The World S Most Scenic Golf Courses

“For this game you need, above all things, to be in a tranquil frame of mind,” pro golfer Harry Vardon once famously said.

From the dramatic cliffs and crashing waves of Pebble Beach in California to the panoramic ocean views of Amanera in the Dominican Republic, some of the most scenic golf courses around the world have been designed to place golfers in the ideal frame of mind.

If you’re planning to take your clubs along on your next holiday, here are some of the best resorts to visit.

Pebble Beach Golf Links is also well-known for its breathtaking beauty, with stunning seaside holes perched atop dramatic cliffs. It also boasts a prestigious championship pedigree and has hosted a PGA TOUR event since 1947, and will host its sixth U.S. Open in 2019 and fifth U.S. Amateur in 2018.

• Course location: California
• Accommodation options: Pebble Beach Resort offers three unique resorts - The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay, and Casa Palmero.
• Other attractions: Drive or bike the scenic 17-Mile Drive, take a trail ride in Pebble Beach, see Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, shop in Carmel-by-the-Sea, visit vineyards and tasting rooms in Carmel Valley, and hike at Point Lobos or Big Sur.
• Nearby airports: Monterey Peninsula Airport is 20 minutes away, while San Jose International Airport is about 90 minutes north, and San Francisco International Airport is about 2 hours north.

Rated as the best golf course in the Indian Ocean, winning the World Golf Awards in 2014, 2015, and 2016, Heritage Le Telfair is set between rolling mountains and the warm, turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

• Course location: Mauritius
• Accommodation options: The Heritage Le Telfair resort offers hotel rooms and suites.
• Other attractions: Swim with dolphins, go kite surfing, visit the Frederica Nature Reserve, explore the coastline, go scuba diving, enjoy a dinner curated by French Michelin star David Toutain, and browse Curepipe’s shops.
• Nearby airports: Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport is a 45-minute drive away.

Overlooking the crescent-shaped Playa Grande Beach, regarded as one of the most beautiful stretches of beach in the Caribbean, the Playa Grande golf course is distinctly characterised by long vistas, cliffside fairways, and meticulously contoured greens. Ten holes play directly on the ocean - the most of any golf course in the Western Hemisphere - giving it an elite distinction within the international golfing community.

• Course location: Dominican Republic
• Accommodation options: Amanera Casita, Bay View Pool Casita, Hill Casita, and Pool Casita.
• Other attractions: Explore the mangrove-lined Laguna Gri Gri, take private horseback rides through teak plantations or along the beach, try canyoning and rappelling down waterfalls, experience authentic cigar rolling, explore the surroundings on guided hikes, or take a hands-on cooking class to perfect a delicious seafood ceviche.
• Nearby airports: The Playa Grande Golf Course and Amanera are 1h15m by road from Puerto Plata International Airport.

The Vidago Palace Hotel Golf Course offers fabulous views of the natural surroundings, the Vidago Palace and the distant villages. The fauna and flora of Vidago Park are just some of the charms of a 'former spa hotel” from whose springs burble the famous thermal waters of Vidago.

• Course location: Portugal
• Accommodation options: The Vidago Palace Hotel offers both rooms and suites, as well as options for families.
• Other attractions: Enjoy a day out in one of the nearby villages, take a boat trip on the River Douro, visit the wine-growing estates of the Douro, or spend an adventurous day riding a zip wire, playing paintball, or canoeing.
• Nearby airports: The Vidago Palace Hotel is 1 hour and 10 minutes away from Porto Airport.

Overlooking the Indian Ocean near Mossel Bay in South Africa, the clifftop Pinnacle Point golf course is one of the most unique and scenic golf courses in the world, offering dramatic views and breathtaking terrain. In both 2016 and 2017, Pinnacle Point was named South Africa’s Best Golf Course at the Annual World Golf Awards, and it has received a nomination for 2018 in the same category.

• Course location: Mossel Bay, South Africa
• Accommodation options: Accommodation options include the Golf Lodges, Golf Villas, Fynbos Villas, and Luxury Penthouses.
• Other attractions: Get pampered at the La Vita Spa, take a guided tour of the nearby caves, hike or mountain bike along the coastal trails, and walk with lions at the Zorgfontein Game Farm.
• Nearby airports: Mossel Bay is a 30-minute drive from George Airport.

Are there any golf courses that you would add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!