What is World #1 in Golf? The Defining Standard of Golf Courses

If you ask golfers about the world’s number one golf course, you’ll probably spark a lively debate. These rankings aren’t just about who has the prettiest fairway or the fastest greens. No, there’s a lot more going on under the hood—from expert reviews to course history and even the vibe you get when you step on the first tee.

People want to play the best. They want bragging rights, sure, but they also want to experience what sets world #1 courses apart from the rest. Maybe you’ve heard of Augusta National or the Old Course at St Andrews—these legends pop up at the top of a lot of lists. But what gets them there is more than just name recognition.

It’s not just one person or even one organization calling the shots on these rankings. Multiple panels—packed with pros, course designers, writers, and sometimes even passionate amateurs—pour over every inch of these courses. They judge everything, from how creative the course layout is, to how well the place is kept up, to small touches you might not notice right away but never forget after your round.

• The Making of a World #1 Golf Course
• Who Decides the Top Spot?
• Famous #1 Courses and Why They Stand Out
• What Sets a Course Apart
• Tips for Visiting or Playing World #1 Courses
• Why Rankings Matter to Golfers

The Making of a World #1 Golf Course

So, what actually goes into making a world number one golf course? It’s not luck, and it’s not just about big tournaments or star members. It comes down to a handful of qualities that most top-ranked clubs share, no matter where they sit on the map.

First up: the design. Think about places like Pine Valley or Augusta National. The best golf courses have unique layouts that keep even seasoned pros guessing on every shot. They mix up hole lengths, demand different shot shapes, and throw in hazards that force players to actually think. For example, Augusta National has tricky greens that are lightning fast. That’s part of the fun—and frustration—for players during The Masters every April.

Conditioning is another huge deal. You won’t find a patch of bare ground or a weed on a best golf course. From the tee boxes to the bunkers, everything is kept just about perfect. Maintenance teams are often working before the sun comes up so the course looks and plays its best, every single day.

Scenery and setting can make or break a candidate for first place. Pinehurst No. 2 is famous for its Carolina pines, and Pebble Beach is legendary for those coastal views. It’s not just pretty pictures, either—the surroundings affect wind, temperature, and even how the course plays.

Accessibility and tradition matter, too. St Andrews, considered by many as the birthplace of golf, scores points for its history and the way it’s been preserved for centuries. But some courses, like Cypress Point, are famously hard to get on. That exclusivity sometimes helps (but honestly, too much of it can hurt rankings).

What about tournaments? Hosting a big event like the U.S. Open often shines a light on a course, but it’s not required. Some highly ranked courses hardly ever host televised events—they’re just that good.

• Unique, challenging layout
• Pristine course conditioning
• Stunning natural setting
• Deep history or tradition
• Fair but memorable test of skill

Here’s a quick snapshot of a few key elements and which famous golf courses are known for them:

Put all this together and you get a recipe for a world #1 golf course—a place that’s unforgettable whether you’re swinging a club or just dreaming about it.

Who Decides the Top Spot?

Ever wonder who gets to say which golf course is world number one? Turns out, it isn’t one person with a magic scorecard. Instead, several respected organizations are in the golf rankings business, and they run the show through expert panels and detailed voting systems.

The most recognized lists you’ll hear about are Golf Digest’s “World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses,” Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses in the World,” and the official World Golf Awards. These aren’t run by robots. They’re pulled together by groups of golf writers, course architects, seasoned pros, and sometimes even passionate golf travelers. Each panel member gets to visit and review many golf courses, rating factors like shot values, design variety, setting, and overall fun.

Take Golf Digest, for example. They have over 1,800 panellists from 20+ countries. Each panellist scores courses across seven categories. Then, they crunch the numbers to create the final list. Here’s a quick breakdown of their criteria:

• Shot options and challenge for all skill levels
• Quality and condition of greens, fairways, and bunkers
• Memorability of the course and holes
• Scenery and natural setting
• Consistency in course conditioning

Golf Magazine does something similar, but they also survey international architects and historians, adding an extra layer of knowledge. The World Golf Awards, meanwhile, throws public voting into the mix, which helps balance the pros’ opinions with real player experiences.

"A world’s best golf course is chosen based on unparalleled design, playability, and that spark of magic. Our panels take this job to heart." — Golf Digest Editor

Sometimes, there’s overlap in the winners—like when a place like Royal County Down or Augusta National grabs multiple #1 rankings in the same year. But other times, rankings shuffle thanks to new renovations, changes in panel votes, or even shifts in what players value.

Bottom line? There’s no single ruler of best golf course rankings. But the consensus comes from hundreds of experts, serious data crunching, and a little bit of healthy golf debate.

Famous #1 Courses and Why They Stand Out

When you mention the world number one golf courses, there are a few heavy hitters that just about every golfer knows. Topping most modern lists is Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, USA. It’s the home of The Masters, and, yeah, the greens really are that lightning fast. Its manicured look is matched only by the history: this is where Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and legends before them made golf history. What stands out? Those undulating greens and the way the course makes even pros look silly during Masters week. Membership? Pretty much invite-only—a bit of mystique adds to the appeal.

Then you have The Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. If you play golf, this is probably on your bucket list. Here’s the thing: golf’s been going on here since the 1400s, so stepping onto that first tee is like stepping into a history book. Golfers love St Andrews not because it’s perfectly trimmed or super exclusive, but because it’s open to the public and defines what “links golf” is all about. Wild weather, deep bunkers, and that famous Swilcan Bridge—there’s nothing quite like it.

Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey, USA, also fights for the top spot in nearly every “best golf course in the world” debate. It’s technically private, but everyone talks about how brutally tough and clever this course is. The bunkers swallow golf balls for breakfast, and every shot here calls for nerves of steel.

Here are just a few reasons these golf courses keep topping the rankings:

• Rich history that golfers can feel on every hole
• Groundbreaking design – not just tough, but creative and fair
• Course conditions that are often best in the world
• Signature holes—like Augusta’s Amen Corner or St Andrews’ Road Hole—that are famous for a reason
• Access, or lack of it, which makes finally teeing up feel like a serious achievement

"Augusta National and St Andrews aren’t just golf courses—they’re living museums, each round feels like you’re part of the story." – Golf Digest, 2024

Each of these places brings something you can’t get anywhere else, whether it’s playing where the pros did, or just soaking in the view on a historic fairway. Whether you’re after pristine conditions or that electric feeling of playing on golf’s hallowed ground, world number one golf courses like these just hit different.

What Sets a Course Apart

So what really makes a golf course stand out as world #1? It comes down to a handful of features that even the most impressive clubs can't always pull off. The main things experts look at fall into a few clear categories.

• Course Design: You’ll notice top-ranked courses almost always have clever, challenging layouts. Augusta National, for example, was designed by Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie, guys who knew how to make a hole tough without making it unfair. Routes need to reward good decisions but punish sloppy shots.
• Conditioning: There’s no world #1 without flawless greens and perfect fairways. Maintenance teams at places like Pebble Beach Golf Links are obsessed with keeping the course consistent every single day.
• History and Prestige: The Old Course at St Andrews is number one on a lot of “best golf courses” lists partly because it’s where the game practically began. Having the Open Championship or other big tournaments in the past doesn’t hurt either.
• Natural Setting: Pebble Beach is famous for its cliffside ocean views. Cypress Point’s holes use the natural landscape to challenge players in ways most courses just can’t.
• Playability and Fun: Here’s one people forget: even the world’s hardest courses need to be enjoyable if they want to be remembered. Top layouts offer challenges for pros but still give everyday golfers a good time.

Ever wonder how panelists actually judge these things? Some publications, like Golf Digest, use a scoring system for every category. Here’s a quick look at how a typical scoring breakdown might work for a world #1 course candidate:

If a course consistently scores near the top in every category, that’s a strong sign it deserves the world number one title. If you’re lucky enough to play these places, take note of those little things—the perfectly mowed greens, the jaw-dropping views, and the stories connected to the layout. That’s where the secret sauce lives.

Tips for Visiting or Playing World #1 Courses

Dreaming of teeing it up at a world #1 golf course? You’re not alone—these legendary courses, like Augusta National or the Old Course at St Andrews, are bucket-list stuff for golfers worldwide. But booking a round isn’t always as simple as calling up and asking for the next open tee time.

If you’re eyeing a course like Augusta, here’s the truth: this one’s invite-only unless you know a member. For the rest of us, the better chance is getting onto public-access courses like St Andrews. The Old Course uses a ballot system—kind of like a lottery. You enter with your group, hope your name gets pulled, and if not, you can stand by as a single early in the morning. People have literally camped out overnight for a chance at a tee time.

Booking tips for world-famous public or semi-private golf courses:

• Check the course’s online tee sheet early and often—slots can open up last minute if someone cancels.
• Consider the shoulder season. For example, the Old Course is less crowded and sometimes cheaper in early spring or late fall.
• Be prepared for strict dress codes. Places like Royal County Down or Pine Valley don’t let you slip by with jeans or sneakers. Always check the official website before packing.
• Save some cash for extras—caddies are encouraged (sometimes required) at top spots. They’ll not only help you read impossible greens but give great history lessons too.
• If you’re heading overseas to a top-ranked golf course, bring proof of handicap. Some ask for it as part of the booking process, especially in the UK and Ireland.

Curious about how tough these courses are compared to your home club? Here’s a quick peek at some famous numbers:

One last tip: take photos, but don’t forget to actually soak it in. Standing on famous fairways is rare, and you’ll want to remember every minute—not just post it online. These courses aren’t just about golf—they’re about tradition, stories, and connecting with legends who’ve played before you.

Why Rankings Matter to Golfers

Golfers aren’t just chasing a good round—they want to play the best. That’s why those golf course rankings and the title of “world number one” actually mean something. When a course sits at the top of global lists, it gets on everyone’s radar. Suddenly, it’s not just a spot for local members but a bucket-list destination for people from all over.

The main reason rankings matter? They help golfers figure out where their next adventure should be. A first-timer looking at a number one ranked course knows they’re signing up for a top-tier experience. Playing a course with a legendary rep can make a trip, a weekend, or even a single round way more exciting. It lets golfers walk the same fairways as the pros or legends of the game, and that’s a thrill you can’t buy just anywhere.

There’s also some social clout attached. Let’s be honest: being able to say you teed off at the best golf course in the world makes for a great story at the clubhouse and at the office. Golfers love sharing those photos, swapping tales of tough bunkers, lightning-fast greens, and the pressure of trying to break par on a famous track.

For courses, being ranked world #1 is huge for business. Augusta National, Pebble Beach, and St Andrews see visitors book months or even years in advance, all because their golf course keeps popping up at the top of these lists. The boost in golfers also means more tour events, more merch sales, and more community activity around the course, which is a big deal for local economies too.

Here’s a quick look at how top ranking affects a course:

So, next time you see a golf course fighting for the world number one spot, know that it’s not just bragging—it’s a stamp of quality everyone in the golfing world pays attention to. And if you ever get a chance to play one, grab it. These places are legendary for a reason.