World Class courses not on any list...

[Sean_A]

Paul

Western Gailes is a fairly prominent feature on the top 100 in UK/Ireland by GolfWorld.

Ciao

Sean

[Kevin_Reilly]

please excuse my ignorance, but where is The Meadow Club?

A little north of San Francisco, CA.

MacKenzie course, restored recently by Mike DeVries.  Work goes on, not complete yet.  VERY VERY VERY cool course, as Gib and Ben say.

TH

An added treat to visiting Meadow Club is meeting the Head Pro Jim O'Neal who with his brother is developing Ballyneal in Colorado.  Hard to find a nicer guy...

[THuckaby2]

KR:

WHOA!
I played in a charity tourney there a few months ago, met Jim O'Neal, and can absolutely concur what a nice guy he is... but I never made the Ballyneal connection.  Interesting interconnected golf world it is....

TH

[texsport]

I'd say that Sutton Bay, The Quarry@Giants Ridge and The Pronghorn Club are pretty good bets to make Golf Digest's Top 100 in the U.S. next time.

Their ratings scores were very high when judged in "Best New.." courses competition this year. These 3 were head and shoulders above any of the other candidates.

[Jim Johnson]

Thus my list would include:
First solo project by Jeff Mingay, I have a feeling.

Well put, Mike.
I actually hope to show Jeff and Rod Whitman (sometime in early summer) an interesting site in midwest Canada which we have been looking at for the past several years.
Certainly not a solo effort, but Whitman's probably a decent guy to help Jeff out!
JJ

[cary lichtenstein]

Lakota Canyon about an hour from Aspen, terrific

[Gib_Papazian]

Jimmy was one of our pro's at Olympic. I had a chance to invest in his project but did/do not have the jing any longer. A fine guy who is a walking essay on how to be an ideal Head Professional. Stopped by the shop the other day during the memorial.

It is hard to believe Meadow until you see it. Cross the GG Bridge, take Sir Francis Drake Blvd and drive to the top of the mountain in the town of Fairfax.

Now, find the tiny road and follow it for two miles. If you think you are lost, keep going. Suddenly, the car turns and you come upon this mountaintop valley with not a house in sight - a series of gently rolling hills and wandering fairways with greensites snuggled into intimate corners at the base of rocky outcroppings.

It must be seen to be believed.

[Evan_Green]

I am pretty sure I have read that there was some work done at Meadow in the last couple of years.

I havent played there for about 5 years- have the changes significantly altered the course?

[Kevin_Reilly]

I am pretty sure I have read that there was some work done at Meadow in the last couple of years.

I havent played there for about 5 years- have the changes significantly altered the course?

Evan, there were some posts last year by Mike DeVries on this...here is a summary from his website:

MEADOW CLUB
Fairfax, California
Mike DeVries is the consulting architect for Alister MacKenzie’s first design in North America. The setting is a high mountain meadow in Marin county, just north of San Francisco, California. A Long Range Restoration Plan was completed in 2000 to restore the course's distinctive MacKenzie features which had been lost due to economics, typical maintenance, and changing use patterns. Each year, two to four holes are restored back to their original dimensions with the flair that MacKenzie brought to this dramatic golf setting. Holes 1, 2, 4, 5, 8-12, 14, and 16-18 are complete. Construction is done in-house under the direction of Mike DeVries.

[Mike_Sweeney]

Almost forgot Jack Marr's Carne Golf Links.

[ForkaB]

I haven't seen Applebrook on any list, and I think it is as good as any of the "top" courses from the past 5 years that I have played (e.g. Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Kingsbarns, Dallas National).

[TEPaul]

Rich:

Applebrook probably is about as good as any of those you mentioned. Unfortunately, for most people, the perception of the quality of Applebrook is probaby taken down some for that which Applebrook (or Hanse) could not and cannot control----that which goes on outside and around the course which is so visible. It has nothing to do with the golf course or its architecture per se, but no one with eyes can help but miss it!