Grab your passport and your scorecard for your next Euro trip. The game of golf was born in Europe and miles of fairways are waiting for a good lie. Hit the links at the best golf courses in Europe, including iconic greens in Scotland, Spain, and beyond.
Troon. Finca Cortesin. Crans-Montana.
You’ll need more than one driver in your golf bag if you’re going to hit balls across the best golf courses in Europe. There are well-over 6,000 golf courses across the continent, with a substantial number of holes dotting the United Kingdom.
Dreaming of a golf getaway? Don’t look at the Atlantic Ocean as a water hazard. Bulgaria’s Thracian Cliffs will make you forget about Pebble Beach and Utrechtse G.C. de Pan in the Netherlands may just beat out Pacific Dunes.
And let’s just call out the elephant with the green jacket in the room: you can SURELY get a better cheese sandwich anywhere in Europe than at Augusta National.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Andrew Holt. Image Location: Ashford Castle, Cong, County Mayo, Ireland
The best golf courses in Europe
Ranking the best golf courses in Europe is like ranking the best European golfers.
Rory McIlroy will always be in conversation with Royal County Down and Royal Portrush.
Sir Nick Faldo is name dropped as often as Royal St. George’s.
With that in mind, here are 5 other great courses you should play, found in the home countries of Europe’s championship golfers.
- Henrik Stenson, Sweden: Bro Hof Golf AB
- Bernhard Langer, Germany: G.C. Budersand Sylt
- Pádraig Harrington, Ireland: Ballybunion G.C.
- Victor Perez, France: Morfontaine G.C.
- Thomas Bjørn, Denmark: Aalborg GK
Image Credit: Getty Images, Westend61. Image Location: St Andrew's, Scotland
Best golf courses in Scotland
Scotland is the birthplace of golf and St Andrews Links is the home of the sport. Seven courses make it the largest public golf complex in Europe. Since the 15th century, nearly 600 golf courses have popped up across Scotland, noteables which include Royal Dornoch, Muirfield, Gleneagles, and Turnberry. Many courses are public, and if you feel a little out of place with your cleats on such hallowed grounds, just remember that John Daly smokes and drinks unashamedly on these courses.
Best golf courses in Spain
Seve, a name synonymous with Spanish golf. As Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, and Miguel Ángel Jiménez etch their names into golf history, so too do Spain’s courses. Forbes Magazine names Valencia, Barcelona, and Madrid as their top three golf getaways in Spain. Valencia’s El Saler is one of the best golf courses in Europe, thanks to its setting in Albufera National Park. Madrid’s low annual rainfall and affordable tee times makes courses like Real Puerta de Hierro worth a shot into the rough.
Iceland golf courses you must play
Iceland doesn’t send out postcards claiming to have the best golf courses in Europe, but the cold country does offer a perk with your greens fees that mainland Europe doesn’t: 24-hour golf. In the summer, zero night means endless opportunities to lower your handicap. More than 60 courses are available to play, each showcasing the rugged and wonderful landscape. For instance, playing through Kiðjaberg takes you to the Gullfoss waterfall while Vestmannaeyjar sees you trying to sink a birdie in a volcano crater.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Ignacio Martin. Image Location: Angeles de Rafael, Segovia, Spain
19th Hole Golf Trivia
Where is the highest golf course in Europe?
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the highest golf course in Europe is in the Italian Alps: Via Lattea golf course in Sestriere. This Par 65 course sits at 6,676 feet above sea level. You can totally play, but bring a few extra balls; you won’t want to chase that shank shot down the mountainside.
Which European country has hosted the Ryder Cup the most?
England has hosted the most Ryder Cup tournaments, with Scotland, Ireland, France, and Spain also having opened their greens to the competition over the years. Italy will also make its way onto the leaderboard when Rome’s Marco Simone Golf & Country Club hosts the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Which is the toughest golf course in Europe?
Ask the players on the European Challenge Tour and they’ll say Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club in Lumbres, France. Many cite it as the toughest golf course on the European schedule. Others will argue that Scotland’s Carnoustie Golf Links deserves the title after beating Sergio Garcia into tears in the 1999 Open Championship.
Can I bring my golf clubs on a train in Europe?
Yes! Just don’t go practicing your short game in the sleeper car. One of the great on-board amenities available with train travel through Europe is the flexible luggage allowances. Why ship your clubs and chance losing or damaging them when your caddy can just lug them on and off the train?
Download the Trainline app today to read the rails, book a train-time, and come in under par as far as your budget is concerned.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Dave G Kelly. Image Location: County Cork, Ireland