Golf Digest Top 100 is out

[Jonathan Cummings]

By design, Golf Digest has a staticly convergent list.  By this I mean GD's list is asymptotically converging to an unchanging or "frozen" list.  That's why each year it will be more and more difficult to displace the previous year's GD top 100 (thus the Chambers and Ballyneal issue).

Golf Magazine suffers the same problem.

Golfweek has two lists and is confronted with slightly different issues. 

The GW classical list is completely static - any movement in the rankings is due to the few redesigns of classical courses or just plain ranking panel measurement noise - the subjectivity in resolution of the rater postings.  Updating the classical list on an annual basis is mostly a fruitless venture – we learn nothing new.

GW's modern list is also statically convergent, but it has much longer before it converges (early on the asymptotic curve).  New courses are able to make a splash, fade, re-climb, or be booted off all because the GW modern list is the only list with "room" for new course.  It is easily the most “interesting” of all the lists posted.

JC         

[Steve D]

1   Augusta National G.C.
2   Pine Valley G.C.
3   Shinnecock Hills G.C.
4   Cypress Point Club
5   Oakmont C.C.
6   Pebble Beach Golf Links
7   Merion G.C. (East)
8   Winged Foot G.C. (West)
9   Fishers Island Club
10   Seminole G.C.
11   Oak Hill C.C. (East)
12   Chicago G.C.
13   Sand Hills G.C.
14   Pacific Dunes
15   National G. Links of America
16   Crystal Downs
17   Wade Hampton G.C.
18   The Country Club (Clyde/Squirrel)
19   Muirfield Village G.C.
20   Medinah C.C. (No. 3)
21   Prarie Dunes C.C.
22   Whistling Straits (Straits)
23   Oakland Hills C.C. (South)
24   Victoria National G.C.
25   The Ocean Course
26   The Olympic Club (Lake)
27   The Club at Black Rock
28   Castle Pines G.C.
29   Bethpage State Park (Black)
30   Baltusrol G.C. (Lower)
31   Riviera C.C.
32   Pinehurst Resort & C.C. (No. 2)
33   Bandon Dunes
34   Southern Hills C.C.
35   The Golf Club
36   San Francisco G.C.
37   Butler National G.C.
38   The Honors Course
39   Sebonack G.C.
40   Inverness Club
41   Shadow Creek
42   Canyata G.C.
43   Olympia Fields C.C. (North)
44   The Quarry at La Quinta
45   TPC Players Sawgrass (Players Stadium Course)
46   Rich Harvest Links
47   Los Angeles C.C. (North)
48   Kinloch G.C.
49   Arcadia Bluffs G.C.
50   Shoal Creek
51   Spyglass Hill Golf Course
52   Milwaukee C.C.
53   Garden City G.C.
54   Cherry Hills C.C.
55   Forest Highlands G.C. (Canyon)
56   Double Eagle Club
57   Pete Dye G.C.
58   Kittansett Club
59   Dallas National G.C.
60   Peachtree G.C.
61   Scioto C.C.
62   Eugene C.C.
63   Flint Hills National G.C.
64   Interlachen C.C.
65   Winged Foot G.C. (East)
66   Congressional C.C. (Blue)
67   The Prince Course
68   Stone Canyon Club
69   East Lake G.C.
70   Galloway National G.C.
71   Plainfield C.C.
72   Montery Peninsula C.C. (Shore)
73   Long Cove Club
74   Shoreacres
75   Harbour Town Golf Links
76   Aronimink G.C.
77   Laurel Valley G.C.
78   The Preserve G.C.
79   Mayacama G.C.
80   Bandon Trails
81   Quaker Ridge G.C.
82   The Estancia Club
83   Eagle Point G.C.
84   Sahalee C.C. (South/North)
85   Kiawah Island Club (Cassique)
86   Maidstone Club
87   Sage Valley G.C.
88   Somerset Hills C.C.
89   Black Diamond (Quarry)
90   Tullymore G.C.
91   Hazeltine National G.C.
92   Calusa Pines G.C.
93   Sycamore Hills G.C.
94   Hudson National G.C.
95   Valhalla G.C.
96   Sanctuary
97   Ocean Forest G.C.
98   Grandfather Golf & C.C.
99   Blackwolf Run (River)
100   Crooked Stick G.C.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Huck - with the above list I don't think Tahiti is far enough away!

[Cliff Hamm]

Quick look at the list and most surprised to see Pinehurst #2 all the way down to 32.

[Dale Jackson]

By design, Golf Digest has a staticly convergent list.  By this I mean GD's list is asymptotically converging to an unchanging or "frozen" list.  That's why each year it will be more and more difficult to displace the previous year's GD top 100 (thus the Chambers and Ballyneal issue).

Golf Magazine suffers the same problem.

Golfweek has two lists and is confronted with slightly different issues. 

The GW classical list is completely static - any movement in the rankings is due to the few redesigns of classical courses or just plain ranking panel measurement noise - the subjectivity in resolution of the rater postings.  Updating the classical list on an annual basis is mostly a fruitless venture – we learn nothing new.

GW's modern list is also statically convergent, but it has much longer before it converges (early on the asymptotic curve).  New courses are able to make a splash, fade, re-climb, or be booted off all because the GW modern list is the only list with "room" for new course.  It is easily the most “interesting” of all the lists posted.

JC         

Jonathan,

one more time in English please. 

[Mike_Cirba]

Thanks, Steve...that's quite a listing.



Is there a "Public Course" list, as well?

[PThomas]

Canyata at 42  - first time it broke the top 100 too i think - and Rich Harvest (moving up, i believe) to 46th...wow, those 2 really puzzle me

[Mike_Cirba]

...and here I thought the use of illegal hallucinogens had peaked in the 60s!   

[PCCraig]

Medinah is still way too high at #20.

TCC is looking good at #18

Kiawah Island looks awesome with two courses in the top 100.

[Sean Leary]

One of the things that they talk about is that they hired Dean Knuth (USGA handicap guru) to go over the results. He came up with a complicated formula that threw out scores that deviated signficantly from the mean, both positively and negatively.

Everyone will have their disagreements, but it is a subjective list. I am surprised myself by the number of desert designs on there. And Ballyneal not being on just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

It says in the article that Black Rock is the most controversial course on the list, which is no surprise. I wonder how the "Knuthing" affected that one course in particular.

[Brian Potash]

No Friars Head and Quaker Ridge moving towards the end of the list were surprising to me.  That said, I have never played either (yet)

[Jay Kirkpatrick]

which eagle point is that?  i assume its the one in wilmington which would put the NC ranking as follows:

Wade Hampton
Pinehurst #2
Eagle Point
Grandfather

very interesting...

surprised how many mountain and modern courses are on there.

[Peter Ferlicca]

No Friars Head and Quaker Ridge moving towards the end of the list were surprising to me.  That said, I have never played either (yet)

I didn't even realize Friars Head wasn't even in there, that's wild considering they are so high in the Golfweek modern list.  Same with Ballyneal not being in there, it’s shocking how different the magazines are with their rankings.  The Quarry at La Quinta doesn't even make the rankings in the other magazines but in Golf Digest number 44 (WAY TO HIGH IMO).

[Mike_Cirba]

Perhaps they read those new "Conditioning" instructions backwards?  

Well, for the past year I've had this ongoing debate with myself...what's better...Tullymore or Friar's Head?...Tullymore or Friar's Head??

Thanks, Golf Digest!   Now I can put that one to bed!   

Did Kingsley Club crack the Top 50?   Why surely they've gotten to that one by now!   

Sorry...I'll try to stop myself.  

[Dan Herrmann]

Maybe it's time we realized that members of The Treehouse are a small minority.   Perhaps our friends just don't care about GCA in the same way we do.

Hell, the USGA museum (which is great) has only a small area devoted to architecture.

[David Stamm]

It's only two spots, but there is no way in hell Spyglass is better than Garden City. Where is Valley Club???

[JNC Lyon]

I never think Golf Digest can outdo themselves and their previous rankings, but every year...

[C. Sturges]

How is Eugene CC 62?  Does it help having all the raters going to Bandon?

[Steve D]

Mike, there is a public list as well, but I already had this one typed into a spreadsheet so I just copy and pasted it.

I was surprised and disappointed to see Carmago Club drop off the list.  There were 8 new additions and 8 drops.  Heres the new additions:

The Club at Black Rock
Sebonack
Canyata
Stone Canyon Club
Aronimink
Bandon Trails
Eagle Point (Wilmington NC)
Crooked Stick

Heres the 8 that fell off.  

Carmargo Club
Sand Ridge
Lost Dunes
Colonial
Canterbury
Valley Club of Montecito (surprising.  Probably a ratings issue as well)
The Homestead
Hawks Ridge

[Matt_Ward]

I'll hold off additional comments after I have 'DIGESTED' this list.

Really ANGC is #1 ?

Truly remarkable indeed.

I have a few comments on the ones from the Northeast but like I said I'll wait till tomorrow.

[Kalen Braley]

No Black Mesa.

Or was this expected?

[Chris Cupit]

For Camargo to fall off the list is a joke.  I can't say I really cared much for rankings anyway but the lists are more proof that free golf, free food and drink and the "wow" factor of the amenities still overwhelms most

[Adam_Messix]

Valley Club falling off is not surprising to me.  It was closed for over a year to guests and they probably have not received enough ballots to qualify.  Having seen the course after the changes, they should reappear in 2011. 

[Rick Sides]

How does Augusta jump in front of Pine Valley and Shinnecock in 2 years?  I think perhaps the raters see the Masters in all it's glory when all the flowers are in perfect bloom and the grass is manicured to perfection for that week and they put it as the greatest.  Do the raters even get to see Augusta and play it in person?  I kow Augusta is beautiful, but it's not number 1 in the world.

[C. Squier]

So much for the brown grass mandate....