2007 Golf Digest's New Top 100

[cary lichtenstein]

Now that the 2006 season draws to the close, all the ballots are in at Golf Digest, any predictions as to what courses will crack Golf Digest's top 100 in 2007?

I'll start with a few:

The Quarry at Giants Ridge
Tobacco Road
Ballyneal
Bayonne

I'll add a few more:

Friar's Head
Blackrock
Eastward Ho
Charles River
Yale

And an oldtimer:

Myopia Hunt Club

Adding Matt Ward's suggestions:

Black Mesa
Grey Walls
Kingsley Club

We're up to 13 now

[Jason Blasberg]

Now that the 2006 season draws to the close, all the ballots are in at Golf Digest, any predictions as to what courses will crack Golf Digest's top 100 in 2007?

Engineers should but I'm sure it won't.  

[Jason Blasberg]

Given the reviews at the US Senior Open I would be suprised in Prairie Dunes didn't move into the top-20.

[Mike_Cirba]

Cary,

There is not a chance in heaven that Tobacco Road will make the Golf Digest Top 100 list.

[A.G._Crockett]

Cary,

There is not a chance in heaven that Tobacco Road will make the Golf Digest Top 100 list.

Mike,
Why do you say this?  I've been curious about TR's omission; I'd love to hear your opinion.

[John Kavanaugh]

I love how all the Golfweek raters (see everyone above, before AG butted in as I typed) are experts on what, why, how and cause Golf Digest put together their list.  I'm sure that if they had a split between modern and classic Tobacco Road would make their cut (In place of Rustic)...It is you that screwed that one up.

Jason...Is Engineers really better than Plainfield...I haven't played either.

[Matt_Ward]

Bill:

You need to play Bayonne again -- without the idiotic caddie you had. The place is extremely well done and if Shadow Creek -- to name just one -- gets listed in such a field of courses then Bayonne has to be there IMHO.

More than happy to debate the total merits of the course and any hole there. Eric Bergstol did a fantastic job and the flow of the total course is first rate stuff. Frankly, it amuses me when I see listings of top courses fawn over a few old time classics that are simply there because of their close proximity to other more regarded layouts.

Let the debate begin ...

[Jim Franklin]

Bayonne can't be in this year's Top 100 because it wasn't on our list yet. It will be up for "Best New" next year though. Ballyneal can't be in this Top 100 because it was up for "Best New" this year which means it can't be in the Top 100 for 5 years (I think). It should win "Best New" in a runaway (IMHO). I would like to think Wannamoisett and Baltimore Country Club would make it back in the Top 100.

[John Kavanaugh]

Bill,

Jason said Engineers should be a Golf Digest top 100...It would have to beat Plainfield to get there.  Wipe on, wipe off is the technical theory.

[Jordan Wall]

Now that the 2006 season draws to the close, all the ballots are in at Golf Digest, any predictions as to what courses will crack Golf Digest's top 100 in 2007?

I'll start with a few:

The Quarry at Giants Ridge
Tobacco Road
Ballyneal
Bayonne

I'm sure Tobacco Road will definitely not be in any GD Top-100.

I refuse to say anything positive or  negative  about this course, which I have never played, but if I remember correctly, the last GD rankings had in #23 in North Carolina.

[Jim Franklin]

The issue doesn't come out until May so we have time for the debate.

[Mike_Cirba]

AG,

I'm not saying that TR shouldn't be in the GD Top 100.  I'm simply saying that based on the criteria GD uses to rank courses, there is no way in heaven that TR will make the GD Top 100.  

How many of GD's courses, for instance, are even remotely as quirky as TR?   Generally, by and large, the low-handicap panel members sort of hate that kind of stuff where they might not be progressively rewarded for their excellence and skill.  That's why you'll see Saucon Grace before you'll see TR.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Cary,

There is not a chance in heaven that Tobacco Road will make the Golf Digest Top 100 list.

Mike,
Why do you say this?  I've been curious about TR's omission; I'd love to hear your opinion.

Furthering what Mike said and Kavanaugh blurted, it is not 'opinion' that TR will not make GD Top 100 (and further, it would not make Top 100 Classic if they did such).  In the last Top 100 issue, TR placed tied for 23rd in the state of NC alone (the previous edition, TR was 22nd in NC, essentially going down the last time), where only 3 courses from NC made the Top 100 list.   TR would have to leapfrog 19 courses in NC (most ratings of which probably aren't anywhere close to being Top 100), in addition to several hundred more from other states.

[John Kavanaugh]

Dear Golfweek guys and gals,

Please clean up your own house and get Tobacco Road on your Top 100 Modern list before you worry about what you can not control.

Sincerely,

The fans of great golf

cc: Crusty

[Jim Franklin]

I also hope that The Kingsley Club cracks our Top 100.

As for quirky in the Top 100, Pine Valley sits at #1 and while not as quirky as TR, it certainly has some quirk to it. As a low handicapper, I enjoy quirk more than most.

[Jason Blasberg]

Jason...Is Engineers really better than Plainfield...I haven't played either.

John:  

I haven't played Plainfield so I cannot comment . . . I can say a couple of things, the one person I spoke to both about the two gave Plainfield the nod but it was close I believe.  

I've also spoken to another gca afficiando who is far more  traveled than I who thinks it's better than LACC.  

So I think with Engineers it comes down to a matter of taste as to where it falls among the top courses in the country but it absolutely warrants top-100 US status IMO and in the opinion of many others that I've spoken to.  

Not unlike Tobacco Road, however, it is a polarizing course and I can appreciate when poeple get turned off by it as too severe around the greens, of course I sternly disagree (as nobody with a st8 face criticizes the gca merit of and ANGC or a Pine Valley as being too severe around the greens) but it is not an uncomon comment.   My response is it may not be your cup of tea and you may not want to play it all that often but you must recognize it's merits nevertheless.  

And, there are those of us who thrive on quirk and what ECC offers on the greens and we long to play it again and again.

[John Kavanaugh]

Now for the Fat Boy Stretch of the Week...I'm picking Friar's Head to crack the list.

[mike_malone]

 What was the percentage of courses represented by "100" at the time GD started their rankings ? Apply that percentage to existing courses and create a "Top----". This would eliminate the silly discussion whether Plainfield is better than Engineer's or not.

    It would still lead to the marginal argument around the end of the new list but this would be more like arguing about the last team in the NCAA playoffs-- fun but not relevant.

 Another possibility would be to use the ranking points of the last member of the original 100 as the end point of their " Best Courses" list.

[John Kavanaugh]

Jason,

I'm having trouble finding Engineers on the Golfweek Classic top 100.  Perhaps when you host MacWood in an attempt to get a high score to better your placement you could invite me to come along.  If you can see if you can get Tripp to round out the foursome.

I'm sure I would love Engineers...How is the neighborhood...Upscale, downscale or downright scarry.

[Mike_Cirba]

I also hope that The Kingsley Club cracks our Top 100.

As for quirky in the Top 100, Pine Valley sits at #1 and while not as quirky as TR, it certainly has some quirk to it. As a low handicapper, I enjoy quirk more than most.

Jim,

I would hope Kingsley would make it to your list, as well, but if memory serves, they had it rated somewhere around 25 in the state of Michigan.  

Also, Jim, the fact that you're here discussing the topic of golf course architecture with the rest of us nuts makes your last statement self-evident.   Where's the other 900 guys?  

[Doug Ralston]

Has anyone here played 'Olde Stone' in Bowling Green KY? I have been hearing true raves, and suspect it to be among 'Best New Private'. Another Art Hills masterpiece!

A question, when talking Tobacco Road, I assume you are talking Top 100 overall, not just Top 100 'You can play' [public]?

Doug

[A.G._Crockett]

AG,

I'm not saying that TR shouldn't be in the GD Top 100.  I'm simply saying that based on the criteria GD uses to rank courses, there is no way in heaven that TR will make the GD Top 100.  

How many of GD's courses, for instance, are even remotely as quirky as TR?   Generally, by and large, the low-handicap panel members sort of hate that kind of stuff where they might not be progressively rewarded for their excellence and skill.  That's why you'll see Saucon Grace before you'll see TR.

Mike,
Thanks for your input.  Ironically, I would think that low-handicap raters would just love TR, given the low course rating and high slope, relatively speaking.

I just continually find TR's ratings, both in the NC and the country as a whole, mystifying.  I'll take the optimistic view that I have a lot to look forward to in great courses not yet played if TR is NOT one of the Top 100 in the country.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The ballots for the top 100 are not due until Dec 1.

[cary lichtenstein]

Now that the 2006 season draws to the close, all the ballots are in at Golf Digest, any predictions as to what courses will crack Golf Digest's top 100 in 2007?

I'll start with a few:

The Quarry at Giants Ridge
Tobacco Road
Ballyneal
Bayonne

I'm sure Tobacco Road will definitely not be in any GD Top-100.

I refuse to say anything positive or  negative  about this course, which I have never played, but if I remember correctly, the last GD rankings had in #23 in North Carolina.

Jordan:

I never comment on a course I haven't played. You might want to consider doing the same

Cary

[Adam_Messix]

My guess is that the big story of next year's Golf Digest Top 100 will be that Sand Hills will move into the Top 10.