The Best Golf Destinations in August
August belongs to the north. While the Mediterranean and the desert bake, the great links of Scotland, Ireland and England enjoy their warmest, longest days, and the cool corners of Scandinavia, the Alps and Atlantic Canada come into their own. Here are the ten destinations we send golfers to in August, ranked, with our verdict on the weather, the light and the honest trade off of peak season prices.
Photo: the Old Course, St Andrews, via Google.
How we ranked them
This list weighs the things that matter in August: comfortable summer warmth without the heat that ruins a round, the quality and depth of the golf, the magic of long northern daylight, and the honest trade off of peak season value. We have leaned hard into the links of the British Isles, where August is high summer and the whole point, while giving the cool, bright escapes of Scandinavia, the Pacific Northwest and Atlantic Canada their due. The places that bake in August, the Mediterranean, the Gulf and the desert, are left off on purpose. Every destination here links through to a fuller guide, and every fee is a guide only, always to be confirmed directly before booking.
The 10 best August golf destinations
Scotland
August is Scotland at its summer best, with the longest, warmest days of the year and light that lets you play well into the evening on the great links of Fife, the East Lothian coast, Ayrshire and the Highlands. The famous courses are in superb trim, the towns are alive, and a still, sunlit August round at St Andrews, North Berwick or Royal Dornoch is as good as the game gets. The catch is honest: this is peak season, so it is busy and dear, and you should book a long way out.
Verdict: the home of golf at its long, sunlit summer peak, worth the price.Ireland
Ireland shares Scotland's August gifts, the warmest weeks of the year and long evenings over some of the finest links on earth. The south west, with Ballybunion, Lahinch and Waterville, and the north coast, with Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, are in full glory, and the welcome is as warm as the weather. As in Scotland, it is peak season, so the marquee tee sheets are full and rates are high, which is the only thing holding it just behind its neighbour.
Verdict: world class links in their summer prime, book early to play them.England
England in August offers two great strands of golf at their best: the sandy heathland belt around London, Sunningdale, Wentworth and Walton Heath, running firm and fast in the dry summer, and the Open links coastlines of the north west and Kent, from Royal Birkdale to Royal St George's. Warm, long days and a wealth of courses within easy reach of the cities make it a fine, flexible summer base. Peak rates and busy tee sheets are the trade off.
Verdict: heathland and links together, superb summer golf near the cities.Sweden's West Coast
For a cooler, quieter and often better value August, Sweden's west coast is a delight, the strip from Gothenburg up through Bohuslän and down into Halland dotted with fine seaside and forest courses under long Nordic daylight. The summer is mild and bright, the scenery is spectacular, and clubs like Halmstad and the coastal links offer a Scandinavian take on the seaside game with none of the British Isles crowds. A smart pick for those who want links flavour off the beaten track.
Verdict: cool, bright and uncrowded Nordic golf, the value alternative.Bandon Dunes, Oregon, USA
The Oregon coast is at its driest and most settled in August, which makes it the prime window for Bandon Dunes, the great American links resort where five walking courses tumble through the dunes above the Pacific. Cool, breezy and firm underfoot, it plays as a true links and rewards the ground game, and the summer dry spell offers the best chance of the calm, clear days that show it off. A pilgrimage that is well worth timing for late summer.
Verdict: America's great links resort in its driest, firmest summer window.Cabot, Nova Scotia, Canada
August is the warmest, most reliable month on Cape Breton Island, which makes it the time to play Cabot, where Cabot Links runs along the harbour and Cabot Cliffs, a Coore and Crenshaw design, plays out along the dramatic Atlantic cliffs. The summer brings the calmest seas and the best chance of warm, settled golf in one of the most beautiful settings in the game. Remote and special, it is a true links escape on the edge of the continent.
Verdict: spectacular Atlantic links at their warm summer best.Iceland
For something genuinely different, August in Iceland offers golf in near endless daylight on rugged coastal and lava framed courses, with the famous Arctic Open spirit of teeing off at midnight. The summer is cool but at its mildest, the landscapes are otherworldly, and a round at a course like Brautarholt or Keilir, wrapped around a few days of geysers and waterfalls, makes an unforgettable adventure. Pack for wind and chill, and chase the light.
Verdict: a bucket list summer adventure, golf under the midnight sun.The Alps, Switzerland and Austria
When the lowlands swelter, the Alps stay cool and clear, and August is the heart of the short, glorious mountain golf season. High courses at Crans Montana in Switzerland, home of the European Masters, and the resort layouts of the Austrian Tyrol offer crisp air, dramatic peaks and immaculate turf at altitude. It is golf as a scenic summer escape, paired easily with hiking, lakes and spa towns for a cooler, gentler kind of trip.
Verdict: cool, scenic mountain golf, the elegant escape from the heat.Finland
Finland's short summer peaks in August, with long, bright days and mild temperatures over forest and lakeland courses that almost nobody outside the Nordics has heard of. The golf is quiet, the value is strong, and the setting, among pines, water and clean air, is a serene change of pace. Pair it with Helsinki and the archipelago for a calm, uncrowded northern trip that runs on near endless summer light.
Verdict: serene, bright and great value, golf at the quiet edge of Europe.New England, USA
The New England coast is at its summer best in August, warm and green, and rich in classic golf, from the seaside courses of Cape Cod to the historic clubs of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine. Much of the finest is private, but the resort and public options pair beautifully with a coastal holiday of beaches, lobster shacks and harbour towns. It ranks last here only on access and price, not on the quality of a fine American summer.
Verdict: classic coastal Americana, golf wrapped in a New England summer.Indicative conditions and seasonal value for August. Weather, green fees and tee sheets change, so always confirm directly before booking. Check August tee time availability.
Plan your August golf trip
Tell us where on this list appeals and we will match it to your dates, secure the summer tee times before they close out and sort the stay and the transfers. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
August golf questions
Where is the best golf in August?
August is the high summer of the northern links, and our pick is Scotland, where the famous courses bask in their longest, warmest days and you can play late into the evening light. Ireland and England run it close for the same reason. For something cooler and quieter, head to Sweden's west coast, Bandon Dunes in Oregon or Cabot in Nova Scotia, while Iceland, the Alps and Finland reward those chasing an escape from the Mediterranean heat. The catch in August is price, since it is peak season across the British Isles, so book early and budget accordingly.
Is August a good time for a golf trip?
August is excellent if you point north and avoid the heat. The links of Scotland, Ireland and England are at their warm, long daylight best, Scandinavia and Iceland are mild and bright, and the Pacific Northwest and Atlantic Canada are dry and comfortable. The trade off is that these are peak season weeks, so green fees and hotels are at their dearest and the famous tee sheets are full. The Mediterranean, the Gulf and the American desert, by contrast, are too hot for comfortable golf in August.
Where should you avoid for golf in August?
Avoid the places that bake in August. Southern Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and the rest of the Mediterranean are uncomfortably hot, Dubai and the Gulf are brutal, and the American desert in Arizona and the Deep South are no better. Much of the southern hemisphere, including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, is in winter. The smart August move is to chase the cooler north, where high summer is the whole point, rather than to fight the heat further south.
How far ahead should you book an August golf trip?
Book as far ahead as you can, ideally six months to a year for the marquee links. August is peak season across Scotland, Ireland and England, the long daylight makes the famous courses heavily booked, and the best hotels fill fast. The Old Course ballot, Royal County Down, Royal Portrush and the like need early planning, and a large group needs earlier still. A trip planner can lock the order, the rooms and the rounds before the summer rush closes them out.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Seasonal conditions and destination notes verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.