England is perhaps the greatest golfing country in the world. With thirteen courses inside the global Top 100 and 45 featured in the GB&I Top 100, this compact nation punches well above its weight.
Links, heathland, moorland, parkland — England has it all, and each of the highest calibre. More than 730,000 golfers are affiliated with England's 1,900 or so golf clubs, and the topographical variation on offer is arguably unique in the world over.
England's finest golf courses have been re-examined, re-evaluated, and re-ranked. The 2026 edition of the England Top 100 is the most comprehensively researched in the ranking's twenty-year history, drawing on the expertise of 78 panellists — from county-level specialists with intimate local knowledge to members of the world ranking panel. The result is a ranking of 100 courses that reflects the full breadth and depth of English golf with unprecedented precision.
The most compelling stories in the 2026 edition lie deeper in the table, where several courses have made substantial upward moves and five new entries have been recognised for the first time.
Five courses enter the England Top 100 for the first time in the 2026 edition, and their variety speaks to the breadth of the ranking's reach.
Seascale Golf Club arrives at No. 81, a remarkable links on the Cumbrian coast with views across the Irish Sea towards the Isle of Man. Laid out along dunes and tumbling fairways, Seascale is one of the great undiscovered links courses in the British Isles — and at £42 for a round, it is quite possibly the best-value entry in the entire Top 100.
Formby Ladies Golf Club enters at No. 91, a significant and long-overdue recognition for one of the finest ladies' courses in Britain. Set within the same celebrated Merseyside duneland as its neighbour, Formby, the course has genuine architectural quality and a character all of its own.
Appleby Golf Club debuts at No. 94 in the Eden Valley, Cumbria — a hidden gem in the English uplands that has been cherished by those who know it for decades. At £35, it is the cheapest round in the entire Top 100 and a testament to the value that persists in English golf away from the recognised circuits.
Denham Golf Club enters at No. 98. Designed by Harry Colt in 1910, Denham sits in the Colne Valley on the Buckinghamshire–Middlesex border and has long been admired for its intimate, thoughtful routing.
Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club arrives at No. 99, bringing a spectacular coastal links in Northumberland into national recognition. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the medieval castle ruins, this is one of the most visually arresting courses in England — and at £55, one of the most accessible.
One of the defining features of the 2026 England Top 100 is how thoroughly it maps the country's golf geography. The ranking covers 30 distinct counties, from Northumberland in the north-east to Cornwall in the south-west, and the concentration of quality in certain areas is striking.
The South East dominates the England Top 100 by sheer weight of numbers, accounting for 47 of the 100 ranked courses. This is the heartland of English golf: the Surrey and Berkshire heathlands, the Kent links coast, the Sussex downlands, and the capital's leafy outskirts. Sunningdale, Swinley Forest, St George's Hill, Walton Heath, West Sussex, Rye, The Berkshire, Woking, Hankley Common — the concentration of great golf within an hour of London is extraordinary by any global standard.
The region's dominance reflects both geography and history. The acidic, sandy soils of the Surrey and Berkshire heaths produce the finest inland turf in England, and the Golden Age architects — Colt, Abercromby, Simpson, Park — were drawn here repeatedly. The result is a cluster of courses with genuine architectural pedigree that reward repeated visits in a way that few regions anywhere in the world can match.
Merseyside and Lancashire remain England's links heartland. The stretch of coastline from Southport to the Wirral contains one of the greatest concentrations of links golf anywhere in the world, with Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, Lytham, Hillside, Formby, Wallasey, West Lancashire, and Southport & Ainsdale all ranked in the top half of the table. The addition of Formby Ladies at No. 91 brings the region's total to 14, making it the second-strongest golfing area in England by course count.
Cumbria also contributes three entries: Silloth on Solway (No. 21), Seascale (No. 81) and Appleby (No. 94).
The South West punches well above its weight given its population size and relative distance from the major golfing centres. Cornwall alone contributes three ranked courses — St Enodoc (No. 4), Perranporth (No. 60) and Trevose (No. 62) — and Devon adds five more, including both Saunton courses and the venerable Royal North Devon at Westward Ho!, the oldest links course in England.
The Dorset contingent — Parkstone, Broadstone, Ferndown, Isle of Purbeck and Remedy Oak — gives the region a strong parkland and heathland backbone alongside its celebrated links. Average green fees in the South West are the lowest of any major region in England, making this one of the finest and most cost-effective golf destinations in the country.
Woodhall Spa's Hotchkin course (No. 12) remains the jewel of the Midlands: widely regarded as the finest inland course outside the Home Counties, its towering heather and cavernous bunkers have defined Lincolnshire golf for over a century. Hollinwell (No. 18) and Sherwood Forest (No. 58) provide Nottinghamshire with two outstanding heathland entries, while Cavendish (No. 83) is among the best-kept secrets in English golf at £55 per round.
Kington (No. 65), perched on Bradnor Hill in Herefordshire at over 1,000 feet above sea level, is one of the ranking's most idiosyncratic entries: a historic upland course with panoramic views and a green fee of just £39.
Yorkshire contributes three entries — Ganton (No. 7), Alwoodley (No. 19) and Moortown (No. 39) — all within reach of Leeds and all among the finest inland courses in England. Alwoodley and Moortown were both designed by Alister MacKenzie before he achieved global fame at Augusta National and Cypress Point, and both retain his characteristic bunkering complexity and deceptive routing.
The North East coast yields two remarkable links: Goswick (No. 51) in Northumberland and Seaton Carew (No. 56) in County Durham, both frequently overlooked by golfers who do not venture this far north. They are among the very best-value-ranked courses in the country.
East Anglia offers a compact but distinguished collection. Royal West Norfolk (No. 14) at Brancaster is one of the great links experiences in England: tide-dependent, architecturally pure, and utterly unlike anywhere else. Aldeburgh (No. 43) and Hunstanton (No. 26) confirm the region's links credentials, while Royal Worlington & Newmarket (No. 87) is routinely cited by visiting golfers as among the most enjoyable rounds in the country.
One of the most striking findings in the 2026 data is the exceptional value available at the top of English golf. The median green fee across the 88 courses with published rates is £175, and the average is £186 — but the range runs from £35 to £495, and some of the highest-quality golf in England is available for well under £100.
Nine courses in the Top 100 can be played for under £75, and several are ranked firmly in the top half of the table. Seaton Carew (Micklem) at £65 is ranked No. 56 nationally, making it one of the outstanding green-fee-to-quality propositions in the entire ranking. Goswick Links (No. 51) at £100 and Kington (No. 65) at £39 are similarly extraordinary given their positions in the table.
The full list of sub-£75 courses: Appleby (No. 94, £35), Kington (No. 65, £39), Cleeve Hill (No. 88, £40), Seascale (No. 81, £42), Isle of Purbeck — Purbeck (No. 80, £55), Cavendish (No. 83, £55), Dunstanburgh Castle (No. 99, £55), Seaton Carew Micklem (No. 56, £65), Yelverton (No. 92, £70).
The middle tier offers exceptional depth. Silloth on Solway (No. 21) at £120 is a particular standout: a genuine top-25 course on the remote Solway Firth that most golfers have never considered. Hayling (No. 44) at £145, Aldeburgh (No. 43) at £125, and Beau Desert (No. 47) at £120 all offer top-50 golf at prices well below the national average.
At the top of the fee scale sit six courses at £400 or above: Royal St George's (£400), Sunningdale Old (£450), Sunningdale New (£450), Royal Lytham (£400), Royal Birkdale (£495), and Royal Liverpool (£400). These are among the most celebrated courses in the world, and the fees reflect both their quality and their position on the Open Championship rota. For most visiting golfers, they represent aspirational bucket-list rounds rather than regular fixtures.
The South West is the most cost-effective major region in England, with an average green fee of £135 across 15 ranked courses. The combination of St Enodoc, both Saunton courses, Royal North Devon, Perranporth and Trevose — all available for £175 or less — makes this region an extraordinary destination for the budget-conscious golfer who refuses to compromise on quality.
The North East (excluding Ganton) offers similar value. Seaton Carew, Goswick, Dunstanburgh Castle and Lindrick (£150) can all be played in a long weekend for a combined outlay of under £400 — a figure that would not cover a single round at several courses in the South East.
The Midlands provides perhaps the most overlooked value in English golf. Cavendish (£55), Sutton Coldfield (£110), Beau Desert (£120), Blackwell (£140) and Sherwood Forest (£145) together represent a Midlands tour of genuine quality at accessible prices.
Since 2006, Top 100 Golf Courses has published a biennial ranking of the best golf courses in England. What began as a pioneering attempt to order the country's finest layouts, the first England-specific Top 100 ever produced, has evolved into one of the most closely watched rankings in British golf.
Across eight editions, the chart has tracked the rise of restoration culture, the enduring dominance of the Surrey and Berkshire heathlands, and the shifting philosophy around what makes a great English golf course. Here is the story so far.
The earliest edition available on the site was a crowd-sourced ranking based entirely on player reviews submitted since 2008. Birkdale topped the list, with Bearwood Lakes and Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin) completing an unusual top three. The user-driven methodology produced some quirks — Bearwood Lakes at No. 2 raised eyebrows — but it reflected genuine enthusiasm from the travelling golfer community.
Notably, Sunningdale Old sat at No. 8 while Sunningdale New languished at No. 55, and The Belfry (Brabazon) held a comfortable No. 13. Only the United States, with a pool of courses ten times larger, could claim greater strength in depth.
For the first time since the country rankings launched in 2006, England had a new No. 1. Following the successful 2011 Open Championship at Sandwich, Royal St George's moved into pole position, ending Royal Birkdale's long reign at the top. It was a change that would prove remarkably durable.
Elsewhere, Swinley Forest jumped back into the top 10 for the first time since 2008, and Sunningdale New continued its steady progression up the table. From the Golden Age, Blackwell and Stoneham moved into the Top 100 for the first time, signalling a growing appreciation for historically significant designs. Luffenham Heath returned to the chart after its centenary, and Tandridge made a comeback as early renovation work began to bear fruit.
The 2014 edition confirmed the ranking's growing authority. The top 10 remained largely unchanged, and a striking statistic emerged: since 2006, only around a dozen courses had ever appeared at this elite level. The consistency spoke to both the enduring quality of England's finest and the maturity of the evaluation process.
Beneath the surface, the restoration movement was quietly gathering momentum. Courses investing in architectural authenticity — tree management, bunker restoration, heathland regeneration — were beginning to distinguish themselves from those coasting on reputation alone. The seeds of a philosophical shift were being planted.
Royal St George's held firm for its third consecutive edition at No. 1. Five courses exited the Top 100, including London Club (Heritage), Northamptonshire County, Frilford Heath (Red), Hallamshire, and Royal Cromer, making way for new contenders.
The most significant development was the publication of "The Second Hundred Golf Courses of England," a companion piece that shone a light on the extraordinary depth of English golf beyond the elite tier. The message was clear: England's strength extended far deeper than any single Top 100 could capture. The biennial cycle continued to be fed by seven regional listings, ensuring national coverage from Berwick-upon-Tweed in the north-east to Penzance in the south-west.
The 7th biennial edition saw minimal movement at the top, with only Ganton (at No. 8) and Woodhall Spa Hotchkin (at No. 9) swapping places. Seven regional charts — East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West, South West, East, and South East — fed into the national standings. The ranking had become a well-oiled machine, with confidence growing that it gave due recognition to the very best courses regardless of their remoteness or popularity.
The restoration narrative strengthened considerably. Huntercombe, a Willie Park Jnr design in Oxfordshire dating from 1901, entered at No. 94. Royal Worlington & Newmarket, a historic 9-hole course in Suffolk laid out by Tom Dunn in 1893, returned at No. 99 for the first time since 2006. Goswick Links in Northumberland re-entered at No. 86 on a wave of growing admiration for this James Braid-remodelled layout.
The 8th edition maintained Royal St George's at No. 1, but the biggest story emerged from Staffordshire. JCB Golf & Country Club, designed by Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design, crashed into the national Top 100 at No. 42 as the highest new entry. A big, ambitious course with tournament aspirations, JCB signalled that modern design could earn its place alongside the Golden Age classics.
Prince's in Sandwich made history of a different kind, becoming the first club with three ranked nines appearing as two separate entries in any national ranking — the Shore & Dunes combination rising 12 places to No. 45 following a Mackenzie & Ebert renovation, with the Himalayas nine entering at No. 99.
The architectural influence of Mackenzie & Ebert continued to grow, with Liphook (up 13 to No. 32) and Delamere Forest (up 6 to No. 40) both climbing following upgrade work. Hadley Wood, an Alister MacKenzie design from 1922, rose 12 positions to No. 84 as the club announced extensive long-term development plans.
Royal St George's retained No. 1 for the sixth consecutive edition, having hosted the 2021 Open Championship to widespread acclaim. Reviewers described the course as "perpetually interesting and always challenging… the definition of exceptional golf." There was very little movement within the top 15, reinforcing the remarkable stability at the elite level.
The real action came further down the table, where Frank Pont's restoration work drove a series of dramatic climbs. New Zealand in Addlestone, a Tom Simpson and Philip Mackenzie Ross design founded in 1895, rose 13 places to No. 41 following Pont's bunker restoration and comprehensive woodland management programme.
Tandridge surged 18 places to No. 74 — its highest position since 2008 — after a decade-long restoration by Pont, continued by Tim Lobb's design firm. Rye (Old) gained seven places to reach No. 17, reflecting the enduring charm of this East Sussex gem. In total, four courses made remarkable double-digit upward moves.
The 2025 edition arrived three years after the previous release, with the disruption of the COVID years firmly in the rear-view mirror. It proved to be the most transformative edition in the ranking's history — a genuine paradigm shift that went far beyond the routine reshuffling of numbers. Top 100 took the opportunity to fundamentally reassess how English golf courses are evaluated.
The most visible structural change was the replacement of county-level rankings with eight intuitive regional classifications — London & South East, North West, South West, and others — designed to make trip planning far more practical for the travelling golfer. As the accompanying podcast noted, most visitors couldn't locate Wiltshire on a map, but everyone understands "London and South East."
Beneath this reorganisation sat a bolder philosophical statement. Architectural integrity was now explicitly prioritised over conditioning, championship pedigree, and reputation. The most dramatic casualty was The Belfry, dropped from the Top 100 entirely despite its historical significance and Ryder Cup heritage. The ranking panel was unambiguous: this was about golf course architecture, not greenkeeping standards.
Royal St George's maintained its No. 1 position, but the top 10 experienced its biggest shake-up in the chart's history. Sunningdale Old and New rose to Nos. 2 and 3, confirming what many had long argued — that Sunningdale's 36 holes represent the finest inland golf in the British Isles. Royal Lytham & St Annes, St Enodoc (Church), and Ganton all climbed above Royal Birkdale, believed to be a first in the ranking's history.
The standout mover was The Addington, a J.F. Abercromby design near London that rocketed up. An exceptional restoration programme — involving architect CDP, master shaper Mike DeVries, extensive tree removal, heather regeneration, and the recovery of original green dimensions — had transformed the course.
Wallasey made the second-largest leap with a 16-place rise. Other significant climbers included Hayling, Huntercombe, Goswick, Blackmoor, Hadley Wood, Ashridge, Stoneham, Rye (Old), Seaton Carew (Micklem), and Cavendish.
Several established names slipped five or more places, including St Mellion (Nicklaus), Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin), Royal Birkdale, Woburn (Marquess), Little Aston, New Zealand, and Wentworth (East).
The 2025 edition sent an unmistakable signal: in England, the future belongs to courses investing in architectural authenticity rather than those coasting on reputation or manicured perfection.
If the 2025 edition was transformative, the 2026 ranking promises to be seismic. For the first time in the chart's history, courses will be ranked using geographic boundaries rather than traditional golf union boundaries — a fundamental structural change that has never been attempted at this scale. As seen above, the foundation of the England ranking was crowd-sourced… with this revision, we are tearing it back to the bones and starting from scratch.
The panel has drawn on the expertise of 78 individuals, from county-level specialists with deep local knowledge through to members of the world ranking panel. The volume of data compiled is unprecedented, and the result is expected to be the most comprehensive and authoritative England ranking ever produced.
After fifteen years of evolution — from crowd-sourced beginnings through the restoration revolution and the post-COVID reset — the England Top 100 is about to enter its most ambitious chapter yet.
