Welcome to the ninth biennial edition of our rankings for Wales. We started out with a modest Top 15 for the country in 2006 which we then doubled in size four years later. By 2014 we’d extended the listings further to a Top 50 and that’s how things have remained since – what’s also remained constant over the last sixteen years is the identity of the nation’s No. 1 golfing layout.
Royal Porthcawl
It will come as no surprise to many that the links at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club is still our #1 track in Wales. Not only is it prominently positioned in our Britain & Ireland Top 100, the course also occupies a notable spot within our World Top 100 chart. Harry Colt carried out modifications before World War I, followed by Taylor & Hawtree in the 1920s then Tom Simpson in the 1930s. Martin Ebert has further upgraded the bunkering in the last few years.
Review comments received so far this year include: ”the course from the get go demands the ability to shape shots and thread between the numerous and cavernous bunkers… playing Royal Porthcawl is a unique delight, like spending an unexpected afternoon being utterly surprised by your lest favourite child… the enjoyable and engaging test, supreme condition of the course, endless sea views and characterful clubhouse make this one of those courses you’ll want to return to again and again.”
Royal St David’s
Having occupied the runner-up position between 2006 and 2016 in our standings for Wales, the links at Royal St David’s Golf Club in Harlech moves up two places to regain the #2 spot. Many regard it as one of the toughest par 69 tracks you’ll ever play – and it concludes, unusually with a par three! Host venue for quite a number of leading national and international amateur championships down the years, Royal St David’s is certainly capable of identifying the best players from the also rans.
Ashburnham
Rising two spots (up to #6), the course at Ashburnham Golf Club in Burry Port dates back to when the club was founded in 1894. J.H. Taylor deserves much of the design credit for the layout as he made alterations shortly before World War I but Fred G. Hawtree subsequently made changes, as did Ken Cotton (who was a member here) after World War II. The course is often overlooked by visiting golfers to Wales but it should be regarded as a mainstay of any play list.
Bull Bay
A little further down the chart, the 18-hole layout at Bull Bay Golf Club on the island of Anglesey also climbs two places to #13. Not too many golfers will be aware it’s a pre-World War I Herbert Fowler design which hasn’t changed much in over a century of play (apart from modifications to three holes in the early 1970s to accommodate an oil pipeline for a tank farm at Rosch).
In the bottom half of the new standings, a couple of courses make significant positional gains.
Langland Bay
The first of these is found at Langland Bay Golf Club outside Swansea (up eight to #26) which James Braid improved (mainly carrying out bunker modifications) in 1936. Our correspondent Javier Pintos posted last year that “it will never be a very long famous course but trust me it is one that will open every single golfer’s eyes… one great walk in a fantastic piece of land.”
Wrexham
A significant upward move is made by the course at Wrexham Golf Club, (up seven to #30) which is another James Braid layout from the early 1920s that was remodelled after part of the property had been requisitioned by the Air Ministry during World War II. Consequently, there’s very little of the old master’s work left, apart from three or four greens that might still be in play, as suggested by old local maps.
Mountain Ash
The highest of four new entries comes into the listings at number 41 and it’s the course at Mountain Ash Golf Club in the Cynon Valley which was actually fashioned as a 20-hole layout before two holes were abandoned in 1922 to leave the course that’s still in operation a hundred years later. Measuring 5,726 from the back tees, Mountain Ash plays to a par of 69, with only two par fives on the card.
Dropping out to make way for these new courses are Builth Wells, Carmarthen, Henllys and Wenvoe Castle.
Britain and Ireland represent the spiritual heartland of golf. Nowhere else on earth can a golfer experience such density, diversity and sheer quality of courses within easy reach of one another — from the windswept links of the Outer Hebrides to the Surrey heathland belt, from the Antrim coast to the dunes of County Kerry. Eight new entries join the rankings alongside a series of significant climbers, while the summit remains as stable and formidable as ever. The GB&I ranking draws on the assessments of a dedicated panel of well-travelled golf enthusiasts who evaluate courses across all five nations under consistent criteria. The result is the most authoritative cross-border ranking of golf in the British Isles — a resource for every golfer planning a links pilgrimage or seeking out a heathland gem closer to home. See the GB&I Rankings Now The 2026 Rankings The 2026 list spans links masterpieces, heathland classics, parkland gems and modern championship designs, offering something for every golfing traveller regardless of budget, geography or preferred style of play. Eight courses make their debut in this edition, and Scotland leads the new-entry count with three. England adds four fresh names. Ireland contributes a landmark addition in Royal Portrush Valley, while Wales and the Isle of Man both contribute. 2026 GB&I Top 100 at a Glance 🏅 The Immovable Elite The entire top 30 holds its position unchanged from 2025, which is due to the alignment with the world ranking. (European Club has been removed after its sale and new development). Royal County Down (Championship) retains top spot, a position it has occupied since 2006. Harry Colt's masterpiece on the County Down coast remains the benchmark against which all others are measured. St Andrews Links (Old Course) holds second, Muirfield fourth, and Trump Turnberry Ailsa fifth, with Royal Dornoch sixth, completing a top-six that reads like the definitive roll-call of British links golf. Royal Porthcawl (21st) anchors the Welsh presence at the upper end of the table. See the GB&I Rankings Now 📈 The Rising Stars Brora Golf Club Brora's rise signals a renewed appreciation for one of Scotland's most characterful links experiences. James Braid's Sutherland has long been cherished by those who make the pilgrimage north, and the panel's verdict this time around is emphatic. St Andrews Links (New Course) Tom Morris's New Course at St Andrews makes a similarly dramatic leap. Laid out on the same Fife linksland, the New Course offers a subtler but no less rewarding examination of links golf, and its rise reflects growing recognition among the panel of its considerable merits. Pennard Wales's most dramatic mover, Pennard's climb continues a strong upward trajectory for Welsh golf in this ranking. Set atop dramatic cliffs with views across Three Cliffs Bay, James Braid's coastal design delivers a links experience unlike anything else in the principality. The Addington Golf Club The Addington's extraordinary heath-and-heather landscape and inventive routing through woodland have always inspired devotion among connoisseurs of the inland game; the panel now recognises it more prominently within the national context. Formby Golf Club Formby's leap into the top 40 is particularly noteworthy. The Merseyside club, now sits among the top tier of English links venues. West Lancashire's rise reinforces the quality of the Lancashire coast corridor, which already features Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Hillside, Southport & Ainsdale and Wallasey. Carne Golf Links (Wild Atlantic Dunes) Three Irish courses make meaningful advances. Portstewart's Strand Course, County Louth, and Carne Golf Links on the wild Atlantic coast of County Mayo, shaped into the dunes by Eddie Hackett. See the GB&I Rankings Now 🆕 New Entries Eight courses make their debut in the 2026 GB&I Top 100: Cabot Highlands Old Petty (Scotland, #51) — the second Cabot Highlands layout to feature in the rankings, joining Castle Stuart in the list and continuing the rapid rise of this Inverness-shire resort as a world-class golfing destination. Elie (Scotland, #54) — one of the most characterful and historic clubs in Scotland, on the East Neuk of Fife. The course's unique features — including a periscope on the first tee — have made it beloved by generations of Scottish golfers. Trump International Scotland (New Course) (Scotland, #63) — the second Trump Dunes layout at Balmedie, joining the Old Course (25th), extends the Aberdeenshire complex's representation in the national rankings. Royal Portrush (Valley) (Ireland, #81) — the second course at Royal Portrush Golf Club, after new routing and holes from M&E. Prince's Golf Club (Dunes & Himalayas) (England, #82) — the Sandwich Bay classic returns to the rankings in a strong position. Guy Campbell and John Morrison rebuilt the layout after World War II, and Martin Ebert's recent upgrade, adding new tees, restoring natural sand scrapes and creating a new sea-facing par-three. Aldeburgh Golf Club (Championship) (England, #96) — the Suffolk links, founded in 1884 with design contributions from John Thompson, makes its debut in the national rankings after a major overhaul. Hayling Golf Club (England, #97) — the Hampshire links on Hayling Island, shaped in part by Tom Simpson, enters the rankings for the first time. Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club (Old Course) (England, #98) — one of the most unusual and celebrated inland courses in England, Royal Ashdown is unique for having no bunkers. Beau Desert Golf Club (England, #100) — the Staffordshire heathland gem, founded in 1921 by Herbert Fowler, completes the expanded century of courses. See the GB&I Rankings Now Best Golf Courses by Nation 🗺️ England — 47 Courses England accounts for nearly half the rankings — a reflection of both the volume and variety of world-class golf across the country. The Surrey and Berkshire heathland belt contributes a disproportionate share of the upper-table entries: Sunningdale Old (8th) and New (13th), Swinley Forest (18th), St George's Hill (27th), West Sussex (31st), Walton Heath Old (38th) and Hollinwell (41st) all feature within the top half. The links of Lancashire, Kent and East Anglia provide a contrasting but equally compelling strand of the English golfing story. Four new entries — Aldeburgh, Hayling, Royal Ashdown Forest and Beau Desert — expand the list's geographic footprint into Suffolk, Hampshire, East Sussex and Staffordshire, demonstrating that England's golfing heritage extends well beyond its most celebrated corridors. Scotland — 30 Courses Scotland's 30 entries include five of the top six — a statistical dominance that reflects the country's unique concentration of championship links. St Andrews (2nd and 69th), Muirfield (4th), Turnberry Ailsa (5th) and Royal Dornoch (6th) anchor the Scottish contingent at the summit, while Carnoustie (11th), North Berwick (14th), Kingsbarns (15th), Ardfin (16th) and Cabot Highlands Castle Stuart (19th) complete a formidable top-20 presence. Ireland — 18 Courses Eighteen Irish courses feature across the island, with 11 of them sitting in the top 52 — a density of quality that underscores Ireland's claim to be the world's premier links destination. Royal County Down (1st) and Royal Portrush Dunluce (3rd) lead the charge from Northern Ireland, while Ballybunion Old (9th), Lahinch Old (10th), Rosapenna St Patrick's (12th) and Portmarnock (24th) anchor the Republic's contribution at the highest level. Wales — 4 Courses Wales holds four positions in the ranking, led by Royal Porthcawl. Pennard's rise is the Welsh highlight of 2026, with Royal St David's (77th) and Aberdovey (90th) completing the principality's quartet. The Welsh presence reflects a small but fiercely competitive national golfing scene whose best courses can match many of their more celebrated neighbours. Isle of Man — 1 Course Castletown enters the rankings at 93rd, extending the list's geographic scope to include what is perhaps the most underrated links destination in the British Isles. Designed on Langness Peninsula with views across Castletown Bay, the course offers a genuine links experience that few golfers beyond the island's shores have yet discovered. See the GB&I Rankings Now What the Rankings Tell Us 🔍 Scotland's Mid-Table Revolution Brora and the New Course at St Andrews both making gains along with three new Scottish entries arriving suggest that the expanded panel membership has brought fresh perspectives to the evaluation of Caledonian golf, reaching beyond the famous Fife and Ayrshire corridors into the Highlands and East Neuk. England's Heathland Heritage Runs Deep With 47 entries, England dominates the ranking numerically. But the nature of the English contribution is as interesting as the volume. The heathland courses of the Surrey and Berkshire sandbelt account for a remarkable cluster of entries in the top 40. Royal Ashdown Forest's debut as a bunkerless inland classic adds yet another dimension to the story of English golf design. The four new English entries span different eras and geographies, from the ancient links of Hayling Island to the heathland of Beau Desert. Welsh Golf Reaching New Heights Four Welsh courses in a combined GB&I Top 100 is genuinely significant. With Aberdovey re-entering the list at 90th, the principality now presents a quartet of genuinely diverse and compelling experiences. See the GB&I Rankings Now See the Full Rankings The complete 2026 GB&I Top 100, with individual course pages, panellist commentary and regional breakdowns, is available at Top100GolfCourses.com. Each of the 100 courses links through to detailed profiles, visitor information, and review collections from thousands of golfers who have experienced them firsthand. For regional perspectives within Britain and Ireland, the site also maintains separate Top 100 rankings for England and Scotland, a Top 50 for Wales, and individual rankings for Ireland and Northern Ireland — together covering nearly 700 distinct golf courses across the five nations. See the GB&I Rankings Now
Alex Frolish has been a pilot for approaching 20 years and now travels to all corners of the globe in his role as a commercial airline pilot. His passion for flight is only equalled by his passion for golf and golf travel. Having picked up a golf club over 35 years ago when aged just 3 years old, Alex has played over 600 courses across every continent on planet earth furnished with a fairway. Over the next few months you’ll be able to follow Alex’s golfing travels as he brings you anecdotes of his life both in the air and on the course. There are times on the course when you just have to smile and make the best of a bad piece of luck. A plugged ball in the face of a pot bunker after the best strike of the day. That impossible horseshoe when the ball loops around the cup, seemingly defying gravity. Or walking out into the fairway to find your ball nestled in a wedge created crater the size and shape of a Viking long boat. My DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) diagnosis seemed like one such point of misfortune, a random act of bad luck that could not be dwelled upon. The prognosis was positive, we’d caught it nice and early and most importantly, the Doctor had prescribed plenty of walking in my enforced time off. It was time to get over the bad break and birdie the next hole. My life as a commercial pilot has meant I have spent an average of 150 days away a year during the last 15 years, meaning a lot of my golf is played while on my travels. This unplanned break presented an opportunity that was too good to miss; to look closer to home and make it to some of those gems in the UK that I had been meaning to visit for some time. My first inclination was to look west from my home in Gloucestershire. I have an affinity for the rugged variety that Welsh golf has to offer. From cragged links courses that hug the Welsh coastlines, to the heavily contoured courses on the mountain tops and valley bottoms further inland, I have found much pleasure exploring Wales’s many less heralded tracks. I decided I would make two forays into Wales in September, playing 36 holes on each day. Photo credit: Ashburnham Golf Club The first such trip encompassed one of the finest links double salvos in Wales. Tenby has long been regarded as one of the rawest and most naturally beautiful links courses in the UK. The land here (for the main part) is wild, offering many of the usual links conundrums such as blind shots, crumpled and irregular fairway lies and heavily defended green sites, where if you miss the target, there may be severe repercussions. I wanted to go back out again as soon as I had finished, and I could remember every hole easily with little reference to the scorecard; two surefire signs that the course boasts plenty of engaging qualities. Their extensive clubhouse and lodging renovations are going to make Tenby an interesting stay and play option for lovers of links golf in the coming years. Anyway, leave I must as the still and sun soaked afternoon promised a round along the coast at the highly acclaimed links with championship pedigree at Ashburnham. This is a classy club, benefiting from a clubhouse boasting beautiful views and equally appealing atmospheric vibes and more importantly, a stretch of links golf that is up there with some of the best stuff I’ve seen in Wales. Buoyed by the success of my first trip over the Severn Bridge, I returned some two weeks later to repeat the mission, this time taking on the characterful moorland course (boasting wonderful sea views) at Clyne, and the self proclaimed ‘Pebble Beach of Wales’ at Langland Bay. Those of you that know me or have followed my travels for some time, will know I love a natural course that is played in the way golf was first imagined; on the ground and battling the elements. The welcome from the wild horses and sheep grazing the fairways of Clyne only adds to the intrigue. Go with that image in your mind's eye and embrace the challenge and you will surely enjoy this charmer. The wind started to bristle for our afternoon visit to Langland Bay, where the clifftop section of the course in particular boasts some of the most spectacular golf I have seen in the UK, with plentiful views of the sea and some quite jaw dropping precipitous holes. Four golf courses, four very different characters and plenty to admire. Photo credit: Stoneham Golf Club The depth in the middle tiers of the English Top 100 is one of the most staggering facets of U.K. golf course architecture. There is so much to admire, both in Golden Age architecture from historically significant architects, to newer designs crafted with big budgets and bold plans. My English September travels contained a plentiful mix of all of those qualities, with trips to Stoneham, Isle of Purbeck, Knole Park, Piltdown, Remedy Oak, JCB and Tandridge. In that itinerary, there lay some classic work from the likes of Willie Park Jr, Harry Colt, John Abercromby (assisted by Herbert Fowler) and JH Taylor. In more recent times, John Jacobs and Robin Hiseman had worked on the more modern layouts. I’ll let you mentally test yourself as to which courses were designed by who…I could easily write a page or two on each of my visits, such was the quality and variety to behold. However, it was my experiences at Stoneham, Tandridge and JCB that deserve special mention. Stoneham is just splendid, and its splendour comes from its abundance of variety and the iconic routing. Whether you define it heathland or parkland, it doesn’t matter. It is a fine inland golf course, made finer still by the recent renovation work that has taken place to the course (and practice facilities). This piece of land is quite frankly magnificent, an undulating old deer park that has taken on a heathland demeanour, and the blend of the best bits of both types of golf course makes Stoneham a special place indeed. Photo credit: Tandridge Golf Club Tandridge, crafted by my favourite architect (not declared so as not to ruin the quiz above) is a course that boasts two nines distinct in character from each other, the front a subtle yet exacting test around the greens and in terms of strategy, and the back nine a wild rollercoaster of picture postcard views and wow moments played across tumbling terrain. Not relevant to the golf course but it has to be mentioned; this clubhouse might be one of my favourites in the land. The bar is named after the architect, and a drop of your favourite tipple in those surroundings tastes all the sweeter. As for the lunch, well it is the stuff of legend! Make sure to sample the infamous Tandridge Pudding! JCB is a rarity in UK golf circles as it one of the few golf courses that you can’t access by paying a guest green fee, much more in line with a US country club model, as it was initially built by Lord Bamford for the benefit and enjoyment of JCB staff and clients. That lack of accessibility means that the quality of the course has been seen by fewer eyes, so it flies slightly under the radar. However, this is a fine golf course, possibly the finest golf course built on parkland ground in England. It is the boldness of the design features and the quality of the playing surfaces that elevates it above its peers. I have played a significant portion of my golf in the USA, and in both conditioning and architectural boldness, this course is more reminiscent of sights I have seen stateside than anything I have seen on British soil. This may not have been a month to rack up the air miles due to my enforced layoff from work, but it has been incredibly memorable in terms of the fine British courses I have visited. Next month, there is much more of the same planned, with a little jaunt over to Ireland thrown into the mix. In the meantime, wherever you are reading this and whatever your October has in store, I wish you many well struck drives, a minimum of lost balls and most importantly, plentiful happy rounds.
Top 100 Courses of Britain & Ireland 2022 In the last few weeks we’ve published ranking charts for Northern Ireland, Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland so it’s now time to extract the best 100 of those 380 courses and present them in a collated fashion within our Britain & Ireland Top 100 listings. In this revision, 32 layouts move up, 50 drop down, 13 stay in the same place and 5 are new entries or re-entries. Royal County Down One of the non-movers is the Championship course at Royal County Down in Newcastle which has been our No.1 for the British Isles since 2006. The layout began as a 9-hole track back in 1889 and its development has seen design input from iconic architects such as Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon and Harry Colt. In the past few years, Martin Ebert has made judicious alterations to both the Championship and Annesley courses at the club. Review comments from last year include: “from start to finish the course doesn’t let up… not a single bad hole out there… without a doubt the best golf experience in the world… there are some classic links holes and the backdrop of the mountains of Mourne is spectacular… a few of the par threes are post cards from heaven… conditions are immaculate, greens are superb.” North Berwick (West) Climbing three places from number 13, the West course at North Berwick enters the elite Top 10 strata for the first time, having slowly risen every two years in the rankings from #41 in 2004. A golf course has operated here since the club was founded in 1832 (though the game was being played on the links as far back as 1672) and the current layout is attributed to Ben Sayers Jnr. and C.K. Hutchison who made use of additional land in the early 1930s. Review remarks this year include: “My main takeaway from playing golf here was just how much fun it was… it isn’t just a brutal slog lined by punitive rough and heavy bunkering… it is a varied challenge of strategy and skill that keeps you thoroughly engaged… somewhere I suppose you would never tire of playing… for me it’s what golf is all about.” St Patrick’s The highest placed of five newcomers to the chart is the St Patrick’s course at Rosapenna in Donegal which enters at number 14. Located a few kilometres along the coast from the resort’s Sandyhills and Old Tom Morris layouts, St Patrick’s is Tom Doak’s first foray into golf design in the Emerald Isle, where he was aided and abetted by a small team of associates who’ve done a remarkable job of transforming what was formerly a failed 36-hole project into a world-class 18-hole links. Our well-travelled correspondent Fergal O’Leary visited the new course last year just before it officially opened, calling it “a dream come true for Tom Doak, for the Rosapenna resort and for the golfers of Ireland… golfers will be left speechless by the sheer scale of the course, the width of the fairways, shaping of greens and a setting that will take your breath away.” Dumbarnie The second new entry in the standings is the latest addition to the golf scene in Fife at Dumbarnie Links on Largo Bay, arriving at number 40. Already a multiple award winner soon after it opened in 2020, the course quickly established its championship-hosting credentials by staging the Women’s Scottish Open last year. Designed by Clive Clark, the course has garnered nothing but positive comments since its unveiling. “How wonderful this piece of land is to experience,” wrote a reviewer just last month. “It photographs well but it is when you take it in with your own eyes that you truly appreciate the peaceful and majestic aura it exudes.” Another poster said: “like all courses that begin with a blank canvas, the variety offered up is very good… it’s a nicely balanced collection of strong holes that offers up the instant sugar rush that travelling golfers crave.” Further down the rankings, four English courses make significant improvements on their position. Rye The Old course at Rye in East Sussex advances ten spots to number 45. Host venue for the President’s Putter which has been played every January since 1920 by members of the Oxford & Cambridge Golfing Society, the course was originally laid out by Harry Colt, with subsequent modifications made between the wars made by Tom Simpson and Guy Campbell. Comments in reviews last year included: “Rye summed up why I love the Top 100 quest – history, drama, great views and lovely people… if the course was more open to visitors I suspect it would be way higher in the rankings… they are still using the same understated ‘temporary club house’ from the 1920s and it does very much feel like you are stepping back in time.” Hankley Common The ranking fortunes of the course at Hankley Common outside Farnham have fluctuated severely over the years. In the second revision of this chart in 2008, it rose to #51 from #76 before falling back to #70 two years later. Since then, it’s gone out as far as #82 in 2010 then come back in to a best placed #50 in 2016 – the course’s rise of 12 places now to #58 is just the latest in a chart roller coaster ride that might well continue for some time to come. Founded in 1897, the club started out with a 9-hole layout which James Braid doubled in size in 1922. Fourteen years later, Harry Colt remodelled the course into the one that’s still in play today. Both the English Men’s Amateur (2019) and the Men’s Home Internationals (2021) were held at Hankley Common in recent years so the club’s ability to host major championships is in no doubt. Prince’s The Shore & Dunes nines at Prince’sin Sandwich also makes good progress after entering the chart for the first time at #99 in 2020. It now soars fourteen places to number 85. Guy Campbell and John Morrison re-built the layout after World War II and Martin Ebert recently completed an upgrade to re-bunker holes, install new tees, create natural sand scrapes and introduce a new sea-facing par three on the Shore loop. Comments over the last 12-month period include: “a wonderfully mature course that provides a true test of all facets of golf… Prince’s is looking outstanding, with impressive bunkering and immaculate conditioning… new tees add length and change angles to increase the options and challenge… the wide run off areas leave you with the option to recover with a putt, chip or pitch… much more fun and thought-provoking than one dimensional rough.” Dropping out to make way for the five new courses are Castletown on the Isle of Man, Moray (Old) in Lossiemouth, Royal Ashdown Forest (Old) in East Sussex, Wentworth (East) in Surrey and Woburn (Marquess) in Buckinghamshire. To view the complete detailed list of our new Top 100 Golf Courses of Britain & Ireland chart click the link. View list here
