Top 100 Courses in the World: GOLF’s 2020-21 ranking of the best golf courses on the planet

Troon, Scotland Willie Fernie, 1887

Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf and Tom Watson are among the Americans who have won at Troon, yet the most memorable shot was struck by a non-winner, 71-year-old Gene Sarazen, who aced the 123-yard “Postage Stamp” 8th during the 1973 Open — with a 5-iron! While some argue that the closing stretch is too flat to inspire affection, it is undeniably tough, earning Troon its long-held accolades. (Down 4)

Cincinnati, OH Seth Raynor, 1921

This low-key design in suburban Cincinnati dishes out extremely deep bunkers and huge, squared-off greens on a property laced with valleys and ravines. The usual Macdonald/Raynor template holes are in place, and the one-shot holes are particularly strong, including the Biarritz and a Redan. But the two best par-3s might be the 5th and the 11th, modeled after the Eden and Short holes at St. Andrews. (Up 11)

Farmingdale, NY A.W. Tillinghast, 1935

Bethpage Black scares golfers with a sign at the first tee: “Warning — The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.” The People's Open, as the 2002 U.S. Open came to be known, brutalized players with its Rees Jones-restored A.W. Tillinghast layout, care of rugged, uphill par-4s, massive bunkers and dense rough. (Down 1)

Woodhall Spa, England Harry Vardon, 1905/H.S. Colt, 1912/S.V. Hotchkin, 1926

Harry Vardon left us much more than six Open wins and a grip. Woodhall Spa is his design legacy, an intriguing heathland/inland-links blend, an oasis of tumbling terrain amid the surrounding flat fenland of Lincolnshire. Deep bunkers are Woodhall Spa's defining trait, along with plentiful gorse and a stellar set of par-3s. Credit architects H.S. Colt and S.V. Hotchkin for enhancing Vardon's work and turning the course into one of golf's supreme shotmaking tests. (Up 12)

South Ascot, England H.S. Colt, 1910

Unlike in America, England doesn't have a phobia about courses with par under 70. Seeing a 6,431-yard, par-69 course like Swinley Forest be embraced as an epitome of great design is a powerful message. Like Rye, its quintet of one-shotters and tight sub-70 par make it more of a complete test than a quick glance at its scorecard might indicate. The more the world speeds up, the more people appreciate clubs like Swinley where calm reigns supreme. (Up 32)

Ito-Shi, Japan C.H. Alison/Kinya Fujita, 1936

Japan's answer to Pebble Beach is this 1936 design that boasts staggering views of snow-capped Mt. Fuji and cliff-top panoramas of the Pacific Ocean. Alison's superb bunkering and strategies mix with undulating terrain that make it worth the three-hour trip from Tokyo. Recent tree clearing along the perimeter has enhanced an appreciation of the site’s phenomenal coastal setting. (Up 12)

Holyoke, CO Tom Doak, 2006

Founding a private club in a remote destination is not without peril and it is reasonable to expect a club to take a bit to get its feet underneath it. Now in its second decade, and courtesy of a new greenkeeper, Ballyneal enjoys its best playing conditions since opening. That manifests itself the closer one gets to the hole. With the greens now Stimping in the 10 to 10.5 range, balls are releasing across the rumpled ground and players are delighting in finding creative ways to use banks and punchbowl features to work their shots close. Fescue fairways help the ground-game options flourish. (Up 29)

Kiawah Island, SC Pete Dye, 1991

A blend of tidal-marsh carries, scrub-topped dunes and undulating greens pair with 7,600 muscular yards to form a relentless mix of beauty and brawn. While architect Pete Dye has softened his greens and their surrounds over years with the addition of more short grass, the Ocean Course remains among the country’s sternest tests. (Down 4)

La Romana, Dominican Republic Pete Dye, 1971

Pete Dye's personal favorite of all of his designs, Teeth of the Dog is flat-out gorgeous, with seven holes practically sunk into the Caribbean Sea. The design itself stands up to the aesthetics. Despite its intimidating name, Teeth of the Dog entrances, starting with its superior collection of par-3s. (Down 11)

King Island, Australia Mike DeVries, 2015

Wickham wows with an opening stretch of seaside headland holes, three par-3s that skirt the sea and a Cape-style 18th that demands a bite-off-as-much-as-you-dare drive over Victoria Cove. Set in the windiest spot of any course on our list, Wickham compensates with wide landing areas. (Up 12)