The latest version of GOLF’s “Top 100 Courses in the World” list once again highlights the game’s greatest layouts–both established legends and rising stars. Key to this edition is the fact that while the very top of the list remains steady, the landscape around it shows meaningful changes. As the editors put it: “part constant, part churn.”
Behind the scenes, the process is rooted in an international panel of 126 expert raters. These panelists bring a variety of criteria–from design integrity and shot-making demands to visual appeal and environmental setting. The result: the list reflects not just memorability, but also a balance of playability, aesthetics, and golf architecture. For fans of the game, it is both a checklist and a global travel map, full of aspirational plays.
Out With the Old, In With the New
One of the most reassuring constants: the very top of the list remains anchored by the familiar. Pine Valley Golf Club continues to hold the No. 1 spot in the world rankings. Yet, the field beneath is shifting. For example, in the U.S., the number of eligible courses dropped slightly: 48 U.S. courses made the list this time, down from 49 in the prior edition.
Childress Hall (Upper), a remote, sand-dune-laden design in the Texas Panhandle, is one of the newcomers (No. 73). Built in 2025 on naturally rolling, sandy land, the course showcases a stripped-down architectural style that embraces the terrain rather than fighting it. Its entrance into the Top 100 marks a significant moment for Texas golf. Historically dominated by parkland and target-style layouts, the state now boasts a true minimalist, links-inspired venue that rivals some of the best terrain-driven designs in the world.
A notable omission from this year’s Top 100 is Gamble Sands, which was clinging to the final spot at No. 100 in the previous edition. This year, it fell completely out of the rankings. While the course remains a favorite among players for its wide fairways, fun-factor design, and dramatic views over the Columbia River, the panel’s voting reflects how competitive the modern landscape has become.
Biggest Risers and Fallers in the New Top 100
The newest Top 100 list delivered some of the most dramatic ranking swings in years, with several courses making major climbs while others took surprising drops.
Top Risers
These courses have had the largest upward moves on the 2025-26 list:
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Shanqin Bay (+31)
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Lofoten Links (+22)
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Sand Valley (+20)
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New South Wales (+18)
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St. George’s Hill (A & B) (+14)
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Bandon Trails (+14)
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Royal Troon (+13)
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Royal Melbourne (+10)
Biggest Drops
A number of notable venues slid significantly in the new rankings:
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Cabot Cape Breton (Cabot Cliffs) (-26)
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Ohoopee Match Club (-18)
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Rye (Old) (-18)
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Cabot Cape Breton (Cabot Links) (-17)
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Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin) (-16)
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Rock Creek Cattle Company (-15)
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Ballyneal (-12)
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Winged Foot (East) (-11)
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Cape Kidnappers (-10)
The Top 50
Here’s a look at the Top 50 on the list for 2025-26:
| 1 | Pine Valley | Pine Valley, NJ | 1918 | ||
| 2 | Cypress Point | Pebble Beach, CA | 1928 | ||
| 3 | St. Andrews (Old Course) | St. Andrews, Scotland | 1400 | ||
| 4 | Royal County Down | Newcastle, Northern Ireland | 1889 | ||
| 5 | Shinnecock Hills | Southampton, NY | 1931 | ||
| 6 | National Golf Links of America | Southampton, NY | 1911 | ||
| 7 | Royal Melbourne (West) | Black Rock, Victoria, Australia | 1931 | ||
| 8 | Augusta National | Augusta, GA | 1933 | ||
| 9 | Oakmont | Oakmont, PA | 1903 | ||
| 10 | Sand Hills | Mullen, NE | 1995 | ||
| 11 | Muirfield | Gullane, Scotland | 1891 | ||
| 12 | Royal Dornoch | Dornoch, Scotland | 1886 | ||
| 13 | Merion (East) | Ardmore, PA | 1912 | ||
| 14 | Royal Portrush (Dunluce) | Portrush, Northern Ireland | 1929 | ||
| 15 | Pebble Beach | Pebble Beach, CA | 1919 | ||
| 16 | Fishers Island | Fishers Island, NY | 1926 | ||
| 17 | Chicago | Wheaton, IL | 1895 | ||
| 18 | Trump Turnberry (Ailsa) | Turnberry, Scotland | 1946 | ||
| 19 | Tara Iti | Te Arai, New Zealand | 2015 | ||
| 20 | Pinehurst No. 2 | Pinehurst, NC | 1907 |
| 21 | Los Angeles (North) | Los Angeles, CA | 1927 | ||
| 22 | Sunningdale (Old) | Sunningdale, England | 1922 | ||
| 23 | Friar’s Head | Riverhead, NY | 2003 | ||
| 24 | Kingston Heath | Cheltenham, Australia | 1928 | ||
| 25 | North Berwick (West) | North Berwick, Scotland | 1895 | ||
| 26 | Riviera | Pacific Palisades, CA | 1927 | ||
| 27 | Prairie Dunes | Hutchinson, KS | 1937 | ||
| 28 | Hirono | Miki-Chi, Japan | 1932 | ||
| 29 | Ballybunion (Old) | Ballybunion, Ireland | 1936 | ||
| 30 | Royal St. George’s | Sandwich, England | 1922 | ||
| 31 | Crystal Downs | Frankfort, MI | 1932 | ||
| 32 | Seminole | Juno Beach, FL | 1929 | ||
| 33 | Winged Foot (West) | Mamaroneck, NY | 1923 | ||
| 34 | Lahinch (Old) | Lahinch, Ireland | 1927 | ||
| 35 | Pacific Dunes | Bandon, OR | 2001 | ||
| 36 | Oakland Hills (South) | Bloomfield Hills, MI | 1917 | ||
| 37 | The Country Club (Clyde/Squirrel) | Brookline, MA | 1899 | ||
| 38 | Morfontaine | Morfontaine, France | 1927 | ||
| 39 | Carnoustie (Championship) | Carnoustie, Scotland | 1842 | ||
| 40 | San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 1918 |
| 41 | Barnbougle Dunes | Bridport, Australia | 2004 | ||
| 42 | Royal Birkdale | Southport, England | 1932 | ||
| 43 | Southern Hills | Tulsa, OK | 1936 | ||
| 44 | St. Patrick’s Links | Rosapenna, Ireland | 2021 | ||
| 45 | California Golf Club of San Francisco | South San Francisco, CA | 1926 | ||
| 46 | New South Wales | La Perouse, Australia | 1928 | ||
| 47 | Shoreacres | Lake Bluff, IL | 1921 | ||
| 48 | Sand Valley (The Lido) | Rome, WI | 2023 | ||
| 49 | Maidstone | East Hampton, NY | 1922 | ||
| 50 | Swinley Forest | South Ascot, England | 1910 |
Where the Best Courses Live
If you love travel and golf, the geographic distribution of the list is as interesting as the rankings themselves. According to GOLF’s breakdown, the 2025-26 list covers 16 different countries and 20 U.S. states.
In the U.K. & Ireland, for example, links golf remains strong, and courses there have distinctive character that resonates with the panelists. Across the globe, from Australia to New Zealand, new landscapes are making their mark. For the golf-obsessed traveler, the list doubles as a “bucket list” of venues: courses you can play tomorrow, and others you may need to plan years ahead.
That playability factor is key: of the 100 listed layouts, more than half are open to outside play. That means these aren’t just remote, un-achievable clubs. They’re real tee times, real experiences awaiting golfers willing to travel.
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