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Welcome to the most prestigious and most definitive ranking of the best golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

  

1 Turnberry (Ailsa Course)

The Ailsa is a course of spectacular, legendary holes which made for a wonderful stage for last year’s Open. Together with Pebble Beach, it is probably the game’s most scenic Major venue, with stunning views out across the glistening Firth of Clyde to Ailsa Craig, the Mull of Kintyre and the Isle of Arran.

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2 The Royal Birkdale

Another move up for England’s best course, after another successful Major in the 2010 Womens’ British Open. The changes made to Birkdale prior to the 2008 Open were – the 17th green apart – universally regarded as positive.

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3 Royal County Down

With the sea visible if not in play on the opening three holes, and the Mountains of Mourne providing a stunning backdrop whenever you play back towards the clubhouse, golf gets little better than this.

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4 Muirfield

Generally regarded as the best examination of one’s game on The Open rota. Being laid out in two concentric rings of nine, as opposed to out-and-back, means you have to deal with the wind rarely blowing in the same direction on successive holes.

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5 St Andrews (Old)

The Open in July demonstrated why this is also a brilliant course. One day, with the conditions as benign as anyone could remember on an opening day, Rory McIlroy ripped it apart.

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6 Carnoustie (Championship)

The brutal, Barry Burn-dominated last three holes are well known after the recent Opens, and they are the rule rather than the exception.

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7 Royal Portrush

Harry Colt was the man behind Pine Valley and Sunningdale, but he said this was his finest work. It remains the only course outside Great Britain to have hosted The Open and its best quality is the absence of a single weak hole.

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8 Sunningdale (Old)

A move up makes this our new No.1 inland course. Not long by modern standards, and the occasional birdie is on offer, but its tight par keeps you honest.

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9 Woodhall Spa Hotchkin

The best value golf on this list? Probably. Built on sand, it is in fantastic condition all year round and the springy turf gives no excuse for poorly struck iron shots.

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10 Loch Lomond

It is always in immaculate condition as one would expect of a course which closes over the winter, is tended to by an army of greenkeepers and receives play only from a handful of members and the European Tour once a year.

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