Britain and Ireland’s best golf courses for under £65 | Golf World Top 100

Shiskine Golf Club is among the best golf courses you can play for £60 and under in Great Britain and Ireland.

What are the best golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland that you can play for £65 and under? The Golf World Top 100 panel ranks the best-value layouts.

Jump to: 100-76 | 75-51 | 50-26 | 25-11 | 10-1

I am naturally always enthusiastic about our Top 100 golf courses rankings, but some just hit the mark that little bit more… and this is one. I would file this very close to the top of a list marked ‘Give some reasons why it’s worth producing so many Top 100s?’. I’d be surprised (and disappointed) if golfers all over the country didn’t gain something from what they read here.

The cost ceiling that helped us form this 100 is an obvious reason for the worthiness of this ranking, and it would be so easy to spend 400 words writing about the eye-watering cost of many of the best courses in Britain and Ireland.

I voiced my opinion on why green fees are so expensive in a separate piece, but I will repeat the point I made two years ago – that the cost of playing The Open hosts, the pair at Sunningdale, the best of Gleneagles, and the superstars of Ireland et al does not especially vex me – they are the very best courses in the world and they are supplying the demand that exists for them.

What I do find dispiriting is when courses nearby have fees approaching or even surpassing £100, attempting
to attract a few overseas fourballs who may only consider the course, goes the thinking, if it is expensive. It’s a great shame that ordinary golfers from Britain are priced out of these ‘second-tier’ courses.

The good news, however, is that there are plenty of wonderful alternatives. The quality and variety of the courses in this list is staggeringly high. There are more distinctive courses here than in the blue riband Top 100 Great Britain and Ireland itself, and a wider spectrum in terms of the type of course. Character and charm ooze from so many of the 100 that I pretty much had a permanent smile on my face as I wrote the entries.

How we chose the best golf courses you can play for under £65

We compiled the ranking using our rankings of the best 200 golf courses in England, Scotland and Ireland Top 100s, Wales Top 75 and 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. And a huge thanks to Robin Laurie for his assistance in establishing and checking the green fees – a painstaking task given how surprisingly poor many clubs’ websites remain in the digital age.

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 £65 or less.

Of course, £65 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.

As we always have, 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, Golf World Top 100 Editor

The criteria for our best courses you can play for under £65 ranking

A course had to be available for £65 or under on at least one day of the week, without the use of a discount card or a time condition such as twilight deals. We have telephoned every entry on our list to make sure we have the details correct.

The result of our efforts is a wonderfully eclectic mix of courses. Other than desert golf, I can’t think of a style or character of course that isn’t represented on the list. There are traditional clubs and modern clubs, there are members’ clubs and resorts, there are nine-holers, 12-holers and 18-holers.

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Britain’s Best Value Golf Courses: 100-76

100. Sunningdale Heath

Sunningdale, Surrey, England

Play it for: From £30-40

This an exquisite heathland that is thought, in some quarters, to be some of Harry Colt’s purest work. An absolute delight – and from £30, an absolute steal.

99. Sandwell Park

West Bromwich, West Midlands, England

Play it for: £55

A beautifully presented heathland-woodland designed by Harry Colt when the club moved to its current site in 1897.

98. Rosslare

Rosslare, County Wexford, Ireland

Play it for: €60

A classic links with an out-and-back routing that travels over entertaining terrain and offers fun blind shots and a super stretch in the middle of the front nine.

97. Canterbury

Canterbury, Kent, England

Play it for: £60

The Garden of England is not all about links course; here is a slick parkland that surprised a few with its position in our England Top 200. It’s a classy affair.

96. Bunclody

Carrigduff, County Wexford, Ireland

Play it for: €40

A relatively modern parkland course characterized by varied holes and where the final six are really strong.

95. Paisley

Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Play it for: £50

Glasgow and its surrounds is another superb option for a four-trip round that will come in around £200. Add well-presented Paisley to Cawder, Haggs Castle and Cathkin Braes – plus, if you have time, Kilmacolm. You will leave very happy.

94. Carlisle

Carlisle, Cumbria, England

Play it for: £64

The green fee looks as if it was made for this ranking, and a summer round at Carlisle’s well-groomed parkland is one to savor.

93. York

Strensall, North Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £65

Classy heathy woodland on the outskirts of York that has been restored by Jonathan Gaunt, who made very good use of a gently undulating site.

92. Brancepeth Castle

Brancepeth, Durham, England

Play it for: £45

The North East of England does very well in this list. Brancepeth is a terrific Harry Colt parkland from 1924 that sits within Brancepeth Castle Deer Park, with the stables and coach house converted into the clubhouse. Its variety of holes is helped by the deep ravine that dissects the course and gives the opportunity for thrilling tee shots.

91. Hartlepool

Hartlepool, Durham, England

Play it for: £40

And here’s another to add to your growing North East itinerary! Hartlepool is a super seaside course and there is a great trip to be had here for a very decent price.

90. Cawder (Cawder)

Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, Scotland

Play it for: £55

More excellence by James Braid, this time a lush parkland in Glasgow lined with established trees and some water features.

89. Crieff (Ferntower)

Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland

Play it for: £45

Perthshire is quietly one of Scotland’s strongest areas, with the three famed courses at Gleneagles and two at Blairgowrie leading the way.

But its real strength is arguably its depth, with courses like the delightful Ferntower at Crieff a prime example.

It is an original Simpson/Braid design that was upgraded in 1980 with new holes constructed in the grounds of Ferntower House. 

At all but 6,500 yards it is a sufficiently lengthy examination for all standards yet is generally wide off the tee with rough managed astutely to prevent tedious ball searching.

The Ferntower – which is complemented by the nine-hole Dornock – is widely regarded as an exceptionally well-maintained course, with fine turf and firm greens. 

It has hosted the Scottish Boys and Youths Championships and a number of professional events. 

The smart clubhouse, six-sided pro shop and large putting green combine to make it a popular option for visitors. Don’t visit Perthshire and miss it.

Visit https://crieffgolf.co.uk/

88. Haggs Castle

Bellahouston, Glasgow, Scotland

Play it for: £60

A beautifully conditioned parkland that is a former European Tour venue – with Bernhard Langer, Ken Brown, Howard Clark and David Feherty its champions. Haggs sits in the tree-lined parkland of Pollok Country Park.

87. The Vale (National)

Cardiff, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £50

A very strong championship course that stretches more than 7,400 yards and is packed full of water hazards, sand and trees that will test anyone. Given its status, that green fee is an absolute steal.

86. Clyne

Swansea, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £45

Clyne delivers two loops of nine on a moorland whose well-presented fairways and greens impressed the 2023 Wales panel. It also delivers some lovely views over Swansea Bay.

85. Maesdu

Llandudno, North Wales, Wales

Play it for: £42-£53

A hybrid of parkland links holes designed by James Braid in a very pleasant Victorian tourist hotspot.

84. Great Yarmouth & Caister

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England

Play it for: £50

Originally laid out in 1882 by Tom Dunn, this is Norfolk’s oldest course and ducks in and out of the horse race track.

83. Cathkin Braes

Rutherglen, Glasgow, Scotland

Play it for: £50

The oldest course in Glasgow was founded in 1888 but later redesigned by James Braid. It lies just five miles from the city center but at times feels a world away. A delightful moorland played over reasonably flat land with some tree-lined holes. One standout is the par-3 5th, which asks you to clear a loch, but it’s one of many.

82. Reay

Caithness, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £50

A stunning setting for this Highlands links, which rewards the determined traveler… when you reach Dornoch, drive north for another 90 minutes! It’s worth the effort as you’ll be rewarded with a James Braid design on the edge of Sandside Bay, with views of the Pentland Firth and North Atlantic from every hole. Super, natural fescue and a constant breeze… it all combines for a quite wonderful experience!

81. Langland Bay 

Swansea, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £60

The clifftop holes of Langland Bay drop the jaws of hundreds of golfers a week.

80. East Sussex National (East)

Uckfield, Sussex, England

Play it for: £65

The ‘second’ course from this resort in the list, this a former European Tour host. East and West are very similar in quality and offer a super opportunity for a play-and-stay break that won’t break the bank.

79. Ranfurly Castle

Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Play it for: £50

A notable contender in our Scotland Top 100 this year, this James Braid moorland was established in 1889 and although lying close to Glasgow, it’s a world away from city life.

78. Kings (Inverness)

Inverness, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £60

I was very pleasantly surprised – my favorite courses are links then heathlands but this rolling and expansive parkland exceeded my expectations,” said one panelist after his visit to this new Inverness course.

King’s is set down on a large piece of land that rises and falls, with the elevation changes (often in the same hole) striking. The high points offer city-wide views of Inverness.

The course is both playable and challenging; it has wide fairways with not overly penal rough but clever bunkering and large sloping greens make it a fair and strategic test. You can’t fake a good score round here.

It’s not short as the ball doesn’t roll like a links, and the wind is another factor given the course’s lofty location.

There was ample variety in the holes which is not always present in parklands. And the conditioning of the course was also strong, and given the exalted venues not too far away from the Highland capital, King’s really does fly under the radar in comparison but is certainly worth playing when in the area for Dornoch, Castle Stuart, Nairn et al.

Visit https://www.kingsgolfclubinverness.co.uk/

77. Covesea

Lossiemouth, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £25

A nine-holer located in a cove between Lossiemouth and Hopeman, Covesea is a beautiful, captivating links that makes a mockery of courses charging 10 times the green fee.

76. Worksop

Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England

Play it for: £65

Lee Westwood’s home club is a heathy-woodland that is routinely in fantastic condition. It takes you between wide corridors lined by mature trees and delivers a very high-caliber experience.

Britain’s Best Value Golf Courses: 75-51

75. Bingley St Ives

Bingley, West Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £35-£60

A past European Tour, Bingley begins in parkland but then enjoys woodland and moorland phases, with the holes ‘on the top’, among heather a delight. Billy Foster’s home club.

74. Newport

Newport, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £65

Newport made a sizeable leap up our Wales ranking in February this year, jumping five places to 24 on the list. It’s a wonderful parkland that found unanimous favour with the Wales panel.

73. Minchinhampton (Old)

Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England

Play it for: £30

Golf as it used to be. The Old is a consistently entertaining course, laid out over common land and with its holes routed delightfully through the village. The epitome of charm.

72. Concra Wood

Castleblayney, County Monaghan, Ireland    

Play it for: €65-75

A wonderful setting on the edge of lakes that soothe any angst if you’re not playing your best. It’s up there with the very best in this list for scenery.

71. Huddersfield

Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £60

‘Fixby’, as it is otherwise known, in reference to its magnificent Fixby Hall clubhouse, is one of Yorkshire’s premier clubs. Its well-presented moorland course is an absolute delight and has hosted numerous professional and amateur events.

70. Macreddin

Macreddin, County Wicklow, Ireland

Play it for: €40

A Paul McGinley design that sweeps majestically over undulating land between mature Wicklow trees. A fine modern course.

69. PGA National Ireland

Ballyconnell, County Cavan, Ireland    

Play it for: €65

A well-presented parkland that can test the pros but also remain playable for higher handicaps. Expect a resort-style parkland with waterside holes.

68. Windermere

Windermere, Cumbria, England

Play it for: £45-£60

“There’s not much else like Windermere,” says one panellist, and they are correct. You assume the setting will be fabulous given it’s, well, Windermere. But the interest in the holes is what really makes this Cumbrian jewel.

67. Hockley

Winchester, Hampshire, England

Play it for: £65

James Braid downland on free-draining chalk downland within the South Downs National Park. Meanders gently up a valley and once at the top the views are fabulous. One to watch in our rankings.

66. Reddish Vale

Stockport, Lancashire, England

Play it for: £45 weekdays

Alister MacKenzie’s ingenious routing is a little hemmed in by housing these days, but focus on the architecture and holes that ooze character and you will love it.

65. Llandrindod Wells

Powys, Mid Wales, Wales

Play it for: £45

We only ever receive excellent feedback about this Harry Vardon and James Braid design. It’s packed with diversity and some very cool features.

64. Leckford (Old)

Stockbridge, Hampshire

Play it for: £27

Harry Colt’s Old initially ascends the downland valley toward a plateau – with two par 5s getting things underway. You must play as part of a ‘society’, with a minimum of eight golfers, but we are turning a blind eye to that slightly restrictive proviso – round up seven mates, call yourselves the ‘£65 and Under Society’ and you’ve got a real treat.

63. Halifax

Halifax, West Yorkshire, England

Play it for: £25

‘Ogden’, as it’s known locally, has a great opening stretch, as well as closing drama. We’ll leave you to discover what we mean by that for yourself. Trust us, the green fee is astonishingly good value.

62. The Northumberland

Newcastle, Northumberland, England

Play it for: £60

The course regularly hosts national and regional championships and qualifiers, including The Open Championship Qualifying Series. Designed by world-renowned golf course architects Harry Shapland Colt and James Braid it offers the very best in British heritage course design.

Always wonderfully presented with its firm, fast greens and strategic bunkering, we describe the course as a classic challenge requiring tactical play to succeed but enjoyable for players of all standards.

Visit https://www.thengc.co.uk/

61. Headfort (New)

Kells, County Meath, Ireland

Play it for: €55

The New has made impressive progress up our Ireland ranking in the past four years. And rightly so. Routed among mature trees, it is one of Ireland’s finest parklands.

60. Essendon (Old)

Hatfield, Herts

Play it for: £60

Designed by Fred Hawtree and opened in 1976, this is undulating parkland is lined by mature trees and offers a fine variety of holes, with cute par 3s, testing two-shotters and risk-reward par 5s.

59. Wigtownshire County

Glenluce, Galloway, Scotland

Play it for: £45

Has been in the Scotland Top 100, and with good reason. Wonderful value for a super links of notable seaside appeal.

58. Borth & Ynyslas

Borth, West Wales, Wales

Play it for: £40

That Borth is on the edge of the top 60 says to us this is a list full of brilliant courses; it’s a magnificent, playable, intriguing links.

57. Brampton

Brampton, Cumbria, England

Play it for: From £35

Stunning views and engaging architecture . An absolute delight, with just the right amount of quirk.

56. Teignmouth

Teignmouth, Devon, England

Play it for: £52

A MacKenzie moorland that is close to the coast and 880ft above sea level. More than 10 two-tier greens on an intriguing course.

55. Church Stretton

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England

Play it for: £30

Bags of fun and another extraordinary inland setting; this ranking really does illustrate the coast is not where jaw-dropping scenery begins and ends.

54. Auchterarder

Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland

Play it for: £55

An old town nine-hole course cleverly extended through adjoining woodland. It features a number of tight drives and small greens that keep this sub-6,000-yard parkland a test.

53. Newquay

Newquay, Cornwall

Play it for: £45

‘A mini Muirfield’, as one panelist put it, and that moniker has stuck. A typically fine Harry Colt design laid out on a small piece of linksland.

52. West Cornwall

St Ives, Cornwall, England

Play it for: £50

Darts all over an entertaining site that doesn’t have lots of space, but is packed full of distinctive and memorable holes.

51. Reigate Heath

Reigate, Surrey, England

Play it for: £40

Just nine holes, but the turf is magnificent and the green complexes a delight. Heather lines its firm, fast-running fairways.

Visit https://www.reigateheathgc.com/

Britain’s Best Value Golf Courses: 50-26

50. Royal Dornoch (Struie)

Dornoch, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £60

Little sister to the legendary Championship course, the Struie has its own memorable moments and is beautifully presented.

49. Forfar

Forfar, Angus, Scotland

Play it for: £55

Made its Scotland Top 100 debut earlier this year and is a compelling inland course that takes advantage of the undulating land on which its sits with some fine holes.

48. Pitlochry

Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland

Play it for: £60

An exquisite setting and a stiff test await at this Scotland Top 100 course.

47. Abersoch

Abersoch, North Wales, Wales

Play it for: £47.50

Harry Vardon links that offers all the aspects of the seaside game. Fun, playable, charming.

46. Portpatrick (Dunskey)

Portpatrick, Stranraer, Scotland

Play it for: £50

Magnificent clifftop setting for a course that you’ll have taken 30 pictures of by the end of the round! Thrilling and exhilarating.

45. Kilmacolm

Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Play it for: £50

Returned to our Scotland Top 100 this year and looks to be there to stay. A charming moorland of significant appeal.

44. Gullane (No.3)

Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland

Play it for: £55

It might be the ‘third’ course at this Scottish super club, but it’s the friendliest course and the most fun. Many who have played it will, if they are honest, believe it to be Gullane’s finest.

43. Powfoot

Annan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Play it for: From £50

Powfoot has a few inland holes that are less dazzling than those on its linksland, but don’t let that put you off this Scotland Top 100 course because the majority are really, really good.

42. Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh, Northumberland, England

Play it for £65

Another course with Top 100 England class and another with interesting holes and an awesome setting. Bamburgh being down at No.44 shows you the strength in depth of this list, because it is unequivocally superb!

41. East Sussex National (West)

Uckfield, East Sussex, England

Play it for: £65

A fine all-round resort with two strong courses. We just about prefer the West, which meanders among ancient oak and across streams.

40. Newmachar

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Play it for: £55

An excellent inland course that winds between silver birch – a strong test that is in superb condition.

39. Thetford

Thetford, Norfolk, England

Play it for: £35 to £50

Heathland course of real class, this James Braid design on firm turf slides between gorse, broom and heather.

38. Weston-Super-Mare

Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England

Play it for: £60

Another Alister MacKenzie-designed links, and this one is deserving of a higher profile. Traditional seaside course, with the 15th starting a stellar climax.

37. Glenbervie

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Play it for: £50

A well-groomed parkland whose all-round examination is demonstrated by the fact it is the host of Open qualifying. Another laid out by James Braid, but with bunkers this time a particular – and punishing – theme.

36. Welshpool

Welshpool, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £35

An entertaining hillside course devoid of bunkers, but James Braid’s skill and nous mean they are not missed. A quirky delight.

35. Cardigan

Cardigan, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £38

Another course where the scenery – with views across Cardigan Bay – and interest in the holes combine to deliver an intoxicating round.

34. Tadmarton Heath

Banbury, Oxfordshire, England

Play it for: £60

A funky inland course with lots of interesting holes on springy, sandy, heathy turf.

33. North Wales  

Llandudno, North Wales, Wales

Play it for: £35-£55

A superb, easy-to-love links on the west shore of the town of Llandudno.

32. Grantown-on-Spey

Aviemore, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £49

Gorgeous setting in the Highlands allied to a nice routing and clever holes. Initially designed by Willie Park and extended by James Braid, it is a beautiful place to play the game.

31. Durness

Balnakeil, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £40

Just nine holes are needed to get another short links to the cusp of the top 30 of a GB&I list. Epic setting and enough interest in the holes themselves for Durness to sit in the middle section of Scotland’s Top 100.

30. St Andrews (Eden)

St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Play it for: £65

This mini Old Course offers a playable, atmospheric experience. Do NOT dismiss it when you’re planning your Fife trip.

29. Moray (New)

Lossiemouth, Highlands, Scotland

Play it for: £30

A couple of fine holes helped elevate the New to the middle section of the 2023 Scotland Top 100, and that means this pedigree links slips into the top 30 of this ranking – £30 is a staggeringly good offer.

28. Rolls of Monmouth

The Hendre, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £50

A delightful parkland that is beautifully presented and a fantastic inland distraction for anyone on a South Wales links extravaganza.

27. Cruit Island

Kincasslagh, County Donegal, Ireland

Play it for: €50

An utterly magical nine-holer set down on cliffs in a remote corner of Donegal. The routing takes you on a sensational journey to, from and alongside the bluffs. A beguiling experience.

26. Carlow

Carlow, County Carlow, Ireland

Play it for: €40

A seasoned parkland that winds among mature trees and is one of the few inland courses to break the dominance of links in our Ireland ranking.

Britain’s Best Value Golf Courses: 25-11

25. Porthmadog  

Porthmadog, West Wales, Wales

Play it for: £50

A hybrid parkland-links where the very pleasant inland phase is very much a warm-up for a seaside section that has holes, without question, that are of GB&I quality.

24. Machynys Peninsula

Llanelli, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £65

This Nicklaus Design course, located close to the sea but not linksy, has impressed our panel in the last two Wales rankings. Looks the part, is nicely presented and has ‘championship’ calibre.

23. Appleby

Appleby, Cumbria, England

Play it for: £35

A compelling moorland course that, yep, is another we would LOVE to squeeze into the England Top 100 (can you see why we made it a 200 when we refreshed the list this year?). The blind, bathtub green of the par-3 ‘Bell’ hole might be the highlight, but there are loads of others hot on its heels.

22. Dunstanburgh Castle

Alnwick, Northumberland, England

Play it for: £47

“Striking location with castle and coastal views,” said one panellist about this terrific north-east England list as we assessed the finest courses in England in 2023.

“Dog-legs and blind shots add to the fun. Good routing and a serious history with some bunkers built into the course near the beach,” said another.

This was very much the vibe that saw Dunstanburgh leap to No.108 in our expanded England ranking, with Dunstanburgh one of the courses we acknowledged was every bit as good as those that edged ahead of it into the 100 itself.

Situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the shadow of the 14th Century eponymous castle, the course was beautifully routed around the Embleton Bay by the renowned architect James Braid.

Its undulating fairways and true, testing greens are presented in top-class order and the short par 3 where you fire out towards the sea/castle is a beauty.

Visit https://www.dunstanburgh.com/

21. Stranraer

Stranraer, Galloway, Scotland

Play it for: £45

James Braid’s final design rolls alongside Loch Ryan and gives plenty back in terms of scenery, playability and holes to cherish.

20. Cleveland

Redcar, North Yorkshire, England

Play it for: From £40

Many panelists believe this to be an England Top 100 course. It is on the very edge now. Go and pay your £40 and see what you think. Forty pounds! For such a high-caliber links, that is an absolute steal.

19. Yelverton

Plymouth, Devon, England

Play it for: £50

Another strong south-west course that just missed out on the England 100. A moorland that is really unusual – in the best possible way – with some fine features.

18. Bude & North Cornwall

Bude, Cornwall, England

Play it for: £45

The first course outside the England Top 100 to feature here, but such is the depth of English golf that it makes the top 20 here. Fun, easy-to-love links with the romance of holes within the cute town.

17. Painswick

Stroud, Gloucestershire, England

Play it for: £20

Architectural connoisseurs love it, those seeking slick presentation might be wise to look elsewhere. We adore Painswick – it’s simply riotous fun. And all for £20.

16. Bull Bay

Amlwch, North Wales, Wales

Play it for: £50

Established in the top echelon of our Wales ranking and this top-20 slot is the least it deserves here. Little to choose between it and courses several places higher.

15. Royal County Down (Annesley)

Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland

Play it for: £60

The little sister to one of the world’s great courses is a fabulous links in its own right. Work by Martin Ebert has helped increase the profile and wow factor of the Annesley.

14. Nefyn

Pwllheli, West Wales, Wales

Play it for: £49

We said it in 2021 and we will say it again: huge props to Nefyn for keeping their green fee sensible. It has such notoriety for its peerless setting that it could probably charge a lot more. Sub-£50 is really good for what is an essential experience.

13. Dunaverty

Southend, Argyll, Scotland

Play it for: £40

Starts and ends with some more modest holes on flatter land but they could not be less representative of the rest of this thrill-a-minute links next to Machrihanish. So many memorable moments.

12. Thorpeness

Leiston, Suffolk, England

Play it for: Wednesday £65 (after 9.30am) and £55 (after noon and before 6pm) from April 1

Just the one full day (book online) to play this James Braid classic, but £55 every midweek afternoon is also sensationally good value. Thorpeness is continuing to clean out undergrowth and trees to let this heathland breathe. As a result, it will continue to rise in our England Top 100.

11. Askernish

South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Play it for: £45 May, £60 June to Sept

Raw, natural, remote links on South Uist with a wonderful backstory. A superb example of how golf used to be and an essential pilgrimage for connoisseurs.

Britain’s Best Value Golf Courses: 10-1

10. Tenby

Tenby, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £55

A fast-running links with several all-world holes that elevate it to one of Wales’ finest. Sunken greens, blind shots and cute par 3s encapsulate Tenby.

9. Seascale

Seascale, Cumbria, England

Play it for: £45

Top-10 worthy, make no mistake. This entertaining links on the west Cumbrian coast has several unforgettable holes and a ‘glad to be alive’ feeling.

8. Lanark

Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Play it for: £65

Also top-10 worthy, Scotland’s fourth-ranked inland course, with just Gleneagles’ King’s and Queen’s and Loch Lomond above it. That’s how good this engaging moorland is.

7. Cleeve Hill

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England

Play it for: £20-£35

Thankfully now saved as a business after coming perilously close to extinction, Cleeve is routed over elevated Cotswolds land with the Insta-worthy views surpassed by the heroic holes. Simply magnificent.

6. Perranporth

Perranporth, Cornwall

Play it for: £65

Bundles of fun, entertainment and even a little bewilderment. Perranporth rises and falls over raunchy elevated linksland with gorgeous views out to sea and down to the town.

5. Shiskine

Blackwaterfoot, Arran, Scotland

Play it for: £32

Just the 12 holes, but wow – this Arran bucket-lister is an intoxicating mix of unforgettable holes and breathtaking scenery. A little more than £30 gets you one of the great joys of Scottish golf.

4. Cavendish

Buxton, Derbyshire, England

Play it for: £55

Derbyshire is the first of three lower-profile English counties in the top four. This shining example of Alister MacKenzie architecture is a fixture in the middle of the England Top 100.

3. Ashburnham

Burry Port, South Wales, Wales

Play it for: £65

You’ll have heard Ashburnham begins and ends relatively modestly, and that is true. But what really needs to be emphasized is how outstandingly good the 14 holes in between are. They are GB&I Top 100 level.

2. Kington

Leominster, Herefordshire, England

Play it for: £30

There is an argument to suggest the Cotswolds is the best-value area of England in terms of cost-quality ratio. Kington, Cleeve Hill and Minchinhampton (Old) are all in our England Top 200, with the first two now established in the middle of the list.

Kington, in Herefordshire, leads the way with a course that has taken a long part of its history to be recognised as the outstanding course it is.

If you want views, it has those. If you want firm, springy turf, it has that. If you want a test, it provides that. If you want fun, varied holes, it has those in spades.

This is a course of many faces, all of them appealing. The green complexes alone are reason enough to visit; they cleverly take advantage of the funky terrain on which Kington is located.

You’ll walk off trying to work out which is your favorite hole… and end up with six tied for 1st equal.

Visit https://www.kingtongolf.co.uk/

1. Seacroft

Skegness, Lincolnshire, England

Play it for: £60 morning, £45 afternoon

The No.1 from 2021 holds its place two years on – and it is to Seacroft’s credit that it is still comfortably eligible for this ranking.

As its profile has risen, helped by subtle development under the eye of increasingly influential architect Clyde Johnson, Seacroft could easily have got giddy with its green fees.

Sixty pounds is not an insignificant amount, and neither is its £45 afternoon rate, but the quality-cost ratio for this high-caliber links is, frankly, off the charts compared to many, many courses that are too expensive for this ranking.

Seacroft sits in the middle of our highly-competitive England Top 100, which is testament to its class; it will also be in the conversation when we come to discuss the GB&I ranking at the end of this year.

Making astute use of dune ridges to create a compelling selection of holes, our No.1 is yours for £45 every afternoon of the week this summer.

Visit https://www.seacroft-golfclub.co.uk/

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About the author

Chris Bertram

Golf World Top 100 Courses and Resorts Editor

Chris Bertram is the Golf World Top 100 Courses and Resorts Editor and has played across the globe.

He was born and brought up in Dumfriesshire and has been a sports journalist since 1996, initially as a junior writer with National Club Golfer magazine.

Chris then spent four years writing about football and rugby union for the Press Association but returned to be Editor and then Publisher of NCG before joining Golf World and Today’s Golfer as Senior Production Editor.He has been freelance since 2010 and when he is not playing and writing about the world’s finest golf courses, he works for BBC Sport.

A keen all-round sportsman, Chris plays off 11 – which could be a little better if it wasn’t for hilariously poor lag putting which has to be seen to be believed.

You can get in touch with him on email, or follow him on Twitter for lots of course news and insight.