This sandy, gently undulating site was once a North Sea inlet. Consequently, Ganton Golf Club has all the characteristics of a links and a heathland course.
This sandy, gently undulating site was once a North Sea inlet. Consequently, Ganton Golf Club has all the characteristics of a links and a heathland course.
To classify Ganton as a heathland course is a misnomer – one could just as easily categorise it as an inland links, as it’s situated in the rural Vale of Pickering, nine miles from the sea. This sandy, gently undulating site was once a North Sea inlet. Consequently, it has all the characteristics of a links and a heathland course. Either way, Ganton Golf Club is a perfect place to play golf.
The Scarborough Golf Club (as it was originally called) opened for play in 1891, laid out by St Andrews’ Tom Chisholm. Three years later, Tom Dunn made extensive alterations. The great Harry Vardon became the club’s pro in 1896, the same year he won his first Open title at Muirfield. This immediately put Ganton on the map.
During 1905 and 1906, the club accepted advice from a number of eminent golfers – including the Great Triumvirate of Harry Vardon, James Braid and J.H. Taylor – resulting in an upgraded course that was officially reopened on 24th May 1906. Harry Colt made further modifications shortly after, as did Alister Mackenzie in 1912.
James Braid produced an improvement plan in 1923 but this was never adopted by the club. Harry Colt proposed additional alterations that were implemented by Frank Harris Bros. in 1930 but another report from Tom Simpson eight years later was “largely ignored” according to one commentator. C.K. Cotton is also credited with converting the par three 12th to a par four hole in 1952.
Ganton is surely one of the few inland courses in the British Isles good enough to hold an Open Championship. It would make a pleasant change to break with tradition and hold an Open somewhere inland. After all, Ganton is used to holding important competitions – it hosted the 1949 Ryder Cup, the 2000 Curtis Cup and the 2003 Walker Cup.
Ganton Golf Club played host to the 1949 Ryder Cup matches between the USA and Great Britain. Team Captains were Ben Hogan (US) and Charles Whitcombe (GB). The U.S. Non-playing Captain Ben Hogan raised a concern about the grooves on the clubs of some British players. A meeting was called with R&A Rules Official Bernard Darwin, who concurred that the clubs should be repaired to meet conforming standards. Despite the USA team being without three key players, Hogan’s side claimed victory after dominating the singles, USA 7 - GB 5. The Ryder Cup was played at Portland in 1947 and at Pinehurst in 1951.
The bunkering is quite extraordinary, a real feature of the course. With over 100 cunningly placed bunkers, some of which are simply huge, both in breadth and in depth, whilst others are small. Only lucky (or very good golfers) will avoid the sand traps at Ganton. Bernard Darwin wrote in The Golf Courses of the British Isles, that Ganton “possesses by far the vastest and generally most gorgeous bunker that is to be found, as far as I know, on any inland course. It is a huge pit of sand, with just the depths and shallows, the bays and promontories of the genuine seaside article. It is so large that, by its unaided efforts, it provides highly effective bunkering for the tee shots to the last two holes; and as regards its dimensions, I shall not be flattering it very grossly if I compare it to the bunker in front of the fifth tee at Westward Ho!”
If you blend the Old course at Walton Heath (minus the road noise) with Woodhall Spa’s Hotchkin course and then throw in a touch of Muirfield (without the sea), you’ve got Ganton. Nearly 100 years ago, Bernard Darwin compared Ganton to being “a little like Woking, a little like Worplesdon; and, generally speaking, it is the type of course that one would expect to find in Surrey rather than in Yorkshire.” Occupying open, windswept heathland, it’s a supreme thinking man’s and woman’s test of golf; the fast greens and firm fairways test the very best players. Various types of thick gorse, heather and broom highlight the course during the spring and summer months.
Three short par fours provide the opportunity of a game of risk and reward for the big hitters. A minor downside is the fact that there are only three par threes but the strength of the par fours more than compensates for this. The 4th hole, a 406-yard par four, requires a solid drive to a wide fairway before an undulating green sited on a raised plateau is unveiled. The approach shot must carry across a gully and avoid a canny bunker on the right-hand side of the green. From the raised 5th tee, a short 157-yard par three, you have a great view of the well-protected green. Only an arrow-straight tee shot will suffice. Stray to the left and you will be swallowed up by one of two bunkers, stray to the right and you'll be trapped by a huge curved bunker, which wraps itself around the entire right-hand side of the green.
Ganton is a friendly club that opens its doors warmly to visitors (providing you have a handicap). If you are a serious golfer and have never played here, we strongly recommend it.
Yorkshire has long been one of England's most rewarding golf destinations. From the heathland giants of the north to the moorland courses above Bradford and Halifax, the White Rose County offers a breadth and quality that few English counties can match. The 2026 rankings confirm both the enduring strength at the very top of the table and a series of compelling movements in the middle order that reflect how well several clubs have been developing their courses in recent years. With 45 courses now ranked, panellists have assessed layouts across all four corners of Yorkshire - North, West, South and East - rewarding courses that deliver genuine challenge, architectural integrity and a memorable experience for visiting golfers. 2026 Updated Rankings: Yorkshire's Top 15 The top four positions in the 2026 rankings are unchanged, a testament to the enduring quality of Ganton, Alwoodley, Moortown and Lindrick. Below that settled elite, however, the rankings tell a more interesting story, with Hallamshire making a strong move into the top five and Cleveland Golf Club posting the most impressive climb in the entire list. To view the complete Yorkshire rankings and explore individual course profiles, visit the Yorkshire Rankings page. 2026 Top 15 At A Glance The Unchanged Elite Ganton Golf Club retains its position as Yorkshire No.1 for the fourth successive ranking cycle, and it is difficult to imagine that changing any time soon. This extraordinary inland links near Scarborough has hosted Walker Cup, Curtis Cup and Ryder Cup matches and remains one of the finest inland tests in the British Isles. Its fearsome bunkering is the stuff of legend. Alwoodley Golf Club and Moortown Golf Club hold firm at two and three, both occupying their now-familiar positions in the West Yorkshire heartland north of Leeds. Alwoodley's MacKenzie-designed layout remains among the most beautifully understated heathland courses in England, while Moortown — which hosted the first Ryder Cup on home soil in 1929 — continues to develop with considered restoration. Lindrick Golf Club remains fourth, its place among Yorkshire's elite secured by a combination of Ryder Cup heritage and continued course development The Rising Stars Hallamshire Golf Club is the standout performer in the upper half of the table, climbing two places to fifth. Harry Colt's 1938 redesign of this Sheffield heathland layout produced something quietly special. Cleveland Golf Club is the biggest mover in the entire Top 15. Yorkshire's oldest golf club, founded in 1887 at Redcar on the North Sea coast, Cleveland offers a links experience unlike anything else in the county. Its steady upward trajectory over successive rankings reflects a course that has been consistently well presented and increasingly appreciated by travelling golfers. Halifax is perched on the hillsides above the Calder Valley. Halifax's moorland layout delivers spectacular views and a genuine challenge that the panel has now recognised with a well-deserved rise into the Top 15. Headingley moves up one place to eleventh, a modest but consistent improvement for a club with deep architectural credentials — Alister MacKenzie remodelled the layout after the club moved to its current site in 1906, with Harry Colt later redesigning the bunkers. Best Yorkshire Golf Courses by Region West Yorkshire dominates the Top 15 with eight of the fifteen ranked courses drawn from the county's most populous region. The concentration of quality around Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield reflects both the density of clubs in this area and the strong heritage of moorland and heathland golf that developed here from the late Victorian era onwards. Alwoodley, Moortown, Sand Moor, Huddersfield, Headingley, Halifax, Ilkley and Woodsome Hall all represent the West Yorkshire tradition at its finest. North Yorkshire contributes five courses — Ganton, Fulford, Cleveland, Pannal and York — spread across a large geographic area that takes in the coast, the Vale of York and the slopes of the North York Moors. This regional spread makes North Yorkshire one of the most rewarding areas in the county for a multi-course trip, with Ganton at the top of the rankings serving as the obvious anchor for any visit. South Yorkshire accounts for two of the Top 15, with Lindrick and Hallamshire representing the Sheffield region. Both courses carry significant historical weight — Lindrick's Ryder Cup pedigree and Hallamshire's Colt heritage — and both sit comfortably in the top five of the overall rankings. What the Updated Rankings Tell Us Stability at the Top Signals Enduring Quality The fact that positions one through four are completely unchanged reinforces the message that Yorkshire's leading courses are in exceptional shape. Ganton, Alwoodley, Moortown and Lindrick are not simply coasting on historical reputations — they are courses that continue to deliver outstanding experiences. When a panel of experienced golfers independently assesses courses and returns the same top four, that unanimity is meaningful. Golden Age Architecture Remains the Benchmark The top ten is defined almost entirely by courses shaped by the great Golden Age designers. MacKenzie's fingerprints are visible at Alwoodley, Moortown, Headingley and Fulford. Colt's influence defines Hallamshire. Braid, MacKenzie and Simpson all contributed to Ganton. The rankings reaffirm that design quality, not reputation or heritage alone, sits at the heart of the panel's thinking. Cleveland's Rise Highlights Coastal Yorkshire Yorkshire's links golf is less celebrated than its moorland and heathland courses, yet Cleveland offers an experience that is genuinely different from anything else in the county. Its ascent invites golfers who might not have considered a trip to Redcar to reconsider. Combined with the wider North Yorkshire coast, a visit to Cleveland could anchor a genuine links-focused itinerary. Halifax Opens Up the Pennine Hills Halifax's rise is encouraging. Moorland golf in the West Riding has always attracted those who know where to look, but Halifax's promotion to the Top 15 now ensures it will appear on the radar of a wider travelling audience. The moorland loops above the Calder Valley deserve greater attention than they have historically received, and this ranking movement should help deliver it. Planning Your Yorkshire Golf Trip Yorkshire offers enough quality across a compact enough geography to reward a dedicated golf trip of three to five days. The obvious anchor is Ganton, which sits near Scarborough and provides a logical base for exploring the North Yorkshire coast and vale. A West Yorkshire itinerary built around Leeds makes excellent sense for golfers wanting to experience the MacKenzie and Colt heritage in concentrated form. Alwoodley, Moortown, Sand Moor and Headingley all sit within a short drive of the city centre, with Pannal just to the south near Harrogate adding a moorland dimension. This cluster of courses represents one of the finest urban golf destinations in England — a point that is often underappreciated by those who have not played the area. For something different, the Pennine routes through West Yorkshire open up Halifax, Huddersfield, Ilkley and Woodsome Hall — four courses that deliver spectacular moorland and parkland golf in some of the most dramatic landscapes in northern England. Golfers with time to explore further afield should not overlook Cleveland at Redcar, which now sits eighth in the county rankings and offers the only genuine links experience among Yorkshire's elite courses. Combined with a visit to Ganton, an east-coast loop through North Yorkshire has real appeal for those chasing variety. South Yorkshire is worth a dedicated visit for Lindrick and Hallamshire alone. Lindrick near Worksop and Hallamshire above Sheffield are different experiences — one a classic heathland course at the county boundary, the other a Colt moorland layout on Sheffield's western edge. Looking Ahead With Halifax and Cleveland both on upward trajectories and Headingley continuing its steady climb, the next Yorkshire ranking cycle has the potential for further movement in the middle order. The question of whether any course can close the gap on Ganton at the top remains rhetorical for the time being. The depth of quality between positions five and fifteen suggests the competition for ranking places is as strong as it has ever been and represents an under-appreciated destination for travelling golfers. To view the complete Yorkshire rankings and explore individual course profiles, visit the Yorkshire Rankings page.
Top 30 Golf Courses in Yorkshire 2015 Yorkshire Best in County rankings updated It goes without saying that Yorkshire and sporting excellence go hand in hand – indeed, it was recognised after the London Olympics in 2012 that the White Rose County would have finished twelfth in the medal table (with seven gold, two silver and three bronze medals) if it had been regarded as a separate nation during the Games. Many of the organised sports in the region date back to the mid-19th century, for instance, Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest football club, was founded in 1857 and Yorkshire County Cricket Club started out in 1863. If anything, the county’s oldest golf course at Cleveland was something of a latecomer, arriving in 1887. A lot has changed since then, of course, and there’s no shortage of places to play golf in the county these days, with almost two hundred golf clubs attached to the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs and Yorkshire Ladies’ County Golf Association. We don’t feature all of these clubs, but we do maintain a Top 30 chart of the very best courses. Following a consultation period with every club in the region, we’ve just finished updating our rankings for Yorkshire. Don’t expect any shocks at the top end of the table as positions 1 to 6 remain exactly the same as last time. A handful of new entries at the lower end of the chart are, however, worth a closer look. Ganton is still our Yorkshire No.1 and there can be no doubt about the allure of this fabulous inland links/heathland layout, where James Braid, Alister MacKenzie and Tom Simpson have all had a hand in the design. Host to Walker Cup, Curtis Cup and Ryder Cup matches down the years, this formidable course is famed for its fearsome bunkers. To a certain extent, Alwoodley and Moortown both live in Ganton’s shadow, reflected by their number 2 and number 3 positions in our revised Top 30 listings. Alwoodley was recently described by a reviewer as “a magnificently understated layout, immersed in a beautiful landscape“ whilst another person thought Moortown was “a fine course, in the top bracket of inland courses in England”. Like Ganton and Moortown, Lindrick is another Yorkshire course that enjoys a proud Ryder Cup heritage, the event having been held there in 1957. The layout sits at number 4 in our county chart and lies just outside the Top 50 for England. Architect Ken Moodie joined forces with the club recently to carry out an ambitious course upgrade program that will see a total of seven holes modified. At number 5, Fulford is probably best known as the first venue for the Benson & Hedges International Open, which the club hosted for eighteen years during the 1970s and 1980s. Located close to the city centre of York, the course is a beautiful heathland/parkland track that was originally laid out by Major Charles MacKenzie in the mid-1930s. Hallamshire occupies the number 6 position in our Yorkshire chart. The club dates back to 1897 when it leased part of the Duke of Norfolk’s estate for golf. Today’s heathland layout is largely the product of a Harry Colt redesign in 1938, when its signature par three 6th hole was first introduced. Two courses make upward moves at the top end of the rankings: Pannal, a fine moorland track located to the south of Harrogate, rises two spots to number 7 and Huddersfield, which had all eighteen greens re-laid to USGA specification a decade ago, advances one place to number 9. In the middle of the chart, another three courses head in the right direction: Bingley St Ives (up two to 11) has fairways routed around a mixed landscape of heathland and parkland, York (up three to 13) celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, and Rotherham (up two to 15), is a beautiful parkland track that’s set out within the impressive Thrybergh estate. Hornsea makes the biggest jump up the Top 30, soaring six places to number 23. The club moved to its present location in 1908, ten years after its formation, when Sandy Herd designed a layout that was subsequently modified by Alister MacKenzie then James Braid. Following a course audit by Swan Golf Designs five years ago, significant course improvements are now being carried out. At the lower end of the revised county listings, there are five new entries: Headingley (22) was formed in 1892 but the club moved to its current site in 1906, calling in Alister MacKenzie soon after to remodel the new layout. Harry Colt later redesigned the bunkers. Crosland Heath (25) is another MacKenzie design, with the architect setting out “The Heath” fairways on the site of an old quarry in the hills overlooking Huddersfield. The Welham and Park nines at Malton & Norton (27) are recognised as the principal 18-hole layout at a modern facility which first opened its doors in the mid-1990s. JH Taylor and Fred Hawtree laid out Selby (28) and its tree-lined fairways, which extend to 6,341 yards from the back tees, occupy a rather tight parcel of land. Oakdale (30) is yet another 18-layout from Alister MacKenzie, dating back to 1914. Measuring 6,484 yards these days, it’s certainly been stretched a little over the last 100 years. We’re grateful to everybody in the region who helped with our re-ranking process for Yorkshire. To view details of all the courses in our Yorkshire Top 30 rankings click the link. If you have extensive experience of playing across the northern region of England and would like to contribute to our next re-ranking exercise then please email Editor-in-Chief Keith Baxter at keith@top100golfcourses.com. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
The purpose of the Review of The Month feature is twofold. Top100GolfCourses has always aimed to salute and encourage those who are putting admirable effort into reviewing the world’s great golf courses. Moving forward, we are also looking to learn from these experts! We’ll be chatting with the month’s star authors and discussing topics such as golf in their area, what they like to see in a strong course review, and of course dig a little deeper into their own winning review. August 2022’s Review of The Month comes from Ron Stelten, a former European Tour pro who sheds some light on Soule Park Golf Course, a California municipal course given a new lease on life by Gil Hanse. The tough question first: One quote that caught my eye: "One might say there are no great holes but all eighteen holes work well together." Would you prefer a few great holes among a few weak holes, or a consistent 18? For me the clear answer is that I love both types of courses. Addressing “a few great holes among a few holes” first: I am one who is of the opinion that the 18th hole at Cypress Point is a weak hole and a weak finishing hole. That said, I wouldn't change a thing about the 17th to improve the 18th. I feel the same is true of Pasatiempo. The weak holes are still good golf holes and may be strong holes on another course. Cruden Bay is one of my favorite courses in the world. A great balance of strong and quirky holes. As for “a consistent 18”? Ganton and Swinley Forest are two of my favorite English courses. I describe both as having 18 solid holes. No standout holes and no weak holes. In the United States, I see Olympic Club and Prairie Dunes as courses with 18 very good, consistent holes. Interestingly, the question really brings to mind the saying “eye of the beholder.” The par 3 finish at Pasatiempo could be considered by some to be a weak hole while others may think of it as a consistent hole that balances the 18th. Are the first two holes at Royal Dornoch a weak start considering what's in store when you get to the dogleg on three and beyond, or are those same two holes just as consistent as the rest of the course? A reason why I am such a fan of Top 100 Golf Courses is because of the various opinions stated in the reviews. Seeing eye-to-eye, or not seeing the same thing that others see in a golf course, is what makes my hobby of playing the best golf courses in the world so much fun. Although William F. Bell got around, many of his designs reside in California. Anything you've noticed that stands out among his works? This question caused me to wonder just how many Bell courses I have played. The answer is a lot! I have lived in California for over 45 years. Without counting, I believe I have played more golf courses designed by Bell than by any other architect. The William Bell Society website credits Soule Park to [William] P Bell while Top 100 Golf Courses has [William] F Bell as the architect. No matter, I will refer to the Bells’ golf courses. The spectrum of courses is great. Bel-Air, Sandpiper and Stanford at one end…Blythe, Skylinks, and San Luis Rey Downs on the other. The Bells covered California and the western states with golf courses for all walks of life. What I notice more than anything about the work of the Bells’ courses is how many have gone through the now-so-popular renovation. As my review of Soule Park tries to make clear, the renovation has restored and helped make a good golf course better. That said, I want to play the remodeled Bel-Air, where the first reports I have heard from golfer friends are not flattering; a move away from the Bell design. A more well known example may be Torrey Pines North and South. I have played both many, many times before and after renovations. I ask myself “are they still Bell design courses?” The Los Angeles region is obviously widespread...are there any other "gems" that you might recommend to visitors, or even residents? To answer this question I am going to extend the Los Angeles area to include the greater Palm Springs area, my previous home for over 30 years. Because the area has grown so much we now refer to it as the Coachella Valley. There are only a few golf courses in Palm Springs and over 100 in the towns east of Palm Springs. My gems include Mission Hills Dinah Shore, Tamarisk, Bermuda Dunes, The Palms, The Plantation, PGA West Norman. In my opinion all of these courses have a place in the Top 100 Golf Courses in California. How the Dinah Shore Course at Mission Hills is not on the list and the Mission Hills Pete Dye course makes the list is beyond my imagination. Tamarisk Country Club is a William F&P Bell design of the 1950's and has perhaps the best classic design back nine in the Coachella Valley. Bermuda Dunes Country Club was designed by William F. Bell and a perfect example of country club golf in this winter haven for snowbirds. The Palms and The Plantation, both the product of Fred Couples and Brian Curley, are outstanding golf courses and must-plays if in the Valley. I personally rate the PGA West Norman better than the Palmer and two Nicklaus courses [Nicklaus Private and Nicklaus Tournament] at PGA West. About a year ago I got married and relocated to Carlsbad, CA just north of San Diego. My wife and I are members of Shadowridge Golf Club. Shadowridge is a fine course with challenging green complexes. Slope and speed test my iron accuracy every day. I am happy to extend an invitation to Top 100 members who are visiting Southern California. Now that you're a celebrated "Review of The Month" winner, let us know what factors you appreciate in a strong golf course review! First and most important, I am a golfer and want to know about the course. I enjoy reading opinions and will cross reference writers who I believe know their stuff. I care little for reports on service and amenities. Memorability is what I value most in a golf course. It has been decades since I played Pine Valley and believe I still remember every hole and every shot. Someone who can get that concept across in a review will get my attention. I believe that walking is an important part of good course design. If a ride is needed to get from one green to the next tee I can't give the course a high rating. Some reviewers that I respect are more flexible on this walking thing. I can value their description of the course but stop short of the same overall rating they may assign. I like personal takes on the golf course experience. When I travel I try to play a golf course twice. The first round is for reconnaissance. I want to take a good look and get to know what the course has to offer. This is a throwback to practice rounds when I was playing golf for a living. The second round is for score. I live to shoot good scores on great golf courses. I enjoy reading about actual golf and not just golf courses. I am not a course rater. As for architecture and design I am a novice, but am a novice with a lot of experience. What I have is the luck of having played hundreds of golf courses. Many were played in major competitions offering a very different way of seeing a golf course. These days playing Top 100 Golf Courses is my number one hobby. If I get a hint that a review may be slanted because of the perks offered by a course I close the page. Because this is a golf course rating site, I like reviewers that put a golf course in perspective. Better than this course, behind that course. We all have our opinions and all opinions can have some merit. I favor Top 100 Golf Courses over other golf course rating sites because I believe it to be less biased than the others. That said, I am still careful with my favorite site. California is my area of expertise. For me, there are a half dozen courses in the California Top 50 that are not in my personal top 40. What's one course that you'd love to write a review for during 2022 (or plan to)? This is a good one! My wife and I have a full slate of golf planned for the remainder of this year. We will be in Ireland/Northern Ireland the last week of September and first week of October. Decades ago I played in many Irish Opens at Portmarnock (a course that I love and played well) but this will be the first time I travel the country. I try to play top golf courses twice so this trip is quality not quantity. Ballybunion, Royal Portrush, Portstewart, Lahinch... all have long lists of reviewers and I will see if there is anything I can add. St. Patrick's Links is a new kid on the block. I am very interested in seeing if the links is for real or another example of the overblown hype brought on by too many new golf courses. I will let you know! As most Top 100 readers know, Ireland/Northern Ireland golf is very busy this year. My wife has agreed to a return trip in May 2023 to play the courses we will miss this trip. Two days at Royal County Down are already booked and paid for. The days before Thanksgiving 2022 we will be in Carmel, CA. Golf at The Preserve is set and we hope to see both Monterey Peninsula courses [Dunes and Shore]. With the addition of Monterey Peninsula Dunes I will have played all of California's top ten. Of course, if I am in the right place at the right time to meet a member of Cypress Point I would love to play it again. Imagine being 66 years old, playing the best golf course in the world, and hitting the same irons into the greens as I did back in the days of the Bing Crosby Pebble Beach Pro-am. That would be something to write about!
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
Scotland, United Kingdom
Massachusetts, United States
England, United Kingdom
Alberta, Canada
County Dublin, Ireland
