Golf World Top 100: Best Golf Courses for £60 and Under in Great Britain and Ireland

Shiskine Golf Club is among the best golf courses you can play for £60 and under in Great Britain and Ireland.

What are the best golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland that you can play for £60 and under? The Golf World Top 100 panel ranks the most affordable layouts that won’t break the bank.

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Welcome to the Golf World Top 100 Courses for £60 and Under.

We think every Golf World Top 100 ranking we compile is important and, rest assured, we unfailingly put an enormous amount of effort into presenting what we believe are the best golf courses and resorts in whichever continent or country we have chosen to focus on that month.

But this one feels like one of the most important golf courses ranking we have ever compiled. It certainly feels like one of the most relevant, if not the most relevant.

What is the Golf World Top 100?

The fact is, our biennial Golf World Top 100 Courses in Great Britain and Ireland ranking is handsome, alluring escapism – but it’s packed with courses that cost the sort of green fee many would simply not pay to play there.

RELATED: Why are green fees so high?

In contrast, the average fee to play the 100 golf courses in this list is £43. Still not exactly loose change, but vastly more affordable and very tempting if you are ever in the vague proximity of any of those on our list.

Two bits of good news: firstly, there are (by happy coincidence, not design, because the list was compiled entirely on merit) courses dotted all over the country, so there is at least one fairly near you. And secondly, we have absolutely no doubt about the quality of a single one of them. Yes, they are significantly cheaper than most of our usual Top 100 entrants, but the standard has not been compromised – which is testament to the depth of golf in Great Britain and Ireland.

As we always have, we welcome your feedback on all of our rankings and know that everyone will have an opinion on their favourite's position. We'd love to hear from you via email, on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

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How we chose the best golf courses you can play for under £60

Initially our process was nothing more exciting than establishing which courses in our English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish Top 100s were eligible. Once those were collated, we then factored in the courses that just missed out on their respective rankings.

England’s genuinely staggering strength in depth was a huge help in maintaining real quality all the way down the list, and it was pleasing to include some courses that had been very unfortunate not to be included in the extraordinarily competitive English Top 100 we released earlier this year.

RELATED: The Top 100 Golf Courses in England

The criteria for our best courses you can play for under £60 ranking

A course had to be available for £60 or under on at least two days of the week, without the use of a discount card or a time condition such as twilight deals. We have telephoned every entry on our list to make sure we have the details correct, but there is still a slight element of “I hope we were given the correct information!”

The result of our efforts is a wonderfully eclectic mix of courses. Other than desert golf, I can’t think of a style or character of course that isn’t represented on the list. There are traditional clubs and modern clubs, there are members’ clubs and resorts, there are nine-holers, 12-holers and 18-holers.

RELATED: The best golf resorts in Europe

The common link is a guarantee of quality and a feeling you are getting value for your green fee. Playing all 100 would cost you the same as playing one round at any six of our GB&I top 10.

Those £375 rounds have their place, but the 100 courses in this list that are available for an average of £43 certainly have theirs.

I hope you enjoy what I hope will be an enlightening read and one which brings plenty of new names to your attention. Trust me, they are all brilliant courses worthy of your time – and your green fee.

Chris Bertram, Golf World Top 100 Editor

THINK YOU SHOULD BE ON THE PANEL? Get in touch with us, here

The stats behind the Golf World Top 100 Under £60 

If you teed it up at all 100 courses here it will set you back £4,334, giving an overall average green fee rate of £43.34, based on the cheapest available green fee at each club.

The cheapest course, comfortably, is the nine-hole links of Covesea – outrageous value at just a tenner. 

In the other home nations, the most inexpensive courses were: England – Cleeve Hill (from £15) and Gloucestershire neighbour Painswick (£20); Wales – Welshpool (£20); Ireland – Cruit Island (£30).

The most expensive set of 10 courses is somewhat surprisingly the 41-50 bracket (£471.50), while the cheapest, less surprisingly, is the 91-100 group (£353).

RELATED: Golf World Top 100 Links Courses in Britain and Ireland

Which country has the most courses in the ranking?

The 100 golf courses were divided between the four countries of the British Isles like this: England (46), Scotland (32), Wales (17) and Ireland (5). 

Given the total number of courses in each country, that is a big success for Wales proportionally, which has around 150 courses in total. Ireland has relatively few entries, and we were surprised that so few of the entries
in the No.30-60 bracket in our Irish Top 100 were eligible.

The average green fee per country was remarkably similar: England £43.27; Scotland £44.94; Wales £42.59; Ireland £40.60.

RELATED: Golf World's Top 100 Resorts in the UK and Ireland

What are the best golf courses I can play for under £40?

 If your green fee budget maxes out at £40, don’t fret – there are still 27 for you to get stuck into.

England: Kington, Cavendish, Cleeve Hill, Painswick, Bude & North Cornwall, Appleby, Hartlepool, Reddish Vale, Thetford, Newquay, Mullion, Dunstanburgh Castle, South Staffs and Bingley St Ives. Scotland: Shiskine, Dunaverty, Durness, Stranraer, Covesea, Wigtownshire County. 

Wales: Tenby, Cardigan, Welshpool, Llandrindod Wells, Maesdu. 

Ireland: Carlow and Cruit Island.

RELATED: This is contintental Europe's best golf course

The best golf courses you can play for under £60: 100-76

100 Bingley St Ives

Bingley, West Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £33 weekdays, £37 weekends

Former European Tour host – Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino played it, would you believe! – this is three courses in one: a parkland, a woodland and, best of all, a wonderful moorland-heathland phase.

99 Maesdu

Llandudno, Conwy, Wales

Play it for: £35 Sunday-Thursday

Super mix of parkland and links holes by James Braid, with subtle contoured greens. Sits on the edge of the Victorian resort and enjoys views across Conwy Bay.

98 South Staffs

Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England

Play it for: from £35 weekdays

A classy parkland laid out by Harry Vardon and developed by Harry Colt, James Braid, Fred Hawtree and Donald Steel. Has tree-lined fairways and small greens.

97 Cawder (Championship)

Bishopbriggs, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Play it for: £45 weekdays

Cawder, founded in 1933, is home to two James Braid designs. The Championship course’s lush fairways are lined by mature trees and punctuated by water features.

96 Minchinhampton (Old)

Stroud, Gloucestershire, England

Play it for: £28 weekdays, £30 weekends

Golf as it was in the 19th Century. Rustic, natural, lie-of-the land course with free- roaming cows, horses and sheep for company. Like fellow Gloucestershire courses Cleeve Hill and Painswick, it’s definitely not to everyone’s taste, but it’s a course we couldn’t tire of playing.

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95 Dunstanburgh Castle 

Alnwick, Northumberland, England

Play it for: £30 weekdays

Sitting on breathtaking coastline, the highlights of this James Braid links include teeing off on top of a giant dune at the par-4 6th, and the tiny par-3 13th, backdropped by the eerie ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle.

94 Duddingston

Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Play it for: £40 weekdays

Shaped by Willie Park, this old-fashioned course is not overly long but you’ve got to drive well with the Braid Burn meandering into play frequently. Close to the centre of Edinburgh, with views of Holyrood Park and extinct volcano Arthur’s Seat.

93 Mullion

Helston, Cornwall, England

Play it for: £35 all week

England’s most southerly course has been around for over 125 years and is plotted on the cliffs of the Lizard Peninsula and framed by sandy coves and protected reed beds. It has few peers in terms of scenery and setting in the whole of England.

92 Epsom

Epsom, Surrey, England

Play it for: £35 all week

A proper downland course with a distinct chalky character. Lie of the land, hugely sloping greens and no bunkers, except by the 18th green, the only tiny part of the course that the club own – the rest is on common land. Given its location in well-heeled Surrey, this is sensational value.

91 Newburgh-on-Ythan

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Play it for: £40 weekdays

Relatively unheralded links on the Ythan Estuary overlooks the North Sea and sands of Forvie National Nature Reserve. Nine holes date back to 1888 and nine to just 1996, giving an old-new feeling to the round.

90 Great Yarmouth & Caister

Yarmouth, Norfolk, England

Play it for: £40 weekdays, £50 weekends

This historic East Anglian links is full of surprises as it weaves in and out of the seaside town’s racecourse. Founded in 1882, it was originally laid out by Tom Dunn and is the oldest course in Norfolk.

RELATED: What is the best course in Norfolk?

89 Old Fold Manor 

Barnet, Hertfordshire, England

Play it for: £45 weekdays, £55 weekends

Intriguing, century-old Harry Colt layout on a gently undulating sand and gravel site, so it’s fast-draining and playable year-round. It offers a heathland-style experience and hosted Regional Open Qualifying.

88 Teignmouth

Totnes, Devon, England

Play it for: £45 weekdays, £55 weekends

Alister MacKenzie created this wonderful moorland layout nearly a decade before he delivered Augusta National. Plotted close to the coast, 800ft above sea level, it features 11 two-tier greens.

87 Buckpool

Buckie, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £40 all week

This seaside course was the scene of Paul Lawrie’s first professional win, in 1986. These JH Taylor links have terrific par 3s and fine views – those from the 12th are epic.

86 Bovey Castle

Moretonhampstead, Devon, England

Play it for: £59 weekdays

A 1926 design by J.F. Abercromby – one of the great British architects – with some characteristically distinctive holes, including some wonderful par 3s.

85 East Renfrewshire

Newton Mearns, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Play it for: £60 weekdays 

Founded in 1922, its undulating fairways and elevated tees were created by James Braid. Plateau greens and a burn, plus some trees that have grown since Braid’s day, make it an enjoyable moorland test.

84 The Vale (National)

Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Play it for: £50 all week

Has a daunting yardage off the tips but other tees are available and this top-25 Wales course isn’t all about big hitting. The grand National features some marvellous par 3s and a classic driveable, risk-reward short par 4. Opened in 2003, this Peter Johnson design has plenty of water features and thrill-a-minute holes. Woodland-parkland course is in terrific condition too.

83 Church Stretton

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England

Play it for: £30 weekdays, £40 weekends 

One of the most unusual and most scenic courses in the UK. At 1,230ft above sea level, it’s the third-highest course in Britain and starts with a trio of par 3s. This James Braid design is quirky, fun and scenic – as you can see by the image on the left.

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82 Langland Bay  

Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales

Play it for: £50 weekdays

Perched on cliffs above the sands of Gower, this James Braid design is all about the views, which have led to comparisons with Pebble Beach. Now in the top half of our Wales Top 50 ranking, Langland Bay will appeal hugely to those who love a view – few in Britain boast a better location.

81 East Sussex National (East)

Uckfield, Sussex, England

Play it for: £55 weekdays

The European Open was twice contested at East Sussex National in the early 1990s, with superstars such as Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Ernie Els taking part. A real test of long irons and putting – the greens are slick on the Bob Cupp-designed East.

80 Kilmacolm

Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Play it for: £45 weekdays

This is a course with tonnes of pedigree. Founded in 1891, it’s a moorland populated by heather, whins, bracken and fir trees; a course glowingly described as ‘a miniature Gleneagles’. Has been a Scottish Top 100 entry on several occasions.

79 Craigielaw

Longniddry, East Lothian, Scotland

Play it for: From £49

A modern championship test, opened in 2001, this is a ‘big links’ with sloping greens and deep bunkers. Expect firm, fast greens on a 6,600-yard course that sits on rolling linksland without the larger dunes seen elsewhere on ‘Scotland’s Golf Coast’.

78 Wigtownshire County

Glenluce, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Play it for: £33 weekdays

Simple, straightforward, easy-walking links golf at an unheralded venue. Pair this unassuming Galloway seaside course with nearby Portpatrick and Stranraer for a high-class, low-cost trip of superb value.

77 Pitlochry

Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland

Play it for: £55 all week

Enjoy truly breathtaking views of the Tummel Valley as you play these charming 5,700 yards and savour putting on the fun, undulating greens. The scenery at this Scottish Top 100 course is epic.

76 Llandrindod Wells

Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales

Play it for: £32 weekdays

Harry Vardon and James Braid design that boasts a diverse set of holes incorporating ridges, humps, hollows and cool features.

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The best golf courses you can play for under £60: 75-51

75 Portpatrick (Dunskey)

Portpatrick, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Play it for: £40 weekdays

Perched on cliffs looking to Ireland but with moorland, links and heathland character. Lacks a touch of consistency, but some truly sensational holes and scenes here.

74 Borth & Ynyslas

Borth, Ceredigion, Wales

Play it for: £50 weekdays

Links golf in the raw; authentic, quirky and easy to love. Harry Colt design is not in absolutely pristine nick, but great fun.

73 Royal Dornoch (Struie)

Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland

Play it for: £50 weekdays

Dornoch’s second course is a playable 6,256 yards and has a good mix of holes, notably the newer ones by the burn, restored to their winding nature by Robin Hiseman.

72 Windermere

Kendal, Cumbria, England

Play it for: £40 weekdays, £45 weekends

It is as beautiful as you’d expect from a course at the heart of the Lake District and a World Heritage Site – but it is about a lot more than just being picturesque. This is a bunkerless moorland course with bags of personality. Narrow fairways, heather and bracken are the natural hazards.

71 Ilkley

Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £55 weekdays

Home of Yorkshire’s third-oldest club – and Colin Montgomerie. The course is a gently undulating, winding affair with the famous Moor the backdrop, making it one of England’s most scenic inland courses. The River Wharfe lurks on the first seven holes.

70 Auchterarder

Perth, Perthshire, Scotland

Play it for: £50 Monday-Thursday

Easy-walking parkland is under 6,000 yards and has a good variety of holes and six fine par 3s. Gorgeous views towards Glen Devon and the Ochil Hills and you can use the money you save playing here to put towards a round at neighbouring Gleneagles.

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69 West Cornwall

St Ives, Cornwall, England

Play it for: £40-£45 weekdays

If you enjoy fun links, this is for you; the blind shots, the rumpled fairways, the lie-of-the-land feel to one of England’s most natural links. It is packed in tightly and in busier times that compromises the enjoyment, so play early or late for the best West Cornwall experience... which is great.

68 Powfoot

Annan, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Play it for: £45 weekdays

Opened in 1903, Powfoot was redesigned by James Braid in 1923 and has plenty of first-rate links holes – the par-5 2nd, ‘Fish House’, and the 3rd, ‘Shore’ are an excellent start. Only a solid but unspectacular parkland phase stops it being higher – but do not let that put you off; it’s really good.

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67 Thurlestone

Kingsbridge, Devon, England

Play it for: £60 weekdays

Peter Alliss once described this links-clifftop hybrid as being “reminiscent of Pebble Beach”. It is a mix of genuine links holes and clifftop terrain – so is one that will especially appeal to thrill seekers and lovers of views.

66 Covesea

Elgin, Inverness-shire, Scotland

Play it for: £10 all week

Britain’s best bargain? How can this be beaten? Hidden away on the Moray Firth between Lossiemouth and Hopeman you’ll discover a coastal nine-holer you’ll want to play again and again. Only nine holes, but all perfectly formed. Beautiful views while navigating some crazy terrain. For a tenner.

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65 Welshpool

Welshpool, Powys, Wales

Play it for: £20 weekdays, £25 weekends

No bunkers, but it doesn’t need them because James Braid worked the hilly land so expertly. Quirky. Characterful. Intriguing.

64 Cardigan

Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales

Play it for: £38 weekdays, £47 weekends

Moves seamlessly through different phases – mainly links but also moorland and even meadowland – but throughout, the common themes are fantastic turf, terrific holes and wonderful views of Cardigan Bay.

63 Yelverton

Plymouth, Devon, England

Play it for: £40 weekdays, £45 weekends

A Herbert Fowler-designed moorland that is stretched across common land on the edge of the wild beauty of Dartmoor. Fowler cleverly integrated some of the old mine workings as hazards and it exudes charm and character.

62 Machynys Peninsula

Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Play it for: £50 Monday-Thursday

Machynys Peninsula, or Monk’s Island, is a Nicklaus Design course built just after the turn of the new Millennium. It is big, bold and full of notable ‘Nicklaus’ touches. Plenty of sea views and water hazards to avoid, it is one of the finest courses to be built in Britain in the past 50 years.

61 Littlehampton

Worthing, West Sussex, England

Play it for: £45 weekdays, £55 weekends

Dates back to 1889 and has been refined by JH Taylor and Fred Hawtree. This West Sussex links is laid out next to the West Beach and is a contender for our super-competitive English Top 100. Bunkers and ‘rife’ – the local name for a drainage ditch – give bite to a high-class seaside course.

60 Newquay

Newquay, Cornwall, England

Play it for: £36 weekdays, £46 weekends

Found on a small square piece of land, which is a little hemmed in by holiday apartments, but you get stunning sea views all the way round and there are loads of fun holes. This Harry Colt redesign overlooks the seaside town’s famous Fistral Beach and you get to enjoy an excellent set of greens.

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59 Stonehaven

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Play it for: £46 weekdays

Enjoys a wonderful clifftop setting and benefited from the nous of James Braid and Archie Simpson. Holes travel over ravines and cliffs in predictably entertaining fashion. Thrill-a-minute 2021 Scottish Top 100 entry.

58 Glenbervie

Falkirk, Central Scotland, Scotland

Play it for: From £42 online

A James Braid parkland with gorgeous Ochil Hills views, a splendid variety of holes and wonderful presentation.

57 Hartlepool

Hartlepool,  Durham, England

Play it for: £38 weekdays, £45 weekends

A splendid variety of holes with arguably the pick arriving in the middle of the back nine. A fine James Braid and Willie Park links which, although it lacks a little in the way of consistency, is another seriously good North East England links.

56 Macreddin

Macreddin Village, Wicklow, Ireland

Play it for: €40 weekdays, €50 weekends

Paul McGinley’s first design, among mature pines and in between a meandering stream, is a smash hit. Add in clever green complexes and brilliant framing of the holes and Macreddin should definitely be on your agenda for a golf break in Dublin.

55 East Sussex National (West)

Uckfield, East Sussex, England

Play it for: £55 weekdays

We find it hard to split East Sussex National’s courses but just give the edge to the West, which was originally the members’ course at this resort. The West is probably more pleasing on the eye as it meanders through ancient oak trees, alongside quiet pools, and rippling streams. High-end course at a really good price.

54 North Wales

Llandudno, Conwy, Wales

Play it for: From £43 weekdays

Super seaside experience on the West Shore in Llandudno with enough clever design touches to ensure it is strong enough to have hosted the Welsh Team Championships in 1995. So, it’s a fine mix of enjoyment, flattery and challenge.

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53 Thetford

Thetford, Norfolk, England

Play it for: From £35-£50 weekdays

First-rate Norfolk heathland that is often underrated. Thetford is a James Braid design that winds through the pine, oak and birch of Breckland Forest and between gorse, broom and heather – but the playing corridors are wide enough to make it playable and thus a real delight.

It sits just outside our English Top 100 currently, but that only serves to illustrates the incredible strength in depth in the country. Make no mistake, it’s a class act.

52 Abersoch

Abersoch, Caernarfonshire, Wales

Play it for: £47.50 weekdays

A Harry Vardon design that is a really fun links; playable, scenic seaside golf with a nice mix of links and inland holes.

51 York

Strensall, North Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £50 weekdays

Woodland-heathland hybrid laid out by JH Taylor in 1904, York has been revitalised by a sympathetic renovation by Jonathan Gaunt. Mixes stellar two-shot holes with some fine par 3s, the common theme being first-class conditioning on firm fairways.

The best golf courses you can play for under £60: 50-26

50 The Northumberland

Newcastle, Northumberland, England

Play it for: £60 weekdays

Pedigree parkland by Harry Colt and James Braid that ought to be better known. Classy, quirky and in terrific condition, it is entwined with Newcastle Racecourse and has staged Regional Open Qualifying.

49 Reddish Vale

Manchester, Lancashire, England

Play it for: £30 weekdays

It is its Alister MacKenzie heritage that lures you to Reddish Vale – and the great man doesn’t disappoint. The surroundings and presentation aren’t as immaculate as swish Alwoodley or Cypress Point, but his ability to serve up consistently interesting holes remains exactly the same here as at those more prestigious venues.

48 Gullane (No.3)

Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland

Play it for: £49 weekdays

No.3 followed No.1 (1884) and No.2 (1898) when it was laid out by Willie Park in 1910 and it’s undoubtedly the least well known of the club’s trio. And yet... some might enjoy it the most of the three. Yes, really. It shares the same springy turf as its sisters, some of the best views across Aberlady Bay and some cool green complexes.

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47 Reigate Heath

Reigate, Surrey, England

Play it for: £45 weekdays

Peter Alliss once described this magical nine-hole heathland as a “little gem”. Heather, firm turf, astute bunkering, fabulous green complexes… is it any wonder its nine holes got it within our top 50? Even design connoisseurs who are usually extraordinarily hard to please adore it.

46 Rolls of Monmouth 

The Hendre, Monmouthshire, Wales

Play it for: £43 weekdays

An unknown designer made a fine job of laying out this grand course – which is in our Wales top 20 – among mature trees, water features and large rolling greens.

45 Grantown-on-Spey

Aviemore, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £45 all week

It isn’t all about location… but, sitting in the majestic Cairngorms National Park, there’s no doubt that its surroundings do play a starring role in its appeal. This heather-lined course was laid out by Willie Park (initially as nine holes) with later input from James Braid. It’s not long, but clever, cute and guaranteed to charm.

44 St Andrews (Eden)

St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Play it for: £55 all week

The quintessential simple Scottish links, the Eden is playable, really well-maintained and has that St Andrews vibe. This Harry Colt design has similarly clever bunkering, undulating greens and the same feeling of minimalist class of the neighbouring Old Course.

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43 Edzell

Brechin, Angus, Scotland

Play it for: £60 weekdays

The Old course is a charming heathland/parkland which has been sympathetically upgraded by Martin Ebert. It sits within 128 acres in the foothills of the Angus Glens at the gateway to the Grampians.

42 Weston-Super-Mare

Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England

Play it for: £40 weekdays, £50 weekends

A wonderful traditional links by Alister MacKenzie with a strong combination of holes, not least the exacting par-4 15th – modelled on the ‘Road Hole’, the 17th at St Andrews. It is the stand-out and the start of a tough finishing stretch.

41 Stranraer

Stranraer, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Play it for: £35 weekdays

Set down on the shores of Loch Ryan by James Braid in what is the icon’s last design, this 6,308-yard parkland is now gaining the attention it warrants. It sits on gently undulating ground with views over the loch to Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran and is predictably well routed by Braid to take advantage of the surrounding scenery.

The 5th is rightly renowned and the back nine seems to get stronger with every hole. With Powfoot, Wigtownshire County and Portpatrick also in this ranking, Dumfries & Galloway has one of the best cost-to-quality ratios in the UK.

40 Cruit Island

Kincasslagh, Donegal, Ireland

Play it for: €35 all week

Only nine holes at this remote links, but they are all that is required to get Cruit (pronounced Critch) into the top 40 of our Ireland Top 100 and now look where it is in a GB&I context. Scenic, eccentric, distinctive and breathtaking. The secret is out.

39 Carlow

Carlow, Co. Carlow, Ireland

Play it for: €40 Monday-Thursday

Winds between mature trees, this seasoned parkland boasts a fine mix of holes – playing to elevated greens, around dog-legs and alongside water features.

38 Cleveland

Redcar, North Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £38 weekdays

It is the oldest course in Yorkshire – founded back in 1887 – and Cleveland is protected by a collection of strategically-placed bunkers. A very serious contender for our highly competitive English Top 100, this north-east links is the real deal.

37 Tadmarton Heath

Tadmarton, Oxfordshire, England

Play it for: £40

Dates back to 1922 when well-known amateur golfer Cecil Hutchison routed this course to the north of Oxford. Its ‘heath’ character stems from sandy soil, gorse and springy turf that runs fast in the summer and drains well in winter.

36 Durness

Balnakeil, Sutherland, Scotland

Play it for: £25 a day

Durness made a huge splash in our 2021 Scottish Top 100, with its breathtaking location being the principal but not sole reason. The course is good in itself but, yes, the setting is epic. Challenges your ability and captures your imagination.

35 Appleby

Penrith, Cumbria, England

Play it for: £25 Monday-Saturday

We are willing to bet this position surprises many of you – but we have absolutely no doubt that this moorland by Willie Fernie deserves this slot... at least. It has a natural feel, enjoyable remoteness, fabulous views and distinctive holes. Added together, they make this a real find in Cumbria.

34 Porthmadog  

Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Wales

Play it for: £40 weekdays

A James Braid hybrid course with a heathland-parkland front nine, then a back nine that is an intoxicating mixture of dunes, wild grasses and gorse.

33 The Hallamshire

Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £59 Monday & Tuesday

A pedigree heathland by Harry Colt, who produced a typically artful piece of architecture here in Sheffield. Heather and gorse ‘decorate’ many holes and you’ll struggle to find better inland greens than The Hallamshire’s classy set. Matt Fitzpatrick’s home course and a contender for our England Top 100.

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32 Bull Bay

Amlwch, Gwynedd, Wales

Play it for: £45 Mon-Thu, £30 Fri & Sun, £50 Sat

Herbert Fowler might be famous for his work on heathlands but we also really rate this undulating clifftop course on Anglesey. You can expect interesting holes routed through valleys and between rocky outcrops and gorse.

31 Sutton Coldfield

Birmingham, West Midlands, England

Play it for: £60 weekdays

This is an Alister MacKenzie redesign on terrific heathland that offers a lovely combination of challenging and forgiving holes – with a chance to take advantage of three consecutive par 5s – from the 5th to the 7th. Might not be a name that’s well known to you, but be assured this is a class course.

30 Nefyn

Pwllheli, Gwynedd, Wales

Play it for: £53 Sunday-Thursday

One of the most spectacular courses in not just Wales, or indeed Britain, but all of Europe. Fairways, tees and greens perch on the edge of cliffs to produce a memorable experience, even if it is not one for the design purists. Credit to the club for not over-pricing what is a bucket-list course.

29 Duff House Royal

Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Play it for: £50 weekdays

This Alister MacKenzie design sits in the coastal Aberdeenshire town of Banff, but Duff House is actually a relatively flat parkland rather than a links. Lots of strategic bunkering and several large, two-tiered and double greens. The River Deveron

comes into play on several holes.

28 Crowborough Beacon

Crowborough, East Sussex, England

Play it for: £60 weekdays

This frequent England Top 100 course is a charming yet sufficiently challenging Alister MacKenzie-designed heathland perched 800ft above sea level. Many fairways are lined by heather and there are delightful views – not least from the 1st tee.

27 Bude & North Cornwall

Launceston, Cornwall, England

Play it for: £35 weekdays

Runs through the centre of the popular seaside spot and don’t underestimate the joy of the St Andrews-like atmosphere of playing within the town itself. You’ll relish hitting crisp iron shots from tight lies on firm, fast-running fairways that lead to a set of tricky, speedy greens. So good that it was a very, very close contender for our English Top 100 released earlier this year.

26 Thorpeness

Leiston, Suffolk, England

Play it for: from £40

A wonderful James Braid heathland close to the coast in this quaint, quiet corner of Suffolk. It winds through silver birch, pine trees, gorse and heather and incorporates a fantastic variety of holes… as well as a superb set of greens. Quietly excellent.

The best golf courses you can play for under £60: 25-11

Click on the course name to read Top 100 editor Chris Bertram's full review

25 West Kilbride

Seamill, Ayrshire, Scotland

Play it for: £55 weekdays

Laid out by Old Tom Morris, it gets steadily better as the round goes on. It is short but the turf is true Scottish links and the smell is of the sea; it is the way golf was meant to be. Now in the middle of our Scotland Top 100 list, its relatively slow start costs it a few places – but this is assuredly a top links.

24 Tenby

Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Play it for: From £30 weekdays

A terrific natural links in beautiful Pembrokeshire that runs firm and fast in summer. Tenby has some wonderful holes, such as the 3rd which is played to a plateau green, or the next, played to a punchbowl green. A high-calibre traditional links.

RELATED: What is this year's best wedge?

23 Isle of Purbeck

Swanage, Dorset, England

Play it for: £55 Mon-Thur, £60 Fri & Sun

Isle of Purbeck is hard to characterise; a ‘moorland on cliffs’ is our best attempt. A long-time English Top 100 entry, it was established in 1892 and sits in a nature reserve that is home to rare birds and plants and was once owned by the writer Enid Blyton. If it was in our full GB&I list, no-one who has been here would be amazed – it’s that good. And certainly its setting is bettered by few. Purbeck is seriously good.

22 Painswick

Stroud, Gloucestershire, England

Play it for: £20 weekdays, £25 weekends

One of the most interesting courses in England, laid out along a narrow ridge. Some will find it a little too much, but we think most will be endlessly entertained by the green complexes and a routing that crosses itself on more than one occasion. And the £20 green fee is astonishing.

21 Berkhamsted

Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England

Play it for: £60 Monday & Tuesday

Proof that bunkerless courses certainly do not lack for interest. Gorse, heather and trees frame the fairways, but the defining feature is actually its topography, which features humps and hollows that give Berkhamsted’s holes such character. Host of one of the amateur game’s top events, its location in south-east England, means it arguably offers this Top 100’s best value. That it is eligible for the list embarrasses hundreds of inferior courses that cost more.

20 Cleeve Hill

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England

Play it for: £20 weekdays

This Top 100 England course was designed by Old Tom Morris and later adapted by Alister MacKenzie. Thanks to its dramatic 1,083ft elevation, it provides stunning views over Cheltenham and towards the Black Mountains in Wales.

If fun, entertainment and an almost bewildering experience appeal to you, start planning your trip to Gloucestershire.

19 Scotscraig

Tayport, Fife, Scotland

Play it for: £50 weekdays

A regular final qualifying course for The Open, this is the 13th oldest club in the world. It’s laid out on sandy, linksy turf and guarded by proper pot bunkers and gorse, but there is also a heathland feel by virtue of the trees and heather. A serious challenge.

18 Royal Co Down (Annesley)

Newcastle, Co Down, Northern Ireland

Play it for: £45 weekdays

The Annesley – which weaves through Royal County Down’s championship course – has been enhanced by three completely new Martin Ebert holes. These take the layout as close to the sea as any of RCD’s 36 holes and the views from all three are magnificent.

17 Crail (Balcomie)

Crail, Fife, Scotland

Play it for: £60 weekdays

Fabulous scenery from its clifftop fairways. The Balcomie offers something a little different from the pure links elsewhere in Fife. Terrific fun and if it was 10 places higher it would not look out of place.

16 Lanark

Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Play it for: £60 weekdays

One of Scotland’s great inland courses, with a wonderful variety of holes and some world-class green complexes. Moorland in nature, expect firm surfaces all year round. Ought to be better known, as we are suggesting with this slot above some big names.

RELATED: How good is Scotland's newest links course

15 Askernish

South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Play it for £40 all week

An Old Tom Morris original that has been brought back to life by a group of enthusiasts including Martin Ebert, this is as raw a links experiences as you can find.

Some feel it is a little too raw in fact, but others will love it. Its position at 15 suggests we are largely in the latter camp.

14 Royal Portrush (Valley)

Portrush, Antrim, Northern Ireland

Play it for: £60 weekdays

Martin Ebert’s work on this Harry Colt original – while he created the new holes for Portrush’s Dunluce to host The Open – has improved the Valley. That’s despite the Valley losing two of its feted holes to the Dunluce in the process. Sits among its own wonderful sand hills and offers a fabulous mix of exacting and charming holes.

RELATED: Ireland's best inland course

13 Dunaverty

Southend, Argyll, Scotland

Play it for: £35 weekdays

Has enjoyed a significant rise in our recent Scottish Top 100s as a result of its views from the holes on higher ground and next to the beach, in addition to holes such as the blind, short 4th to a dell green. In short: don’t go to play the two courses at Machrihanish without playing this too.

12 Seaton Carew

Hartlepool, Durham, England

Play it for: £60 weekdays

This Brabazon Trophy host is the 10th oldest golf club in England and is a quality links with firm fescue turf and a lot of high-quality holes after a relatively modest opening. Just a seriously classy links.

11 Seascale

Seascale, Cumbria, England

Play it for: £45 weekdays

Views of the Isle of Man, Scotland and the mountains of the Lake District give Seascale a delightful setting, but it is the funky terrain, the cute greens, astute bunkering, a snaking stream and fabulous turf that make us love this Willie Campbell-George Lowe links so much. Simply exquisite.

The best golf courses you can play for under £60: 10-1

Click on the course name to read Top 100 editor Chris Bertram's full review

10. Perranporth Golf Club

Perranporth, Cornwall, England

Play it for: £45 weekdays, £50 weekends

Plotted high above the gorgeous stretch of beach at Perran Sands, this rumbustious James Braid links from the 1920s is a fixture in our English Top 100. Oozing character and entertainment, it is occasionally bonkers – but all the better for that.

9. Piltdown Golf Club

Uckfield, Sussex, England

Play it for: £50 all week 

This English Top 100 entry is bunkerless and instead defended by two types of heather, relatively narrow fairways and small greens. Its heathland nature has been enhanced by a tree-clearing programme in recent years and Piltdown is in terrific health. One of England’s unsung stars.

8. Montrose Golf Club (1562 course)

Montrose, Angus, Scotland

Play it for: £60 weekdays

Golf has been played here for more than 450 years and in addition to being one of the world’s most historic courses, it is also one of Scotland’s finest links. Expect wispy rough, gorse, small but deep bunkers and subtle greens. It is sadly being eroded, so play it while it remains fully intact.

7. Fraserburgh Golf Club (Corbie Hill)

Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Play it for: £60 weekdays

A marvellous, marvellous links packed full of unforgettable holes on perfect linksland that is heaven-sent for distinctive holes. Starts and ends in low-key fashion but otherwise high-octane at every turn.

6. Shiskine Golf Club

Arran, Argyle, Scotland

Play it for: £24 weekdays, £30 weekends

One of Britain and Ireland’s most entertaining courses. Laid out in 1896, Willie Park is credited with shaping this compelling course in a spectacular location. That a blind par 3 played up a steep hill decorated with a fusion of bracken, gorse and heather is not definitely the best hole says it all. Only 12 holes are needed to get it to No.6 – and it is not flattered by this slot.

5. Ashburnham Golf Club

Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Play it for: £55 weekdays

It indisputably has a modest start and finish in relation to the quality of the rest of the course, because ‘The Ash’ is otherwise GB&I Top 100 calibre. It has links holes of rare class and it could have been No.1 in a blink of an eye. Part of a fabulous Top 10.

4. Cavendish Golf Club

Buxton, Derbyshire, England

Play it for: £39.50 weekdays, £45 weekends

This mini-Augusta opened eight years before Alister MacKenzie created his Georgia masterpiece. Here, MacKenzie routed a clever layout over undulating Derbyshire moorland that features deep ravines, valleys, hollows and streams. Cavendish allows you to sample many classic MacKenzie features draped across the undulating topography, not least on and around its cute greens. You enjoy spotting Augusta-like moments here, but this is a brilliant course in its own right.

3. Kington Golf Club

Leominster, Herefordshire, England

Play it for: £30 weekdays, £37 weekends

Major Cecil Hutchison took full advantage of the interesting land at this National Trust site – including Offa’s Dyke Path – to create one of the most intriguing courses in England.

This is fun, entertaining golf that we could never tire of, with a wonderful set of green complexes and a variety of holes and challenge that some of the big names in Britain & Ireland can only dream of.

Views of the Brecon Beacons National Park, the Black Mountains and beyond complete the picture. It is frankly preposterous value.

2. Southerndown Golf Club

Bridgend, Bridgend, Wales

Play it for: £60 (am), £55 (pm) weekdays

Edges into downland rather than pure links golf, but boasts springy turf that is enjoyed on a really classy course that is perched high up in the hills near Bridgend.

Southerndown begins with one of the toughest starts in Britain and although it’s not all quite so exacting as that, the wind is often a factor and so is the gorse, which is just about the only thing the grazing sheep don’t seem keen to nibble on. Their ‘work’ does help keep the fairways nice and tight; thus, good ball strikers relish it here.

1. Seacroft Golf Club

Skegness, Lincolnshire, England

Play it for: £60 a day, £30-£50 at various times of the day midweek

We have increasingly championed this Lincolnshire links for several years now and this is the culmination of that affection.

It sits atop a strong and eclectic Top 10, but is a deserved and worthy No.1. The fact is, unassuming Seacroft makes so many big-name courses look deeply uninteresting.

Founded in 1895 but properly set down by Willie Fernie of Troon in 1900, it is a links of huge character and variety.

It keeps rising in our English Top 100, with the work of Clyde Johnson – an architect and shaper who is part of Tom Doak’s team – enhancing Seacroft further.

Fernie deserves most of the credit though. He used the parallel dune ridges brilliantly to create holes that fit beautifully into the rugged seaside terrain and are entertaining and memorable yet also still sensible challenges. In the first four holes alone you play alongside, onto, up and over, and from one to another of the ridges.

A worthy No.1 and its £60-a-day rate shames so many higher-priced courses.

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