Heathrow often offers glimpses of many of the big-name heathland courses. I flew to Luxembourg (there's a course adjoining the airport in Luxembourg) last week and had clear views of Wentworth (with all the PGA extras), St George's Hill, Walton Heath and, as we crossed the coast, Royal Cinque Ports. The previous week I had flown to Spain from Heathrow and we took off over Swinley Forest and The Berkshire. The usual flight path landing from the east takes you right over Royal Mid-Surrey. On a shuttle flight from Heathrow to Manchester a few weeks ago we also started out towards the Berkshire and Swinley but made a sharp right turn which took us over Stoke Park and Beaconsfield before entering cloud.
The usual approach to Manchester is from the east and you are likely to see Werneth Low, Romiley, Stockport, Cheadle and Gatley on the approach. Taking off from Manchester for the States you will usually see some of the Cheshire/Lancashire coast courses and I have seen Hoylake, Wallasey, West Lancs, Formby, SandA, Hillside and Royal Birkdale from the air as well as Castletown (IOM) and Royal Co Down.
Flying into JFK from Manchester once we came over Long Island and Shinnecock and The National were plainly visible. Taking off from JFK for Manchester once we went out over Yale.
I noticed lots of courses flying in and out of O Hare but recognised none because they were all on rectangular or square sites.
Flying from Manchester to Amsterdam often takes a route along the north Norfolk coast and any of Hunstanton, RW Norfolk, Sheringham, R Cromer or Gt Yarmouth may be seen.
A couple of US airmen we met in St Andrews years ago had brought their Phantom from a German air base to Leuchars and had been given permission to fly up and down the coast to spot Carnoustie, Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay, Nairn and Dornoch - they didn't at that time know also about Montrose, Monifieth, Panmure, Murcar and all the other courses scattered along that fecund coast.