If you were walking along the Eastern coast of Scotland in the 15th Century, near the Royal city of Edinburgh, you may have been privileged enough to witness the start of something extraordinary. There, amongst the loose stones and rocks on the beach would be groups of men attempting to strike pebbles over sand dunes and onto tracks using only sticks or bent clubs. From this humblest of beginnings grew a sport that quickly gained so much popularity that it was banned in 1457 by the Scottish King James II to ensure that all men of military age were not distracted by the game as they took on their training as soldiers.
The Top European Golf Courses
Eventually, this unmistakable outdoor pursuit went on to gain the royal seal of approval and was shared amongst societies all over the world. This meant that people needed places to play and golf courses began to appear everywhere on earth in different locations and different guises. Scotland is still very much considered the spiritual home for the sport, with some of the most important and historic golfing locations acting as beacons for travelling enthusiasts.
Wider Europe was also quick to establish itself as the home for some incredible golf courses in those early days over 500 years ago too. The passion for the perfect putting green and the most fantastic fairway still drives golf course architects and property developers to innovate to this day. There are breath-taking golf resorts that deliver experiences that really must be played on to be fully appreciated. Take a look through our guide to the top five to find something that we’re sure will suit you to a tee!
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Stadium Course at PGA Camiral Golf & Wellness, Spain
PGA Camiral Golf & Wellness is perhaps the finest five-star golf resort in the whole of Spain. Situated in Girona on the famous Costa Brava, it’s an incredibly convenient 10-minute journey from Girona airport to make that dream game seem even closer. The stadium course here is as spectacular as it is imposing with trees nudging onto fairways and lakes making themselves a pleasant looking nuisance for seven of the most difficult holes here.
This is a 72-par course with the back tees stretching out over 7000 yards underneath the glorious Spanish sun. As the venue for several PGA tour events, it consistently ranks in the top 10 courses in continental Europe as a challenging but rewarding place to play the game. With innovations in driving range tracking and swing analysis here too, there is always an opportunity to get yourself up to scratch.
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The King’s Course, Gleneagles
If you do want to test your golfing prowess on a course that has delighted and frustrated the golfing aristocracy since 1919 then The King’s is the place for you. Set inside the impeccable Scottish rural retreat of The Gleneagles Hotel, it has all the charm of a country estate that you would expect in the country where everything started. 2024 is a special year celebrating the hotel’s centenary so your trip may coincide with some other surprises too.
The heritage and pristine history are evident everywhere, with the holes each taking on a name as well as a number. From the Dun Whinny to Silver Tassie through the Kittle Kink on to the King’s Hame, you will be enthralled from the first to the last. The King’s is a wonderful par 70 that is regarded as the finest moorland course in all the world.
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Palmer South, K Club. Ireland
The Palmer South is one of two courses at K Club in County Kildare that are designed by the golfing legend, Arnold Palmer. This astonishing 550-acre resort blends stunning scenery with championship facilities and was the host of the 2006 Ryder Cup. The South is designed as an inland links course to make the most of the dramatic scenery that surrounds it with dunes and rock features everywhere you look. 14 acres of water throughout also adds plenty of jeopardy to the course though so you may not be standing admiring it all for too long.
72 is par for the course here on a 7300-yard stretch that gives it a status as the longest on the European Tour circuit. Modern moments of golfing magic have taken place here too, with Colin Montgomerie’s one shot win on the 18th hole winning the 2007 European Open.
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Monte Rei, North Course. Portugal
The North Course at Monte Rei is set inside 1000 acres of unspoilt countryside at the foothills of the Eastern Algarve. It was designed by Jack Nicklaus, the 18-time major champion, and you can feel the influence of such a golfing great in every twist and turn on every hole. There are natural amphitheatres set within the landscape to accompany your drives and approach shots on a par 72 course across a luxurious 7000-yard course.
As you might expect, this is a challenging course that demands you keep the ball on the fairway at all costs, with some particularly challenging bunkers and the wind from the Atlantic ocean acting as your adversaries. It does feel like a genuine sanctuary, set inside an exclusive residential community with a 5-star resort that offers everything needed for a golf trip to remember.
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Fontainebleau, France
You could be forgiven for thinking you were amongst the forests of England as you play through Fontainebleau, a remarkable course with pine, oak, and beech trees as your guides to the scenery. With rocky outcrops and heather lining the greens, it presents a meditative and natural calm that you will undoubtedly need to draw upon for this difficult but relatively short course at just a little over 6000 metres. This is one for the short game lovers with small and well-guarded greens offering a chance to practise some perfect putting.
Fontainebleau feels like a traditional course that harks to a less complicated past for the sport with only yourself and the elements to contend with. Watch out for the occasional deer too if you are prone to the odd errant drive. Within quick and easy reach of Paris, this one should be on any list of golf experiences to be ticked off.
Grab your clubs, book a tee time, and get ready to bring yourself to a once-in-a-lifetime round of golf from your own choice of these wonderful world-leading courses.
