[SWFlaGolfer]

All golfers love to play golf on the nicest courses they can. There is nothing like playing on manicured greens, lush low-cut fairways and amongst beautiful trees, flowers and water. It makes for a memorable experience to say the least.

With that said, let's take things to the highest level and look at what Golf Magazine claims are the top five golf courses in the world.

1. Pine Valley Golf Club

Pine Valley Golf Club is located in Pine Valley, NJ USA and is consistently ranked number one year after year. The golf course is massive in size. You can literally play every hole and never know that anyone else is even on the course.

Pine Valley is also known as one of the toughest golf courses to play anywhere. It's extremely private and next to impossible to get to play a round on. Pine Valley has been around for many years and has been ranked number one by Golf Magazine ever since 1991. No other golf course in the world offers more in the way of privacy and beauty.

2. Cypress Point Golf Club

Cypress Point Golf Club is located in Pebble Beach, CA USA. Sitting off the Monterrey Peninsula, this golf course is one of the most beautiful you could ever find. You will have a visual experience that you'll never forget with the cypress trees and the waters of the Pacific Ocean just off the fairway.

The 16th hole at Cypress Point has always been called one of the most beautiful par threes anywhere in the world. Anyone can play at Cypress Point since it is not a private golf club.

3. St. Andrews Golf Club

St. Andrews Golf Club is where golf got its start. Located in Fife, Scotland, this course is the oldest golf course in the world. What St. Andrews lacks in visual appeal, it more than makes up for in historical appeal.

St. Andrews is also famous for the 17th hole called the "road hole". The course started in the 12th century and is also known as a "Royal and Ancient" golf club. It simply doesn't get any better than playing a round of golf on the world's oldest golf course.

4. Augusta National Golf Club

Coming in at number four is Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA USA. Home to the Masters PGA Golf Tournament, this course is famous for its beautiful manicured grounds, trees and flowers.

Every hole on the golf course is named after a flower. Although this golf course is world famous and arguably one of the most beautiful in the world, the chances of you ever getting to play a round of golf there are slim to none. Augusta National is ultra-private with less than 500 members total.

5. Shinne**** Hills Golf Club

Rounding out the top five is Shinne**** Hills located in Southampton, NY USA. Built in the 1800s, Shinne**** Hills was originally a 12-hole golf course before being turned into an 18-hole course in 1895. Shinne**** Hills Golf Club is known for its undulating, very fast greens, as well as its tight, tree lined fairways.

Playing on one of these top five golf courses may only be a fantasy for just about every golfer, be we can always dream.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Golf