According to a recent poll by an upscale high-tech golf clothing company, Augusta National is the most well-liked course in the world among Golfer’s dream destinations.
Galvin Green analysed Google Keyword Planner and Instagram data to determine which courses and prestigious clubs have attracted the most golfers to their landing pages and social following over the past year.
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The study combined 12 popular golf club search phrases to determine the average monthly search traffic worldwide for each course and the number of hashtags used for each site.
Golfer’s dream destinations top 10
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Augusta National takes the top spot with the highest combined golf index score of 98.62 out of 100. Due to the highest combination of Instagram hashtags and search volume the club is the clear top choice for a dream round.
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Augusta National is searched 54,050 times on average each month globally and has over 100,000 posts (107,199) on Instagram under the hashtag #AugustaNational. Based in Georgia, the site is famous for hosting The Masters.
Home of The Players Championship, TPC Sawgrass is the second most popular course among golfing fans.
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Each month, there an average of 73,717 searches from across the world for visiting and playing at TPC Sawgrass.
There are also 56,552 Instagram posts using the hashtag #TPCSawgrass, the second highest amount, leading TPC Sawgrass to have a golf index score of 95.26 out of 100.
St Andrews Old Course ranked in third with more than 55,317 monthly searches. Often hailed as the ‘Home of Golf’, pictures of St Andrews Old Course have also been posted on Instagram 45,658 times, resulting in a golf index score of 92.39.
With more than 10,000 average monthly searches (10,650), Emirates Golf Club is the fourth most-searched-for golf course in the world. The 36-hole golf course in Dubai has a golfing index score of 81.02 out of 100, due to its combination of high search volume and 26,650 Instagram posts under the hashtag #EmiratesGolfClub.
Pebble Beach represents
In fifth place is Pebble Beach Golf Links. The Californian course is searched 18,325 times on average each month and has been posted 12,015 times on Instagram. This volume of interest gives the famous Pacific coast course an index score of 79.01 out of 100.
The sixth most popular golf course among golfing fans is Bandon Dunes with an index score of 76.78 out of 100. This score is based on an average monthly search volume of 25,625 per month and 5,352 Instagram posts for the respected Oregon facility that boasts six courses designed to reflect the true spirit of Scotland’s ancient links.
Abu Dhabi Golf Course and Turnberry (Ailsa course) rank seventh and eighth respectively. The Abu Dhabi Golf Course has a golf index score of 74.56 out of 100 with 8.675 Instagram posts and an average search volume for the course being 5,200.
There are 9,514 Instagram posts under the Turnberry (Ailsa) hashtag, as well as 3,700 average monthly searches for the course, giving the famous Scottish destinationa an index score of 70.83.
Commenting on behalf of Galvin Green, which has garments stocked at 24 of the world’s top 30 golf course venues, Global Marketing Manager Annelie Backgård Ginstman said: “There are so many fantastic golf courses around the world and the top 10 courses in our survey would grace any golfer’s bucket list. What this study shows is just how much interest there is in these top-quality golfing locations and the extent to which golfers want to share their appreciation of them with others.”
Golfer’s dream destinations
| Location | Number of hashtags on Instagram | Average monthly search volume | Golf Index Score (/100) | Rank | |
| Augusta National | 107,119 | 54,050 | 98.62 | 1 | |
| TPC Sawgrass | 56,552 | 73,717 | 95.26 | 2 | |
| St Andrews (Old Course) | 45,658 | 55,317 | 92.39 | 3 | |
| Emirates Golf Club | 26,565 | 10,650 | 81.02 | 4 | |
| Pebble Beach Golf Links | 12,015 | 18,325 | 79.01 | 5 | |
| Bandon Dunes | 5,352 | 25,625 | 76.78 | 6 | |
| Abu Dhabi Golf Club | 8,675 | 5,200 | 74.56 | 7 | |
| Turnberry (Ailsa) | 9,514 | 3,700 | 70.83 | 8 | |
| Pinehurst (No, 2) | 5,537 | 1,255 | 67.81 | 9 | |
| Torrey Pines | 1,859 | 6,800 | 66.65 | 10 |
What is your idea of a golfer’s dream destination?
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