Ranking the best ‘Royal’ golf courses

I know multiple people who have played more than 2,000 courses in their lifetime.

But I’d be shocked if there’s anybody in the history of the world who has played every golf course given ‘Royal’ status by the British monarchy. This prestigious designation has been given by the royal family to 64 golf clubs around the world. Although most are located in the United Kingdom and Ireland, they can also be found in obscure golf countries like Malta, Kenya, Zimbabwe, India, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. 

To receive the honor of being called a ‘Royal’, the club would normally invite someone from the Royal family to be an honorary member, or the club would simply apply for the status. Not every golf course with ‘Royal’ in its name is a true ‘Royal’, so it can be a bit confusing. Just know that all the ‘Royals’ that populate all those ranking lists are the real thing. I’ve collected all the true ‘Royals’ in this course carousel if you have the time and patience to scroll through them all.

I’d love to add playing every single ‘Royal’ to my list of career achievements, but I think age and income are barriers too great to overcome. Nevertheless, I’ve been fortunate enough to play 12 of them so far, including Royal Portrush Golf Club, host of The Open this week.

Where might the Dunluce Links land among my favorite ‘Royals’? Keep reading to find out.

This will be one of the toughest course rankings I’ve ever done. Virtually all of these clubs are among the world’s best, and I know many readers won’t agree with the order or my logic.

How wrong are my rankings? What’s your favorite ‘Royal’? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments below.