Huckster,
I always loved this quote from Geoff...
"More recently, it's the influence of the Golf Digest 'Resistance to Scoring' criteria. Sadly, the tough-is-good, par-is-the-ultimate-achievement mentality is rampant in the game thanks to certain governing bodies preaching it at the majors and in the rule book. But now that technology is out of control, par is not the standard for perfect play anymore, and I don't think that's a bad thing by any means. But look at Golf Digest's ranking. It's primarily 'publicity-shy, low handicappers who travel' on that panel, and all they do is look at conditioning, resistance to scoring and the mysterious, 'shot values.' Have you ever seen the Golf Digest Top 100 before Ron Whitten and the Editors fix it with the Tradition score? It's frightening. 650 low-handicap panelists find that Wade Hampton and Shadow Creek are among the Top 10 courses in the U.S., and Sanctuary is #17? Meanwhile, Cherry Hills, Riviera, Inverness, Baltimore, Baltusrol Lower, Chicago Golf Club, all land in the second fifty before the editors straighten things out. That tells you how much a group of low handicappers knows."
Always good to know when I'm having a crappy day at work, I can pick on you.