Sean
Yarra Yarra rates highly for me, as after all these are personal lists. Alex Russell's first course in Australia (built before Royal Melbourne West) has therefore the first sandbelt bunkering in the country. It has a number of great holes, some have been mangled in the past, but there is enough there of Russell's best work there to warrant a top 10 spot in my view, but I am predisposed to Russell courses. It was also one of my favourite courses to play - was the leading amateur in the 85 Vic Open played there. As for conditioning, in many ways I think this is the least important category when rating. If you are to take this into account accurately I'd have to tour the country on a non stop basis simply playing courses practically at more than one a week. Who's going to pay me to do that? I've got a business to run and while I attempt to play new and different courses when I can, its not my life's driving force. So, YY may be in less than great condition currently, not that I've heard that. That does not bother me greatly in working out my rankings.
As for Port Fairy above Barwon Heads - spare me!
Brian, if you think Mike got 'ripped badly' by the other architects, just have a look at his list and see whether he 'returned the compliment' - I think you will see he did. Just the way it is when you do your own list. I have only one course that we are involved with currently in the top 50 (Barwon Heads), so perhaps I have less axes to grind than most of the others. For example. I haven't rated 6 of the courses I am involved with in the top 14 in the country, like some who shall remain nameless
Neil