The 10 Best Golf Resorts in the World to Play in 2027

Direct Answer

A golf resort delivers multiple championship courses, lodging, and amenities in one destination — the ideal base for a multi-day golf trip. Our Best Overall pick is Pebble Beach Resorts in California, where stay-and-play guests access Pebble Beach Golf Links (about $675 a round) plus Spyglass Hill and Spanish Bay.

The Best Value play is Sandhills/Pinehurst's lesser courses — but for a true bargain resort, Bandon Dunes in low season offers world-#1 links from about $165. This list is for golfers planning a destination golf vacation, with course fees spanning roughly $165 to $750.

Every resort below is real and currently operating, ranked on course quality, breadth, lodging, and overall experience.

1. Pebble Beach Resorts 🏆 BEST OVERALL

Pebble Beach Resorts on California's Monterey Peninsula is the gold standard of golf resorts. Guests at the Lodge or Casa Palmero get access to Pebble Beach Golf Links (≈$675 in 2027), Spyglass Hill (≈$455), and The Links at Spanish Bay, plus the private Cypress Point nearby.

Pebble itself hosts the 2027 U.S. Open and the annual AT&T Pro-Am. The oceanfront 7th, 8th, and 18th holes are the most photographed in golf.

Beyond the courses, the resort offers the Spanish Bay fire pits where a bagpiper plays at sunset, the historic Lodge, world-class dining, and a spa — making it a destination for non-golfing partners as well.

With three elite courses, luxury lodging, and Carmel Bay scenery, Pebble Beach ranks #1 as the most complete and iconic golf-resort experience anywhere. The nearby private Cypress Point and Monterey Peninsula Country Club complete one of the densest clusters of elite golf on earth, and the famed 17-Mile Drive links it all along a stunning stretch of coastline.

2. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

On the remote southern Oregon coast, Bandon Dunes is America's premier links destination, with five 18-hole courses — Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes (rated the #1 modern public course in the U.S.), Bandon Trails, Old Macdonald, and Sheep Ranch — plus the Punchbowl putting course and the 13-hole Preserve par-3 course.

All are walking-only true links built atop Pacific clifftop dunes. Peak resort green fees run about $395 for 2027, dropping to roughly $165 in winter. Bandon ranks for the sheer concentration of world-class links golf and its purist, caddie-walking ethos that draws pilgrims worldwide.

Reaching the resort requires a flight to the regional North Bend airport or a multi-hour drive down the Oregon coast, but the reward is five championship links plus the Punchbowl putting green and the Preserve par-3 course — enough golf to fill a long stay, with cozy lodge accommodation and ocean-view dining to recover between 36-hole walking days.

3. Pinehurst Resort

In the North Carolina Sandhills, Pinehurst Resort offers 10 courses, anchored by Donald Ross's legendary No. 2 (≈$650 in 2027), the anchor site for future USGA U.S. Opens, plus the heralded new No. 10 by Tom Doak and the throwback Cradle short course.

Pinehurst is "the cradle of American golf," with a historic village, the Carolina Hotel, and turtle-back greens that define strategic design. With more championship-caliber courses than nearly any resort on earth, Pinehurst ranks for its history, breadth, and the chance to play a true U.S. Open venue.

4. Streamsong Resort

In central Florida, Streamsong Resort transformed a former phosphate mine into a links-style trio: the Red (Coore-Crenshaw), Blue (Tom Doak), and Black (Gil Hanse) courses, all routinely ranked among Florida's best. Resort green fees run about $320 for 2027.

The dramatic, sandy, treeless terrain feels nothing like typical Florida golf, with huge dunes and water hazards carved from the old mining lakes. Walking with caddies is encouraged. Streamsong ranks for its three modern-architect masterpieces and its surprising, otherworldly inland-dunes market in the Sunshine State.

5. The American Club (Kohler) — Whistling Straits & Blackwolf Run

In Kohler, Wisconsin, Destination Kohler pairs the Forbes Five-Star American Club hotel with four Pete Dye courses: the Straits (≈$650, host of the 2021 Ryder Cup), the Irish at Whistling Straits, and the two Blackwolf Run courses that hosted U.S. Women's Opens.

The Straits, with 900+ bunkers and grazing sheep along Lake Michigan, mimics a windswept links. Blackwolf Run winds through river-valley woodland. Kohler ranks for its concentration of championship Dye designs and its blend of major-venue golf with five-star Midwest hospitality.

6. Bandon's Budget Window / Barnbougle (Tasmania) 💎 BEST VALUE

In Tasmania, Australia, Barnbougle offers two of the Southern Hemisphere's best links — Dunes (Tom Doak/Mike Clayton) and Lost Farm (Coore-Crenshaw) — for green fees around AU$165 (≈$110) for 2027, extraordinary value for top-50-in-the-world courses.

Set on remote coastal dunes on Tasmania's northeast tip, both courses tumble along the Bass Strait with firm, fast, walkable links turf. The lodging is comfortable rather than lavish, keeping costs down, and the property added the acclaimed Bougle Run short course to round out a multi-day stay.

Reaching it requires a flight to Launceston and a scenic drive to the coast, but the journey is part of the appeal for purists seeking an unspoiled links escape. Barnbougle ranks as the Best Value resort — elite links golf at a fraction of Pebble or Bandon pricing.

7. Cabot Cape Breton

In Nova Scotia, Canada, Cabot Cape Breton features Cabot Links (Canada's only true seaside links) and Cabot Cliffs (a Coore-Crenshaw clifftop stunner ranked among the world's best). Resort green fees run about $350 (CAD) for 2027.

Cabot Cliffs' par-3 16th, perched on a cliff above the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is one of the most photographed holes in modern golf. The remote Cape Breton setting evokes Scotland and Ireland. Cabot ranks for its two world-class oceanfront courses and its emergence as North America's premier modern links resort.

8. Trump Turnberry

On Scotland's Ayrshire coast, Trump Turnberry pairs a grand clifftop hotel with the Ailsa Course (≈£400, a four-time Open host) and the King Robert the Bruce course. The Ailsa is among the most scenic courses on earth, with its lighthouse and views to the Ailsa Craig.

A 2016 Martin Ebert redesign elevated the Ailsa to near the top of world rankings. Turnberry ranks for combining a historic championship links, dramatic cliffside scenery, and five-star resort lodging in one of Scotland's most beautiful coastal settings.

9. Sun City / Gary Player Country Club

In South Africa's North West Province, Sun City Resort is home to the Gary Player Country Club, host of the long-running Nedbank Golf Challenge (the "Million Dollar" event), plus the Lost City Course. Resort green fees run about $140 for 2027.

Set in bushveld near the Pilanesberg, the Gary Player course is a long, demanding parkland test, while the Lost City course famously features a crocodile-filled water hazard on its par-3 13th. Sun City ranks as Africa's premier golf resort, blending championship golf with a safari-adjacent destination experience.

10. Fairmont St Andrews / Old Course Hotel (Scotland)

In the home of golf, St Andrews itself functions as the ultimate resort town, with the Old Course Hotel overlooking the 17th Road Hole and access to the seven St Andrews Links Trust courses — the Old (≈£320), New, Jubilee, and Castle courses.

Staying in St Andrews means walking distance to the Old Course ballot, the R&A clubhouse, and the town's ancient streets. While not a single integrated resort, the St Andrews cluster offers more historic public golf in one place than anywhere on earth. It ranks for unmatched heritage and the sheer density of playable links.

How to Choose

Choosing a golf resort means weighing how many courses you want to play, the style of golf on offer, and how far you're willing to travel to reach it. Sprawling multi-course destinations like Pinehurst, Bandon Dunes, and Kohler reward week-long stays where you can play a different championship layout each day, while single-marquee resorts suit shorter, focused trips.

The links specialists — Bandon, Cabot, Barnbougle, and Turnberry — demand walking and reward purists, whereas parkland resorts like Sun City and Pinehurst offer cart-friendly comfort. Price ranges enormously, from the sub-$120 value of Barnbougle and Sun City to the $650-plus splurges at Pebble Beach and Pinehurst No. 2, and many of the best destinations are remote by design, requiring regional flights or long drives that should be built into the schedule.

Use these guidelines to choose well:

• Count the courses. Pinehurst (10), Bandon (5+), and Kohler (4) reward week-long stays; single-marquee resorts suit shorter trips.
• Match budget to destination. Barnbougle (~$110) and Sun City (~$140) are global bargains; Pebble Beach (~$675) and Pinehurst No. 2 (~$650) are splurges.
• Decide links vs. Parkland. Bandon, Cabot, Barnbougle, and Turnberry are walking links; Pinehurst, Sun City, and parts of Kohler are parkland/cart-friendly.
• Book stay-and-play packages. Pebble Beach and St Andrews tie tee-time access to lodging, so reserve rooms early to guarantee marquee rounds.
• Factor travel time. Bandon, Cabot, and Barnbougle are remote by design — build in driving or regional-flight buffers.

FAQ

What is the best golf resort in the world?

Pebble Beach Resorts is the most acclaimed, combining three elite courses (Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay), luxury lodging, and U.S. Open–hosting pedigree on California's stunning Monterey Peninsula.

Which golf resort offers the best value?

Barnbougle in Tasmania offers two top-50-in-the-world links for around AU$165 (≈$110) a round, while Bandon Dunes in winter drops to about $165 — both elite-golf bargains. Sun City in South Africa is another value standout at about $140.

What resort has the most golf courses?

Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina leads with 10 courses, including the legendary No. 2 and the new Tom Doak–designed No. 10, plus the Cradle short course — more championship golf than nearly any single resort.

Do I need to stay at the resort to play these courses?

Often yes. Pebble Beach and Bandon Dunes prioritize or require resort guests for tee times, and St Andrews packages tie lodging to Old Course access. Always confirm public-access policies before booking travel.

Bottom Line

For the ultimate golf-vacation base, Pebble Beach Resorts is the Best Overall, pairing three elite courses (Pebble itself at about $675) with Monterey Peninsula luxury. For incredible value, Barnbougle in Tasmania delivers two world-top-50 links for around $110 a round.

Sources

• *Golf Digest* — World's 100 Greatest and Best Golf Resorts rankings
• *Golfweek* — Best Golf Resorts rankings
• Pebble Beach Resorts — official course and lodging information
• Bandon Dunes Golf Resort — official green fee and course details
• *Golf Magazine* — Top 100 Resort Courses You Can Play
• USGA — Pinehurst U.S. Open anchor-site announcements
• *Links Magazine* — global golf-resort reviews