Welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2023 rankings of the Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain and Ireland – built in or after 1960 – as determined by Golfweek’s Best Raters.
The members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each course is ranked against other courses in Great Britain and Ireland to produce the final rankings.
Listed with each course below is its average ranking, location, designers and year opened.
*New to or returning to list
Other popular Golfweek’s Best lists include:
- Best public-access courses in each state
- Best private courses in each state
- Top 200 modern courses in the U.S.
- Top 200 classic courses in the U.S.
- Top 100 public-access courses in the U.S.
Nos. 1-10
1. Kingsbarns 7.90
St. Andrews, Scotland; Kyle Phillips (2000)
2. Trump International Scotland 7.87
Balmedie, Scotland; Martin Hawtree (2012)
3. Rosapenna (St. Patrick Links)* 7.69
Letterkenny, Ireland; Tom Doak (2021)
4. Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart) 7.66
Inverness, Scotland; Gil Hanse, Mark Parsinen (2009)
5. Loch Lomond 7.63
Dunbartonshire, Scotland; Jay Morrish, Tom Weiskopf (1993)
6. Waterville 7.54
Waterville, Ireland; Eddie Hackett (1973)
7. Old Head of Kinsale 7.45
Kinsale, Ireland; Eddie Hackett, Joe Carr, Ron Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, Liam Higgins (1997)
8. Renaissance Club at Archerfield 7.29
Dirleton, Scotland; Tom Doak (2008)
9. The European Club 7.23
Brittas Bay, Ireland; Pat Ruddy (1992)
10. Queenwood GC 7.22
Ottershaw, England; David McLay Kidd (2001)
Nos. 11-20
11. Hogs Head 7.11
Waterville, Ireland; Robert Trent Jones Jr. (2018)
12. Tralee 7.07
Tralee, Ireland; Arnold Palmer (1984)
13. Hillside Golf Club 6.93
Southport, England; Fred Hawtree (1967)
14. Enniscrone 6.92
Enniscrone, Ireland; Eddie Hackett, Donald Steel (1974)
T15. Carne 6.87
Belmullet, Ireland; Eddie Hackett (1992)
T15. Dumbarnie Links* 6.87
Fife, Scotland; Clive Clark (2020)
17. Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg 6.79
Doonbeg, Ireland; Greg Norman, Martin Hawtree (2002)
18. Ballyliffin (Glashedy) 6.76
Ballyliffin, Ireland; Pat Ruddy, Tom Craddock (1995)
19. Killeen Castle 6.74
Dunsany, Ireland; Jack Nicklaus (2009)
20. Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) 6.65
Letterkenny, Ireland; Pat Ruddy (2003)
Nos. 21-30
21. Lough Erne (Faldo) 6.62
Enniskillen, Northern Ireland; Nick Faldo (2009)
22. Carnegie Links at Skibo 6.58
Dornoch, Scotland; Donald Steel (1991)
23. The Grove 6.48
Chandler’s Cross, England; Kyle Phillips (2003)
24. Woburn (Marquess) 6.43
Milton Keynes, England; Ross McMurray, Clive Clark, Peter Alliss, Alex Hay (2000)
25. St. Andrews (Castle Course) 6.42
St. Andrews, Scotland; David McLay Kidd (2008)
26. Adare Manor Golf Resort 6.39
Adare, Ireland; Tom Fazio (1995)
T27. Trump Turnberry (King Robert the Bruce) 6.37
Turnberry, Scotland; Donald Steel, Martin Ebert (2001)
T27. Cruit Island* 6.37
Kincasslagh, Ireland; Michael Doherty (1986)
29. Carton House (Montgomerie) 6.33
Maynooth, Ireland; Colin Montgomerie, European Golf Design (2003)
30. Machrihanish Dunes 6.30
Machrihanish, Scotland; David McLay Kidd (2009)
Nos. 31-40
T31. Celtic Manor (Twenty Ten) 6.29
Newport, Wales; Ross McMurray (2007)
T31. Woburn (Dukes) 6.29
Milton Keynes, England; Charles Lawrie (1976)
33. Fairmont St. Andrews (Kittocks) 6.27
St. Andrews, Scotland; Bruce Devlin, Gary Stephenson (2001)
34. The Carrick 6.23
Loch Lomond, Scotland; Doug Carrick (2007)
35. Dundonald Links 6.22
Gailes, Scotland; Kyle Phillips (2003)
36. Crail (Craighead) 6.20
Crail, Scotland; Gil Hanse (1998)
37. Fairmont St. Andrews (Torrance) 6.18
St. Andrews, Scotland; Sam Torrance (2001)
38. Bearwood Lakes 6.13
Wokingham, England; Martin Hawtree (1996)
T39. Donegal 6.07
Murvagh, Ireland; Eddie Hackett, Pat Ruddy (1973)
T39. Craigielaw GC 6.07
Aberlady, Scotland; Donald Steel (2001)
Nos. 41-50
41. Remedy Oak* 6.06
Ringwood, England; John Jacobs (2006)
42. Gleneagles – PGA Centenary 6.05
Auchterarder, Scotland; Jack Nicklaus (1993)
43. K Club (Palmer North)* 5.99
Straffan, Ireland; Arnold Palmer, Ed Seay (1991)
44. Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links 5.95
Portmarnock, Ireland; Stan Eby, Bernhard Langer (1995)
45. St. Andrews (The Dukes) 5.93
St. Andrews, Scotland; Tim Liddy, Peter Thomson (1995)
46. Druid’s Glen 5.92
Newtownmountkennedy, Ireland; Pat Ruddy, Tom Craddock (1995)
47. Ballybunion (Cashen) 5.85
Ballybunion, Ireland; Robert Trent Jones Sr. (1982)
48. Fota Island 5.82
Cork, Ireland; Christy O’Connor Jr., Peter McEvoy, Jeff Howes (1993)
49. Carton House (O’Meara) 5.80
Maynooth, Ireland; Mark O’Meara, European Golf Design (2002)
50. K Club (Palmer South) 5.78
Straffan, Ireland; Arnold Palmer (2003)
