I have been reviewing, rating, and ranking golf courses and golf resorts for almost three decades. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.
I do call upon a panel of well-traveled course experts to give their opinions and help with the Top 100 rankings, both to enable us to visit more venues each year but also so it’s not just one person’s opinion, but I get to as many as I can, as often as I can.
Take the recent Top 100 ranking of the best golf resorts in Europe, for instance. I’ve visited 94 of the 100 resorts that made the list, some multiple times.
Each resort is scored on four criteria: the quality of the course(s) on site, the accommodation, the setting, and any non-golf amenities. The golf is given double the weighting of the other three categories as it’s likely the main reason you’ll be visiting such a resort, no matter how nice the hotel, the food, or the surrounding area.
You can read the full 100-1 European golf resorts ranking here – and I’d strongly recommend doing so because there are some fantastic options throughout – but for those who like to cut straight to the chase, here are my top 10.
Courses 33 Accommodation 18 Amenities 19 Setting 15 Total 85
Getting there Antalya is 30 mins away.
Gloria has three superb courses and three world-class hotels. The courses are evenly balanced and the hotels have different emphases; the Serenity and Verde for couples and the Golf hotel vies with Pine Cliffs as Europe’s best golf resort for families – it even has its own water park!
Courses 37 Accommodation 15 Amenities 15 Setting 18 Total 85
Getting there Lisbon airport is 60 mins away.
So good that it could be No.1. The golf is magnificent, encompassing Continental top-20 entry West Cliffs and top-30 entry Praia D’El Rey; the highest quality golf in this list. An awesome Atlantic location but loses a mark in ‘Setting’ for West Cliffs being 10 minutes away. Also has a nice hotel.
Course 29 Accommodation 20 Amenities 18 Setting 18 Total 85
Getting there Fly into Gibraltar or Malaga.
A Cabell Robinson-designed course that is in our list of the 100 best golf courses in Europe and is presented beautifully. Yet it is overshadowed by the hotel, which one could argue is matched in the rest of this list but never surpassed. It is demure, luxurious, and, frankly, a work of art.
Amenities include a predictably high-caliber spa, swimming pools, racquet sports, a superb gym and a gorgeous Beach Club 10 minutes away. Service plays no part in our ranking but it is worth pointing out it is exceptional here.
Courses 36 Accommodation 16 Amenities 17 Setting 18 Total 87
Getting there Faro airport is 20 minutes away.
Three courses – the South, North, and Laranjal – within the top 120 in Continental Europe are a powerful offering but it has only the relatively small (but cute) Magnolia Hotel as accommodation. That affects the amenities a bit but fantastic restaurants and a superb sports hub boost that mark.
Courses 33 Accommodation 20 Amenities 19 Setting 16 Total 88
Getting there Malaga airport is 70 minutes away.
A very significant rise in the ranking since 2022 for a resort that encompasses the Top 100-ranked golf course plus amenities and villa accommodation at La Reserva Club, in addition to Almenara’s refurbished 27 holes and the elegant SO/ Sotogrande hotel.
It is the addition of the facilities at La Reserva Club – headlined by an inland beach club that is more alluring than most seaside ones – and the gorgeous SO/ Sotogrande hotel that see it move to the edge of the top five.
Nearby superstars Valderrama and Real Sotogrande are not part of the reckoning as they are not owned by the resort; if they were, the Courses mark would be 40/40 and it doesn’t take Carol Vorderman to work out where that would then place Sotogrande.
And what’s more, it loses a mark in ‘Setting’ for the short journeys between La Reserva Club and Almenara/SO/ Sotogrande. They are nothing more than traffic-free 10-minute drives, so it is arguably harsh to knock a full mark off.
Despite that, this represents a strong rise for a destination that now puts a very large tick in every box for couples, families, and groups of golfers.
Courses 35 Accommodation 18 Amenities 19 Setting 16 Total 88
Getting there Antalya is 30 minutes away.
The best resort in Belek boasts two courses that have become fixtures in our Continental Top 100 in the shape of Carya – Belek’s No.1, and just yards from the hotel – and The National, a short shuttle away. Plus, it has one of the best hotels in the list in terms of design, luxury, and especially amenities – they include a mini water park and a bowling alley.
Courses 35 Accommodation 19 Amenities 17 Setting 18 Total 89
Getting there Girona airport is 10 minutes away.
No change from the 2022 list for the resort that takes the No.4 spot in the ranking, but there is a change to its name. PGA Catalunya has become Camiral, and while I understand the benefit resorts and courses see in PGA branding, this feels like a positive change to me.
‘Camiral’ suits this destination, which has grown from a resort that was principally two golf courses into one of the most well-rounded resorts in the world.
The addition of two hotels – Camiral and Lavida – has naturally helped that, and do not underestimate the non-golf amenities as well as the world-class practice facilities that are now on offer here. If you go there with anyone who doesn’t play golf but is happy in a spa, you can head off to play knowing they will be entirely content.
There are also summer camps for kids, a cycling hub, yoga, and a beautiful pool area.
The hotel itself is one of the most stylish in this list. The tasteful elegance of the public areas contrasts with the modern shininess of the exterior, and that extends into the 138 superb bedrooms.
Girona is pretty much the gastronomic capital of the world, so Camiral simply had to be special in that regard. And it is. No matter where you eat, you will eat very well. The clubhouse menu, for example, combines standard favourites with local dishes so tempting they draw you away from a burger or club sandwich.
Camiral’s latest restaurant is Origin, which combines traditional, locally-sourced Catalonian flavours with innovative techniques from its renowned chefs, led by David Vives, who previously spent 10 years at the three Michelin-star restaurant El Celler de Can Roca.
The 1477 restaurant is now called Camiral Bistro and offers rustic dishes of fresh fish, chargrilled meats and Mediterranean vegetables prepared over the coals.
This is a good point at which to mention Lavida, which is closer to 4-star than five but is still exceptionally chic. And it has Bella’s, an al fresco Italian restaurant a short stroll from the Camiral hotel.
The golf? A course that is a fixture in the Continental European Top 100 – and has been close to hosting the Ryder Cup – and one that is in the Next 100. You may already have heard plenty about them. Suffice to say they can keep golfers happy for a week, but you may not know as much about the practice facilities at Camiral. ‘Practice facilities’ is probably not all that accurate a term, because as with the spa, this Golf Hub is more like a tour-level performance center than just a range and putting green. TrackMan range software is the latest addition to the armory of technology here to improve the games of guests – Camiral is only the second resort in Spain to feature its courses on the industry’s leading virtual golf software.
The driving range has been upgraded with a new private tee for groups, target greens, bunkers, and distance markers, plus four greens with different grasses—Bermuda, Bent, Paspalum, and Poa. There is also a beginners’ area with high-quality mats, a short-game practice area with large bunkers, a green with different flag positions, and a 2,000-square-meter putting green and chipping area with five bunkers.
The driving range has been upgraded with a new private tee for groups, target greens, bunkers, and distance markers, plus four greens with different grasses – Bermuda, Bent, Paspalum, and Poa. There is also a beginners’ area with high-quality mats, a short-game practice area with large bunkers, a green with different flag positions, and a 2,000-square-meter putting green and chipping area, with five bunkers.
Courses 34 Accommodation 19 Amenities 19 Setting 18 Total 90
Getting there Nice airport is 35 minutes away.
For Terre Blanche to lie only three marks behind Costa Navarino, which has double the number of courses and triple the number of hotels, shows just how good this French resort is.
Our long-time No.1 is in third here but would still be a worthy name at the very top of the list by virtue of its excellence in accommodation, tranquil Provence setting, and high-caliber golf.
It has one Continental Top 100 golf course and a second that is in the Next 100, so enough firepower in that department to keep even the demanding golfer content.
The golf offering may even be surpassed, however, with a majestic hotel arranged in a series of cute detached rooms augmented by myriad amenities.
For families and especially couples, the end result is very tough to beat.
Courses 34 Accommodation 19 Amenities 18 Setting 19 Total 90
Getting there Palermo is 50 minutes away.
Verdura moved four places up in the 2023 list because it had fully recovered from the freak storm that damaged its golf courses and made its 2020 slot of seventh something of a ‘holding position’.
Kyle Phillips had reworked the East and West by the time of our last ranking, though, turning the East into the No.56 in our Continental European list with its sister in the Next 100.
They are complemented by a stylish 168-room Sir Rocco Forte hotel, sensational restaurants, activities such as yoga, aquatic bodywork, trekking, Pilates, and a superb gym, plus an infinity pool and spa. The dreamy white-sand beach just yards from the heart of the resort elevates the experience still further.
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Courses 38 Accommodation 20 Amenities 18 Setting 17 Total 93
Getting there Athens is a two-hour drive away, Kalamata is 30 minutes.
This is the second successive Continental resorts ranking in which Costa Navarino has been our No.1. The depth, range, and quality of every aspect of this Greek destination mean it is a scenario that is unlikely to change any time soon.
Indeed, describing why it is No.1 becomes easier by the year, because there is always something new to report.
Four years ago, the prospect of two new courses was on the agenda. When they became a reality in 2022, it rose to No.1. At that time, there were two new hotels in the pipeline, and both are now fully operational.
So, in the space of just a handful of years, Costa Navarino has doubled its number of courses and doubled its number of hotels. And one could feasibly argue that these new developments include the best course and the best hotel. Those additions have increased the destination’s lead at the top of this highly competitive ranking.
Certainly, the new courses are every bit as good as the existing ones, and as I have written before, ask 10 golfers for their one-to-four here and you will get all sorts of permutations. It’s like that if you ask the golf staff, too.
The hotels are a little more distinct, but the common theme is luxury and style. The non-golf amenities are also up there with the best in this ranking and range from a water park and infinity pools to an epic spa and a first-class gym.
The setting? Well, one course sits on the edge of an idyllic bay, two are laid out high in the hills overlooking that bay and the fourth has an all-world infinity green as early as the 2nd. And the hotels all have access to a sandy beach.
You might think it should score higher than it does in Setting, but it loses a mark in this category for the journeys between hotels and golf courses.
Those journeys are the inevitable consequence of the extraordinary number of courses and hotels being so sensitively set into the natural landscape.
The Dunes is a couple of minutes’ walk from The Westin and Romanos hotels while the W and Mandarin Oriental are perfectly located for the Bay.
But unless you move about in the hotels – and what an experience that would be! – or stick to one course for your stay, you will have a bit of shuttle action.
These obviously can’t possibly run to everyone’s specific tee time so you sometimes find yourself leaving for a tee time a fair bit in advance. I know it sounds boring and not very ‘holiday vibes’, but I think it’s worth doing a bit of planning.
I accept 36 holes in a day on holiday is not for everyone, but the perfect itinerary for me – and for argument’s sake let’s base ourselves at The Westin or Romanos – is something like this…
Day one is for unwinding and exploring, with no golf. Day two begins with a 10am tee time on the Bay, followed by a late lunch on the majestic terrace of the clubhouse and a late supper back at Flame restaurant.
Day three is a pool or beach day to prepare for the exertions of an epic day four that sees me head off at 9am for a tee time on the Hills followed by lunch in the eponymous clubhouse and a late afternoon game on the Olympic. You deserve the pizza and pasta overload you gorge on at Da Luigi in the cute piazza located between The Westin and Romanos.
Day five is a beach day with a long, lazy lunch at gorgeous Barbouni made even longer by a couple of Aperol Spritz. A quick change and straight to the outdoor 1827 bar for a sundowner followed by the high-calibre buffet at Morias.
Day six is a lie-in and a game on the Dunes, which will start 15 minutes after you’ve left your breakfast table. Then indulge in sensational gyros in cute Souvlakerie for lunch followed by the must-try ice cream in the cozy parlor next door before sushi to die for and a couple of G&Ts in uber chic Onuki in the evening.
Romanos is a sensational base for your trip and while The Westin is the lower-priced option it too is superb – and if you get a room with a pool with the sea beyond, I personally think it is hard to beat.
I haven’t stayed at the W, but have spent a day there and for the younger crowd looking for beachside drinks and a livelier atmosphere, it felt like this would be the pick. Its location is spellbinding and the hotel’s design and decor take full advantage. If someone writes to tell me it’s the best hotel at Costa Navarino, I wouldn’t be surprised.
The Mandarin Oriental, meanwhile, naturally has its own emphasis and its own particular level of luxury.
As for the courses, I favor the Dunes for the all-round package it offers, but I can absolutely see why others would insist the Bay is the top choice. It is the epitome of holiday golf because of its setting – but trust me, you have to hit it well here to score well.
I’ve played the new courses twice each, eight months apart. I enjoyed the stretch on the Hills from the 6th as much as any at Costa Navarino; solid hole after solid hole and a feeling of glorious isolation.
The International Olympic is relatively narrow in a bid to produce the most eco-friendly course possible, so when it’s windy it can be a challenge. On a calm day, I wouldn’t argue with anyone who said it was the No.1… the back nine is magnificent.
The two newer courses, by Jose Maria Olazabal, will keep being refined and nurtured, further stretching the resort’s advantage in European terms and enhancing its position in the World Resorts list, where it was No.7 in 2023 behind only Bandon Dunes, Gleneagles, Turnberry, Pinehurst, Streamsong and Pebble Beach.
And by the time this ranking is refreshed in 2026, you can be sure Costa Navarino will have developed something new, something very impressive.
Chris Bertram – Golf World Top 100 Editor
He was born and brought up in Dumfriesshire and has been a sports journalist since 1996, initially as a junior writer with National Club Golfer magazine.
Chris then spent four years writing about football and rugby union for the Press Association but returned to be Editor and then Publisher of NCG before joining Golf World and Today’s Golfer as Senior Production Editor.
He has been freelance since 2010 and when he is not playing and writing about the world’s finest golf courses, he works for BBC Sport.
A keen all-round sportsman, Chris plays off 11 – which could be a little better if it wasn’t for hilariously poor lag putting which has to be seen to be believed.
