Best Golf Courses In The World - The Hidden Gems

If you’re a golfer, you most likely have courses near your home that you enjoy playing. Maybe you’re a member of a particular course, or perhaps you jump from course to course depending on your mood. Maybe you’re lucky enough to live in a golf estate! If you travel a lot, hopefully, you take the opportunity to play on courses in your destination country, state, or town. Non-golfers may assume a golf course is just a golf course, but the truth is, some are much more of a memorable experience than others!

Here are some of the best-hidden gem golf courses in the world. You won’t find too many golf bloggers gushing about them, but if you find yourself nearby, you’ll kick yourself if you miss a round on them. Unlike others, these are all public courses!

7 Most Beautiful Golf Courses

Best Golf Courses in the US

1. Payne’s Valley

This is the first public golf course designed by Tiger Woods, and although that alone should make it wildly popular, it’s within a resort and it’s the 3rd of their courses, so it gets a little lost. Despite being designed by the greatest, it’s made to please the mid-handicapper. Wide fairways and undulating terrain offer a great experience, not to mention the beautiful views of the Ozark mountains.

There’s also a unique 19th hole, which is the perfect end to a spectacular experience. It’s a lot of fun and you certainly won’t forget this round anytime soon.

2. Big Run Golf Club

The beauty of Lockport, Illinois is the “must see” course at the Big Run Golf Club, with a plethora of majestic oak trees scattered about the course and built on a long history and passion for golf. Founded in 1930 by the minds of C.H. Muelenford and Sam Sneed, this 18-hole golf course has proven to be a challenge to many golfers over the years, with its five lakes and the adjoined Long Run Creek as well as bunkers and a vibrant landscape which is ever-so pleasing to the eye. 

3. Aspen Lakes

This family-owned public golf course offers some of the most jaw-dropping views you’ll find anywhere in the world. Mountain backdrops and tree-lined fairways make you feel like you’re playing in the forest! One of the unique aspects of the course is the red sand in the bunkers, which gives it an interesting and distinct look! The club is Audubon-approved as well.

Best Golf Courses in Europe

4. Torremirona Resort

Spain’s climate is ideal for golfing, and Torremirona Golf & Spa Resort is a lovely place to spend some time. Nestled between the Gulf of Roses and the Pyrenees Mountains, this club offers spectacular views. It’s designed to offer golfers of all levels an enjoyable experience. The first nine are more hilly, with compact fairways surrounded by trees. The back nine offers wider and flatter fairways, but you’ll have to contend with some interesting hazards and curvy greens.

5. Narvik Golfklubb

Narvik Golfklubb has an 18-Hole championship course in the arctic city of Narvik in the north of Norway. The arctic conditions produce a stunning golf experience in the Skjomen valley next to the dark blue glacier "Frostisen". The course is hard to find without a GPS assistance, as you go deeper and deeper into the beautiful Skjomen valley along its steep mountains that follow the fjord all the way to salmon river "Skjoma" and the course itself.

Best Golf Courses in Ireland & Scotland​

6. Pitlochry Golf

It wouldn’t be a great list if we didn’t visit the home of golf! Pitlochry Golf Club is often overlooked, but it’s absolutely worth a visit. It’s a highlands-style course with no par-5s, but that doesn’t make it boring or unchallenging. The terrain is undulating and offers a variety of elevation changes, so it’s best for carting and not for walking! Expect zero rolls when he courses wet, which is often in the Scottish weather! It’s also packed with history, so if you’re a golf enthusiast with a passion for the history of the game as well as the play, this is an exceptional course to visit.

7. Waterford Castle Resort

This is truly a “hidden” gem, as you have to be ferried across to the private island in order to enjoy this golf course, although it is open to the public. Water surrounds the entire course, but water hazards still come into play as you move through the course. Although you don’t have to be staying at the accompanying hotel, it was named the Golf Hotel of the Year 2020 by the Irish Hotel Awards, so if you’re looking for accommodation and golf, consider this a true gem.

Best Golf Courses In Dubai

8.  Emirates Golf Club

9. The Montgomerie Dubai

10. The Els Club

About the Author

Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer who has been lucky enough to play on beautiful courses across the world. He also writes handy golf-related how-to and product reviews on his website, Golf Influence.

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