. Overlooking the Gulf of St Lawrence, this sensational Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw layout is one of the most exciting courses to open in the last decade. Why? Its seamless integration of highland, links-style and cliffside golf holes. There is a little bit of everything to get the golfing brain in gear, but it’s hard to look beyond the jagged coastal holes that bite into the course on several occasions. The 176-yard 16th, with a slim green just about clinging to the cliffs, is one of the finest par 3s ever created. This par-72 is a real must-play. cabotlinks.com

Unbeknownst to many seasoned players, Nova Scotia is rapidly becoming North America’s golfing gem – and nowhere better epitomises why as the newly opened Cabot Cliffs. Overlooking the Gulf of St Lawrence, this sensational Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw layout is one of the most exciting courses to open in the last decade. Why? Its seamless integration of highland, links-style and cliffside golf holes. There is a little bit of everything to get the golfing brain in gear, but it’s hard to look beyond the jagged coastal holes that bite into the course on several occasions. The 176-yard 16th, with a slim green just about clinging to the cliffs, is one of the finest par 3s ever created. This par-72 is a real must-play. cabotlinks.com

Unbeknownst to many seasoned players, Nova Scotia is rapidly becoming North America’s golfing gem – and nowhere better epitomises why as the newly opened Cabot Cliffs. Overlooking the Gulf of St Lawrence, this sensational Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw layout is one of the most exciting courses to open in the last decade. Why? Its seamless integration of highland, links-style and cliffside golf holes. There is a little bit of everything to get the golfing brain in gear, but it’s hard to look beyond the jagged coastal holes that bite into the course on several occasions. The 176-yard 16th, with a slim green just about clinging to the cliffs, is one of the finest par 3s ever created. This par-72 is a real must-play. cabotlinks.com

Royal County Down has certainly seen its fair share of golf since it opened for play in 1890 – and, despite its age, the course stands up to the modern greats of the game. Standing at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in the Bay of Dundrum, this is links golf as it was intended to be: the wind shaping the natural contours of the fairway, the spray of the Irish Sea wetting players’ faces, and its unbridled natural beauty only matched by the difficulty it presents to challengers. Bring your A game and be prepared to fade and draw the ball, and occasionally not know where the hole is (blind shots are surprisingly frequent). A rose among the gorse. royalcountydown.org

Royal County Down has certainly seen its fair share of golf since it opened for play in 1890 – and, despite its age, the course stands up to the modern greats of the game. Standing at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in the Bay of Dundrum, this is links golf as it was intended to be: the wind shaping the natural contours of the fairway, the spray of the Irish Sea wetting players’ faces, and its unbridled natural beauty only matched by the difficulty it presents to challengers. Bring your A game and be prepared to fade and draw the ball, and occasionally not know where the hole is (blind shots are surprisingly frequent). A rose among the gorse. royalcountydown.org

Royal County Down has certainly seen its fair share of golf since it opened for play in 1890 – and, despite its age, the course stands up to the modern greats of the game. Standing at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in the Bay of Dundrum, this is links golf as it was intended to be: the wind shaping the natural contours of the fairway, the spray of the Irish Sea wetting players’ faces, and its unbridled natural beauty only matched by the difficulty it presents to challengers. Bring your A game and be prepared to fade and draw the ball, and occasionally not know where the hole is (blind shots are surprisingly frequent). A rose among the gorse. royalcountydown.org

Tasmania may not be your first choice golfing destination, but it is home to one of the modern greats of the game: Barnbougle Dunes. As the name suggests, the par-71 course is located along a stretch of coastline amid a complex series of dunes (some as high as 100ft) within which the holes sympathetically weave. Tom Doak and Michael Clayton made sure to leave every natural hump and contour on the undulating fairways, adding an array of natural bunkers that appear as if they’ve always been there. The par-4 8th demonstrates the course’s challenge perfectly: a pin-point drive must thread two giant dunes, bumping and rolling downhill before tapering towards a raised green 488 yards away. This is a links masterpiece, far away from its ancestral Scottish home. barnbougle.com

Tasmania may not be your first choice golfing destination, but it is home to one of the modern greats of the game: Barnbougle Dunes. As the name suggests, the par-71 course is located along a stretch of coastline amid a complex series of dunes (some as high as 100ft) within which the holes sympathetically weave. Tom Doak and Michael Clayton made sure to leave every natural hump and contour on the undulating fairways, adding an array of natural bunkers that appear as if they’ve always been there. The par-4 8th demonstrates the course’s challenge perfectly: a pin-point drive must thread two giant dunes, bumping and rolling downhill before tapering towards a raised green 488 yards away. This is a links masterpiece, far away from its ancestral Scottish home. barnbougle.com

Tasmania may not be your first choice golfing destination, but it is home to one of the modern greats of the game: Barnbougle Dunes. As the name suggests, the par-71 course is located along a stretch of coastline amid a complex series of dunes (some as high as 100ft) within which the holes sympathetically weave. Tom Doak and Michael Clayton made sure to leave every natural hump and contour on the undulating fairways, adding an array of natural bunkers that appear as if they’ve always been there. The par-4 8th demonstrates the course’s challenge perfectly: a pin-point drive must thread two giant dunes, bumping and rolling downhill before tapering towards a raised green 488 yards away. This is a links masterpiece, far away from its ancestral Scottish home. barnbougle.com

If there is a better patch of land for shaping one of the world’s truly great golfing layouts, it hasn’t been discovered yet – and we’re blessed enough to have it in the British Isles. Located on a narrow headland that reaches out two miles into the Atlantic Ocean this exceptionally remote par-72 course challenges your game and your head for heights more than most courses in the game. No hole does a better job of reminding you that you’re 300-feet above the lapping shore than the 4th, aptly named ‘Razor’s Edge’. A tight drive is the least of your troubles on this testing 427-yard par 4, the second shot requires all of your accuracy: the left side of the green drops directly into the ocean below. Watch your step. oldhead.com

If there is a better patch of land for shaping one of the world’s truly great golfing layouts, it hasn’t been discovered yet – and we’re blessed enough to have it in the British Isles. Located on a narrow headland that reaches out two miles into the Atlantic Ocean this exceptionally remote par-72 course challenges your game and your head for heights more than most courses in the game. No hole does a better job of reminding you that you’re 300-feet above the lapping shore than the 4th, aptly named ‘Razor’s Edge’. A tight drive is the least of your troubles on this testing 427-yard par 4, the second shot requires all of your accuracy: the left side of the green drops directly into the ocean below. Watch your step. oldhead.com

If there is a better patch of land for shaping one of the world’s truly great golfing layouts, it hasn’t been discovered yet – and we’re blessed enough to have it in the British Isles. Located on a narrow headland that reaches out two miles into the Atlantic Ocean this exceptionally remote par-72 course challenges your game and your head for heights more than most courses in the game. No hole does a better job of reminding you that you’re 300-feet above the lapping shore than the 4th, aptly named ‘Razor’s Edge’. A tight drive is the least of your troubles on this testing 427-yard par 4, the second shot requires all of your accuracy: the left side of the green drops directly into the ocean below. Watch your step. oldhead.com

There are several things you should know about Kiawah Island’s marvelous Ocean Course before striking your first ball: 1) running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, its location is as idyllic as it gets. 2) It hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 USPGA Championship. 3) It is one heck of a difficult course. Pete Dye has a knack for designing remorseless golf courses, and this might be the sternest test he’s ever created. Sand, water, marshes, waste areas, trees, there’s something ready and willing to hurt your score at nigh-on every shot you take at this monster. Did we mention it’s long? Nearly 7,400 yards from the tips. But even when your golf isn’t on-song, this par 72 manages to be an absolute blast. Bring a bucket of balls, and enjoy the game of your life. kiawahresort.com

There are several things you should know about Kiawah Island’s marvelous Ocean Course before striking your first ball: 1) running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, its location is as idyllic as it gets. 2) It hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 USPGA Championship. 3) It is one heck of a difficult course. Pete Dye has a knack for designing remorseless golf courses, and this might be the sternest test he’s ever created. Sand, water, marshes, waste areas, trees, there’s something ready and willing to hurt your score at nigh-on every shot you take at this monster. Did we mention it’s long? Nearly 7,400 yards from the tips. But even when your golf isn’t on-song, this par 72 manages to be an absolute blast. Bring a bucket of balls, and enjoy the game of your life. kiawahresort.com

There are several things you should know about Kiawah Island’s marvelous Ocean Course before striking your first ball: 1) running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, its location is as idyllic as it gets. 2) It hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 USPGA Championship. 3) It is one heck of a difficult course. Pete Dye has a knack for designing remorseless golf courses, and this might be the sternest test he’s ever created. Sand, water, marshes, waste areas, trees, there’s something ready and willing to hurt your score at nigh-on every shot you take at this monster. Did we mention it’s long? Nearly 7,400 yards from the tips. But even when your golf isn’t on-song, this par 72 manages to be an absolute blast. Bring a bucket of balls, and enjoy the game of your life. kiawahresort.com

Yes, there is no escaping the incongruous (presidential) oompa loompa who has stamped his name all over this historic golf resort – but you’ve got to hand it to Trump, his substantial redesign of the Aisla Course is pure brilliance. Almost every hole has improved as part of the £200m revamp, including improved bunkering and 18 brand-new greens but the rerouting of holes 9, 10 and 11 closer to Aisla Craig and the Irish Sea has created one of the finest trios in the world of golf. Top of the bill is the par-3 9th, which may now be the most difficult hole on-the-turn anywhere: tee box, a 220-yard carry over ocean, green. Wow. Leave the politics out of this one: golf architect Martin Ebert is the real genius here, but he couldn’t have done it without somebody’s dollar bills… trumpturnberry.com

Yes, there is no escaping the incongruous (presidential) oompa loompa who has stamped his name all over this historic golf resort – but you’ve got to hand it to Trump, his substantial redesign of the Aisla Course is pure brilliance. Almost every hole has improved as part of the £200m revamp, including improved bunkering and 18 brand-new greens but the rerouting of holes 9, 10 and 11 closer to Aisla Craig and the Irish Sea has created one of the finest trios in the world of golf. Top of the bill is the par-3 9th, which may now be the most difficult hole on-the-turn anywhere: tee box, a 220-yard carry over ocean, green. Wow. Leave the politics out of this one: golf architect Martin Ebert is the real genius here, but he couldn’t have done it without somebody’s dollar bills… trumpturnberry.com

Yes, there is no escaping the incongruous (presidential) oompa loompa who has stamped his name all over this historic golf resort – but you’ve got to hand it to Trump, his substantial redesign of the Aisla Course is pure brilliance. Almost every hole has improved as part of the £200m revamp, including improved bunkering and 18 brand-new greens but the rerouting of holes 9, 10 and 11 closer to Aisla Craig and the Irish Sea has created one of the finest trios in the world of golf. Top of the bill is the par-3 9th, which may now be the most difficult hole on-the-turn anywhere: tee box, a 220-yard carry over ocean, green. Wow. Leave the politics out of this one: golf architect Martin Ebert is the real genius here, but he couldn’t have done it without somebody’s dollar bills… trumpturnberry.com

The second Nova Scotian course on this list, Highland Links is very much the golfing oxymoron its name would suggest. Making its way through lower water-laden holes before turning upward into hillier terrain, the par-72 course is, veritably, the best of both worlds. There is a wildness to Stanley Thompson’s 1939 layout that makes for a great journey through this naturally beautiful patch of land on the tip of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Hole 6 is the pick of the bunch: a 537-yard par 5 that doesn’t look daunting on the scorecard, but from the tee a 230-yard drive over the Clyburn River is required to reach the fairway. Even if your play turns for the worse, the incredible backdrop to this course makes for a great adventure. highlandslinksgolf.com

The second Nova Scotian course on this list, Highland Links is very much the golfing oxymoron its name would suggest. Making its way through lower water-laden holes before turning upward into hillier terrain, the par-72 course is, veritably, the best of both worlds. There is a wildness to Stanley Thompson’s 1939 layout that makes for a great journey through this naturally beautiful patch of land on the tip of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Hole 6 is the pick of the bunch: a 537-yard par 5 that doesn’t look daunting on the scorecard, but from the tee a 230-yard drive over the Clyburn River is required to reach the fairway. Even if your play turns for the worse, the incredible backdrop to this course makes for a great adventure. highlandslinksgolf.com

The second Nova Scotian course on this list, Highland Links is very much the golfing oxymoron its name would suggest. Making its way through lower water-laden holes before turning upward into hillier terrain, the par-72 course is, veritably, the best of both worlds. There is a wildness to Stanley Thompson’s 1939 layout that makes for a great journey through this naturally beautiful patch of land on the tip of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Hole 6 is the pick of the bunch: a 537-yard par 5 that doesn’t look daunting on the scorecard, but from the tee a 230-yard drive over the Clyburn River is required to reach the fairway. Even if your play turns for the worse, the incredible backdrop to this course makes for a great adventure. highlandslinksgolf.com

With ten oceanfront holes along the 60ft cliff tops – the most of any track in the Western Hemisphere – Playa Grande golf course is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the world, and the first to be offered by an Aman resort. Built in 1997, as one of the last courses designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Snr before his death in 2000, it recently reopened after a large-scale remodel by the revered architect’s son Rees Jones. Equally respected for his gift for design, his 7,250-yard par-72 layout draws on the original’s strength, with visually thrilling holes that offer a tough challenge. In one of the finest finishing straights in world golf, the closing five holes run along the edge of the cliffs as the ocean roars below. While it’s difficult to choose, our pick is the 470-yard dog-leg right 16th. It asks players to find a narrow fairway before executing a highly demanding uphill hybrid shot from one cliff to another, where the green is located: take a par-four score and run on this exceptional test. Frequently compared to California’s Pebble Beach, and easily rivalling its beauty, Playa Grande’s golf course is bucket-list territory – among the greatest in the game. aman.com

With ten oceanfront holes along the 60ft cliff tops – the most of any track in the Western Hemisphere – Playa Grande golf course is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the world, and the first to be offered by an Aman resort. Built in 1997, as one of the last courses designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Snr before his death in 2000, it recently reopened after a large-scale remodel by the revered architect’s son Rees Jones. Equally respected for his gift for design, his 7,250-yard par-72 layout draws on the original’s strength, with visually thrilling holes that offer a tough challenge. In one of the finest finishing straights in world golf, the closing five holes run along the edge of the cliffs as the ocean roars below. While it’s difficult to choose, our pick is the 470-yard dog-leg right 16th. It asks players to find a narrow fairway before executing a highly demanding uphill hybrid shot from one cliff to another, where the green is located: take a par-four score and run on this exceptional test. Frequently compared to California’s Pebble Beach, and easily rivalling its beauty, Playa Grande’s golf course is bucket-list territory – among the greatest in the game. aman.com

With ten oceanfront holes along the 60ft cliff tops – the most of any track in the Western Hemisphere – Playa Grande golf course is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the world, and the first to be offered by an Aman resort. Built in 1997, as one of the last courses designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Snr before his death in 2000, it recently reopened after a large-scale remodel by the revered architect’s son Rees Jones. Equally respected for his gift for design, his 7,250-yard par-72 layout draws on the original’s strength, with visually thrilling holes that offer a tough challenge. In one of the finest finishing straights in world golf, the closing five holes run along the edge of the cliffs as the ocean roars below. While it’s difficult to choose, our pick is the 470-yard dog-leg right 16th. It asks players to find a narrow fairway before executing a highly demanding uphill hybrid shot from one cliff to another, where the green is located: take a par-four score and run on this exceptional test. Frequently compared to California’s Pebble Beach, and easily rivalling its beauty, Playa Grande’s golf course is bucket-list territory – among the greatest in the game. aman.com

Hainan Island, located in the southernmost tip of China, may seem like a surprising location for one of the most stunning golf courses on the planet but this Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw layout (the second by the architect duo on this list) is deserving of its place. Eighteen holes at Shanqin Bay promise to test every trick in your reserve: jagged coastal holes, steep and slanting topography, chasms, blind shots, false-fronted greens, you name it. The front nine makes the most of its South China Sea views but its the 17th hole that best uses the coast. With an elevated tee box isolated from the slanted fairway by the beach, players must play left before a testing approach to a narrow green. shanqinbay.com

Hainan Island, located in the southernmost tip of China, may seem like a surprising location for one of the most stunning golf courses on the planet but this Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw layout (the second by the architect duo on this list) is deserving of its place. Eighteen holes at Shanqin Bay promise to test every trick in your reserve: jagged coastal holes, steep and slanting topography, chasms, blind shots, false-fronted greens, you name it. The front nine makes the most of its South China Sea views but its the 17th hole that best uses the coast. With an elevated tee box isolated from the slanted fairway by the beach, players must play left before a testing approach to a narrow green. shanqinbay.com

Hainan Island, located in the southernmost tip of China, may seem like a surprising location for one of the most stunning golf courses on the planet but this Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw layout (the second by the architect duo on this list) is deserving of its place. Eighteen holes at Shanqin Bay promise to test every trick in your reserve: jagged coastal holes, steep and slanting topography, chasms, blind shots, false-fronted greens, you name it. The front nine makes the most of its South China Sea views but its the 17th hole that best uses the coast. With an elevated tee box isolated from the slanted fairway by the beach, players must play left before a testing approach to a narrow green. shanqinbay.com