The Top 7 Most Exclusive Golf Courses (and How Much They Cost)

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Have you been dreaming of hitting the most challenging golf courses on earth? Or do you love the idea of playing where the best play? Perhaps you're hoping to network with some of the wealthiest golfers.
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The most exclusive golf courses in the world aren't necessarily the hardest to play. Sometimes it's the view. Other times it's the designer. And still other times, it's the perks that come with golfing there.
In any case, here are the seven most exclusive golf courses, and how much you'll need to cough up to play.
Frequently ranked as one of the best golf courses in the world, Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey is among the most exclusive and elite as well. It's a private club, and non-members can only play if invited and accompanied by an active member.
Pine Valley is located in Pine Hill, New Jersey, and it's only a nine-hole course. Founded over 100 years ago, the club only recently voted to admit women as members. This is a rule the club was allowed to get away with, despite the obvious discrimination, because it is private.
Another aspect of this being a private club is that the fees are closely guarded. There are obviously no set green fees as members can come and go as they please. However, the New York Post reported that initiation fees run $250,000 and annual fees are $32,000.
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Designed by world-renowned architect Greg Norman, the Ellerston Golf Club is known for its challenging nature as much as its exclusivity. The layout is difficult across its 18 holes, making it one of the most difficult courses in the world.
The course is mostly private, with entrance allowed only to members and their guests since it was built originally for an Australian businessman, Kerry Packer. The course is now managed by Packer's family.
This course is so exclusive, to this day, that it is one of the few courses in Australia that doesn't offer open days to the public at least a few times a year. Australian Golf Digest reports that the only way to get on the course without a direct invitation from a member is to take your chances to purchase a round at a charity auction.
Of course, the French have one of the most highly sought-after country clubs in the world. Morfontaine is located in Paris, the enchanted city, so of course it has an enchanting golf course. The club has two courses, one that follows a classic, traditional design and has 18 holes. The other course has only nine holes and is known for having a fairytale-like setting.
The club was established in 1927, and architect Tom Simpson designed the layout with strategic bunkering, creating a challenging yet beautiful course.
Golf de Morfontaine has a $100,000 initiation fee for members. Getting onto the green can be extremely difficult, but UK Golf Guy recommends putting together a package through the exclusive French travel agency, Private Golf Key, which will cost you a pretty penny.
Designed by architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, Shanqin Bay Golf Club is located in Hainan Island, China, and sits on a cliff overlooking the East China Sea. The course is known as one of the best in the world thanks to its panoramic view, challenging course, and luxurious amenities.
The course has 18 holes and offers strategic playing on each one, including blind tee shots and large contoured greens.
According to JJ Keegan, initiation fees are $1.4 million, and membership includes a $30,000 annual fee. It is not possible to play the course without membership, so you'll need to be a member or the guest of a member. The club also has no website.
The organization known as the Society of St. Andrews Golfers was founded in 1754. It has become the governing body for golf around the world, now including the U.S. and Mexico, which the USGA governs. King William IV officially recognized the club as the 'Home of Golf.'
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) clubhouse overlooks the famous Old Course, and membership is by invitation only and extremely exclusive. The course has 18 holes and is played as 'nine holes out and nine holes back.'
Membership has an initiation fee of $200,000, which is all well and fine if you can even get an invitation to join.
Cypress Point Club is, of course, in Pebble Beach, California. Its 18-hole course consistently ranks as one of the best in the world. It offers dramatic, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and has become a mecca of sorts for golfers around the world.
The highly exclusive club is extremely private, and membership is limited. It was designed by the famous architect Alister MacKenzie, who created the 18-hole course with a mix of links, forest holes, and dunes. It's known for being challenging and rewarding.
It reportedly costs $250,000 to join Cypress Point as a member, and an additional $48,000 per year, but it's hard to gain entry. There are currently only 250 members. And it is next to impossible to play unless you're a member or a guest of a member.
And last, or first, on this list is Augusta National Golf Club, perhaps the most exclusive golf club in the world. Located in Georgia, it has a similar membership process to that of the R&A, where members must be invited to join; even then, they undergo a highly selective screening and interview process.
The course has a long history dating back to 1933 when it first opened for play, and only a year later, the Augusta National Invitation Tournament began, an event now known as The Masters. The best golfers in the world now play The Masters once a year, and the winner is awarded a green jacket, an exclusive article of clothing given only to members.
The initiation fee of $40,000 is not the problem with Augusta. It's the exclusivity. Fortunately, there are a few ways non-members of the elite class can play, including volunteering to work at The Masters or working as a caddy on the course.
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