By Steini and Hildur — Beyond 50
We were sitting on the terrace at El Paraíso Golf Club in Estepona. July 2026. The round was done, the food was good (we loved that garlic shrimps ufff), and neither of us wanted to move. Hildur had just birdied the 15th and was not going to let anyone forget it for the foreseeable future.
I was looking at my phone. Adding up something.
"Eighty two," I said.
"What?"
"We have played eighty two golf courses. Together."
Hildur put down her glass. "How many do we need for a hundred?"
"Eighteen."
She looked at me for a moment. Then she picked her glass back up. "We better get busy."
That was the conversation. That was the moment the Road to 100 became real. Eighteen courses left. Every tee time counts.
We made one rule for ourselves when we started building this list. Every course on it has to accept public bookings. No private members clubs where you need a friend of a friend who knows a member. No Augusta National. No Pine Valley. We love a dream as much as anyone but we also believe in dreams you can actually book. These are ten courses that are calling our names as we make our way to one hundred. The door is open at every single one.
Now let us be completely honest with you. We added up the green fees on this list. If we played all ten it would cost us nearly $8,000 in green fees alone — for the two of us — before a single flight, a single hotel night or a single drink after the 18th hole. That is not a number two people from Reykjavík come up with on their own.
The Road to 100 is real.
This list is real.
But making it happen will take partners who believe in what we are building. If there is a sponsor, a resort, a travel company or a golf brand out there who wants to be part of the most honest golf travel story being told by a couple over 50 this is your invitation. Reach out at partners@beyond50.golf.
We will make it worth your while.
We listed our 10 dream golf courses in alphabetical order. You cannot rank an ancient Scottish links against a tropical island in the Indian Ocean or a clifftop course in Japan. You just cannot.
But if you are curious what are the best golf courses we played in 2025 here is the list:
1. Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course — Alberta, Canada
Why it is on the list: Mountain golf at its absolute grandest. Designed by Stanley Thompson in 1928, it winds along the Bow River under the peaks of Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain with the historic Castle in the Rockies hotel in the background. Fully open for public resort bookings.
The golf: Mountain optical illusions everywhere, putts break away from mountains when your eyes say they should not, and the thin alpine air gives your ball extra carry. The par 3 4th, the Devil's Cauldron, plays across a glacial pond into a bowl carved beneath a sheer rock face. One of the greatest par 3s ever built.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Very walkable terrain though electric carts are available and popular.
How to book it: Directly through the Fairmont Banff Springs website or the pro shop.
https://www.banffmountaingolf.com
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $200 to $260 USD per person in peak summer. Buggy included. Extra: a Banff National Park Pass is required for entry.
2. Black Mountain Golf Club — Hua Hin, Thailand
Why it is on the list: Carved into foothills framed by dramatic black granite rock faces. Consistently ranked among the top courses in Asia. Five star conditioning, mountain breezes and hospitality that makes you want to stay a week.
The golf: Lush fairways weaving between interconnected creeks, lakes and dramatic elevation drops. Generous off the tee but approach shots demand precise distance control into well bunkered contoured greens.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Buggies strongly encouraged given the tropical warmth and significant hillside elevation shifts.
How to book it: Directly online or through a reputable golf travel agency specialising in Thailand.
https://blackmountainhuahin.com
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $100 to $130 USD per person. Buggy required at approximately $22 USD per person. Compulsory caddie fee approximately $11 USD plus a customary cash tip of $12 to $15 USD.
3. Ile aux Cerfs Golf Club — Trou d'Eau Douce, Mauritius
Why it is on the list: It sits on its own private tropical island off the east coast of Mauritius. You do not drive up to a clubhouse bag drop. You arrive by boat across a calm turquoise lagoon.
The golf: Bernhard Langer routed the fairways through native mangrove bays, black volcanic rock and white sand beaches. Water hazards here are not artificial ponds. They are crystal clear tidal inlets of the Indian Ocean. After 18 holes you have lunch on the beach with your toes in the sand.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Buggies mandatory for the vast majority of the year to navigate the tropical layout comfortably.
How to book it: Via major golf tour operators or through partnered island resorts.
https://www.ileauxcerfsgolfclub.com
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $230 USD per person for international visitors. Buggy required at approximately $30 to $33 USD per buggy. Mandatory Island Conservation Fee of approximately $2 USD per player.
4. La Galiana Golf Resort — Valencia, Spain
Why it is on the list: Most Spanish resort courses are surrounded by villas and holiday apartments. La Galiana is the opposite. Tucked deep into an isolated valley near Valencia with nothing but pine forests and orange trees. Total silence. I have had the contact at La Galiana in my phone for over a year. This course is coming.
The golf: Severe elevation drops, tight fairway corridors and greens that require surgical irons. A tactical chess match from start to finish with mountain views on every tee.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: The extreme elevation changes between tees make a buggy practically essential for enjoyment.
How to book it: Directly via the La Galiana website.
https://lagalianagolfresort.com/en/
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $90 to $120 USD per person. Buggy extra at approximately $38 to $44 USD. Spanish Golf Federation day insurance required at approximately $3 USD.
5. Lofoten Links — Gimsøysand, Lofoten, Norway
Why it is on the list: True Arctic links golf played along the rugged Norwegian Sea under the Midnight Sun. Ranked among the most dramatic and photogenic courses in the world. 24 hour tee times during peak summer months.
The golf: Carved into rocky shorelines, coastal marshes and white sand beaches. The signature par 3 2nd hole plays onto a tiny green surrounded by the ocean and jagged rocks. If the Arctic wind is blowing it tests every ounce of nerve you have.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Built primarily for walking. Manual push trolleys included with the green fee. Electric trolleys available for rent. Motorised buggies extremely limited and strictly on request.
How to book it: Directly via the Lofoten Links website. Resort lodge guests get priority. Public tee times open one to three months in advance depending on season.
https://www.lofotenlinks.no/en/
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $190 to $330 USD per person depending on season and midnight hours. Electric trolley approximately $28 USD. Electric buggy approximately $45 to $50 USD if approved. Club rental approximately $60 USD.
6. Pebble Beach Golf Links — California, USA
Why it is on the list: The most famous public access course on earth. You do not need a secret handshake. Just a reservation at the resort or quick fingers for a 24 hour cancellation slot. Standing on the cliffs overlooking Carmel Bay with the Pacific crashing below is golf royalty.
The golf: The stretch from holes 6 through 8 along the bluffs will take whatever breath you have left. The par 3 7th is barely 100 yards but hitting toward the crashing surf with a gusting ocean wind can turn a lob wedge into a 6 iron. Walking up the par 5 18th with the Pacific running all along your left side is pure bucket-list golf.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Buggies allowed but limited to the cart path. I would upgrade to a caddie for the coastal terrain and course knowledge.
How to book it: Requires a two to three night minimum stay at a Pebble Beach Resorts property to book in advance.
https://www.pebblebeach.com/golf/pebble-beach-golf-links/
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $675 to $695 USD per person. Buggy extra at approximately $55 to $60 USD per rider, cart path only. Caddie fees average $155 per bag plus a generous cash tip.
7. Real Club Valderrama — Sotogrande, Spain
Why it is on the list: We have played many courses within 20 minutes of Valderrama. We have driven past the gates more times than we can count. The number 1 course in Spain and the number 1 course in continental Europe and we have not played it yet. That needs to change.
The golf: It does not care how far you hit the driver. If you cannot shape the ball between mature cork oaks or hold small elevated glass like greens it will find you out. The par 5 17th is the most discussed second shot in European golf. I need to stand over it.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Relatively flat and walkable though buggies are available. Visitor slots in the afternoon only. Dress code is strict.
How to book it: Advanced application required through the club website or via specialised golf tour operators.
https://www.valderrama.com
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $600 to $650 USD per person for the visitor afternoon window. Mandatory forecaddie $70 USD per group. Buggy extra approximately $75 USD. True minimum cost per person approximately $670 USD.
8. The Old Course at St Andrews — Fife, Scotland
Why it is on the list: You cannot love this game and ignore where it started. What makes St Andrews different from every other famous course is that it is a public park on Sundays. It belongs to the town. It has always belonged to the town.
The golf: Massive double greens. Blind tee shots over stone walls. Deep pot bunkers that punish ego. I want to feel that biting North Sea wind, walk every inch of it and finish with a cold pint right by the home green.
Hildur's Take: "Walking over that bridge on the 18th. That is the only thing I want from this course. Everything else is a bonus."
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Strict walking only course. No motorised buggies for general play.
How to book it: Via the advance ballot system or the daily singles queue at the starter's box.
https://www.standrews.com/homepage
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $465 USD per person in high season. Buggies not allowed. Caddie fee approximately $105 USD base plus a recommended cash tip of $35 to $50 USD.
9. TPC Sawgrass — The Players Stadium Course, Florida, USA
Why it is on the list: Most tournament venues lock ordinary golfers out. Sawgrass was designed from day one as a stadium for everyone. It hosts The Players Championship every March and as long as you are willing to pay the green fee they will hand you a scorecard and point you toward the first tee.
The golf: Pure Pete Dye psychological warfare. Railroad ties, awkward angles and water lurking everywhere. But let us be honest. I am here for the par-3 17th. Standing on that tee staring at the Island Green, wedge in hand, 137 yards, wind unknown is the ultimate gut check in golf.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Cart friendly. Comfortable round.
How to book it: Best secured via a Stay and Play package through the Sawgrass Marriott.
https://tpc.com/sawgrass/
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $750 to $900 USD per person in peak season. Buggy included. Forecaddie included but a mandatory cash tip of $40 to $50 USD per player is expected.
10. Kawana Hotel Golf Course — Fuji Course, Shizuoka, Japan
Why it is on the list: Charles Alison designed this course in 1936 on clifftop terrain two hours south of Tokyo. It is ranked number 3 in Asia and sits in Golf Magazine's top 100 in the world. Mount Fuji is visible throughout the entire round. Between the 4th green and the 5th tee an outdoor escalator carries you up the cliff face.
I cannot think of another golf course on earth where you take an escalator between holes. An outdoor one. On a cliff. In Japan. I need to play this course.
The golf: Clifftop fairways above the Pacific Ocean. Deep bunkers on steeply sloping greens. The 7th hole plays to a green kissed by light reflected off the ocean below. The 15th tee sits so high above the fairway that the Pacific is the backdrop on three sides. This is Big Sur level coastal drama with Mount Fuji watching every single shot.
Beyond 50 Reality Check: Buggy included for hotel guests. The Kawana Hotel is an IHG property. The Japanese golf experience includes a mandatory lunch break at the halfway point not optional, not a suggestion, part of the round. I am completely in favour of this rule.
How to book it: Hotel guests book directly through the Kawana Hotel. The Fuji Course requires a hotel stay during peak periods. Non-hotel visitors can play the Oshima Course.
https://www.princehotels.com/en/golf/kawana/fuji/?_gl=1*jpcdf4*_gcl_au*MTE0Mjc2Mjk3Mi4xNzkxMTUyNDY4
The Real Cost Breakdown:
Green fee approximately $315 USD on a weekday. Approximately $420 USD on a holiday. Buggy and lunch included. Dress code strictly enforced — soft spikes mandatory, no denim, proper golf attire required. Club rental approximately $60 USD.
What is on your list?
We have eighteen courses left to reach one hundred. These ten are at the top of our wish list. What is on yours? Drop your suggestions in the comments. Publicly bookable only, those are the rules.
You don't stop having fun because you get old. You get old because you stopped having fun.
Steini and Hildur
Beyond 50
ps. here is the best golf course we played in 2025.
