These 11 most elite country clubs in the world are favorite playgrounds of the rich and famous.
Country clubs started opening in the US in the late 19th century. Spurred by their predecessors in England, where it was unimaginable for a well-to-do gentleman not to hold membership in one or more country clubs, Americans decided that they too should have the same benefits. Country clubs should not be confused with gentlemen’s clubs, which are urban variant (think Sherlock Holmes sitting in a comfortable leather armchair in front of a fire, with a book in one hand and a glass of very old brandy in the other). While brandy and books may be found in every elite country club in the world, they are more of outdoor activity centers than a place to leisurely spend an evening before going out to dinner.
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One of the first activities original country clubs offered were horseback riding and hunting. The equestrian component largely faded away in modern times, but some of the oldest and most esteemed country clubs kept the hunting traditions alive. One of the things almost all of them have in common are golf courses. There’s a hardly a country club worth its name that doesn’t have one. In fact, in recent decades, golf club and country club have become almost synonyms. Technically speaking, that’s not entirely wrong, since, by definition, every golf club is a country club in an original sense of the world. The opposite isn’t always true since a country club can exist (although it is highly unlikely and extremely rare) without a golf course. Golf has taken over polo as the sport for the rich elite, in part because it has become an unavoidable part of country clubs.
As golf developed as a sport, more and more tournaments were being added to the calendars of golf associations around the world. Soon, it became a matter of prestige to belong to a club that hosts some of these tournaments. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth is an important part of appeal these prestigious country clubs had to offer. Those rich enough that could afford it could even get few private lessons from the champions.
In order to find out which are the most elite country clubs in the world, we combined several listings. We started with Ask Men and Business Insider lists. Since golf is an unavoidable part of a modern country club, we also included Golf Digest’s list of best golf courses in the world. Extra points were awarded to the clubs listed on the 2015 Platinum Clubs of the World list. Considering how elite this country clubs are, it is no wonder there’s some overlap with the list of the most expensive golf membership.
11. The Country Club
Country: USA
Founded: 1882
We kick off with the country club, one of the oldest clubs in the United States. Aptly named, Country Club is one of the 5 original clubs that came together in 1894 to form United States Golf Association. Ever since it was a matter of honor and prestige for Massachusetts’ gentlemen to belong to it. It hosted many important tournaments, like multiple US Opens and Ryder Cup in 1999. Apart from golf, the club offers tennis and squash courts to its members as well.
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10. Golf de Morfontaine France
Country: France
Founded: 1913
Next on our list is French gem, Golf de Morfontaine. Designed by the legendary Tom Simpson, it is the considered one of the best golf courses in continental Europe. The club was established in 1913, and it managed to stay open, at least partly, through both world wars. Its history in World War 2 is especially interesting, and it includes German panzers digging up the course, artillery positions at hole 13, and a British bomber crashing nearby, its crew rescued by the club’s staff. As it is with many other clubs on our list, you can’t just walk in and enjoy yourself. All visitors must be accompanied by a member to be given access.
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9. Liberty National New Jersey
Country: USA
Founded: 2006
The youngest club on our list, Liberty National was founded in 2006. The construction costs were estimated at $250 million, which makes is one of, if not the most expensive clubs in the history. Liberty National hosted PGA’s Barclay’s Golf Tournaments in 2009 and 2013. In 2008 the membership fee was about $500,000, although it was reduced significantly since. Notable members include Mark Wahlberg, Rudi Giuliani, and Eli Manning. Liberty National can be accessed by a boat or a helicopter. The fact that the club is built on a landfill can certainly make some symbolic connection, for those who seek it.
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8. The Royal Melbourne Golf Club
Country: Australia
Founded: 1891
Australia’s oldest continually existing golf club was founded in 1891. Its West course was designed by Alister MacKenzie, World Golf Hall of Famer. Often regarded as the best golf course in Australia, it hosted numerous Australia Open tournaments, as well as the World Cup in 1970.
7. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
Country: USA
Founded: 1881
Shinnecock Hills holds several prestigious claims, among them that of the oldest golf club in the United States and the first club to allow women (which it did since it was founded). It hosted the US open in three different centuries (1896, 1995, and 2004) and is scheduled again for 2018. The club house was built in 1892, and the members like to brag that it is the oldest one in the USA. However, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club lands are under dispute by the Shinnecock Indian Nation, who claims that it is the real owner, so you might want to hold on with that application until that dispute is resolved.
6. National Golf Links of America
Country: USA
Founded: 1911
Located just across Sebonac Road from Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, National Golf Links of America was designed by Charles B. Macdonald. The club got its name from the fact that the original 67 members were scattered around the various parts of the United States.
5. Pine Valley Golf Club
Country: USA
Founded: 1913
Pine Valley Golf Club has won a much-coveted title of the best golf course in the world awarded by the Golf Magazine two times, in 2012 and 2015. The only way to become one of the 930 members is to receive an invitation from the board of directors. Its membership list is jealously guarded and it has never been made public. It has never hosted a major golf tournament, mainly due to the fact that there’s not enough space around the course to accommodate thousands of press members and audience. All in all, a well-deserved 5th place among the most elite country clubs in the world.
4. Cypress Point Club
Country: USA
Founded: 1928
Apart from some amazing golfing experience, Cypress Point Club also offers its members (all 270 of them) a stunning view of the Pacific, especially around the 15th, 16th, and 17th holes often described as a must see for any serious golfer. The beauty of California’s nature along the Pacific coast truly adds to the unforgetful nature of Cypress Point and it is easy to see why its membership is so highly sought after one.
3. Bear’s Club
Country: USA
Founded: 1999
Florida has been often regarded as the Mecca for golfers, due to its weather and the fact that it allows 52 weeks of golfing per year. Jack and Barbara Nicklaus decided to take advantage of that and built a dream club in Jupiter, FL. Jack Nicklaus, AKA Golden Bear, considered the greatest golfer of all time, designed the club with golf professionals in mind, a place where they can not only practice, but have a home as well. Such concentration of talent soon attracted other rich people and Bear’s Club is now considered one of the most elite golf clubs in the world.
2. Augusta National Golf Club
Country: USA
Founded: 1933
In 2014, an ice storm damaged a loblolly pine in Georgia to such an extent that the tree had to be cut down and a wave of mourning passed through the international golf community. For it was no ordinary pine, it was the fabled Eisenhower Tree, located at the 17th hole at Augusta National Golf Club. Martin Dempster of The Scotsman described it as “arguably the most famous tree in golf”. It got its name when President Dwight D. Eisenhower, frustrated by another of his balls hitting the tree, petitioned the club management to remove it. The club chairman successfully avoided the request and the tree remained. This is just one of the many anecdotes about President Eisenhower and Augusta National Golf Club.
1. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
Country: Scotland
Founded: 1754
If nothing else, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews deserves number one spot on our list of most elite country clubs in the world for its name alone. The R&A is the oldest club on our list and probably the most stubborn one. It started receiving female members only in 2014, and it took a plea from the Prime Minister of the UK to finally convince them. Still, being a member of the Home of Golf is probably worth a little bigotry, at least to 2,300 members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
