Isleworth, profiled last Friday in the W.S.J., is world-renowned because of its high profile residents like Tiger Woods, Shaquille O'Neal, Ken Griffey, and Wesley Snipes. (Last one may not be a resident any longer. Depends on the status of the foreclosure proceedings I read about. Was Passenger 57 really that long ago?)
As much attention as the community gets, you rarely hear about the golf course. Tiger hosted "friends" Chris O'Donnell (I think that's his name... the Robin guy) and Griffey in some scramble. We read about his 59 in a tune-up round for the Masters with Mark O'Meara, whose 66 paled on that day. Other than that, nary a peep.
Truth be told, it is a very interesting golf course. Sure, a purist can lament the houses it weaves through, but here it actually adds to the experience. Part of the appeal is that it is SO accessible to resident-members.
It has recently come to my attention that the club will be closing after the Masters and plans on reopening in November. John Cook has been quoted as saying the course, already 7100 yards, is not long enough to provide a proper practice venue for Stu Appleby, Lee Janzen, and the like. I say hogwash! It is obvious there is only one reason they are spending the millions necessary to regrass - Golfweek Magazine's ranking of the Top 100, of which it has never been a member.
As you all know, Rance Crain - Owner of Turnstile Publishing - is a member of Isleworth. He has issued a directive that the course make the Top 100 immediately, panelist opinions be damned. To avoid the appearance of impropriety - after all, how would you feel if the owner of every magazine angled for his club's inclusion on their lists? - Crain has simultaneously forced the club to undergo changes. This way, the resultant appearance on the America's Best list will be easy to explain, like the presence of Bethpage after the Rees-lift.
I think such blatant manipulation is just wrong.