Playing a round of golf is no longer the bastion of corporate executives during the week or mum and dad golfers at the weekend. It’s now an opportunity to stay at an exclusive luxury resort where golf is one of the activities. Shopping, dining, spa treatments, Michelin-star restaurants, kids’ activities like waterparks and nights out at a casino are all available in one place. It creates a dream holiday for any keen golfer and their entire family.
From Scotland to Dubai to the Caribbean, here are the most luxurious golf resorts in the world.
The Pinnacle of Golf Resorts
There are two stand-out examples of golf resort towns in the world, and they’re at opposite ends of the northern hemisphere. St. Andrews in Scotland and Pebble Beach in the USA.
St. Andrews, Scotland
St. Andrews is a historical coastal town in Fife, Scotland (50 miles northeast of Edinburgh) and is considered the birthplace of golf. It’s believed that the world’s first game of golf was played there in 1552.
The Old Course still hosts championships today and was reduced from 22 holes to the current standard of 18 in 1764. It’s open to the public, but golfers must have a handicap of less than 36. The green fees are around £340. In 2025, an incentive available for Scottish citizens is a discounted tee time of only £42.50.
The Old Course Hotel is a luxury 5-star property overlooking the Old Course with 175 rooms and suites. The décor is classic Scottish meets contemporary elegance; some of the suites were designed by Jacques Garcia.
Pebble Beach, California
Pebble Beach is an exclusive coastal town on California’s Monterey Peninsula. There are five golf courses here, and they’re consistently rated among the world’s top public courses. The Pebble Beach Golf Links is the most popular. The green fees are $675 (£500) per person, regardless of whether you’re a resort guest.
Speaking of resorts, there are three luxury properties to choose from: The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay and Casa Palmero.
The Lodge at Pebble Beach is the flagship resort offering views over the golf course or the Pacific Ocean from its 161 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites in a classic style. The Inn at Spanish Bay resembles a Scottish seaside village, with 170 cosy, yet upscale rooms. Casa Palmero is a Mediterranean-style boutique hotel with 26 lavishly appointed rooms. You’ll find two Michelin-starred restaurants here, The Bench and Stillwater Bar & Grill.
Desert Luxury—The UAE’s Golfing Paradise
The desert isn’t the first place in the world you’d expect to find world-class golf courses, but the UAE has that covered.
Emirates Golf Club, Dubai
There are two championship courses at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, the Majlis Course and the Faldo Course. Designed by champion golfer Nick Faldo, the 18-hole course is the first all-grass championship course in the Middle East and one of the few in the world to offer night golf. The club has a maximum handicap of 28 for men and 36 for women, and the green fees range from AED 280 to AED 500 (£50–£100).
While no luxury resorts comprise the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai has some of the world’s most iconic luxury hotels, including the 7-star Burj Al Arab and the 5-star Atlantis The Royal on Palm Jumeirah with its sky-high infinity pools. There’s also Jumeirah Al Qasr, which has its own private beach, and the Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah with spectacular ocean-front rooms.
Abu Dhabi Golf Club & Yas Links
The 18-hole championship course at the Abu Dhabi golf club is called The National. It is unique as the back nine holes are floodlit to allow for night-time playing. Green fees range from AED 950 to AED 1250 (£190–£250). Yas Links on Yas Island offers 18 holes of golf stretched along the Arabian Gulf coastline, with slightly lower fees between AED 550 to AED 650 (£110–£130).
The Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa is a 5-star luxury property offering a country-club-style feel and 172 rooms overlooking the golf course. Most players who visit Yas Island choose to stay at the W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island. It has 499 rooms and suites offering incredible views across the Arabian Gulf.
Abu Dhabi itself is a luxury destination and home to Ferrari World.
Golf and the Luxury Lifestyle
Globally, golf resorts are becoming high-end entertainment resorts. In an attempt to entertain the spouses and families of the primary golfer, many resort complexes feature high-end boutique shops, water parks and casinos.
Sun City Resort in South Africa has golf courses, a casino, the Valley of Waves waterpark and a wildlife safari, all part of the complex. In the Bahamas, Atlantis Paradise Island features golf, a casino, the Aquaventure waterpark, plus a beach and scuba diving activities.
Currently, Ras Al Khaimah is the primary focus for integrated casino resort development in the whole of the UAE. This will begin with the planned opening of Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah in 2027. It will be the UAE’s first integrated resort and casino. This is the real-life version of the types of casinos you’ll find on EmiratesCasino.com. For the golfers, it will feature a unique floating golf green with a 110-meter drop in elevation.
The concept of combining golf with entertainment like casinos is that the adults can play golf by day and still have plenty to do at night as well. Meanwhile, the kids can entertain themselves in the pool or waterpark.
Island Escapes for Golf Enthusiasts
Golfing with an ocean view is best experienced on a tropical island. Sandy Lane in the Barbados and Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic are perfect examples.
Sandy Lane, Barbados
Sandy Lane in Barbados has three world-renowned golf courses. The Green Monkey Course, carved out of limestone, features dramatic elevation changes, making for some very challenging holes. To play at this course, you must be a guest of the Sandy Lane Hotel—green fees start at $400 (£300). The Country Club Course offers a lush golfing experience from $255 (£190). The Old Nine Course is a classic public course with affordable fees starting at $75 (£55)
Sandy Lane Hotel is an ultra-exclusive Caribbean golf and spa resort with 114 rooms and suites and a 5-bedroom villa. The resort is well-known as the venue for Tiger Woods’ wedding in 2004, where he booked out the entire property for nine consecutive nights.
Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
In Casa de Campo, there are three incredible golf courses. The Teeth of the Dog course is ranked #1 in the Caribbean and has seven oceanfront holes as part of its 18. Dye Fore Golf Course has 27 holes divided into three distinct 9-hole themes. The cliff-edge holes are spectacular and nerve-racking. The Links Course is a 7,000-yard course in a traditional Irish and Scottish style—picture rolling fairways, compact greens and strategic bunkers. Green fees at Casa de Campo range from $250 to $400 (£185–£300).
The luxury Casa de Campo Resort & Villas has 400 rooms and private villages with exclusive access to its own marina and private beach.
Golf as the Ultimate Luxury Lifestyle
Golf is no longer just a Saturday afternoon activity; it’s a luxury lifestyle. Golf resorts across the globe combine some of the world’s top golf courses with luxury accommodation and a broad range of entertainment.
To ensure a golfer can take their entire family, these golf resorts include high-end shopping and spa experiences and casinos for the adults and children’s attractions in the form of water parks and kid-friendly pools.
Whether you’re drawn to the timeless history of Scotland, the innovation of the UAE or the serenity of the Caribbean, today’s golf resorts offer exclusive escapes where every member of the family can indulge in luxury.
