When it comes to experiencing the great outdoors in style, few activities compare to golfing on a truly picturesque golf course. Our methodology for ranking the most scenic courses involved utilizing data from Google Maps reviews and Instagram post counts. 3b4j1y
By focusing on picturesque keywords in reviews, such as ‘beautiful’, ‘stunning’ and ‘amazing’ along with social media visibility, we’ve crafted a list of golf courses that are as pleasing to the eye as they are challenging to play.
Without further ado, here are the golf courses you simply must see to believe in 2025. Please note, we have excluded golf courses with less than 100 written reviews from our final ranking.
Top 10 Most Picturesque Golf Courses 3055m
| Rank | Name | Country | Picture Perfect Score |
| 1 | Cabot Cliffs | Canada | 70.3 |
| 2 | Augusta National Golf Club | USA | 59.8 |
| 3 | Cabot Links | Canada | 59.6 |
| 4 | Whistling Straits (Straits) | USA | 56.4 |
| 5 | Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes) | USA | 53.0 |
| 6 | Pebble Beach Golf Links | USA | 52.5 |
| 7 | Banff Springs Golf Club | Canada | 50.9 |
| 8 | Sand Valley Golf Resort (Sand Valley) | USA | 44.1 |
| 9 | Cypress Point Club | USA | 42.6 |
| 10 | Southern Hills Country Club (Championship) | USA | 41.7 |
#1 – Cabot Cliffs: The Most Picture-Perfect Golf Course in North America d1x30
Cabot Cliffs in Canada tops the list as the most picturesque golf course. A stunning 65.4% of its 107 reviews classify it as picturesque. The dramatic cliffs and breathtaking ocean views of this Canadian marvel make it a must-visit for any golf enthusiast eager to play in a nearly ethereal setting. Despite having a modest Instagram presence of 1,380 posts, Cabot Cliffs achieves the highest “Picture Perfect Score” of 70.3, largely due to its stunning natural beauty that inspires awe in person.
Golfers at Cabot Cliffs often describe their experience as incredible and stunning, emphasizing the beautiful layout that merges seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. From the moment you step onto the fairways, you’re transported to a visual paradise, making it no wonder this course stands out in our rankings.
One review for Cabot Cliffs from local guide Ray Kelly read as follows:
“Wow! Breathtaking! Majestic! Gorgeous! Scenic! Incredible! I’m running out of adjectives to describe the jaw-dropping Cabot Trail, and in particular, its crown jewel—Cabot Cliffs Golf Course.”
Whether it’s the captivating green fairways set against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean or the intricate design that challenges both amateur and seasoned golfers, Cabot Cliffs is the place where golfing dreams come true.
#2 – Augusta Comes in Second 6d2x53
Augusta National Golf Club in the USA isn’t just a household name; it’s a hallmark of golfing excellence. Known globally, Augusta boasts the highest Instagram presence with a staggering 136,000 posts. Yet, only 42.8% of its 229 reviews label it as picturesque, leading to a “Picture Perfect Score” of 59.8. Even renowned icons have room for improvement, it seems.
Despite this, Augusta’s timeless elegance makes it unforgettable. With lush green fairways and a historic aura, it’s a sacred ground for golf fans worldwide.
Runner-Up Beautiful Golf Courses 1s2r1i
#3 – Beyond Augusta lies Cabot Links in Canada, which showcases an impressive picturesque review percentage of 59.4% with 1,591 Instagram posts, achieving a Picture Perfect Score of 59.6.
#4 – Following close behind is Whistling Straits in the USA, where a balanced mix of 56.8% picturesque reviews and 7,539 Instagram posts contribute to a Picture Perfect Score of 56.4.
#5 – Other remarkable contenders include the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort with its significant Instagram presence (64,300 posts) but a lower picturesque percentage (47.9%), thus earning a Picture Perfect Score of 53.0.
#6 – Not far off, Pebble Beach Golf Links garners attention with 10,700 Instagram posts and a picturesque review percentage of 54.3%, culminating in a Picture Perfect Score of 52.5.
#7 – Banff Springs, located in Alberta, comes in at 7th with a solid score of 50.9.
Complete Ranking 2m5k4k
Please find the complete rankings for North America’s most beautiful golf courses below:
| Rank | Name | Country | IG posts with this location | Picturesque Reviews | Total Reviews | Percentage of Picturesque Reviews | Picture Perfect Score |
| 1 | Cabot Cliffs | Canada | 1,380 | 70 | 107 | 65.4 | 70.3 |
| 2 | Augusta National Golf Club | USA | 136,000 | 98 | 229 | 42.8 | 59.8 |
| 3 | Cabot Links | Canada | 1,591 | 114 | 192 | 59.4 | 59.6 |
| 4 | Whistling Straits (Straits) | USA | 7,539 | 104 | 183 | 56.8 | 56.4 |
| 5 | Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes) | USA | 64,300 | 90 | 188 | 47.9 | 53.0 |
| 6 | Pebble Beach Golf Links | USA | 10,700 | 178 | 328 | 54.3 | 52.5 |
| 7 | Banff Springs Golf Club | Canada | 8,377 | 96 | 179 | 53.6 | 50.9 |
| 8 | Sand Valley Golf Resort (Sand Valley) | USA | 7,009 | 89 | 178 | 50.0 | 44.1 |
| 9 | Cypress Point Club | USA | 8,810 | 70 | 143 | 49.0 | 42.6 |
| 10 | Southern Hills Country Club (Championship) | USA | 24,100 | 74 | 159 | 46.5 | 41.7 |
| 11 | Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean) | USA | 26 | 95 | 198 | 48.0 | 39.0 |
| 12 | TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) | USA | 637 | 112 | 234 | 47.9 | 38.9 |
| 13 | Oak Hill Country Club (East) | USA | 5,572 | 84 | 179 | 46.9 | 38.3 |
| 14 | Victoria National Golf Club | USA | 6,280 | 49 | 105 | 46.7 | 38.0 |
| 15 | Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Pacific Dunes) | USA | 1,194 | 46 | 101 | 45.5 | 34.9 |
| 16 | Hamilton Golf & Country Club (West & South) | Canada | 9,504 | 65 | 147 | 44.2 | 34.4 |
| 17 | St George’s Golf & Country Club – Ontario | Canada | 6,793 | 62 | 141 | 44.0 | 33.3 |
| 18 | Shadow Creek | USA | 3,518 | 71 | 160 | 44.4 | 33.3 |
| 19 | Cabo del Sol (Cove Club) | Mexico | 192 | 145 | 340 | 42.6 | 29.5 |
| 20 | Muirfield Village Golf Club | USA | 513 | 78 | 185 | 42.2 | 28.7 |
| 21 | Aronimink Golf Club | USA | 12,700 | 43 | 109 | 39.4 | 26.6 |
| 22 | Scioto Country Club | USA | 8,174 | 45 | 113 | 39.8 | 26.3 |
| 23 | Oakland Hills Country Club (South) | USA | 9,792 | 43 | 110 | 39.1 | 25.3 |
| 24 | Highlands Links | Canada | 27 | 64 | 160 | 40.0 | 24.8 |
| 25 | Los Angeles Country Club (North) | USA | 15,300 | 53 | 146 | 36.3 | 21.6 |
| 26 | Riviera Country Club | USA | 567 | 78 | 209 | 37.3 | 20.1 |
| 27 | Inverness Club | USA | 797 | 38 | 104 | 36.5 | 18.8 |
| 28 | Diamante (Dunes) | Mexico | 292 | 65 | 185 | 35.1 | 16.2 |
| 29 | Winged Foot (East) | USA | 6,154 | 39 | 116 | 33.6 | 14.8 |
| 30 | Winged Foot Golf Club (West) | USA | 6,154 | 39 | 116 | 33.6 | 14.8 |
| 31 | Olympic Club (Lake) | USA | 145 | 54 | 159 | 34.0 | 14.1 |
| 32 | Oakmont Country Club | USA | 20,000 | 43 | 137 | 31.4 | 13.9 |
| 33 | Pinehurst (No.2) | USA | 534 | 61 | 183 | 33.3 | 13.0 |
| 34 | The Country Club (Clyde & Squirrel) | USA | 35 | 35 | 106 | 33.0 | 12.4 |
| 35 | Bethpage (Black) | USA | 32,700 | 55 | 199 | 27.6 | 10.0 |
| 36 | Pasatiempo Golf Club | USA | 10,700 | 45 | 149 | 30.2 | 9.7 |
| 37 | Shinnecock Hills Golf Club | USA | 23,700 | 42 | 152 | 27.6 | 8.0 |
| 38 | Lawsonia (Links) | USA | 3,380 | 43 | 165 | 26.1 | 0.7 |
Although the ‘beauty’ of a golf course won’t impact a player’s performance, if you’re interested in placing a bet on golf you should check out some of the US Masters.
Methodology 3s4i6p
Our methodology for ranking these exquisite golf courses centered around both qualitative and quantitative measures. We first gathered data using Python to scrape reviews from Google Maps and count Instagram posts.
- Data Collection:
- Google Maps Reviews: We compiled a list of courses from Top100GolfCourses and extracted reviews, focusing on those with picturesque descriptions.
- Instagram Post Counts: We used the Instagram API to determine the posts tagged with each golf course.
- Data Cleaning & Processing:
- Eliminated Duplicates and Irrelevant Information: Ensured reviews were genuine and informative by removing duplicates and irrelevant entries.
- Standardization and Text Processing: Converted all text to a standard format and filtered out non-descriptive elements.
- Data Analysis:
- Picturesque Keyword Identification: Scanned reviews for keywords indicating visual appeal (beautiful, stunning, etc.).
- Calculated Picturesque Percentage: Used this to calculate the percentage of reviews noting picturesque quality.
- Ranking System:
- Weighted Scoring: Combined picturesque review percentage (70%) with Instagram post count metrics (30%) to arrive at a comprehensive Picture Perfect Score.
You can find the full dataset here, with a detailed breakdown of the keywords used for our analysis.