The first tee at the Old Course at the St Andrews, the 1st hole, the 376 yards, the Swilcan Burn, the R&A clubhouse in the background, and the sense of standing where the golf has been played for the 600 years, is the most important golf experience in the world. Europe is the best golfing destination on the planet: the Scotland (the home of the golf, the links, the wind, and the most beautiful courses in the world), the Ireland (the links of the west, the Ballybunion, the Lahinch, and the best value in European golf), the Spain (the Costa del Sol, the “Costa del Golf,” the 70 courses, the winter sun, and the best winter golf in Europe), the Portugal (the Algarve, the Vilamoura, the best resort golf in Europe), and the France (the Biarritz, the Bordeaux, and the most beautiful golf in the France). Here are the top five.

Europe’s Top 5 Golfing Holidays

• 1. The St Andrews, Scotland, the home of the golf: The Old Course at the St Andrews is the most important golf course in the world: the 15th century, the links, the double greens (the 7 shared greens, the 2nd and the 16th, the 3rd and the 15th, and the most famous pair, the 7th and the 11th), the Swilcan Bridge on the 18th (the most famous photograph in the golf), and the Hell Bunker on the 14th (the most famous sand trap in the world). The green fee: the £270 in the high season (the April–October), and the ballot (the 48-hour ballot, the essential for the summer, the enter the day before, the draw at the 2pm, and the 50% chance of the tee time. The alternative: the single walk-on, the arrive at the 4am, the queue, and the hope). The essential alternative: the New Course (the 1895, the £95, the same links, the beautiful, and the essential St Andrews experience for the golfer who cannot afford or cannot secure the Old Course). The best 19th hole: the Dunvegan Hotel (the pub near the 18th green, the whisky, the golf memorabilia, and the essential post-round drink. ~£5 for the pint). More UK →
• 2. The Algarve, Portugal, the best resort golf: The Algarve, the Vilamoura, the Quinta do Lago, the Vale do Lobo, is the best resort-golf destination in Europe: the winter sun (the 18°C in the January, the sea, and the best winter golf in Europe), the courses (the San Lorenzo, the best course in the Algarve, the Ria Formosa, the water, the birds, and the most beautiful round in the Portugal. ~€180), the Victoria (the Arnold Palmer design, the 2005 World Cup of Golf, and the best-conditioned course in the Algarve. ~€110), and the Old Course at the Vilamoura (the Frank Pennink design, the pines, the most beautiful parkland course in the Portugal. ~€90). The essential hotel: the Dona Filipa Hotel in the Vale do Lobo (the San Lorenzo is the hotel course, the best access, and the best golf hotel in the Algarve. ~€200/night).
• 3–5: The Ballybunion (the Ireland, the Old Course, the dunes, the sea, and the most beautiful links in the world, the Tom Watson, “the best course in the world”). ~€200. The Costa del Sol (the Sotogrande, the Valderrama, the 1997 Ryder Cup, the most famous course in the Spain, and the €385), the Le Golf National (the France, the 2018 Ryder Cup, the €100).