The world’s most expensive golf courses are not only beautiful ranges but also world-class resorts, spas, hotels, restaurants, and clubs. The most expensive courses often come with high levels of difficulty to match their high-level decadence.
Though most of the world’s priciest ranges are in America, there are a few elsewhere that can match them in high-priced luxury golf experiences. It helps to be a powerful businessperson or athlete when you take on these magnificent courses, but it’s not required. Keep reading to learn about the world’s most expensive golf courses.
- Kingsbarns Golf Links
- Old Head Golf Links
- Wynn Golf Course
- Pebble Beach Golf Links
- Trump National Doral Miami
- TPC Sawgrass
- Royal Melbourne
- Shadow Creek Golf Course
Location: Fife, Scotland
Built: 2000
photo source: Kingsbarns
The Kingsbarns Golf Links was established in 2000 in Fife in Scotland. It has hosted many prestigious tournaments, including the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2017, the Jacques Léglise Trophy, and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
On this 1.8-mile space of coast neighboring the North Sea in Scotland, sports enthusiasts come from all over the world to play on the Kingsbarns Golf Links, which costs the equivalent of $473.31 to play during the peak season. Kyle Philips and Mark Parsinen designed and developed the course.
Did you know?
Kingsbarns was built in its modern iteration in 2000 but has been the site of golf games since 1793. The first Golfing Society was established there all the way back in 1815. Golfing at Kingsbarns is not only one of the most expensive courses, but one of the most historically entrenched as well.
Location: County Cork, Ireland
Built: 1997
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The Old Head of Kinsale is a headland in Ireland, in County Cork. The castle that rests there has been watching over the sea since the 3rd century in one form or another. The current structure was completed in 1223. In the 17th century, the Old Head got a lighthouse. Today, the public is restricted from accessing the headland for one reason: the private golf course called the Old Head Golf Links, which began construction in 1993 and opened for public play in 1997.
Not everyone agrees with the decision to take historically ancient land and turn it out for profit to paying sportsmen, but the course still stands. To play on the course costs over 400 Euros, or around $512.
Did you know?
The lighthouse on the Old Head of Kinsale is significant as one of the creations of Robert Reading, the famous lighthouse designer. This lighthouse is the nearest land to the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, which was sunk in 1915. Its destruction was a major factor in convincing America to declare war on Germany during WWI.
Location: Paradise, Nevada
Built: 2005
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The Desert Inn used to be the Las Vegas strip’s claim to golfing fame. However, since 2005, that course’s space has been occupied by the new Wynn Golf Course. The ability to golf not only within a city but within the luxurious vacation destination of the Vegas strip is incredibly novel. For that novelty, the Wynn Golf Course provides its services for a high premium of $550 per course during its peak season.
The new course was designed by Steve Wynn and Tom Fazio, who design the luxury architecture for the Wynn Resort. They also designed the Shadow Creek golf course, which we’ll talk about later.
Did you know?
The Wynn Resort is one of the most lavish in the world, with $2.7 billion in total assets, including numerous five-star ratings and awards through the Forbes Travel Guide. It has earned five-star ratings for its hotel, spa, and restaurant division, a Vegas first. It was also named the largest resort in the world in 2020. In second place was the Encore Las Vegas, which is also part of the Wynn brand.
Location: Pebble Beach, California
Built: 1919
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The golf course on Pebble Beach in California has been around for over a century. It is known as one of the most relaxed (and beautiful) golf courses in the world. To capitalize on the natural beauty of the Monterey Peninsula off the coast of sunny California, the Pebble Beach Golf Links features three hotels and a full spa at its resort, overlooking Carmel Bay.
It costs $595 to play the course at Pebble Beach during its peak season.
Did you know?
Pebble Beach Golf Links has 18 holes, many of which have been the sites of major golf competitions over the years. These include hosting championship games with the PGAA Tour Champions, men’s major championship games, as well as Tour Championships and a PGA Championship match. In the course of its existence, the Pebble Beach course has even held six U.S. Opens.
Location: Doral, Florida
Built: 1962
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Trump National Doral Miami is a luxury golf course located in Doral Florida. It is one of the approximately 500 business interests owned by former-president Donald Trump. Regardless of Trump’s reputation, the course is still one of the most expensive and desirable in the world. Its 72 holes, including the Blue Monster at Doral, now include some of the world’s most luxurious courses.
During its peak season, Trump National Doral Miami costs $655. It was designed in 1962 by Alfred Kaskel, an estate expert.
Did you know?
Florida is known for a lot of things. One of them is having an excess of land to beef up its many attractions, provided they can pay for it. Trump National Doral Miami takes up 800 acres of this land to deliver not only a luxury golf course but also a country club, resort, and a slew of lodges. In total, the whole resort has over 700 hotel rooms, multiple ballrooms, thousands of square feet of meeting space, spas, retail outlets, and multiple places to eat award-winning food.
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Built: 1980
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The Tournament Players Club (TPC) at Sawgrass was designed by Pete and Alice Dye, architects who have designed some of the most prestigious golf courses in the world. This tournament players club, the first in the world, was designed to host the nationwide TPC competitions.
The course has been in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida since 1980. During its peak season, golfing at TPC Sawgrass costs $720. Its best-known hole is Island Green, a par-3 hole considered one of the most difficult in the world.
Did you know?
One of TPC Sawgrass’s most notable features is the architectural designs of its courses. The Dyes designed the green to have the shape of a stadium with “seats” built into the grassy hills. The course has space to seat 36,000 spectators for its most esteemed competitive events.
Location: Black Rock, Victoria, Australia
Built: 1891
photo source: Your Golf Travel
One of the oldest golf courses anywhere, the Royal Melbourne is in Black Rock, Victoria, which is southeast of Melbourne in Australia. Its West course is the highest ranked on the continent and among the top 5 in the world. This is an honor fitting one of the world’s most venerated golfing locations, having been established 131 years ago in 1891.
The Royal Melbourne has the facilities to house 15,000 spectators during its prestigious games. Playing at the Royal Melbourne during the peak season costs $750, plus a compulsory $140 caddy fee, bringing this course near the top of the world when it comes to pricy golf games.
Did you know?
Some of the world’s most prestigious golf events have been hosted at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club. These include 16 Australian Opens, the 1972 World Cup, the Bicentennial Classic, and the 1959 Canada Cup.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Built: 1990
photo source: Your Golf Travel
The most expensive golf course in the world is Shadow Creek Golf Course. Not only is this Las Vegas-based golf course the most expensive in the United States, but it also takes the top spot for courses across the world. This is after the price hike it instituted for its peak season on its best course, which now costs $1,000 a day.
20-30 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip, the Shadow Creek Golf Course sits nestled in the Nevada hills. The course was designed in 1990 but was not available for public playing until around 2000. Since it has been usable by the public, the Shadow Creek Golf Course has hosted many famous games, including the Tiger Woods vs Phil Mickelson game in 2018. Recently, Shadow Creek hosted the 2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play.
Did you know?
When you pay $1,000 for a game at Shadow Creek, you’re paying partly for the course’s legendary architectural designs by Steve Wynn and Tom Fazio. This pair created the designs for the famous Wynn Resort in Vegas, as well as several on this list.
The Takeaway
The world’s most expensive golf courses bridge the gap between resorts, hotels, spas, and sporting locations. They offer their high-paying guests some of the priciest and most difficult courses in the world. At the same time, they offer exclusive access to luxurious club memberships, restaurants, and hotels. These 8 courses during their peak seasons represent the most expensive pastimes that the sport has to offer.
