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GOLF’s Top 100 ranking of the best golf courses in Asia-Pacific, categorized by country

A stunning aerial view of New Zealand's Tara Iti.

A stunning aerial view of New Zealand's Tara Iti.

Jacob Sjoman

GOLF Magazine‘s inaugural ranking of the finest courses in Asia-Pacific is long overdue. Not only does the region boast an eclectic mix of architecture, but it’s also home to some of the finest designs built this century.

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Wondering which Asia-Pacific country scored the largest number of Top 100 Courses in GOLF’s inaugural ranking?

Turns out, it wasn’t even close. Out of a total representation of 13 different countries, Australia won in a landslide, with 38 of the Top 100, and an impressive 5 of the Top 10.

GOLF

Japan was next on the list with 15, followed by a two-way tie for third with New Zealand and China.

Check out a full breakdown of how the Top 100 is dispersed in each Asia-Pacific country below.

More GOLF course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | Top 100 Courses in the U.K. and Ireland | Top 100 Short Courses in the World

Methodology: How we rate courses | Meet our expert raters

TOP 100 COURSES IN ASIA-PACIFIC BY COUNTRY

Australia (38)

1. Royal Melbourne (West)
Blackrock, Australia
Alister MacKenzie, 1926

2. Kingston Heath
Cheltenham, Australia
Dan Soutar, 1925; Alister MacKenzie, 1926

5. Barnbougle Dunes
Bridport, Australia
Tom Doak/Mike Clayton, 2004

8. Royal Melbourne (East)
Black Rock, Australia
Alex Russell/Mick Morcom, 1932

9. Victoria
Cheltenham, Australia
Alister MacKenzie, 1927; Ogilvy Clayton Cocking & Mead, 2019

10. New South Wales
La Perouse, Australia
Alister MacKenzie/Eric Apperly, 1947

15. Cape Wickham
King Island, Australia
Mike Devries/Darius Oliver, 2015

16. Barnbougle Lost Farm
Bridport, Australia
Bill Coore/ben crenshaw, 2010

18. Ellerston
Hunter Valley, Australia
Greg Norman/Bob Harrison, 2001

Royal Melbourne. Gary Lisbon

20. Royal Adelaide
Adelaide, Australia
H. Rymill/C. Gardner, 1906; Alister MacKenzie, 1926

22. Peninsula Kingswood (North)
Frankston, Australia
Sloan Morpeth, 1965; Ogilvy Clayton Cocking & Mead, 2018

24. St. Andrews Beach
St. Andrews Beach, Australia
Tom Doak/Mike Clayton, 2004

25. The National (Moonah)
Cape Schanck, Australia
Greg Norman/Bob Harrison, 2000

27. The National (Gunnamatta)
Cape Schanck, Australia
Thomson Wolveridge & Perrett, 2000; Tom Doak, 2019

29. Newcastle
Fern Bay, Australia
Fred Popplewell Sr., 1915; Eric Apperly, 1932

31. Metropolitan
South Oakleigh, Australia
J.B. MacKenzie, 1908; Dick Wilson, 1960

36. Lake Karrinyup
Karrinyup, Australia
Alex Russell, 1928; Mike Clayton, 2007

39. Ocean Dunes
King Island, Australia
Graeme Grant, 2016

41. Woodlands
Mordialloc, Australia
J.D.H. Scott, 1919

Kingston Heath. Gary Lisbon

43. Kooyonga
Lockleys, Australia
Herbert Rymill, 1923; Neil Crafter/Paul Mogford, 2012

44. Yarra Yarra
Bentleigh, Australia
Alex Russell, 1929; Tom Doak, 2021

46. Peninsula Kingswood (South)
Frankston, Australia
Sloan Morpeth, 1965; Ogilvy Clayton Cocking & Mead, 2018

48. Commonwealth
Oakleigh South, Australia
sam Bennett, 1921; Charles Lane, 1927; Sloan Morpeth, 1938

58. Barwon Heads
Barwon Heads, Australia
Victor East, 1921; Neil Crafter/Paul Mogford, 2005

60. Royal Canberra
Yarralumla, Australia
John harris, 1961; Ogilvy Clayton Cocking & Mead, 2016

62. Grange (West)
Grange, Australia
Herbert Rymill, 1927; Vern Morcom, 1965; Mike Clayton, 2008

65. The Lakes
Eastlakes, Australia
Von Hagge/Bruce Devlin, 1968; Mike Clayton, 2007

78. The National (Old)
Cape Schanck, Australia
Robert Trent Jones Jr., 1988

79. The Dunes
Rye, Australia
Tony Cashmore, 1995

Barnbougle Lost Farm. Gary Lisbon

81. 13th Beach (Beach)
Barwon Heads, Australia
Tony Cashmore, 2001

83. Cathedral Lodge
Thornton, Australia
Greg Norman, 2017

84. Lonsdale Links
Point Lonsdale, Australia
Ogilvy Cocking & Mead, 2020

92. Glenelg
Novar Gardens, Australia
Herbert Rymill, 1927; Vern Morcom, 1954; Neil Crafter/Bob Tuohy, 1998

93. Port Fairy
Port Fairy, Australia
Members, 1963; Kevin Hartley, 1985; Mike Clayton, 2002

95. Royal Queensland
Brisbane, Australia
Carnegie Clark, 1921; Mike Clayton, 2005

96. The Australian
Rosebery, Australia
Jack Nicklaus, 1976, 2013

98. Joondalup (Quarry/Dune)
Connolly, Australia
Robert Trent Jones Jr., 1985

100. Portsea
Portsea, Australia
Jock Young, 1926; Sloan Morpeth/Jack Howard, 1960; Mike Clayton, 2000

Japan (15)

4. Hirono
Miki-Chi, Japan
C.H. Alison/Chozu Ito, 1932; Martin Ebert, 2019

6. Kawana (Fuji)
Ito, Japan
C.H. Alison/Komyo Ohtani/Kinya Fujita, 1936

19. Tokyo
Sayama City, Japan
Komyo Ohtani, 1940; Gil Hanse, 2018

Hirono in Miki-Chi, Japan. Taku Miyamoto

21. Naruo
Kawanishi, Japan
Joe Crane/Harry Crane/Bertie crane, 1930; C.H. Alison, 1931

26. Yokohama (West)
Yokohama, Japan
Takeo Aiyama, 1958; Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2016

28. Kasumigaseki (East)
Kawagoe, Japan
Kinya Fujita/Shiro Akaboshi, 1929; Tom Fazio/Logan Fazio, 2016

32. Ono
Ono, Japan
Osamu Ueda, 1961

35. Abiko
Abiko, Japan
Rokuro & Shiro Akaboshi, 1931; Brian Silva/Kye Goalby, 2013

40. Osaka
Misaki, Japan
Osamu Ueda, 1937

45. Nikko
Nikko, Japan
Seiichi Inoue, 1955; Taizo Kawata, 2001

67. Koga
Koga, Japan
Osamu Ueda, 1953; Shoichi Suzuki, 1996; Ko Tanihira, 2005

68. Oarai
Oarai, Japan
Seiichi Inoue, 1953

70. Shimonoseki
Ahimonoseki, Japan
Osamu Ueda, 1956

80. Hokkaido Classic
Abira, Japan
Jack Nicklaus, 1991

85. Kasumigaseki (West)
Kawagoe, Japan
Kinya Fujita/Seiichi Inoue, 1932; Taizo Kawata, 1994

New Zealand (10)

3. Tara Iti
Te Arai, New Zealand
Tom Doak, 2015

7. Te Arai (South)
Tomarata, New Zealand
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2022

11. Cape Kidnappers
Te Awanga, New Zealand
Tom Doak, 2004

17. Paraparaumu Beach
Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand
Alex Russell, 1949

34. Kauri Cliffs
Matauri Bay, New Zealand
David Harman, 2000

52. Titirangi
Auckland, New Zealand
Alister Mackenzie, 1927

New Zealand’s Kauri Cliffs, complete with views of Cape Brett and the Cavelli Islands. Joann Dost

54. Kinloch
Kinloch, New Zealand
Jack Nicklaus, 2007

56. Jack’s Point
Queenstown, New Zealand
John Darby, 2008

69. Arrowtown
Arrowtown, New Zealand
Reg Romans/B.V. Right, 1936; B.V. Right, 1971

82. Waverley
Waverley, New Zealand
Ernie Southerden, 1965

China (10)

13. Shanqin Bay
Hainan, China
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2012

30. Lanhai Int’l (Yangtze Dunes)
Chongming Island, China
Jack Nicklaus, 2011; Ogilvy Clayton Cocking & Mead, 2018

42. Mission Hills (Blackstone)
Haikou, China
Brian Curley, 2010

61. Dunes at Shenzhou East
Wanning, China
Tom Weiskopf/Phil Smith, 2012

Shanqin Bay in Hainan, China. Gary Lisbon

63. Mission Hills (Hainan Lava Fields)
Haikou, Hainan, China
Brian Curley, 2011

64. Lake Malaren (Masters)
Shanghai, China
Jack Nicklaus, 2011

66. Shanghai Links
Shanghai, China
Jack Nicklaus, 1999

89. Dunes at Shenzhou West
Wanning, China
Tom Weiskopf/Phil Smith, 2010

91. Royal Hong Kong (Composite)
Sheung Shui, China
Eden: L.S. Greenhill, 1931; John Hopkins/Peter Thomson, 1968; New: John Hopkins/Peter Thompson/Michael Wolveridge, 1970

94. Nicklaus Club Beijing
Beijing, China
Jack Nicklaus, 2014

Vietnam (8)

33. Hoiana Shores
Quang Nam, Vietnam
Robert Trent Jones Jr., 2020

49. FLC Quang Binh (Forest Dunes)
Hai Ninh, Quang Binh, Vietnam
Brian Curley, 2018

55. FLC Quy Nhon (Ocean-Nicklaus)
Binh Dinh, Vietnam
Jack Nicklaus, 2016

57. The Bluffs Grand at Ho Tram BA
Ria-Vung Tau, Vietnam
Greg Norman, 2010

59. BRG Da Nang (Nicklaus)
Da Nang, Vietnam
Jack Nicklaus, 2020

71. FLC Quang Binh (Ocean Dunes)
Hai Ninh, Vietnam
Brian Curley, 2019

73. Stone Valley
Kim Bang, Ha Nam, Vietnam
Brian Curley, 2018

87. Laguna Lang Co
Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam
Nick Faldo, 2013

South Korea (7)

12. The Club at Nine Bridges
Jeju Island, South Korea
Ron Fream/David Dale, 2001

14. South Cape Owners Club
Namhae-gun, South Korea
Kyle Phillips, 2013

The 14th hole at South Cape Owners Club. Simon Holt

37. Whistling Rock (Temple/Cocoon)
Chuncheon, South Korea
Ted Robinson Jr., 2011; Eric Iverson, 2017

50. Pine Beach (Pine/Beach)
Haenam, South Korea
G.R. Baird/David Dale, 2009

74. Jack Nicklaus GC
Incheon, South Korea
Jack Nicklaus, 2010

88. Haesley Nine Bridges
Yeoju-Gun, South Korea
David Dale, 2009

97. Anyang
Gunpo-Si, South Korea
Chohei Miyazawa, 1968; Robert Trent Jones, Jr., 1997

Thailand (6)

38. Ayodhya
Boh Talo, Thailand
Thomson & Perrett, 2007; Pitak Intrawityanunt, 2012

47. Stonehill
Sam Khok, Thailand
Kyle Phillips, 2022

51. Ballyshear
Tambon Bang Bo, Thailand
Gil Hanse, 2022

76. Amata Spring
Tambon Nong Mai Daeng, Thailand
Lee Schmidt/Brian Curley, 2005

90. Blue Canyon (Canyon)
Tambon Mai Khao, Thailand
Yoshikazu Kato, 1991

99. Siam (Old)
Tambon Pong, Thailand
Ichisuke Izumi, 1971; Lee Schmidt, 2007

The par-3 17th at Thailand’s Amata Spring Country Club. Getty Images

Indonesia (1)

65. Jagorawi (Old)
Gunung Putri, Indonesia
Thomson & Wolveridge, 1979

Malaysia (1)

86. Saujana (Palm)
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Ron Fream, 1986

Myanmar (1)

72. Myotha National
Sagaing, Myanmar
Lee Schmidt/Brian Curley, 2018

Nepal (1)

23. Himalayan
Pokhara, Nepal
R.B. Gurung, 1994

Singapore (1)

53. Sentosa (Serapong)
Singapore
Ronald Fream, 1982

Sri Lanka (1)

77. Victoria
Digana, Sri Lanka
Donald Steel/Martin Ebert, 1999

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