Journal · Costs and value · June 2026

The Most Expensive Green Fees in the World, 2026

From Pebble Beach to Shadow Creek to Turnberry, the world's trophy rounds keep setting records. Here is where the 2026 numbers sit, what is driving them, and where a travelling golfer can still play brilliantly for less.

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By the GolfForKings editorial desk · Editorial policy · Published June 13, 2026 · Last reviewed June 2026

The headline rounds keep climbing

Another season, another set of record green fees at the world's trophy courses. Heading into the 2026 high season the cost of a single round at the most coveted resorts has pushed past levels that would have seemed absurd a decade ago, and the trend shows little sign of slowing. Below is our reading of where the numbers sit now, what is driving them, and where a travelling golfer can still find a great round without remortgaging the house.

A note on what these figures are. Headline green fees move constantly by season, by whether you are a resort guest, and by the year, and the published rate is almost never the full cost once a caddie, a cart and the lodging that often unlocks the tee time are added. Every figure here is indicative for 2026, drawn from operator rates current in June 2026. Treat them as a guide to the order of magnitude, and always confirm directly before booking.

The world's steepest green fees, 2026 (indicative)

Indicative peak season green fees, 2026. Figures change by season, guest status and year; many require a resort stay to book. Always confirm directly before booking.
Course	Indicative 2026 fee	Notes
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California	From about $625 (resort guest) to $725	Peak season April to October; resort stay unlocks the tee time
Shadow Creek, Las Vegas	About $500, rising toward $1,000 in peak periods	MGM resort guests only, includes limo and caddie
Turnberry (Ailsa), Scotland	Up to about £1,000 for non resident morning rounds	Later and resort guest rates are lower; 2025 to 2026 pricing
The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island	About $600 peak (resort guest)	Non guest and shoulder season rates run lower
Pinehurst No. 2, North Carolina	Up to about $595 in peak season	Resort packages and replay rates vary widely
Cypress Point and Augusta National	No public green fee	Private, members and guests only; not playable on a paid round

Fees compiled June 2026 from operator and resort rates and leading green fee trackers; all are indicative, vary by season and guest status, and exclude caddie, cart and lodging where applicable. Always confirm the current rate directly before booking.

Our take

The economics are simple. At the very top, demand wildly outstrips the number of tee times, and a famous course can raise its rate every year and still fill the sheet. Pebble Beach can charge what it likes because the queue never shortens. The genuinely private icons, Cypress Point and Augusta National among them, sidestep the conversation entirely: there is no number, only an invitation.

Our advice for 2026 has not changed. If a bucket list round is the whole point of the trip, budget for it honestly, build the stay that secures the tee time, and go once with no regrets. But do not let the trophy fee define the holiday. The smarter move is to pair one marquee round with a week of brilliant, sensibly priced golf, the kind that fills our best value lists, so the splurge feels like a centrepiece rather than the entire bill. That is the trip we plan best.

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Tell us the round you have always wanted to play and we will build the trip that secures it, paired with a week of golf that does not cost the earth. No obligation.

Common questions

What is the most expensive green fee in the world in 2026?

Among publicly bookable courses, peak rounds at Pebble Beach and Shadow Creek sit at or near the top, with Shadow Creek climbing toward about $1,000 in peak periods and Turnberry's Ailsa course charging up to roughly £1,000 for non resident morning rounds. Figures are indicative for 2026 and change by season, so always confirm directly.

Are these the full cost of a round?

No. Headline green fees rarely include caddie fees, cart, or the resort stay that often unlocks the tee time, so the all in cost is usually higher. Budget for the extras when planning a bucket list round.

Keep reading

The Tee Sheet

Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.

Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Facts and figures verified June 2026 from event organizers, course operators and leading databases; all green fees are indicative and change by season, so always confirm directly before booking. Published June 13, 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.