Hidden gems: The 100 best golf courses you can play in Great Britain and Ireland for £70 or less

Best value golf courses in GB&I

What are the best value golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland? Our expert panel reviews, rates, and ranks the best golf courses you can play for £70 or under.

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It would be very easy to lament the cost of green fees in this Top 100, because there is no doubt that in some respects they are out of hand – especially at ‘second tier’ courses.

But I’d rather focus on what is available to the golfer who likes to travel but doesn’t have a limitless budget.

The good news is, despite plenty of courses becoming ineligible for this Top 100 even though I have raised the ceiling from £65 last time to £70 this time, there is still loads of quality in this ranking.

The fact I was debating who came in right to the very end demonstrates that. There are 20 courses just outside that would fit in seamlessly.

The variety of courses – links, heathland, parkland, downland, and clifftop – in this list is superb. There is also a really good geographical spread. So there is something out there for everyone.

Raising the limit to £70 feels as high I want to go with it; inflation obviously plays a part, but to me, above £70 starts to feel like it excludes too many golfers from the equation.

I’m aiming to stick at £70 next time, too – we’ll just see what remains eligible.

For courses to be considered here, they had to be available for at least one day a week and usually for all of that day. I let a couple of entries slide because their stipulations didn’t seem too exclusive.

I hope you enjoy the list and would welcome your thoughts on it, on green fees generally, and on what the price limit should be next time.

Chris Bertram, Top 100 Courses Editor

How we chose the best golf courses you can play for under £70

We compiled the ranking using our rankings of the best golf courses in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, plus the lists we produced last year for Scottish regions and English counties. All those rankings were a brilliant framework for this task and all fed into this one.

The advent of ‘dynamic pricing’ has made this a much more difficult task than in previous years and I thank John Martin for his assiduous, invaluable help in pulling all the statistics together.

We may possibly have made a mistake, with a lot of information being presented here, but it is certainly not for the want of trying.

I know that not a single person will agree with all 100 names in this list or the order, but I’d urge everyone to cherish the interesting and entertaining courses we have and to be glad that such golf is still available for £70 or less.

Of course, £70 is a significant amount of money – £5 up on the last time we produced this list, taking into account inflation and rising costs the clubs are subject to – but many courses are well below that and will be affordable for most.

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

Chris Bertram, Top 100 Courses Editor

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Great Britain and Ireland’s Top 100 Best Value Golf Courses

100. ST MELLION (KERNOW)

SALTASH, CORNWALL

Up to £55 all week

Initially designed in the 1970s by John Hamilton Stutt but remodelled by Alan Leather, who created nine new holes, it is a solid complement to the Nicklaus.

99. HAWKSTONE PARK (HAWKSTONE)

SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE

£50 Mon-Fri afternoon, £60 Sat-Sun afternoon

This James Braid design is the pick of the courses at this excellent resort – the stretch from the 10th to the 12th is especially good.

98. DARTMOUTH

BLACKAWTON, DEVON

£40 Mon-Fri

A really good course that feels like a smaller version of St Mellion’s Nicklaus.

97. EPSOM

EPSOM, SURREY

£30-50 midweek

Sits on top of the Downs and is in supernick all year round because of the chalk subsoil. Interesting, varied holes and a good test of the long and short game.

96. SELBY

SELBY, WEST YORKSHIRE

£60 all week

A contender for the England Top 200, bunker renovation works have further enhanced this charming parkland that’s playable all year, with true and pacy greens.

95. BATHGATE

BATHGATE, WEST LOTHIAN

£45 weekdays, £50 weekends

A Scotland Top 200 course by James Braid on relatively flat, tree-lined fairways. Very popular with visiting parties.

94. THE WARREN

DAWLISH WARREN, DEVON

£39 Mon-Fri, £29 after 2pm

Set within Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve, this is a rare links on the south coast of Devon (the north has plenty). Seaside turf and views across the Exe Estuary.

93. STONEHAVEN

STONEHAVEN, ABERDEENSHIRE

£70

A Scotland Top 100 contender with breathtaking coastal holes, overlooking the North Sea and the eponymous harbour town. Just sneaks in the list on eligibility grounds, but worth every penny.

92. ROWALLAN CASTLE

KILMARNOCK, AYRSHIRE

£65 May-Sep, £55pp if booking as fourball

A fine inland course among Ayrshire’s links, this Monty-European Golf Design has been a Scotland Top 100 entry.

91. TRAIGH

ARISAIG, HIGHLANDS

£35 day ticket for nine-hole course

Exactly the same breathtaking Highlands links experience as Isle of Harris, exactly the same incredible value for money.

90. SHERBORNE

SHERBORNE, DORSET

£45 all week

A mature parkland designed by James Braid, with lovely views southward over Blackmore Vale and Glastonbury Tor to the north. This spot is the very least it deserves.

89. ALLOA

ALLOA, CLACKMANNANSHIRE

£40 weekdays

A Scotland Top 200 entry that was designed by James Braid on the Schawpark House estate. It winds between mature trees and builds to a fine climax from the 15th. A very, very good golf course.

88. CROSLAND HEATH

HUDDERSFIELD, WEST YORKSHIRE

£60 Mon-Thu

I’m a huge fan of this course, which offers an always interesting journey over heather-infused moorland. Alister MacKenzie laid it out, so it comes with a stamp of class.

87. NEWBIGGIN

NEWBIGGIN-BY-THE-SEA, NORTHUMBERLAND

£25-£45 midweek, £30-£55 WE

Having crept into the uber-competitive England Top 200 in 2023, this clifftop links adds to the north-east of England collection of great-value courses in this list.

86. CRADOC

BRECON, MID-WALES

£20-40 weekdays

Mature tree-lined fairways characterise the 32nd best course in Wales… as well as spectacular views of the Brecon Beacons. The green fee is scarcely believable given the quality.

85. ROYAL ASHDOWN FOREST (WEST)

FOREST ROW, EAST SUSSEX

£48, £30 after 3pm

Little sister to the GB&I entry, but a different sort of proposition. It is tighter off the tee, between narrower, tree-lined fairways, and the greens are small and often elevated, with tricky slopes around them. That £30 fee is a serious bargain.

84. WREXHAM

WREXHAM, NORTH WALES

£55 weekdays, £60 WE & BH

Our No.31 in Wales travels over some lovely rolling fairways to greens cleverly hidden away. It contains a handful of especially memorable holes.

83. CORRIE

ARRAN, ARGYLL

£25 day ticket for nine-hole course.

A gorgeous Scottish nine-holer. The backdrops are absolutely out of this world and the GIF merit in the holes is not to be dismissed. Just a dreamy experience – and please note the £25 day ticket. You will genuinely feel like giving more than you owe – £25 for four or five laps will seem like a criminal offence.

82. ISLE OF HARRIS

SCARISTA, HARRIS

£40 day ticket for nine-hole course

For £40 you can play here all day, and given it is easy walking, tees are close to greens and it’s not 7,000 yards for 18 holes, you could definitely threaten five laps of its spectacular holes. That would be incredible value for what is a stunning, raw course.

81. BURNTISLAND

BURNTISLAND, FIFE

£45 midweek, £55 weekends

Golf has been played here since 1797 – it’s suggested it was even as early as 1688 – and it’s the 10th oldest club in the world. This Willie Park design in Fife will enchant you with views over the Firth of Forth and of Edinburgh Castle from the scenic 8th.

80. ESKER HILLS

TULLAMORE, OFFALY

€45

Shane Lowry’s home club sits in the top 70 in Ireland and is a big-boned parkland with its variety its greatest strength.

79. WHITCHURCH

CARDIFF, SOUTH WALES

£70 weekdays and Sun after 11am

The last of the Wales Top 30 courses and by now you are surely plotting a trip here. This is a well-groomed parkland that sneaks in the list at £70 – but rest assured, in other parts of the country it would be double that.

78. TULLAMORE

TULLAMORE, OFFALY

€50 weekdays, Apr-Oct, €60 weekends

A classy James Braid design that is No.63 in Ireland. Noted for its presentation and a feeling of grandeur as you wind between mature trees.

77. PWLLHELI

PWLLHELI, NORTH WALES

£50 Mon-Fri, £60 weekends

Starts and ends in parkland but the links phase in the middle of the front nine is the highlight. It’s really good and helps secure a top-30 Wales spot for Pwllheli.

76. THE PLAYERS (STRANAHAN)

CODRINGTON, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

£32 Mon-Thurs, £36 Fri-Sun

A really interesting course by Adrian Stiff in Gloucestershire that gains high praise from even some of our hardest-to-please panellists. Full of compelling holes.

75. PALMERSTOWN HOUSE ESTATE

JOHNSTOWN, KILDARE

€75 Mon-Thurs, €90 Fri, €95 weekends

In Ireland’s top 60, this sweeping parkland enjoys generous fairways… but water is in play on no fewer than 14 holes, including an island green.

74. SUNNINGDALE HEATH

SUNNINGDALE, SURREY

Dynamic pricing (£35-£60)

A Harry Colt heathland that oozes class and memorable holes, available from £35? For a course of this calibre in the south-east of England, that is just incredible value.

73. SANDWELL PARK

WEST BROMWICH, WEST MIDLANDS

£50 Apr-Oct midweek, £55 WE & BH

The West Midlands is quietly one of England’s strongest areas, certainly in terms of depth – and it’s courses such as Sandwell that make it so. A wonderful Harry Colt heathland-woodland that delivers a touch of class.

72. ROSSLARE (OLD)

ROSSLARE, WEXFORD

€85 Apr-Oct midweek, €120 weekends

Just squeezes in on eligibility grounds and enhances the list as a result. This old-school out-and-back links tacks over interesting terrain and serves up lots of memorable holes as well as gripping blind shots.

71. CANTERBURY

CANTERBURY, KENT

£65 weekday, £35 after 4pm, £75 weekends

A high-class parkland in Kent that secured a prominent place in our England Top 200 in 2023 and which is likely to be placed similarly later this year. An elegant course that weaves between mature trees.

70. BUNCLODY

CARRIGDUFF, WEXFORD

€45 Mon-Wed, €50 Thur, €60 Fri, €70 WE

A fixture in the central section of the Ireland Top 100, this relatively modern parkland builds to a terrific tempo, with the closing half dozen holes top class.

69. PAISLEY

PAISLEY, RENFREWSHIRE

£55 midweek, £50pp in fourball, £60 WE

Glasgow and its surrounds offers high quality and low cost, and here is arguably the best example. Paisley’s varied and interesting holes are getting positive reviews with the Scotland Top 100 imminent. Terrific value for a course this good.

68. BRANCEPETH CASTLE

BRANCEPETH, DURHAM

£60 Apr-Oct midweek, £50 after 2pm Fourball deals on offer

Further up the coast from Hartlepool is this inland star. A Harry Colt parkland from 1924 within Brancepeth Castle Deer Park. A deep ravine dissects the course and serves up drama.

67. HARTLEPOOL

HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM

£55 after 11am midweek, £65 weekends

Another north east of England links to comfortably make the cut. You have to play after 11am but I decided that was not penal enough to exclude this terrific seaside course.

66. CAWDER (CAWDER)

BISHOPBRIGGS, LANARKSHIRE

£60 midweek, £65 weekends

This classic James Braid design is draped over lush Glasgow parkland. Mature trees and some water features keep you honest on what is a very traditional course.

65. ROSS-ON-WYE

ROSS-ON-WYE, HEREFORDSHIRE

Up to £70 Mon-Fri

An England Top 200 course that perfectly embraces the gently undulating ground on which it sits as it winds between mature woodland. A real shot-maker’s course.

64. CRIEFF (FERNTOWER)

CRIEFF, PERTHSHIRE

£60 Mon-Thurs, May-Sep. £70 Fri-Sun

An excellent Perthshire course with lovely turf. Tom Simpson and James Braid’s work was tastefully revised in 1980, with new holes in the grounds of Ferntower House.

63. THE VALE (INTERNATIONAL)

CARDIFF, SOUTH WALES

£50 weekdays, £60 weekends, twilight £30 from 4pm

A muscular, robust championship course at a GB&I Top 100 resort. Water, sand, and trees await on one of Wales’ top modern courses – it’s No.28 in the country’s ranking.

62. CLYNE

SWANSEA, SOUTH WALES

£45 weekdays, £55 weekends

Splendid moorland course with lovely views over Swansea Bay make Clyne a top-30 Wales course and a fixture in this ranking.

61. LLANDUDNO (MAESDU)

LLANDUDNO, NORTH WALES

£65, £57 after 1pm. £60 & £55 in Apr/Oct

James Braid left a lovely mix of parkland and links holes that are a fixture in the Wales Top 30. Llandudno, also known as ‘Maesdu’, is good enough for the top 20, too.

60. GREAT YARMOUTH & CAISTER

GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

£55 midweek, £65 weekends

Norfolk’s oldest course moves in and out of the racecourse and oozes character. Designed by Tom Dunn in 1882 and an England Top 200 course.

59. REAY

CAITHNESS, HIGHLANDS

£60 per day

Yes, it takes a while to get there – flying to Inverness is just the starting point! – but £60 a day to play a gorgeous James Braid design on the edge of Sandside Bay? It’s worth every last mile.

58. EAST SUSSEX NATIONAL (EAST)

UCKFIELD, EAST SUSSEX

£70 Apr-Oct midweek, £40 twilight, £85 WE

A former European Tour host that is good value at £70, given its location. We hope investment continues in the golf at this play-and-stay venue.

57. RANFURLY CASTLE

BRIDGE OF WEIR, RENFREWSHIRE

£55 midweek, £75 weekends

This James Braid moorland challenges for a place in our Scotland Top 100. Steeped in history, having been founded in 1889, and with lovely springy turf that is a joy to walk on and strike irons off.

56. COVESEA

HOPEMAN, HIGHLANDS

£35 for two lots of nine holes

An absolutely gorgeous nine-hole course in a cove between Lossiemouth and Hopeman. That £35 for two laps of it is extraordinary value and makes the £500 green fees charged by some look ludicrous.

55. BINGLEY ST IVES

BINGLEY, WEST YORKSHIRE

£60 midweek Jun-Sep, £65 weekends and BH

Three courses in one, starting in parkland mode but then moving into woodland and moorland. The heather-lined moorland section ‘on the top’ is superb.

54. MINCHINHAMPTON (OLD)

MINCHINHAMPTON, GLOS

£35 midweek, £40 weekends

A £35 green fee to play one of England’s more charming courses, and one of its very best inland ones, is a steal. It rolls over gently undulating common land and through the village. Impossible not to warm to.

53. CONCRA WOOD

CASTLEBLAYNEY, MONAGHAN

€85 Jun-Sept, Tues-Thurs. Mon and Apr, May and Oct reduced

Just squeezes onto the list on price grounds and we are very glad to have it, because Concra’s lakeside location is fabulous. You could easily pay £70 more and get fewer good golf holes and fewer great pictures.

52. EAST SUSSEX NATIONAL (WEST)

UCKFIELD, EAST SUSSEX

£70 midweek, £40 twilight, £85 weekends

Solid bones to the West course. It has been higher in this ranking previously but we have had a few indifferent reports of conditioning of late, so it drops a touch here. For a strong south-east course, though, £70 is good.

51. PGA NATIONAL IRELAND

BALLYCONNELL, CAVAN

€75 Sun-Fri, €85 Sat. Reduced rate for hotel guests

An Ireland Top 50 fixture that will wow with its presentation as well as its ability to test the very best but still remain playable for the higher handicapper. A superb and very tranquil parkland.

50. MACREDDIN

MACREDDIN, WICKLOW

€50 weekdays, €60 weekends

Paul McGinley’s design game is deservedly getting more plaudits these days and this is his first piece of work. Macreddin is an Ireland Top 100 fixture that sweeps up and down between mature trees.

49. LLANDRINDOD WELLS

LLANDRINDOD, MID WALES

£55, £45 per person for fourball

A course that has benefited from the touch of Harry Vardon and James Braid. Any time a panellist feeds back on it, ‘great variety’ and ‘cool features’ are always a large part of the narrative.

48. WIGTOWNSHIRE COUNTY

GLENLUCE, GALLOWAY

£45

A Scotland Top 100-caliber links with real seaside appeal – and for £45. I am from Dumfries & Galloway but there is no bias whatsoever when I say the area is a seriously, seriously good option – especially Galloway.

47. REDDISH VALE

MANCHESTER, LANCASHIRE

£30 after 11am midweek, £48 twilight after 2pm weekdays

A friend of mine slates me because ever since we started extolling the many virtues of Reddish, its fees have gone up. But it is still worth every penny of this green fee to play this compact Alister MacKenzie parkland.

46. THE NORTHUMBERLAND

NEWCASTLE, NORTHUMBERLAND

£55 May & Sep, £65 Jun & Aug, £75 July

A parkland with bags of pedigree as a result of it being created by the combined minds of Harry Colt and James Braid. It weaves in and out of the racecourse and has hosted Open qualifying.

45. HALIFAX

HALIFAX, WEST YORKSHIRE

£35 midweek, £40 weekends, £25 twilight after 4pm

‘Ogden’, as it’s known locally, is a moorland of sometimes epic proportions. Rarely a dull moment and sits on gorgeous springy turf. A definite contender for best quality-to-cost ratio in the list. That £35 is a steal.

44. HEADFORT (CHAMPIONSHIP)

KELLS, MEATH

€75 dynamic pricing, Mon-Thurs – includes €20 restaurant credit

This high-flying Ireland Top 100 course (No.47) is routed among mature trees, and is one of the country’s top parklands. No real need to play the high-priced tournament-hosting options when you can play here for €75.

43. BORTH & YNYSLAS

BORTH, WEST WALES

£48

Number 43 for Borth shows how many class courses we’ve unearthed – because it is a gem! A proper, proper links – the sandiest turf, quirky holes and a glad-to-be-alive feeling. It’s No.21 in Wales, no less.

42. BRAMPTON

BRAMPTON, CUMBRIA

£65 dynamic pricing, Mon-Wed, direct booking

What a day out this makes when combined with Appleby, or as an overnight stay. There are wonderful inland views at Brampton but the compelling architecture and memorable holes actually surpass even the gorgeous setting. A lovely balance of challenge and quirk. An easy-to-love course at a super-friendly club.

41. TEIGNMOUTH

TOTNES, DEVON

£70, twilight £50 after 2pm midweek

Another really fun, really distinctive south-west of England course. This Alister MacKenzie moorland is close to the coast and is consistently engaging, not least with its two-tier greens. Sneaks in on eligibility.

40. CHURCH STRETTON

SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE

£35 midweek, £40 weekend

This must be one of the best value offerings in the list. This scenery and this much fun for £35? Incredible. One of the most beautiful inland courses you will ever play.

39. AUCHTERARDER

AUCHTERARDER, PERTHSHIRE

£65 Mon-Thurs, £70 Fri-Sun

Some wags say it is the third-best course in Auchterarder; in other words, better than the Ryder Cup-hosting Centenary at Gleneagles! The original nine here was extended through woodland.

38. WEST CORNWALL

ST IVES, CORNWALL

£60 Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri. £70 Wed, weekend, bank holiday

Sits on a compact site so there is a bit of fun with the routing. What it lacks in space it more than makes up for with entertaining and distinctive holes.

37. REIGATE HEATH

REIGATE, SURREY

£48 midweek for two lots of nine holes, £65 weekend

Two laps of nine at this Surrey heathland, which boasts tremendous bouncy, sandy turf as well as gorgeous heather-lined holes and splendid green complexes.

36. ABERSOCH

ABERSOCH, WEST WALES

£49 midweek, £59 weekend

Sunrise and sunset deals Harry Vardon designed this cute course in the west of Wales and you’ll love its playability, its scenery and its charm. The welcome is also superb – and it’s another Wales top-20 course.

35. FORFAR

FORFAR, ANGUS

£69 midweek, £89 weekend. Group discounts available

Another Scotland Top 100 course, Forfar’s design impressively embraces its undulating terrain to result in a raft of interesting holes. It almost feels as if the green fee was made for this ranking!

34. PORTPATRICK (DUNSKEY)

PORTPATRICK, GALLOWAY

£60, £50 after 4.30pm

You’ll be amazed you haven’t heard more about this course when you get here. Its clifftop setting gives you loads of picture opportunities and there are several outstanding holes.

33. KILMACOLM

KILMACOLM, RENFREWSHIRE

£60 May-Oct weekdays

The second in a run of four Scotland Top 100 entries, this characterful moorland offers bouncy turf and memorable holes.

32. GULLANE (NO. 3)

GULLANE, EAST LOTHIAN

£65 midweek, £85 weekends

OK, it is the third course at Gullane but bear in mind the others are in the Scotland Top 50. This is No.89 in that list and is the most fun of the trio. Worth every single penny.

31. POWFOOT

ANNAN, DUMFRIESSHIRE

£70 midweek, £55 after 2pm. £75 weekends

A Scotland Top 100 fixture that is principally a links but also has a few inland holes. The seaside examples are excellent and the perfect way to start a Dumfries & Galloway trip, alongside Stranraer, Wigtownshire County, and Portpatrick.

30. WESTON-SUPER-MARE

WESTON-SUPER-MARE, SOMERSET

£60 midweek, £70 weekends

Alister MacKenzie didn’t design too many links but when he did, he obviously did a fine job of them. This is one and it has a wonderful final four that are England Top 50 quality. Sixty pounds is exceptional value.

29. WELSHPOOL

WELSHPOOL, SOUTH WALES

£35 midweek, £40 weekends

Welshpool’s £35 almost makes Cardigan seem expensive! No bunkers on this hillside course but they are not missed for a second; James Braid’s clever design always has you thinking. Another Wales top-20 course available for less than £40.

28. CARDIGAN

CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES

£40 midweek, £50 weekends and bank holidays

Splendid views of Cardigan Bay allied to splendid individual holes see Cardigan cruise into the top 30. This green fee is seriously good value to play a Wales top-20 course.

27. TADMARTON HEATH

TADMARTON, OXFORDSHIRE

£55 Mar-Apr, £60 May, £70 Jun-Aug, £65 Sept-Oct

In a well-heeled part of the country with a well-known club, ‘Taddy’ could easily be more for visitors to play it. Credit them, then, for making this superbly interesting inland course on springy turf available for an affordable price.

26. NORTH WALES

LLANDUDNO, NORTH WALES

£65. Peak midweek £55 after 1pm, £30 after 4pm

In the top 20 of the Wales ranking, this classic seaside course on the west shore of Llandudno enchants you with its traditional links attributes.

25. GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY

AVIEMORE, HIGHLANDS

£65. May-Sept, £50 in fourball

The work of Willie Park and more latterly James Braid has given this heathy course in the picture-perfect Aviemore area real class. Beautiful and interesting.

24. DURNESS

BALNAKEIL, HIGHLANDS

£55 for two lots of nine holes

You’ll feel as if you’ve stolen this round when you finish for the second time on the epic 9th green here. A Scotland Top 100 links that will blow you away.

23. MORAY (NEW)

LOSSIEMOUTH, HIGHLANDS

£60. £40 in Apr & Oct. Sunrise and sunset deals

Often overshadowed by the Old at Moray, but the New is a Scotland Top 100 course and a fine links in its own right, with a very strong middle section.

22. ROLLS OF MONMOUTH

THE HENDRE, SOUTH WALES

£60 weekdays, £70 weekends

One of Wales’ finest inland courses, this parkland is rightly noted for its always pristine conditioning and for impressively undulating fairways.

21. CRUIT ISLAND

KINCASSLAGH, DONEGAL

€70 for two loops of nine

What a place. You probably think there is too much recent hype about Cruit. But trust me, it is absolutely worth it. Terrific links that takes you right to the edge of the property and around and over dunes.

20. CARLOW (DEERPARK)

CARLOW, CARLOW

Maximum price is €80 all week

The Ireland ranking is dominated by links courses, so imagine how good the Irish panel think the Deerpark is for this parkland to get into the top 35.

19. PORTHMADOG

PORTHMADOG, WEST WALES

£55 weekdays, £65 weekends

The links holes here are absolutely terrific and if there were more of them, Porthmadog would be well inside the top 10. Its parkland holes are also perfectly pleasant, though, and £55 is a snip for this top-25 Wales course.

18. PAINSWICK

STROUD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

£20 midweek, £25 weekends and bank holidays

There’s character and quirk… and then there’s Painswick. If you want beautifully presented playing surfaces, it’s probably not for you. If you want riotous entertainment, get prepared to hand over a £20 note. Yes, £20!

17. APPLEBY

APPLEBY, CUMBRIA

£45 midweek, £40 in fourball. £50 weekend, £45 in fourball

A glorious, glorious moorland course that is much more fun and much more memorable than many big-name ‘championship’ courses. The turf, the adventurous routing, the quirky holes… wonderful!

16. DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE

ALNWICK, NORTHUMBERLAND

£45 weekdays, £52 weekends

Another James Braid design, and this links is threatening the England Top 100.

15. STRANRAER

STRANRAER, GALLOWAY

£50

This could easily be six places higher. James Braid’s final design is set down on the banks of Loch Ryan. Drink in the views and cerebral architecture – for just £50.

14. CLEVELAND

REDCAR, NORTH YORKSHIRE

£60

An England Top 100 contender – and one panellist is certain it should be in there! Cleveland has jumped in price in recent years but still makes it in comfortably – and £60 is fair for such a top-class links.

13. YELVERTON

PLYMOUTH, DEVON

£70 midweek, £60 in fourball. £75 weekend, £65 in fourball

12. BUDE & NORTH CORNWALL

BUDE, CORNWALL

£70 midweek, £60 in fourball. £80 weekend, £70 in fourball

Just sneaks in on green fee and you fear we will lose them next time, which would be a shame because I have loads of affection for this in-town links. An England Top 100 contender with bags of character.

11. BULL BAY

ALMWCH, NORTH WALES

£55 Sun-Fri, £65 Sat

Being on the cusp of the top 10 in this ranking is a deserved slot for this high-quality North Wales course. I’ve yet to get anything other than positive feedback on it from even the most difficult-to-please panellists.

10. NEFYN

PWLLHELI, WEST WALES

£69 Sun-Thurs, May–September. £59 April, August & October

I LOVE that Nefyn remains so affordable. It could easily have got carried away with marketing on the back of its incredible setting. There is absolutely no excuse not to go.

9. DUNAVERTY

SOUTHEND, ARGYLL

£55 weekdays, £60 weekends

A Scotland Top 100 course – it sits in the middle of that ranking – that starts and ends relatively modestly, but in between is packed with high-octane excitement. And views to cherish.

8. THORPENESS

LEISTON, SUFFOLK

£70 Apr-Oct, £55 afternoon Mon-Thurs

A seaside-heathland that is an England Top 100 course. They’ve done some good work cleaning out undergrowth and trees to let this breathe, and you will lap up the clever James Braid green complexes.

7. SEASCALE

SEASCALE, CUMBRIA

£60. £42 after 2pm midweek (dynamic pricing)

I’ve got a huge soft spot for this cute Cumbrian links. Packed with fun holes and situated on wonderful, true links turf. If your schedule allows, the post-2pm fee is incredible value. And it’s in superb nick all year round.

6. PERRANPORTH

PERRANPORTH, CORNWALL

£60, with dynamic pricing from £50-£100

A bouncy, rumbustious clifftop-links that lives long in the memory. Slightly bewilders at times, but that to me is a positive thing. An England Top 100 fixture that is being revised by highly regarded architect Tim Lobb – as a result, it will only improve.

5. SHISKINE

ARRAN, ARGYLL

£37 for 12 holes Mon-Fri, £60 for 24. £40 and £70 weekends

Qualifies comfortably, even for two rounds of this epic 12-hole links. Genuinely has some of the greatest holes in Scotland and is a mix of beautiful views and pleasingly quirky holes. It would be a worthy No.1.

4. CLEEVE HILL

CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

£40 midweek am, £32 pm

Cleeve Hill is routed over elevated land that delivers Insta-worthy views as well as unforgettable, dramatic holes. I played it on the same trip as Kington and £72 for the pair is utterly sensational value. Trust me, you will not believe how thrilling, engrossing and scenic this is.

3. CAVENDISH

BUXTON, DERBYSHIRE

£65 dynamic pricing, £60 if fourball

I love that Cavendish remains eligible, because its Alister MacKenzie legacy has given it a higher profile of late and it could easily be a lot more expensive. For a taste of the good doctor’s architectural genius, head to Derbyshire for this classy parkland. A fixture in the middle of the England Top 100.

2. KINGTON

LEOMINSTER, HEREFORDSHIRE

£32 peak times, £39 WE and BH

When people say to me, “There are reasons you won’t understand that make green fees so high,” I often think of Kington. A course that is better than as much as 95% of those in GB&I, available for £32. How can they make it work, then?

Kington happily don’t show any sign of being greedy and raising their fees, because clearly they could. This is an uber-entertaining moorland course with unforgettable holes and wonderful views. I could never tire of it.

1. SEACROFT

SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE

£70. £50 after 2:30pm, midweek, Apr-Oct

A third year at No.1 in this list for the elegant Lincolnshire links. It only just sneaks in on eligibility grounds with its green fee, but that £50 after 2.30pm rate is a real bargain. An England Top 100 fixture – generally in the middle of a very competitive list – Seacroft’s best holes are set down around dune ridges. Work by Clyde Johnson has elevated it higher in recent years.

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