The Best Golf Destinations in July
July is the height of the northern summer and the month to head north, not south. The links of Britain and Ireland are at their firm, fast best, the days run long past ten at night, and golfers can tee off near midnight in Iceland and Scandinavia. Here are the ten destinations we send golfers to in July, ranked, with our verdict on the weather, the value and what to play, plus the places to avoid when the south is simply too hot.
Photo: Trump Turnberry Ailsa via Google.
How we ranked them
This list weighs the things that matter most in July: long daylight, reliably comfortable temperatures away from the southern heat, the quality and depth of the courses, and the special draw of the midsummer links season. We have leaned hard into the cooler, links rich north, Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia and the northern fringes of North America, where July is close to perfect, while flagging the novelty of golf under the midnight sun. The southern hemisphere sits this month out entirely, since it is deep in winter. Every destination here links through to our fuller guides, and every fee is a guide only, always to be confirmed directly before booking.
The 10 best July golf destinations
Scotland
July is the heart of the Scottish golf summer, and there is nowhere we would rather be. The links run firm and fast, the days stretch past ten at night, and the Old Course, Muirfield, Royal Dornoch, Turnberry and the Ayrshire coast are all in glorious midsummer trim. The catch is honest: this is peak season for fees and tee sheets, and the marquee rounds must be booked far ahead, but a settled July week on the Scottish links is as good as golf travel gets.
Verdict: the home of golf at its summer peak, the definitive July trip.Ireland
Ireland is Scotland's equal for links lovers in July, the southwest coast in particular at its warmest and most welcoming. Play Ballybunion, Lahinch, Waterville and Tralee on the wild Atlantic edge, or pair Royal County Down and Royal Portrush in the north, with the long evenings leaving time for the pubs and the music. Like Scotland it is peak season and busy, so the famous tee times need locking in early, but the quality and the warmth of welcome are unmatched.
Verdict: world class Atlantic links and the warmest of welcomes, a July classic.Iceland
For something no other month offers, July in Iceland means golf under the midnight sun, teeing off close to midnight when much of the world is asleep. The best window is around the solstice, on minimalist, windswept courses such as Brautarholt on its seaside cliffs and Keilir among the lava fields near the airport, with Akureyri the most northerly eighteen of all. It is a bucket list experience as much as a golf trip, and a brilliant add on to a wider Iceland holiday.
Verdict: midnight golf on volcanic links, the most memorable July novelty of all.Bandon Dunes, Oregon
While much of the United States bakes in July, the southern Oregon coast stays cool and grey green, perfect for the walking links of Bandon Dunes. Five world class courses, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Old Macdonald, Bandon Trails and Sheep Ranch, run along the bluffs above the ocean, caddie golf in its purest American form. It is a pilgrimage rather than a stopover, but July is one of the driest, most reliable months to make it.
Verdict: America's finest links escape, cool and dry while the rest of the country swelters.England
July shows England at its best, the Surrey and Berkshire heathland, Sunningdale, Wentworth and Walton Heath, dry and fast, and the coastal links of the northwest and Kent in fine summer order. The weather is at its warmest and most settled, the long evenings ideal for an after dinner nine, and London puts a remarkable spread of courses within an hour. It ranks just below the Celtic links for sheer drama, but for variety and ease of access it is hard to beat.
Verdict: heathland and links at their summer best, with unbeatable variety near London.Nova Scotia, Canada
Cape Breton in July is a cool, beautiful corner of Atlantic Canada and home to one of the great modern links destinations, Cabot, where Cabot Links runs along the harbour and Cabot Cliffs tumbles spectacularly above the sea. Add the dramatic mountain golf of Cape Breton Highlands up the island and you have a links rich trip with summer temperatures that rarely overheat. Remote, but richly rewarding, and at its most reliable in midsummer.
Verdict: world class clifftop links in a cool Atlantic summer, well worth the journey.Sweden, West Coast
Sweden's west coast comes alive in July, the brief, glorious Nordic summer bringing warm days, light that lasts almost all night and a string of fine links and heathland courses around Halmstad, Falkenberg and Gothenburg. It is relaxed, excellent value by northern European standards and refreshingly uncrowded compared with the famous British links. A lovely, low key alternative for July, easily paired with the relaxed Scandinavian coastal life.
Verdict: warm, light and uncrowded, Scandinavia's summer links at fine value.Norway
Norway in July offers both warm southern summer golf around Oslo and, far to the north, the chance to play under the true midnight sun at courses such as Lofoten Links, set amid jagged peaks and Arctic sea. The settings are among the most beautiful in the game, and the daylight is endless. It ranks here on remoteness and a short season rather than quality, and rewards the golfer who wants scenery and novelty in equal measure.
Verdict: jaw dropping fjord and Arctic golf under endless midsummer light.The Alps
When the lowlands swelter, the Alpine resorts of Switzerland and Austria offer cool, clear mountain golf at altitude, the fairways green, the air fresh and the backdrops simply staggering. Crans sur Sierre, host of the European Masters, is the headline, with fine courses around Kitzbuhel, Seefeld and the Swiss lakes. It is golf wrapped in a classic Alpine summer holiday, ideal for a mixed group with non golfers and walkers in tow.
Verdict: cool, scenic mountain golf and a perfect Alpine summer base.British Columbia, Canada
Western Canada is glorious in July, the mountain courses around Whistler lush and dramatic, and the Okanagan Valley warm, dry and dotted with lake and desert style layouts among the vineyards. It is a relaxed, scenic golf and outdoors trip rather than a links pilgrimage, with long summer days and a fine food and wine scene alongside. It ranks last here only on distance and a less classical golf identity, not on enjoyment or summer reliability.
Verdict: warm, scenic mountain and lake golf in a superb western Canadian summer.Indicative conditions and seasonal value for July. Weather, green fees and tee sheets change, so always confirm directly before booking. Check July tee time availability.
Plan your July golf trip
Tell us where on this list appeals and we will match it to your dates, secure the peak summer tee times before they go and sort the stay and the transfers. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
July golf questions
Where is the best golf in July?
July is the peak of the northern summer, and our pick is Scotland, where the links are at their firm, fast best, the days are long and the home of golf is in full swing. Ireland runs it close on the links front, while Iceland offers the novelty of golf under the midnight sun. For cool weather links away from the heat, Bandon Dunes in Oregon and the courses of Nova Scotia are superb, with England's heathland, Sweden, Norway, the Alps and British Columbia rounding out a strong field. July is the month to head north, not south, since the southern hemisphere is in winter.
Is July a good time for a golf trip?
July is one of the best months for golf in the northern hemisphere, with the longest daylight of the year, warm settled weather across northern Europe and North America, and the links at their summer best. The trade offs are peak season prices, busy tee sheets at the famous courses and, in parts of southern Europe and the southern United States, heat that makes midday golf uncomfortable. The smart July move is to head to the cooler, links rich north and book the marquee tee times early.
Can you play golf under the midnight sun in July?
Yes. In July you can tee off close to midnight in Iceland and in the far north of Norway, Sweden and Finland, where the sun barely sets around the summer solstice. The window is best from mid June to mid July, and clubs run special late evening and midnight competitions. It is a genuine bucket list experience, pairing a round at, say, Brautarholt or Keilir in Iceland with daylight that simply does not end. Always confirm tee times and the late season daylight window directly before booking.
Where should you avoid for golf in July?
In July, avoid the destinations that are either too hot or out of season. Southern Spain, Portugal, Dubai, Arizona and Florida are punishingly hot at midday, while the entire southern hemisphere, South Africa, Australia and South America, is in winter. If you do play the warm spots, golf at dawn and rest in the afternoon. For a comfortable, high quality July trip, the cooler links of Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia and the northern United States and Canada are the far better bet.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Seasonal conditions and destination notes verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.