As a fan of golf, being able to travel halfway around the world to experience a different course can fill you with joy and excitement. Although COVID-19 put a temporary spanner in the works for many of us, planning ahead of the future can give you something to look forward to. With that in mind, we’ve put together four of the best golf courses to add to your bucket list – they’re ideal for both beginners and professionals, so check them out today… 

St Andrews, Scotland

There’s truly no better place for a round of golf than in St Andrews, known as the Home of Golf. The game was invented here back in the fifteenth century, and the rest is history. With ten unique golf courses in St Andrews, both within and on the outskirts of the town, there’s something for everyone to enjoy, whatever your background. From a casual game with your family to a competitive session with friends or strangers, St Andrews links courses offer a truly authentic experience. There are a number of golf shops in St Andrews Scotland if you want to take a souvenir home after your vacation – any excuse for a new set of clubs, right!?

Royal County Down, Northern Ireland

According to Golf Digest, Royal County Down is the world’s best golf course – and it offers some of the most breathtaking views imaginable. Designed by Old Tom Morris and refined by architects more than 100 years later, including Donald Steel, the course offers flat greens and a backdrop of Dundrum Bay and the Mountains of Mourne; ideal for an Instagram selfie.

Augusta National, USA

We’re headed to the USA for our third pick, Augusta National. Over the past decades, the club’s owners have tinkered with the course on perhaps one too many occasions, slowly perfecting the grounds to make it what it is today. It’s now a fixture of the Masters and has most recently enjoyed lengthening and bunkering. The course made Golfweek Magazine’s 2011 list of the best classic courses in the United States, and thanks to its stunning views, it’s certainly one that you need to tick off your list at some point in your life. Even better is that the course offers excellent transport links and provides access to Providence Canyon State Park, Radium Springs Gardens, and the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge – ideal if you’re an adventurer and want to experience the real Georgia after finishing up a session… 

Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand

Designed by Tom Doak, Cape Kidnappers is one of New Zealand’s most renowned courses, challenging golfers of all experience levels. First completed back in 2004, the course is now considered to be one of the great modern marvels of golf, with a truly impressive backdrop that offers sea views and dramatic cliffs. Its composition makes it unlike anything else in the world, and as such, it’s a course atop of many a golfer’s lists – the travel time is worthwhile! 

Which of these courses are you most interested in? Let us know and check back to the Luxury Standard blog soon for more advice on planning fabulous luxurious getaways….