Yellow golf duck wearing a green flat cap and holding a putterOff to the Golf

Last checked: October 2026

OFF TO THE GOLF

Golf venues worth making a trip for

Find the course, understand its setting and choose a sensible base for your visit.

Scotland

The 16th hole of the Old Course at St Andrews.
Richard Webb · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

St Andrews Old Course visitor guide

Scotland

Stay in St Andrews for the simplest Old Course trip, or choose Dundee for a city base with a separately planned transfer. The course is beside the town, but championship entrances and public access change during events.

The Open 2027 at St Andrews, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2027

The Championship Course at Carnoustie.
Val Vannet · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Carnoustie visitor guide

Scotland

Carnoustie works particularly well as a rail-based golf stop because the town has its own station. Stay locally for an uncomplicated day, or use Dundee for a wider city break and plan the return train before choosing your finishing time.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2027

A green and bunker at Kingsbarns Golf Links.
Richard Webb · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Kingsbarns visitor guide

Scotland

Kingsbarns suits visitors who want a coastal golf day within a wider St Andrews or East Neuk holiday. Stay in St Andrews for town facilities, or compare Crail and Anstruther if quieter coastal evenings matter more than being near the Old Course.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2027

A landscape view across The Renaissance Club golf course.
Jim Barton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

The Renaissance Club visitor guide

Scotland

The Renaissance Club is an East Lothian championship venue reached by a final road transfer, even if you travel to North Berwick by train. Choose North Berwick or Gullane for a coastal holiday, and Edinburgh if city evenings justify the longer daily journey.

Genesis Scottish Open 2027 at The Renaissance Club

Looking south over the northern part of Royal Troon’s golf course.
dave souza · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal Troon visitor guide

Scotland

Royal Troon sits on the Ayrshire coast and most recently staged The Open in 2024. Troon, Prestwick and Ayr are the natural accommodation searches; Glasgow adds city evenings with a longer daily journey.

The Open venue history

Looking across Muirfield towards the clubhouse.
Richard Webb · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Muirfield visitor guide

Scotland

Muirfield is the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers’ course at Gullane in East Lothian. Start with Gullane for a close golf-focused stay, or compare North Berwick and Edinburgh for a broader break.

The Open venue history

The 13th hole of the King’s Course at Gleneagles.
tom watson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Gleneagles: a visitor’s guide

Scotland

Gleneagles offers three different championship courses in inland Perthshire, with Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup history on the PGA Centenary. Choose the course and the reason for visiting before choosing your accommodation.

A view of Dundonald Links Golf Club.
Gordon Brown · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Dundonald Links: a visitor’s guide

Scotland

Dundonald Links is an Ayrshire links venue with recent Women’s Scottish Open history and visitor golf. Base the trip around the confirmed event or tee time, then compare Irvine, Troon and the wider coast.

Turnberry golf course with its lighthouse and Ailsa Craig beyond.
Robert Watson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Trump Turnberry: a visitor’s guide

Scotland

Turnberry’s Ailsa course has hosted four Opens, most recently in 2009. Visit for that history and its Ayrshire coastal setting, with playing access arranged through the resort and no future Open date assumed.

England

Looking towards the fifth green at Royal St George’s in evening light.
Ian Capper · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal St George's visitor guide

England

Choose Sandwich for the closest town atmosphere at Royal St George’s, or Deal for a coastal stay with a separate course transfer. Royal St George’s hosts the 2027 AIG Women’s Open; its event travel plan should guide your final approach.

AIG Women's Open 2027 at Royal St George's

Wentworth’s West Course seen across a teeing area.
Alan Hunt · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Wentworth Club visitor guide

England

Wentworth’s West Course is best planned as an event visit with a clear route from Virginia Water or another Surrey base. Choose a nearby room for simpler mornings, or Windsor for a broader break, and keep normal private-club access separate from championship admission.

BMW PGA Championship 2027 at Wentworth

A green at The Belfry golf resort in Wishaw.
Mat Fascione · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

The Belfry visitor guide

England

The Belfry is a resort golf destination where the Brabazon course supplies the famous championship holes. Stay at or near the resort for convenience, or use Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield or another nearby town with a properly planned road transfer.

British Masters 2027 at The Belfry

The clubhouse and 18th green at Royal Lytham & St Annes before the 2009 Women’s British Open.
Wojciech Migda (Wmigda) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal Lytham: Open 2028 visitor guide

England

Royal Lytham & St Annes hosts The Open in 2028, with championship rounds on 3–6 August. St Annes is the first accommodation area to compare; Lytham, Blackpool and Preston give you different alternatives.

The Open 2028

Royal Birkdale and its dunes, photographed during preparations for The Open in 2008.
Gary Rogers · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal Birkdale visitor guide

England

Royal Birkdale is the Southport links that staged The Open in July 2026. Compare Southport, Birkdale and Liverpool for a future golf visit, then build the journey around the particular event or visitor booking.

The Open venue history

The rear of Royal Liverpool’s clubhouse seen across the course from Stanley Road.
Rodhullandemu · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal Liverpool visitor guide

England

Royal Liverpool is in Hoylake on the Wirral, across the Mersey from Liverpool city centre. Stay in Hoylake or West Kirby for a coastal trip, or use Liverpool for a city break with rail journeys to the links.

The Open venue history

The tenth tee of Walton Heath’s Old Course.
Robin Webster · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Walton Heath: a visitor’s guide

England

Walton Heath is a Surrey heathland club with Ryder Cup, British Masters and AIG Women’s Open history. Plan around the specific course and event, with Walton-on-the-Hill and nearby towns as accommodation options.

A landscape view across Sunningdale Golf Club.
Andrew Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Sunningdale: a visitor’s guide

England

Sunningdale’s Old Course is confirmed for the AIG Women’s Open in 2028. The club also welcomes visitor golf by arrangement, with two heathland courses and a Berkshire location suited to a wider Surrey and Windsor trip.

An aerial view of Woburn Golf Club and its wooded courses.
M J Richardson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Woburn: a visitor’s guide

England

Woburn has three courses and a long tournament history, including the women’s major on the Marquess in 2016 and 2019. Choose the right course first, then compare a village stay with a Milton Keynes or Bedford base.

The clubhouse at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club.
N Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal Cinque Ports visitor guide

England

Royal Cinque Ports is the historic links at Deal in Kent, hosting the Women’s Amateur Championship on 21–26 June 2027. Stay in Deal for a locally focused break and confirm event admission before arranging your course visit.

The Women’s Amateur Championship 2027 in Deal

Wales

A green at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.
eswales · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal Porthcawl visitor guide

Wales

Royal Porthcawl is a coastal championship venue best paired with a stay in Porthcawl or a planned road transfer from Bridgend. Cardiff and Swansea suit a wider city break, but compare the full daily journey before booking.

The Senior Open 2027

A bunker on Celtic Manor’s Twenty Ten course.
John Grayson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Celtic Manor: a visitor’s guide

Wales

Celtic Manor’s Twenty Ten course is the place to revisit the 2010 Ryder Cup in South Wales. Use Newport for rail access and confirm your exact resort destination before setting off.

Northern Ireland

The coastal landscape at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
Russel Wills · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal Portrush visitor guide

Northern Ireland

Royal Portrush is the Causeway Coast venue whose Dunluce Links staged The Open in 2025. Portrush is the closest town search; Portstewart, Coleraine and Bushmills offer different ways to build a north-coast stay.

The Open venue history

Greens between sand dunes at Royal County Down.
Eric Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Royal County Down: a visitor’s guide

Northern Ireland

Royal County Down combines championship links with Newcastle and the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland. Visit for its Irish Open history or an arranged visitor round, and choose a base that makes the final journey straightforward.

Republic of Ireland

Aerial view of Adare Manor, its formal gardens and golf course.
WindhamQuin · CC BY 4.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Adare Manor visitor guide

Ireland

Adare Manor is the 2027 Ryder Cup venue, with Limerick the main city base to compare against staying in Adare itself. Secure an official route to admission first, then choose accommodation around the confirmed event transfer rather than a hoped-for journey.

Ryder Cup 2027 at Adare Manor

Part of the clubhouse at The K Club in Ireland.
Flickr user "buckeye7" · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

The K Club visitor guide

Ireland

The K Club’s Palmer North is the Ryder Cup and Irish Open course to look for when planning a visit. Stay around Straffan for a local break, or compare Naas, Maynooth, Celbridge and Dublin with the full course transfer included in your decision.

Amgen Irish Open 2027

Bray seafront and Bray Head, a nearby coastal outing from the Dun Laoghaire Golf Club area; the course is not shown.
Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Dun Laoghaire Golf Club visitor guide

Ireland

Dun Laoghaire Golf Club hosts the KPMG Women’s Irish Open during 2–8 August 2027. The club is at Ballyman near Bray, so compare the actual venue journey before choosing a room in Dún Laoghaire town.

KPMG Women’s Irish Open 2027

Aerial view of Portmarnock Golf Club and the peninsula.
PGC · CC0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Portmarnock Golf Club: a visitor’s guide

Ireland

Portmarnock Golf Club is the historic championship links north of Dublin, distinct from the nearby resort’s Jameson Golf Links. Choose it for its Irish Open and amateur championship history, with visitor play arranged directly through the club.

Lahinch Golf Club, showing parts of the Old and Castle courses from the ninth tee.
Tim Murphy · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Lahinch: a visitor’s guide

Ireland

Lahinch pairs a historic links with a seaside town in County Clare, making it a strong extra stop for a west-of-Ireland golf holiday. Ryder Cup visitors should add it as a separate stay or excursion, with transport back to Adare planned carefully.

France

Évian-les-Bains across Lake Geneva at night, photographed from Lavaux; the golf course is not shown.
Deralpinbergsteiger · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
THE COURSE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Evian Resort Golf Club visitor guide

France

Evian Resort Golf Club sits above Évian-les-Bains on the French side of Lake Geneva. Stay in Évian for the simplest local base, or compare Thonon, Lausanne and Geneva after calculating the complete golf-day journey.

Evian Championship 2027

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