Royal St George's Golf Club, nestled in the dunes of the magnificent Kent coast, is a course of extraordinary natural beauty that has been regarded as one of the best in Britain and the world since its inception in 1887.

Dramatic undulations, thick, heavy rough, upturned saucer-shaped greens, and fiendish pot bunkers all add to the challenge, but the routing of the holes at Sandwich may present the golfer with the most difficult quandary. Unlike many classic links courses, which are designed with a "9 out and 9 back" layout, the holes at Royal St George's point in every direction, requiring the golfer to be continuously on their toes, judging the wind's direction and speed. Follow in the footsteps of previous Open Champions Collin Morikawa, Sandy Lyle, Greg Norman, and Darren Clarke to see if you're up to the challenge.

Location: Sandwich, Kent, England
Length: 7,204 yards
Par: 70
Designed by: Laidlaw Purves
Established: 1887

Sunningdale is technically in Berkshire, but in terms of golf, it is classified as Surrey because it hosts the Surrey Amateur Championship and its members compete for Surrey rather than Berkshire in amateur events. The Old and New Golf Courses at Sunningdale are regarded as some of the best inland courses in the world, having hosted the likes of Harry Colt, Bobby Jones, and, most recently, Stephen Dodd. The heathland courses are a stern test of golf that meanders through magnificent pine and oak trees, leaving a lasting impression on every player who is fortunate enough to spend a day here.

While there are numerous memorable holes at Sunningdale, the 10th hole on The Old is undoubtedly the most well-known. With an elevated stance to a sloping fairway with bunkers poised to snare any shot left or right of the short stuff, the drive is one of the best in golf. A trip to the world-famous halfway hut with its sausage sandwich, possibly one of the most talked about snacks in golf, is the prize for everyone walking down this hole.

Location: Sunningdale, Berkshire
Length: 6,627 yards
Par: 70
Designed by: Willie Park, Jr.
Established: 1900

Prince's Golf Club is a traditional seaside layout that remains at the heart of British golfing history, as part of Sandwich Bay's famed trinity of Open Championship hosts, along with Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports. Prince's is still a bit of a hidden gem, but it is without a doubt one of England's best courses, with the newly restored Himalaya's 9 and short game area rounding out the experience.

Prince's is a fantastic alternative for UK golfers wishing to play some true championship golf. It is located near Sandwich, situated among the beautiful sand dunes of Kent's east coast. The Lodge at Prince's Golf Club offers top-notch accommodations for visitors visiting in the area, and it is the preferred hotel for players competing in all three Open hosts at Sandwich Bay.

Location: Sandwich, Kent, England
Length: 7,204 yards
Par: 71
Designed by: Henry Cotton, Gene Sarazen & Mackenzie and Ebert
Established: 1902

The Old Course at Walton Heath is a classic heathland course that ranks among England's top ten. The course has a rocky aspect, with a noticeable links influence, but through the heather are cut 18 magnificent holes that combine to provide one of the country's most daunting championship tests. The award of the 1981 Ryder Cup matches is the most painful illustration of the Old Course's quality, when Jack Nicklaus and a band of all-stars arrived with a band of all-stars to destroy a pitiful European side.

European Tour tournaments have also graced the Old Course's heather-strewn environment, which is unquestionably one of the best inland courses in the UK.

Walton Heath has recently hosted Sectional Qualifying for the US Open. A slew of elite professional golfers will take to the course for a chance to qualify for golf's second major of the year. In 2005, Michael Campbell was able to gain his spot by this technique, which led to his first Major victory at Pinehurst.

The course is also a regular stop for amateur golfers, hosting the South of England Open Amateur Championship, which draws a strong field of amateurs and has previously crowned European Tour winners Daniel Willett and Ross McGowan. The 2014 Palmer Cup was held at Walton Heath, with Europe winning by 18.5 points to 11.5 points.

Location: Surrey, England
Length: 7,331 yards
Par: 72
Designed by: Herbert Fowler
Established: 1891

Littlestone Golf Club is a jewel of a course, nestled along the English Channel's magnificent shoreline in the heart of Kent's golfing paradise.

The club is located on the border of Romney Marsh, providing a picturesque walk over outstanding links turf, with the 16th tee barely 100 yards from the beach for visiting golfers. Littlestone, which is known for its excellent greens, has previously hosted final qualifying for the Open Championship when it was held at Royal St George's, as well as other major golf competitions.

The original design by William Laidlaw Purves, with bunkering added by James Braid, was damaged during the war, and the club called well-known golf course architect Alister MacKenzie to assist with the repair in 1924.

Littlestone will put your golfing skills to the test, and when combined with other Kent courses such as Royal St George's, Royal Cinque Ports, and Prince's, it makes for an excellent addition to a golf tour of the south-east coast.

Location: New Romney, Kent, England
Length: 6,632 yards
Par: 71
Designed by: William Laidlaw Purves, James Braid, Alister MacKenzie
Established: 1888

Royal County Down Golf Club has built a formidable reputation over the course of a century and is now commonly considered as the world's second-best course.

Royal County Down, as one of the pinnacles of Northern Ireland links golf, is set in the Murlough Nature Reserve, with the Mourne Mountains providing a spectacular backdrop that adds to the experience.

Royal County Down has been at the forefront of both amateur and professional golf as a prior host of The Walker Cup, The Amateur Championship, The Curtis Cup, and The Senior Open.

The Irish Open, hosted by Rory McIlroy, was held at The Championship Links in 2015, and Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen won in a playoff against Bernd Wiesberger and Eddie Pepperell after they were tied on -2 after four rounds of golf.

Location: Newcastle, Co. Down, Northern Ireland
Length: 7,186 yards
Par: 71
Designed by: George L. Ballie, Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, Harry Colt
Established: 1890

A golf trip to St Andrews to play The Old Course is the ultimate bucket list golf experience for ardent golfers all over the world, affording the chance to walk in the footsteps of past Open Champions such as Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. St Andrews and its historic Old Course, known as 'The Home of Golf,' allows you to play in the shadow of the R&A Clubhouse and take on legendary locations like the Swilcan Burn, Hell Bunker, The Road Hole, and the Valley of Sin en way around the links.

It's difficult to deny that this is not just one of the best golf courses in the UK, but also one of the most iconic in the world, and one that every golf aficionado should play at least once in their lives. The town of St Andrews is unlike any other in the world when it comes to golf, which makes the Old Course experience all the more lovely and memorable.

Location: Fife, Scotland
Length: 7,305 yards
Par: 72
Designed by: Daw Anderson, Old Tom Morris
Established: 1552

Royal Birkdale Golf Club, which has hosted the Open Championship 10 times and the Ryder Cup twice, is undoubtedly the best place to play links golf in the UK. Many consider the lovely town of Southport on England's Northwest Coast to be the country's golfing hub.

Since King George VI granted the club Royal golf course status, it has hosted more Championship and International Tournaments than any other location on the planet. The course, in true links fashion, puts every part of a golfer's game to the test and rewards good play while punishing errant strokes. During your game at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, you'll be treated to some amazing views, and if you're not playing as well as you'd like, you can always take in the scenery.

It's easy to see why Royal Birkdale is regarded among the top golf courses in the world, with a list of Open Champions that includes Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, and Jordan Spieth.

Location: Merseyside, England
Length: 7,156 yards
Par: 70
Designed by: Frederick G. Hawtree / J.H. Taylor
Established: 1889

Trump Turnberry is a very remarkable site for a golf holiday to remember, perched on some of Scotland's most stunning coastline and under the watchful eyes of the renowned lighthouse. The Ailsa and King Robert the Bruce links golf courses at Trump Turnberry are both spectacular. The headline Ailsa course became famous after staging the memorable 'Duel in the Sun' between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson at the 1977 Open Championship; it has since hosted The Open three more times.

Trump Turnberry appears to be far removed from the real world because it is situated on such a lovely stretch of the Ayrshire coast, but it is surprisingly accessible from much of the UK and less than 90 minutes from Glasgow.

With a variety of fine leisure and eating options, it's easy to see why the hotel at Trump Turnberry was selected a Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards "Top European Resorts" in 2020.

Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Length: 7,204 yards
Par: 70
Designed by: Willie Fernie, Mackenzie Ross, Martin Ebert
Established: 1906

Royal Portrush, the only golf course in Ireland to host the Open Championship twice (1951 and 2019), is highly regarded on the Emerald Isle and has been selected to host the 2025 Championship.

The Dunluce Links Course is routinely placed among the Top 20 Golf Courses in the United Kingdom and Ireland, demonstrating its high appreciation. Portrush has a long history of championship golf, and as the home course of both Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, those who play here will be put to the test.

Portrush is guaranteed to be on every golfer's bucket list, and with Your Golf Travel, checking off one of Northern Ireland's top courses has never been easier.

Location: Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
Length: 7,143 yards
Par: 72
Designed by: Harry Colt
Established: 1888

Royal Dornoch Golf Club is unquestionably among the elite group of classic links courses that draw visitors to Scotland. The Championship Course is in the top 10 in the country and has been a Royal member for almost a century.

Dornoch is a historic town with evidence of golf being played here for over two centuries prior to the club's founding in 1877. In 1889, Old Tom Morris expanded the course to 18 holes, and John H Taylor tweaked Old Tom's design a few years later.

The Championship course was cut in half after WWII and integrated into the Ladies Course to form the Struie, with George Duncan adding a few extra holes to create the Royal Dornoch Championship links we see today.

Royal Dornoch is a must-play course on any tour of the Scottish Highlands, providing links golf as it should be, with stunning views across the Dornoch Firth.

Location: Sutherland, Scotland
Length: 6,722 yards
Par: 70
Designed by: Old Tom Morris
Established: 1877

Tralee is probably neglected at times due to its close proximity to some of Ireland's most famous courses, such as Ballybunion and Lahinch; a crying shame as it easily holds its own with the top layouts in the country. "I have never come across a piece of ground so beautifully suited for the construction of a golf course," remarked course designer Arnold Palmer of Tralee. What right do we have to quarrel with the King?

Tralee is not only a wonderful golf course, but its breathtaking setting on the coasts of Ireland's "Lake District" will have golfers snapping as many photos with their cameras as they do with their clubs. Get a feel for the course on the milder front nine, which features some of the most breathtaking views conceivable, before moving on to the back nine, where you'll need to bring your "A" game to come out on the other side with a respectable scorecard!

Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland
Length: 6,975 yards
Par: 72
Designed by: Arnold Palmer
Established: 1892 (current course 1984)

Carnoustie's illustrious history is one of golf's most well-known, as it is widely regarded as the world's most difficult golf course. However, don't let this ominous reputation deter you; Carnoustie is still a breathtaking course that should be on every golfer's bucket list.

Walking through Carnoustie's undulating fairways, you can sense the history of the course, which has shaped golfing legends for decades. Carnoustie has remained one of the top-ranked courses in the UK and the globe, having hosted eight Open Championships, and has become even more famous as the location of Francesco Molinari's epic Open victory in 2018.

Carnoustie Golf Links has received significant redevelopment in recent years, with the Buddon course being one of the main beneficiaries. As a result, there are now three excellent courses to choose from during your visit, each of which is an excellent complement to a tour of the Dundee area.

Location: Angus, Scotland
Length: 6,948 yards
Par: 72
Designed by: Allan Robertson, Old Tom Morris, James Braid
Established: 1850

The Royal Porthcawl Golf Club is located in Rest Bay, between Swansea and Cardiff, on a length of the Bristol Channel shoreline. Founded in 1891 as a 9-hole course by Royal North Devon's professional Charles Gibson, the club moved to its current location four years later, with King Edward VII bestowing Royal patronage in 1909.

Royal Porthcawl has hosted a number of notable tournaments throughout its history, including the Senior Open Championship in 2014, the Walker Cup in 1995, the Curtis Cup in 1964, the British Open in 1961, and a total of six amateur championships.

Due to the famed Open Championship grounds in Scotland and England, Wales is sometimes disregarded in terms of links golf, to the detriment of some very spectacular coastline courses. Royal Porthcawl is at the top of the list because it is without a doubt the best links course on the windswept Welsh coast.

Location: Bridgend, Wales
Length: 7,065 yards
Par: 72
Designed by: Charles Gibson, Ramsay Hunter, J. Simpson
Established: 1891

East Sussex National Golf Club is located in the midst of the Sussex countryside and features two exceptional courses that were designed with major championship golf in mind. The resort has held two European Opens on the European Tour, and some of the world's best players have visited, including Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, and Colin Montgomerie. Professional golf has been played on both the East and West courses, demonstrating the quality of this 36-hole layout.

The hotel, which is only 40 minutes from Brighton, has stunning views of the South Downs while also providing the best in modern amenities. The East Sussex National Resort is a big hotel built over three storeys that also offers an amazing level of service, offering a peaceful stay throughout your golf vacation, with the Horsted Spa being one of the best in the area.

Location: Uckfield, East Sussex, England
Length: 7,154 yards
Par: 72
Designed by: Robert E Cupp
Established: 1990