How we rank
the world's golf courses.
A ranking is only as good as the honesty behind it. Here is exactly how we score a course, what we weight, what we verify, and what we will never do. Read it, then hold us to it.
The six factors
Every course we profile is scored across six factors, then ranked within its destination and, for the marquee names, against the wider world. The weighting tilts toward design and the quality of the test, because that is what a travelling golfer remembers a year later. Setting and value matter, but a pretty course that does not ask a question of you will not top a list here.
| Factor | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Design and routing | 25% | The architect's intent, variety, how the holes flow and how memorable the sequence is. |
| The test | 20% | Strategic interest, risk and reward, how it rewards good shots and punishes loose ones. |
| Conditioning | 20% | Turf, greens, bunkering and consistency through the playing season. |
| Setting | 15% | Landscape, views, sense of place and the walk from first tee to last. |
| Experience | 10% | Ease of getting on, welcome, caddies, pace of play and the clubhouse. |
| Value | 10% | What you get for the green fee, judged against the standard of the region. |
Scores feed a ranking, not a single number on the page. We publish a place in a list, our verdict and the facts, and let you weigh them for the trip you have in mind. A buddies group chasing value will read the table differently from a couple after one bucket list round, and that is the point.
Designer, year, par, yardage and indicative green fee are checked at the time of writing, by hand, against primary sources. Fees are marked indicative, dated with season and year, and carry the line to confirm directly before booking. We never invent a number, a review or a quote.
We never sell a ranking position. A course cannot pay to move up a list. We may earn a commission when you book a trip through our links, but that funds the guide, it does not buy a place in it. Editorial verdicts are ours and independent.
About our rankings
Are rankings paid placements?
No. Rankings are editorial and never sold. We may earn a commission from partners when you book a trip through our links, but a course cannot pay to move up the list.
How are green fees verified?
Checked at the time of writing, marked indicative, dated with season and year, and flagged to confirm directly before booking, because rates move with season, day and tee time.
How often do rankings change?
We revisit a course when it is renovated, reconditioned or reopened, and when a new course earns its way onto a list. Slugs and profiles stay stable so the guide remains a dependable reference.
See the method in practice: browse the course index, read a destination trip such as Mallorca or Hua Hin, or learn more about who we are.
Turn the ranking into a trip
Shortlist the courses that top your list and we will cost the tee times, hotel and transfers as one all in number per head.