The Golf Pilgrim Top 100

Swinley Forest, Berkshire, England

For decades, Swinley Forest was in a world of its own: an ultra-private members' club in a secluded area on the Berkshire/Surrey border, with few outsiders able to e

Ardglass, County Down, Northern Ireland

"It's in the hole!!" Yes, the moment every golfer dreams about… but was it Neil or was it Ian who celebrated a hole-in-one? It was a perfect sunny day with barely

Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland, England

For the first time in the history of The Golf Pilgrim, we think a Top 100 club is charging too little for visitors to play their course!  Dunstanburgh Castle has been off

Galgorm Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Unlike so many of Ireland’s finest courses, Galgorm Castle is not a links, and it is miles from the sea. But you are never far from water.  14 of the 18 holes feature wat

Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin), Lincolnshire, England

It’s the home of England Golf and has a fearsome reputation as one of the most difficult courses in the country.  Woodhall Spa’s Hotchkin course is rated as one of the be

Castlerock (Mussenden), County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Castlerock is on prime links golf land on Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast. Its close proximity to Portrush and Portstewart is both a blessing and a curse; the Mussenden

Conwy Golf Club, Conwy, Wales

“We’ve had a spectacular week, beautiful weather. The people are amazing here, so welcoming and helpful.” Those were the words of US Curtis Cup captain Sarah LeBrun Ingr

K Club (Palmer North), County Kildare, Ireland

As we approach the 20th anniversary of the 2006 Ryder Cup at the K Club, it's a good time to revisit the course which has provided so many great memories. The Arnol

Bonus episode: Ryan Fox tells us how he won The Open!

Earier this year Ryan Fox joined us on The Golf Pilgrim to talk about some of his favourite courses in New Zealand. In July, Ryan became the Champion Golfer of the Year,

Castletown, Isle of Man

Castletown on the Isle of Man is rightly proud of its pedigree. Old Tom Morris laid out the original links, Alister MacKenzie made improvements 20 years later, and Phili

Seascale, Cumbria, England

Seascale was announced as one of England’s top 100 in the 2026 list, and we discovered it was entirely deserving of its place. It has some classic links holes, including

Teeth of the Dog, Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic

"Bury me in a pot bunker", wrote the legendary designer Pete Dye, so his friends and family did just that at the side of the eighth of his masterpiece, Teeth of the Dog.

Appleby, Cumbria, England

A recent new entry into England’s Top 100, Appleby is not your average course.  It’s a par 68, with no par 5s, but it does have what designer Mike Clayton calls “the nutt

Royal Belfast, County Down, Northern Ireland

The city of Belfast is in County Antrim, but Royal Belfast Golf Club is north-east of Northern Ireland's capital, in County Down. It's celebrating the centenar

County Louth GC (Baltray), Ireland

Shane Lowry helped bring Baltray, County Louth, to wider acclaim when he won the Irish Open here as an amateur. But connoisseurs of Irish courses have always known this w

Wallasey, Cheshire, England

Wallasey has not just one, but two great claims to fame, and is a course that attracts plaudits from those who play it. Bobby Jones, arguably the greatest amateur golfer

Portmarnock, County Dublin, Ireland

A famous old golf course, which is in the running to stage an Open Championship in the coming years, and we have two former Ryder Cup players who tell us why it should.  

Royal Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Royal Dublin may be unique among links courses - while many others suffer from coastal erosion, its land grows bit by bit every year. Find out why by listening to this ep

Royal Birkdale, Lancashire, England

The Open Championship returns to Royal Birkdale in 2026, but there have been significant changes to the course since it last hosted the championship. This episode tells

Royal County Down, County Down, Northern Ireland

A special episode celebrating what many believe is the greatest golf course in the world! Royal County Down regularly tops the list of the best courses outside America,