When it comes to picking the world's greatest golf courses, few players have the global resume of Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irish superstar, who burst onto the scene as a teenager on the European Tour and now commands the PGA Tour, has teed it up on nearly every continent. From Australia to India, and from Augusta National to the historic links of his homeland, McIlroy has seen it all. So when he was asked on the New Heights podcast to build his "Mount Rushmore" of golf courses, the golf world leaned in.

"I'll go four different places," McIlroy said. "I'll go Kingston Heath in Australia. I would go Royal County Down in Northern Ireland. I would do Pine Valley on the east coast, and then Cypress Point." He quickly added, "It's so hard because I'm leaving out so many great golf courses. It's hard to do four, but those would be the four off the top of my head."

Each pick tells a story. Kingston Heath, a Melbourne sandbelt gem, hasn't hosted the Australian Open since 2000 but did stage the 2016 World Cup of Golf. It's also set to host the 2028 Presidents Cup—though McIlroy, as a European, won't be playing in that one. Then there's Royal County Down, where McIlroy experienced a gut-wrenching near-miss at the 2024 Irish Open. He finally claimed his second Irish Open victory the following year, but that came at The K Club, not this iconic Northern Ireland layout.

Rounding out his list are two of the most exclusive clubs on the planet: Pine Valley in New Jersey and Cypress Point in California. Both are bucket-list venues for any serious golfer, but their private, members-only status means fans will likely never see McIlroy—or any pro—competing on their fairways. Still, for a player who has won on legendary stages like Augusta National and prioritized playing where he truly wants to test himself, this foursome is a masterclass in global golf appreciation.