Looking for inspiration for your next golf holiday? We have analysed Instagram data to find which of the world’s most popular golf courses are the most beautiful according to social media. Not only are these golf courses the very best for a game of golf, but they also look great on your Instagram feed too! With stunning golf courses in Northern Ireland, Portugal, the United States and Australia all making the list - these are definitely ones to add to the bucket list. See where your favourite courses are ranked below!
Methodology:
To find which golf courses around the world are the most shared on Instagram we collated a list of the 30 most popular golf courses and then scraped Instagram for the number of images that have been posted on the app alongside the hashtags most closely associated to each golf course. We used this number to rank each of the course from most to least Instagrammed.
The Top 5 Most Instagrammed Golf Courses in the World
1. Royal County Down Golf Club - 89,293 posts
Located in the small seaside resort town of Newcastle, Royal County Down is made up of two 18-hole links courses, the Championship Course and the Annesley Links. Measuring at nearly 7,200 yards, the course stretches out beneath a stunning backdrop of the Mourne Mountains. It’s also one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland and attracts many visitors from around the world every year. Royal County Down is quite rightly the number 1 most Instagrammed golf course in the entire world!
(Image source: Ian Blair / Royal County Down / CC BY-SA 2.0)
2. Augusta National Golf Club - 71,132 posts
Located in Augusta, Georgia and home to the Master’s Tournament, the Augusta National is one the most famous and exclusive golf clubs in the world. Designed by golfer Bobby Jones and architect Alister MacKenzie, this course is renowned for its impeccable appearance and dream-like setting - it’s ponds were once even dyed blue to ensure it’s appearance was up to scratch! It opened in December 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression and is one of the most renowned golf clubs today. Only a lucky few golfers have actually been able to play on this course, however.
(Image source: Mbrooks assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain)
3. Quinta do Lago - 70,927 posts
Quinta do Lago is a luxurious and beautiful golf resort nestled in the Algarve in Southern Portugal, the dream holiday destination for all golf-lovers. Not only does the resort offer incredible restaurants, a stunning natural park and an exclusive golden beach, but most importantly, it’s also home to the very best golf course in Portugal. This course has a par-72 layout that is widely praised for its strategically-placed obstacles and varying difficulty across the course, which makes for a fun and challenging game.
(Image source: Abspires40 from Dubai, UAE / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
4. TPC Sawgrass - 45,205 posts
Home of The Players Championship, The Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass was the very first of several Tournament Players Clubs to be built. The club consists of two courses, the Stadium Course and the Valley Course, designed by golf course architects, Pete and Alice Dye. The Stadium Course is considered to be one of the most difficult golf courses in the world, with one of the most difficult holes recognised in the sport. Players are treated to clear and stunning views, with hundreds of oaks, pines and palm trees throughout the course.
(Image source: Craig ONeal / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
5. Old Course - 35,731 posts
Old Course at St. Andrews is the oldest known golf course in the world and it is thought that golf was being played on this course as far back as the 12th century. Often referred to as ‘the home of golf,’ this large and flat golf course is a challenge even to some of the best golfers in the world. Despite its prestige, it remains a public golf course that’s open to all. Located in the historic university town of St. Andrews, Old Course is well worth a visit to both golfers and non-golfers alike. Designed mostly by mother nature with some outside input by Allan Robertson, this course has some of the most interesting putting surfaces in the world. It is also relatively easy to book a game on the course compared to some of the world’s other prestigious courses.