Top 100 Courses in the World 1983

[John Sabino]

In preparation for a fall visit to play Prairie Dunes, I am reading their club history, included within is a copy of Golf Magazine's rankings from 1983. I was struck by how much the list has changed in 23 years. 38 of the courses on this list are not on the current list. It also seems that a lot of courses in Australia (Victoria, The Australian, Commonwealth and Huntingdale) and Canada (Royal Montreal, Glen Abbey and Capilano) were taken off the list. I must say it is tough to argue with the Florida courses taken off the list (Bay Hill, Doral, Pine Tree and Innisbrook).

The top 25 courses really didn't shift that much over time as they shouldn't, unless of course you have a worthy new entrant such as Sand Hills.

And dare I say it lest I get accused of picking on Fishers Island. Where is it?

Any sense for why such as dramatic shift? I know it is a subjective exercise but wonder whether the list has gotten too U.S. centric? Are we in a new golden age of architecture and there should be this much turnover? Is technology or course maintenance a factor in courses such as Yale and Stanford University no longer being on the list? What happened to El Saler in Spain that it went from being #28 in the world to off the list? What is the story of Pevero in Sardinia Italy at #51?

I was pleased to see The National Golf links move from #58 in the world to where it rightfully belongs - in the top 25.  As did Royal Portrush from #43.

The Complete 1983 List:

1. Pine Valley, Clementon NJ
2. Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach CA
3. Muirfield, Gullane Scotland
4. Cypress Point, Pebble Beach, CA
5. Augusta National, Augusta GA
6. Royal Melbourne, Melbourne AUS
7. Royal County Down, Newcastle Ireland
8. Merion (East), Ardmore PA
9. Ballybunion (Old), County Kerry Ireland
10. St. Andrews (Old), Scotland
11. Shinnecock Hills, Southampton, NY
12. Royal Dornoch, Scotland
13. Seminole, North Palm Beach FL
14. Pinehurst #2, Pinehurst NC
15. Oakmont, Oakmont PA
16. Winged Foot (West), Mamaroneck NY
17. Turnberry (Ailsa), Scotland
18. Olympic (Lake), San Francisco, CA
19. Oakland Hills, Birmingham MI
20. Muirfield Village, Dublin OH
21. Royal Birkdale, Southport England
22. Carnoustie, Scotland
23. Southern Hills, Tulsa OK
24. Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island SC
25. Baltustrol (Lower), Springfield, NJ
26. Prairie Dunes, Hutchinson KS
27. Woodhall Spa, England
28. El Saler, Valencia Spain
29. Portmarnock, Ireland
30. Riviera, California
31. Los Angeles (North), California
32. Medinah (No. 3), Illinois
33. Quaker Ridge, New York
34. Wild Dunes, South Carolina
35. Casa De Campo, Dominican Republic
36. Royal Troon, Scotland
37. Shoal Creek, Alabama
38. Hirono, Japan
39. El Rincon, Bogota Columbia
40. Oak Hill (East), New York
41. Royal St. George's, England
42. The Golf Club, New Albany OH
43. Royal Portrush, Ireland
44. Firestone, Akron OH
45. TPC at Sawgrass, Florida
46. Kasumigaseki (East), Tokyo
47. Kingston Heath, Melbourne AUS
48. Cascades (Upper), Hot Springs VA
49. Phoenix, Miyazaki, Japan
50. Colonial, Ft. Worth, TX
51. Pevero, Sardinia, Italy
52. Sunningdale (Old), England
53. Sotogrand, Spain
54. Inverness, Toldeo OH
55. Wentworth (West), England
56. San Francisco, California
57. Royal Dar-Es-Salam, Morocco
58. National Golf Links of America, Southampton NY
59. Oak Tree, Oklahoma
60. Cherry Hills, Denver CO
61. Huntingdale, Melbourne AUS
62. Royal Liverpool, England
63. Royal Adelaide, Australia
64. The Country Club, Brookline MA
65. Capilano, Vancouver Canada
66. Doral (Blue), Miami FL
67. Pine Tree, Del Ray Beach FL
68. Chicago, Chicago IL
69. Royal Montreal (Blue), Canada
70. Ganton, England
71. Yale, New Haven CT
72. Glen Abbey, Oakville, Canada
73. Club de Golf, Mexico City
74. Bay Hill, Orlando FL
75. Commonwealth, Melbourne AUS
76. Butler National, Oakbrook IL
77. Canterbury, Cleveland OH
78. Long Cove, South Carolina
79. The Vintage Club, Indian Wells CA
80. The Australian, Sydney
81. Somerset Hills, Bernardsville NJ
82. Victoria, Melbourne AUS
83. Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
84. Innisbrook (Cooperhead), Florida
85. Saucon Valley, Bethlehem PA
86. Scioto, Colombus OH
87. Notts, England
88. Stanford University, Palo Alto CA
89. Walton Heath (Old), England
90. Sun City, South Africa
91. Falsterbo, Sweden
92. Maidstone, East Hampton NY
93. Gleneagles (Kings), Scotland
94. Bali Handara, Indonesia
95. Nueva Andalucia, Marbella, Spain
96. Jupiter Hills, Florida
97. Peachtree, Atlanta GA
98. Garden City, New York
99. Country Club of North Carolina, Pinehurst NC
100. Durban, South Africa

[Glenn Spencer]

Wild Dunes #34? No Crooked Stick?

[Tyler Kearns]

Joseph,

Fishers Island is located between New York's Long Island and Connecticut on an island of the same name. The golf course was designed by Seth Raynor, please check out Ran's profile of the course on this site.

TK

[Phil_the_Author]

Joe,

Fishers Island is over there, standing next to Bethpage Black.

[JMorgan]

... and then compare both to just before WWII:


1. St.Andrews, Scotland.................currently ranked #6
2. Cypress Point, California............currently ranked #2
3. Pine Valley, N.J..........................currently ranked #1
4. Pebble Beach, California............currently ranked #7
5. Sandwich, England....................currently ranked #32
6. National Links, N.Y................currently ranked #20
7. Hirono, Japan............................currently ranked #35
8. Banff Springs, Canada.................not ranked
9. Royal Melbourne, Australia.........currently ranked #8
10. Foulpointe, Madagascar............not ranked, course is gone
11. Augusta National, Georgia .........currently ranked #5
12. Timber Point, N.Y. ....................not ranked, course is gone
13. Oakmont, Penn..........................currently ranked #15
14. Hoylake, England....................currently ranked #72
15. Newcastle, County Down...........currently ranked #10
16. Westward Ho!, England..............not ranked
17. Merion, Penn..........................currently ranked #14
18. Riviera, California...................currently ranked #36
19. Sunningdale, England.............currently ranked #44
20. Bel-Air, California......................not ranked
21. Shinnecock Hills, N.Y............currently ranked #4
22. Portrush, Ireland...........currently ranked #12
23. Laksers, Illinois..........................not ranked, course is gone
24. CC of Havana, Cuba....................not ranked
25. Humewood, S.Africa..................not ranked
26. Seminole, Florida.......................currently ranked #22
27. Rye, England..............................not ranked
28. Knocke, Belgium.........................not ranked
29. Yale, Conn................................. not ranked
30. Gleneagles, Scotland...................not ranked
31. Le Touquet, France......................not ranked
32. Winged Foot, N.Y........................currently ranked #18
33. Pasatiempo, California.................not ranked
34. Muirfield, Scotland...................currently ranked #3
35. Walton Heath, England...............currently ranked #82
36. Jasper Park, Canada....................not ranked
37. Portmarnock, Ireland..................currently ranked #40
38. Pinehurst No.2, N.C....................currently ranked #9
39. Prestwick, Scotland.....................not ranked but should be
40. Birkdale, England...................currently ranked #28
41. Lido, N.Y.....................................not ranked, course is gone
42. Ganton, England.......................currently ranked #62
43. Durban, S.Africa.........................currently ranked #70
44. Oyster Harbors, Mass..................not ranked
45. Ponte Vedra, Florida....................not ranked
46. North Berwick, Scotland..............not ranked, but should be
47. San Francisco, California..........currently ranked #27
48. St.Georges Hill, England..............not ranked
49. Garden City, N.Y.......................currently ranked #55
50. Deal, England..............................not ranked
51. Kawana, Japan............................currently ranked #80
52. Engineers, N.Y.............................not ranked
53. Swinley Forest, England...............not ranked
54. Brookline, Mass...........................currently ranked #33
55. Saunton, England........................not ranked
56. Bethpage, N.Y..............................currently ranked #30
57. Addington, England.....................not ranked
58. Lakeside, California.....................not ranked
59. Hollywood, N.J............................not ranked
60. Woking, England.........................not ranked
61. Wildhoeve, Holland......................not ranked
62. Royal York, Canada......................* currently ranked #95
63. Oakland Hills, Michigan...............currently ranked #25
64. Morfontaine, France.....................currently ranked #47
65. Brancaster, England.....................not ranked
66. Pulborough, England....................not ranked
67. Manor Richelieu, Canada..............not ranked
68. Royal Adelaide, Australia..............currently ranked #50
69. Hamburg-Falkenstein, Germany...not ranked
70. Olympia Fields #4, Illinois.............not ranked
71. Chiberta, France............................not ranked
72. Lawsonia, Wisconsin.....................not ranked
73. Los Angeles, California..............currently ranked #59
74. Maidstone, N.Y.........................currently ranked #60
75. East London, S.Africa....................not ranked
76. Carnoustie, Scotland.................currently ranked #26
77. Burnham, England........................not ranked
78. Scioto, Ohio..................................currently ranked #71
79. Capilano, Canada..........................not ranked
80. Hot Springs, Virginia.....................currently ranked #94
81. Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon.....................not ranked
82. Ballybunion, Ireland......................currently ranked #13
83. Porthcawl, Wales...........................not ranked
84. Liphook, England..........................not ranked
85. Knoll, N.J......................................not ranked, course is gone
86. Tokyo-Asaka, Japan.......................not ranked
87. Maccauvlei, S.Africa......................not ranked
88. Kingston Heath, Australia..............currently ranked #21
89. Chicago, Illinois.............................currently ranked #31
90. Sea Island, Georgia........................not ranked
91. Alwoodley, England........................not ranked
92. Eastward Ho!, Mass........................not ranked
93. Mid Ocean, Bermuda......................not ranked
94. Ville de Delat, Indo China...............not ranked
95. Zandvoort, Holland........................not ranked
96. Five Farms, Maryland....................currently ranked #91
97. Turnberry, Scotland.......................currently ranked #17
98. Spa, Belgium.................................not ranked
99. Fishers Island, N.Y.........................currently ranked #29
100a.Royal Worlington, England..........not ranked (9 hole course)
100b.Prairie Dunes, Kansas...................currently ranked #23

[ForkaB]

... and then compare both to just before WWII:


10. Foulpointe, Madagascar............not ranked, course is gone

What sort of heresy is this!  Paging Forest Richardson!

[Doug Ralston]

Ouch!

Painful especially to see 'course is gone'.

Doug

[Doug Ralston]

And when the nuke explodes over 'Sand Hills' looking for the missile silos, C&C will simply rebuild on the new landform, renaming it 'Glass Hills'  

Doug

[Tim Pitner]

CC of Havana at no. 24?  This merits further research . . . Apparently, a Ross NLE.

Here's an interesting historical anecdote:

Cuba was once famous for its golf courses, before Castro had all but one of what he called the “bastions of capitalist decadence” bulldozed. El Jefe, as the Cuban leader is known, didn’t really hate the game itself, however, and he convinced Che Guevara to play a round with him just before the Country Club of Havana’s course (one of Vice President Richard Nixon’s favorites) was slated to be dismantled. Guevara knew his way around a course, having been a caddy as a boy back home in Argentina.

According to photographer Korda, Castro read in The New York Times that President Eisenhower had spent an entire day playing golf. He asked Guevara, “Why would the president of the United States take time out from the business of the country to play a game of golf? Why does he not spend his time on education or agriculture?”

The workaholic Cuban leaders had been spending a lot of time worrying over both topics in their own country and made a point of discussing them over the game. According to Korda, Che was the better golfer, but he let his notoriously competitive boss win the game.

(source:  http://www.memphismagazine.com/backissues/june2000/feature.htm).  

There's more:  

When you walk into the international media cen-ter in Havana to register for a press card, the first thing that greets you is a large black-and-white photograph of Cuban revolutionary leader Che Guevara. But this is no ordinary Che poster. There is no raised fist, no anti-American caption. What you see instead is Che smiling mischievously, while leaning on a 7-iron. I'm not makin' this up. I bought the poster right off the wall.

Che and Fidel Castro played a round together in 1959, shortly before Castro was to visit Washington. The Cuban leader was hoping to meet President Dwight D. Eisenhower and had been told that Ike liked to play golf. So Che, who apparently had done some caddieing in his youth and actually knew a 7-iron from a machete, took Castro out for a quick 18 to get his game up to par. Comandante en Jefe, who was dressed in Army fatigues and combat boots (the first alternative spikes) reportedly shot 150 in his tune-up. Never mind. He never got to see Ike anyway.

(source:  http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_1_51/ai_58314340).

It must be tough to let your boss win when he shoots 150!

[Tom_Doak]

Joseph:

I worked on that list for GOLF Magazine in 1983, though you will only see my name in the committee.  (Not bad for a 22-year-old!)

A few of the courses you mention (Fishers Island) and a few you didn't (Crystal Downs) didn't have enough votes among the committee back then ... only two of the panelists had seen Crystal Downs, and I was one of them.  We did a better job of encouraging panelists out to see the more off-the-beaten track courses once we found out what they were.

Some of the others you mentioned were very different places in 1983.  Wild Dunes had no condos, and was clearly Tom Fazio's best work to that point.  Bethpage Black was a run-down mess, wasn't it Phil?  El Saler's high point was in the Spanish Open in the spring of 1983, still fresh on the minds of panelists.

But then, the list is always reflective of current tastes, and trying to put your finger on taste is a tough thing to do.  Dare I ask, what was fashionable in the fashion world in 1983?  What about music?  By comparison, it's somewhat amazing to me that the top fifty courses look pretty much the same.

[Anthony Butler]

Joseph:

I worked on that list for GOLF Magazine in 1983, though you will only see my name in the committee.  (Not bad for a 22-year-old!)

A few of the courses you mention (Fishers Island) and a few you didn't (Crystal Downs) didn't have enough votes among the committee back then ... only two of the panelists had seen Crystal Downs, and I was one of them.  We did a better job of encouraging panelists out to see the more off-the-beaten track courses once we found out what they were.

Some of the others you mentioned were very different places in 1983.  Wild Dunes had no condos, and was clearly Tom Fazio's best work to that point.  Bethpage Black was a run-down mess, wasn't it Phil?  El Saler's high point was in the Spanish Open in the spring of 1983, still fresh on the minds of panelists.

But then, the list is always reflective of current tastes, and trying to put your finger on taste is a tough thing to do.  Dare I ask, what was fashionable in the fashion world in 1983?  What about music?  By comparison, it's somewhat amazing to me that the top fifty courses look pretty much the same.

Can you explain how The Australian was on the 1983 list and NSWGC (now #34 on Golf Magazine's 2005 list) didn't make it? The Australian would be lucky to be in the Top 5 courses in Sydney. Several other outrages perpertrated on the 1983 list seem to have been corrected as well in the last 22 years.

[Tom_Doak]

Nope, I can't explain that one, other than mass insanity.  I hadn't been to Australia in 1983 myself, so my vote didn't have anything to do with it.

[Tom Dunne]

Okay, who's got the scoop on Foulpointe? A golden age great in....MADAGASCAR?!? It's almost too good to be true--the Sidd Finch of golf courses.

I'm dying to know the story of this place--how it came to be and how it came to NLE.

[Phil_the_Author]

Tom, you mentioned that, "Bethpage Black was a run-down mess, wasn't it Phil?"

Absolutely, although theconditions were already being addressed by Chuck Workman. He actually got the course into decently good shape by the late 80's.

Still, even with it a mess, it was stunning and grand to play. Of course I'm a product of Bethpage and highly prejudiced!  

Since you also had involvement with that ranking, how was the Black viewed at that time?

[Andrew Thomson]

i also note that Huntingdale falls at 61 and isn't among the best 5 courses in Melbourne.  Perhaps not even in it's postcode...

[ForkaB]

I agree with Tom about the relative lack of movement in the top 50.  However, is this due to real quality or perhaps also to an homage to what our fathers have told us?

I personally think it is part of both--most of the top courses are there by merit, but there are more than a few that are there, well "just because," and unless sincerely hyped and designed by one of the MFA's a new course hasn't a hope in hell of breaking into that magic circle.   Too many panellists remember the Nantuckets and Ballybunion News and Wild Dunes' d'antan.......

[Tom_Doak]

Rich:

With respect, I think designing a course in the top 50 is how one becomes a Most Favored Architect, not the other way around.

I had a different profile in the business before Pacific Dunes hit the map.  Same with Bill Coore before Sand Hills.  For that matter, Tom Fazio wasn't "the man" until Shadow Creek.

Andrew:  I think the problem with Huntingdale was that some of the players on the panel really liked it because they had won Aussie Masters tournaments there -- that, and the appearance money they got for showing up there.  A couple were shameless in their support of it; I was shocked when I saw the course first-hand.

Phil:  Honestly, I can't remember whether Bethpage had much support in '83.  None of the other magazines gave it a mention then, either.

[Phil_the_Author]

Rich, I agree with Tom where he said, "With respect, I think designing a course in the top 50 is how one becomes a Most Favored Architect, not the other way around."

You have the example of Kyle Phillips and Kingsbarns which debuted in the top 50 in the world according to Golf Digest.

[Anthony Butler]

Rich:

With respect, I think designing a course in the top 50 is how one becomes a Most Favored Architect, not the other way around.

I had a different profile in the business before Pacific Dunes hit the map.  Same with Bill Coore before Sand Hills.  For that matter, Tom Fazio wasn't "the man" until Shadow Creek.

I would imagine that a Top 50 course would give your career an uplift similar to being nominated for an Academy Award. (A somewhat more reliable predictor of quality than a hit record.) My take: Tom Doak is the Alexander Payne of golf course architects. Election and About Schmidt on his resume bu no-one sat up and took notice until Sideways (Pacific Dunes) hit the cinema. Paul Giamatti being the equivalent of a great parcel of land...

In the 1970's New South Wales Golf Club was offering immediate membership for a $500 admission fee. Admittedly the course is in much better shape with Gary Dempsey behind the wheel, but come on it wasn't  that much different. Holes 5, 6, 13, 15, 16 were just as you find them today.

[Evan_Green]

Has anyone seen El Rincon? I was surprised to see it as #39 on that 1983 list. Obviously a tough place to visit these days...

[Andrew Thomson]

Andrew:  I think the problem with Huntingdale was that some of the players on the panel really liked it because they had won Aussie Masters tournaments there -- that, and the appearance money they got for showing up there.  A couple were shameless in their support of it; I was shocked when I saw the course first-hand.

A very valid point.  Huntingdale receives plenty of 'kudos' for its role of hosting the Australian masters, and as such it is unfortunately seen by many as one of the better courses in Australia - when in reality it's perhaps not among the best 25.

I also note that the Australian falls in front of Victoria - despite Jacks sodomisation of the place, I'm led to believe that prior to his visit it would never have been in that class.