10 Top International Golf Destinations for 2025

Here are 10 destinations that I think every golfer will enjoy discovering—if you haven’t already. They range from mountain courses to seaside links to tropical layouts where the palm trees grow tall. You’ll find outstanding golf (and lots of it) in all of them.

Lisbon, Portugal

When most golfers think of playing in sunny Portugal, they usually think of the Algarve. But the Lisbon area is stacked with great golf, and you can combine it with a fun city break that lets you take in the city’s rich cultural heritage, its lively nightlife, amazing museums and restaurants, and a lot more. (The 8th century Castelo de São Jorge is one sight that shouldn’t be missed.) For golf, David McLay Kidd’s Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta south of Lisbon opened in June 2023 to widespread acclaim—and it’s a ton of fun. A true links course that winds through 200-plus acres of natural, sandy terrain at the edge of the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, it was named the world’s best new course in the 2023 World Golf Awards. North of the city, visit Praia D’El Rey Golf Resort, where the namesake course and newer West Cliffs course both offer stunning views of the sea from their headland location. Nearby, at the Royal Òbidos Spa and Golf Resort, the course you’ll play was designed by the legendary Seve Ballesteros. It features large bunkers, lakes, and rolling fairways that lead to even more rolling greens. Closer to the city in the shadows of the Socorro mountains, the course at the five-star Dolce CampoReal Lisboa resort is more tree-lined, with lots of elevation change. Northwest of Lisbon don’t miss playing at the five-plus-star Penha Longa Resort near Sintra. Set within a national park, the property includes a 14th century monastery and two golf courses, both designed by Robert Trent Jones II. The Atlantic Championship course hosted the Portuguese Open twice, playing over sweeping terrain amongst old ruins with magnificent views.

Muskoka, Ontario, Canada

Muskoka is one of Canada’s more popular summer vacation spots. Lots of Torontonians own cottages and vacation homes there, owing to its striking landscapes, abundant wildlife, and numerous lakes with picturesque rocky shorelines. This is Canadian Shield country, where glaciers left ridges and rocks—some the size of small hills—just about everywhere, and the forests seem to increase in size on an hourly basis. People come to hike, swim, fish, visit the area’s craft breweries and art galleries—and to play golf. At just about every course, the granite rocks will come into play often and provide a scenic backdrop to your round. The must-play courses in the area start with Muskoka Bay, a Doug Carrick design where you’ll play betwixt and between rock ridges and treelines over wildly elevated terrain all day and be challenged at every turn. Then there’s Bigwin Island on Lake of Bays, where you’ll need to be a club cabin guest to play, but after the short boat ride to the island, you’ll enjoy world-class golf on a course where the lakeside finishing hole is the culmination of an unforgettable round in nature. At Deerhurst Highlands, the spectacular Highlands Course serves up yet more dramatic rock outcroppings and flat lies are again few. Other Muskoka worthy stops include Rocky Crest, whose name says it all; Taboo, where water and granite are everywhere; and, if you can finagle an invite, the private Thomas McBroom design at The Lake Joseph Club.

Vietnam

Over the past 20 years, Vietnam has grown to be one of the world’s most intriguing golf destinations, with landscapes variously featuring mountains, jungle, and beaches. From Hanoi in the more temperate north to Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon) in the tropical south, and all along Vietnam’s South China Sea shoreline, modern resorts offer world-class courses from some of golf’s top architects. Golf-wise, the country can be divided into three sections: north, central, and south. In the north, the places to play include the Phoenix Resort (Champion Course), one of three at that resort and set in a spectacular limestone karst landscape. Stone Valley winds through a tropical jungle setting where they filmed King Kong. Sky Lake’s Sky Course is routed over tumbling fairways with panoramic mountain views. And BRG King’s Island (Kings Course) plays around Dong Mo Reservoir and has an extra 19th hole that’ll leave you wanting even more. In Central Vietnam, most of the courses are within sight of the sea, but start at Montgomerie Links, a heavily bunkered inland course with fairways bordered by casuarina pines. From there, move on to the BRG Da Nang Resort’s Dunes Course, which feels and plays like an Australian Sand Belt course. At the BRG Da Nang Nicklaus Course, you can play under the lights through lakes and paddy fields. Then there’s Laguna Golf Lang Co, which plays over rumpled fairways sandwiched between mountains and shore. The back nine at Ba Na Hills is routed over some of Vietnam’s most dramatic mountain terrain. And at Hoiana Shores you’ll enjoy dunesland golf with imaginative bunkering and sweeping views of the sea. Farther south, three more courses beg visits. The Mountain Course at the FLC Beach & Golf Resort has creative centerline hazards and ocean views from 16 holes. Your day at KN Golf Links Cam Ranh is one of large dunes and extensive waste areas with headland bay views. Finally, Bluffs Ho Tram Strip, a coastal Greg Norman design with giant dunes and do-or-die green sites, should be on any Vietnam itinerary.

Ireland’s North and Northwest

The eyes of the golf world will be on Royal Portrush when the Open Championship returns in July 2025. There’s world-class links golf to be found all around that part of Northern Ireland—as well as in the north and west of the Irish Republic. Within shouting distance of Portrush there’s Portstewart, where the opening tee shot is one of golf’s most memorable and the front nine plays amongst towering dunes. Just up the road in Mussenden, Castlerock is one of the Emerald Isle’s most underrated links gems. More big dunes grace its fabulous mix of holes, and there’s also a 2,446-yard 9-hole course there, The Bann, that’s every bit as fun and challenging and not to be missed. Moving west, Rosapenna has three terrific links courses, including Tom Doak’s thrilling St. Patrick’s Links. Ballyliffin is home to two incredible links courses, the Old Course, which plays on rumpled terrain along the edge of a bay, and the Glashedy Links, the “links in the sky,” which is exquisitely routed over higher ground. Both are incredibly good; both offer stunning scenery. Gil Hanse recently updated the links at Narin & Portnoo, and the course you’ll play there now is another northwest Ireland must-play. Paul McGinley has been updating the historic links at Portsalon, and also working his magic at Donegal in Murvaugh, where you’ll enjoy two fascinating loops that comprise one of Ireland’s longest and most challenging courses. Further west, you move into big-dunes country at Enniscrone, where more than half the fairways are surrounded by towering dunes and the variety of holes makes each one a challenge to be long remembered. The dunes get even bigger (if that’s possible) at Carne in County Mayo, where there are 27 holes, 18 of which comprise their Wild Atlantic Dunes course. If there’s a more spectacular course setting in Ireland, I’ve yet to see it. One other note: if you fly into Dublin en route to the north and west, two great places for warmup rounds are the recently strengthened and always enjoyable Jameson Links at the Portmarnock Resort and County Louth in Baltray, a classic seaside links that Irish pro Paul McGinley has called his favorite in Ireland. Play it, and it’ll be easy to see why.

Morocco

Morocco’s a great golf destination for a host of reasons. It’s an exotic tourism hot spot with a colorful culture set amongst amazing architecture. The lively marketplace “souks” you’ll find in every city-center medina burst with energy. The food and hospitality are legendary. It’s just a short hop from Europe. And you can play golf in the mountains, along the seashore, and lots of places in between. Start up north in Tangier, just across the Mediterranean from Gibraltar, at Al Hourra, where the sea is frequently in sight and cork trees will be your chief obstacles. Venturing south to Rabat, play Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, where the bunkers are Sahara-sized and the greens are an Arabian adventure. Also in Rabat, The Montgomerie Links at the Plages des Nations Golf Resort offers a compelling links experience that’s well worth the price of admission. From Rabat, head toward the Middle Atlas Mountains and the town of Ifrane, where Jack Nicklaus’s mountain course at the five-star Michlifen Resort is an unexpected alpine wonder. Then it’s back to the shore of the Atlantic and Casablanca, where the Tony Jacklin Casablanca Course bordering the Bouskara Forest will be a day well spent. Next, make your way further south to El Jadida, the coastal town where Morocco’s longest course, the Gary Player-designed Mazagan, awaits. After that, cruise to Marakech—where you could spend an entire week playing strong courses. Marakech’s best include the Kyle Phillips design at Assoufid, the Nicklaus course at Samonah, the Steve Forrest course at Noria with its three square greens and square lake, and the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech course where you’ll play through acres and acres of brightly colored flora.

Costa Navarino, Greece

Before Costa Navarino arrived on the scene in 2010, Greece was not a place known for its golf. Yes, it’s a beautiful country with a rich history that stretches back eons. But golf? No way. Today, all that has changed. Costa Navarino, located near the olive capital of Greece, Kalamata, now has four stellar courses to go with its four luxe hotels, spa, agora marketplaces, 40 different dining outlets, beautiful beaches, and long list of other five-star amenities.

The Dunes Course, by golf legend Bernhard Langer, tracks through groves of olive and fruit trees right to the edge of the sea. Measuring 6,800 yards from the tips, with wide fairways and generous greens, it’s a very playable course. The resort’s Bay Course is a shorter, more scorable track courtesy of Robert Trent Jones II. This course offers stunning views of Navarino Bay from many points, including the tee of the first hole, which sweeps down from the clubhouse to a green just steps from the shoreline. The resort’s two newer courses are situated on higher ground at the top of a broad ridge where the views of the bay are even more awe-inspiring. The Hills Course and International Olympic Academy Course were designed by Jose Maria Olazabal and both present stern tests, with the hilltop winds always a factor. The IOAC is the longest and most challenging of Costa Navarino’s tracks at over 7,000 yards, so save it for last. On the Hills Course, finding the right section of the greens will be a major factor, with all but two are guarded by steep-faced bunkers.

Jamaica

My tropical recommendation for 2025 is Jamaica, where a quartet of strong courses await you in the Montego Bay area on the island’s north shore. West of the city, start your tour at The Tryall Club, where 2,200 acres of island splendor await. Check into your private villa, where the staff will cater to your every need, then head straight to the first tee of a classic championship course that dates to 1958 but was updated to host the Johnnie Walker Championship in the ’90s. This sometimes-hilly course flows right to the edge of the sea and skirts an old sugar plantation’s aqueduct. East of Montego Bay, another classic Caribbean course awaits at Half Moon. One of many top-shelf amenities at the luxe oceanfront resort of the same name, this course occupies flatter terrain and is a more straightforward affair. Its strongest points are its greens and greensites, while tall palm trees line every hole—so accuracy off the tee is key. Robert Trent Jones Sr. routed the original course through a former sugarcane plantation and his disciple Roger Rulewich later updated it to the 7,120-yard course you’ll play today. Just up the road in the Rose Hall area are two more courses you’ll appreciate. Cinnamon Hill is a tale of two courses, with low-lying holes where the ocean’s right at hand and others where you venture high into the palm-covered hills and enjoy panoramic views as you wind through what’s ostensibly jungle. Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril did the design work here and right next door at The White Witch, which debuted in 2000 and is every inch a championship test that makes the most of its steep terrain. You’ll need to factor in elevation changes frequently, as well as the effect of the strong winds you’ll feel high up on the mountainside. But oh, what grandeur its vistas present, and there’s nothing like hitting a downhill tee shot that hangs in the air for 20 seconds with the bright blue sea as a backdrop.

Surrey, England

When you think of golf in England, your thoughts may go first to its Open-rota links gems or tony parkland courses. But just an hour west of London there’s something completely different: heathland golf. And not just any heathland golf—the best in the world. The Surrey region is a bastion of quiet English gentility, with charming villages, farms bordered by dense forest, and an excellent list of area restaurants and hotels. Top courses in the area include the Harry Colt-designed Old and New Courses at Sunningdale, which are widely regarded as two of the best of its species in the world. The Old Course at Walton Heath is another standout. Site of the 2023 Women’s Open Championship, it’s a Golden-Age track that was designed by Herbert Fowler and was the home course of five-time Open Champion James Braid. Next is Swinley Forest, another Colt design that’s a true shotmaker’s course, with one of the world’s best sets of par threes. At The Berkshire, two more Herbert Fowler courses await. Both wind up and down through hilly corridors of heather and old-growth trees to creatively bunkered greens whose putting surfaces are uniformly wild. The Red Course is unique in that it offers six par threes, six par fours, and six par fives—which makes for lots of birdie opportunities. If time permits, put Hankley Common on your list, too—where the golf is anything but common—and the courses known as the “Three Ws,” Worplesdon, Woking, and West Hill, all historic, standout tracks. Surrey’s also where you’ll find the Wentworth Club, with its three storied parkland courses. Wentworth is completely private, reserved for A-listers like Rory McIlroy and Premier League footballers. But if you can finagle an invite, don’t miss the opportunity.

Los Cabos, Mexico

Not that long ago, Los Cabos wasn’t much more than a collection of quiet fishing villages. But all that’s changed. Today, it’s a red-hot destination with luxurious oceanfront hotels, happening restaurants and bars, and lively attractions all over the place. Visitors divide their time between lively Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, where the pace is decidedly slower. Cabo San Lucas, especially in the busy harbor area, is where you’ll find restaurants, bars, and nightclubs that pulsate with energy late into the night. At the other end of the tourist corridor, San Jose del Cabo offers quieter cultural experiences, with fun dining spots and an arts scene topping the list. Between them, you’ll find a host of top-flight golf courses that occupy breathtaking settings. You’ll enjoy dramatic views from just about every course—that is, when you’re not negotiating sandy waste areas and ball-hungry arroyos, or stopping in at the courses’ bountiful comfort stations, or chocitas, where they serve up fresh fish tacos and you can oil up your swing with a cold cerveza. The outstanding courses at El Dorado and Querencia fall into the totally private category. Topping the list of courses you can access via resort stays are the two courses at Diamante: The El Cardonal course, designed by Tiger Woods, and the Dunes course, a links-like track from Davis Love III that’s widely considered to be one of Cabo’s best—if not the best. Both offer the kind of sea views, forced carries over arroyos, and challenging shotmaking opportunities that bring golfers to their first tees in droves. Greg Norman’s design at Solmar is another strong option, with views of the sea from every hole and an exciting, island-green par three that you won’t soon forget. If you stay at one of the four Pueblo Bonito properties, you can tee it up at Quivira, where some of the Jack Nicklaus-designed holes hug the shoreline and others sweep up to higher ground. Tom Fazio’s Chileno Bay Club is another course you can get on—and you should. At over 7,300 yards from the tips, it’s a toughie, but the views of the Sea of Cortez and Sierra de Laguna Mountains will help you forget about every mishit or flub. Other courses you’re sure to enjoy in Cabo include Cabo Real, Puerto Los Cabos, Rancho San Lucas, and Twin Dolphin. Go for a fortnight and experience them all.

Belek, Turkey

Belek is a popular resort area located about 30 minutes southwest of Antalya on the Mediterranean coast. Numerous hotels offer varying degrees of luxury all along the shore, many of which have stay-and-play and all-inclusive packages that make it an inexpensive destination to visit. Belek doesn’t offer much beyond golf, beaches, and some local shops, but the Old Town in Antalya is worth a visit, as are the Roman ruins at Aspendos. And if you can build a day or two in Istanbul into your itinerary, your sightseeing options grow exponentially. As for the golf, the best of the bunch is a links-style course, Lykia Links, which was designed by Perry Dye. It looks and plays like a traditional links, with lots of nasty pot bunkers and fast greens. Other Belek courses that earn praise include the two courses at Cullinan Links, both by Martin Hawtree, which skirt the sea and offer compelling views of the Taurus Mountains. The Pines course at Sueno is another highly enjoyable links-like course, and its sibling, the Dunes, is a solid track as well. At Carya, you can enjoy something akin to a heathland golf experience—and it has floodlights for night play when the temperatures will be cooler. Other good choices in Belek include The PGA Sultan course at Antalya, Cornelia’s Faldo course, The Gloria’s Old course with its seven lakes, and Montgomerie Maxx Royal by Colin Montgomerie. All these Belek-area courses are within a short drive of one another, so you can stay in one hotel and easily play them all.