With this week's tournament in Mauritius set to offer some of the most stunning scenery on the European Tour this year, we take a look at some of the other courses that have captured the imagination over the years.
Leopard Creek GC
There's nowhere else quite like Leopard Creek CC. Designed by nine-time Major Champion Gary Player and opened in 1996, Leopard Creek lies on the southern border of the Kruger National Park.
Famed for the prodigious array of wildlife found in and around the course, the layout weaves in and out of bush, grassland and numerous water features. Host venue for the Alfred Dunhill Championship every year since 2005, the signature hole is undoubtedly the long par five 13th.
With a babbling brook on the left, a green framed against the Crocodile River and the plains of the Kruger National Park beyond, the views of both wildlife and countryside are simply spectacular. Charl Schwartzel clearly revels in the surroundings - the South African has won four times here.
Four Seasons GC at Anahita
The Ernie Els-designed course will be hosting the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open for the first time in the tournament’s second year on the European Tour International Schedule.
Located on the east coast of the island nation, in Beau Champ, the course was designed on land that used to belong to a sugar plantation and features six oceanfront holes. Numerous views of the mountains and lagoons surrounding the course add to the playing and viewing experience.
The course hosted its first tournament in 2010, two years after it opened, when Nicolas Colsaerts won the Mauritius Golf Masters, with the event returning 12 months later. The Belgian is one of two touring professionals at the course, along with South Africa’s Hennie Otto.
Kingsbarns
As a joint host of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship for the last 15 years, it’s not surprising that Kingsbarns is one of the most stunning and revered links courses around.
Although golf on the site is thought to date back to 1793, the start of the Second World War resulted in the prevention of play on the land, before architect Kyle Phillips designed and opened it in 2000. The course is six miles from St Andrews on the east coast of Scotland and features six holes running along the shore, with the North Sea visible from almost every part of the course.
Joint course record holder Branden Grace, who shot 60 in 2012, said: “It’s beautiful. I think on almost every hole you can see the sea. That, for a moment, takes your concentration away from golf and you can stand there and take it all in and that really helps.”
Royal County Down
With the Mountains of Mourne in the backdrop, Royal County Down is a course as rich in wonderful views as it is in history.
Founded in 1889, the course has played host to a number of prestigious tournaments, from the 2007 Walker Cup to three editions of The Senior Open Championship. Some of the most iconic holes on the course include the par three fourth and the par four ninth, with the peak of Slieve Donard in full view from the tee.
Incredibly, Jimmy Bruen’s course record of 66 in the 1939 Irish Open has never been beaten. Last year the tournament returned to the site, where Søren Kjeldsen reigned after winning in a play-off against Eddie Pepperell and Bernd Wiesberger.
Emirates Golf Club
There’s no mistaking Emirates GC for any other golf course in the world, thanks in part to its location in the middle of the desert and its sweeping vistas that highlight some of Dubai’s most prominent skyscrapers.
The Majlis course, one of two courses on site, has hosted the majority of the Dubai Desert Classics since 1989, with Masters Champion Danny Willett claiming the title this year before his victory at Augusta National. It measures 7,301 yards and was designed by American architect Karl Litten. When it opened in 1988, it became the first all-grass course in the Middle East.
One of the most iconic holes on the course is the 18th, which requires an approach shot to the green over a large, almost inviting, lake. Perhaps the most memorable moment on the hole came in 1996 when Colin Montgomerie hit his driver off the deck to reach the green in two.
Thracian Cliffs
Despite opening in 2011, there is a classic feel to this Gary Player-designed course, positioned atop the cliffs in Kavarna, Bulgaria and looking out to the Black Sea.
Given its location, wind is of course a significant factor on the tees of the eight holes that line the sea. Prior to the course hosting the Volvo World Match Play in 2013, Player said: “They are going to get such a beautiful surprise. You will not find a golf course like this anywhere on the planet.”
The ninth hole is perhaps one of the most breathtaking. The tee sits out in the Black Sea, and players must carry the water to the green, reaffirming Player’s opinion that this is a very special place to play golf.
Augusta National Golf Club
A course steeped in tradition, Augusta National has provided the beautiful backdrop to some of the game's most indelible moments.
Construction on the legendary course began in 1931, having been founded by golf icon Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. The first Masters was played here in 1934 and won by Horton Smith, laying the foundations for a venue recognised around the world.
From the devilish par three 12th, one third of the famed Amen Corner, to the Azaleas that provide splashes of colour throughout, Augusta is awash with iconic features that continue to captivate spectators and players alike.
Crans-sur-Sierre
A truly spectacular course awaits players at this year's Omega European Masters, with magnificent views of the Swiss Alps a common sight when playing Crans-sur-Sierre.
The 6,848-yard course is almost 5,000ft above sea level and has played host to some of the most decorated players in the game, from Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal to Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia.
The par four seventh hole is one of the course's most iconic, with Weisshorn, the fourth highest peak in the Alps, visible in all its majesty beyond the green.
Black Mountain Golf Club
Taking its name from the granite mountains surrounding the course, Black Mountain is located in southern Thailand and has hosted the Thailand Classic for the last two years.
Not only does it have the distinction of being the first European Tour Destination in Thailand, it is characterised by a number of different features, such as creeks and rocks, which combine to produce a stunning 18 holes.
The signature par three 11th hole plays gently downhill to a fast island green, providing a stern test for those still feeling their way into their back nine. It was also the third hardest hole at this year's True Thailand Classic Presented by Chang.
Club de Golf do Santo da Serra
Known predominantly for hosting the Madeira Islands Open, first played on the course in 1993, Club de Golf do Santo da Serra offers stunning views of the coastline and the Atlantic Ocean.
Golf has been played on the site since at least the early 1930s, when it was just a nine-hole course consisting of par threes. Now the course offers rolling fairways that have combined to 6,826 yards, with the par three fourth one of the many highlights.
The 202-yard hole sits just in front of the ocean, offering a sumptuous view as well as a decent hole-in-one chance - four aces have been made there in the last 23 years of the tournament.
Daniel Brooks was the last man to win on the course in a European Tour event, when he triumphed over Scott Henry after the event was reduced to 36 holes in 2014.
