Rory McIlroy’s connection to golf goes well beyond tournament weeks. The five-time major champion holds memberships at several elite golf clubs around the world.

On December 22, 2025, Golf Digest reshared a year-old clip from McIlroy’s interview with the DP World Tour, where he was asked how many golf club memberships he holds. Taking a moment to think it through, McIlroy replied:

“Gotta go country by country here… 12, 13.”

He then added jokingly,

“Can I include Seminole? Because I pay for that for my dad.”

The comment stood out because of Seminole Golf Club’s exclusivity. The Florida-based course is not open to public membership and is widely regarded as one of the most private clubs in the world.

As the conversation continued McIlroy reviewed his list again and settled on a final count of 18 golf club memberships, spread across different countries. He also named his favorite

“My favourite is the R&A [The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews]. I think that’s probably my favourite.”

St Andrews holds special significance for McIlroy. In 2010 he set the record for the lowest opening-round score in Open Championship history at the Old Course, eventually finishing third that year.

Along with The R&A, McIlroy’s known memberships include Bear’s Club in Florida, Grove XXIII, owned by Michael Jordan and Seminole which he maintains for his father. While many of his memberships remain private, they show his links to some of the top golf courses in the US and the UK.

Rory McIlroy explains why his first U.S. Open win didn’t feel like a “true” test

Rory McIlroy believes course setup plays a major role in defining a U.S. Open and not every venue presents the same level of challenge. Despite having already won the championship, he feels his first victory did not reflect the traditional test the event is known for.

Speaking on the Five Clubs podcast with Gary Williams, McIlroy said his 2011 U.S. Open win at Congressional Country Club felt closer to a PGA Championship due to the way the course was set up. According to him, the conditions were more forgiving than what is usually expected at a U.S. Open.

He believes tougher layouts, firm fairways and demanding greens are what make a U.S. Open feel complete. Winning under those conditions remains an important goal for him.

Rory McIlroy added that recent venues have come closer to that standard. He pointed to courses like Los Angeles Country Club and Pinehurst where he was in contention, as examples of setups that better matched the tournament’s identity. He also named Shinnecock Hills as one of his favorite courses on the U.S. Open rotation.

The U.S. Open at Oakmont earlier this year reflected the kind of test McIlroy is referring to. The course played extremely tough, with JJ Spaun finishing as the only player under par. Rory McIlroy finished tied for 19th but the setup matched his view of what a U.S. Open should look like.