Golfweek Top 100 "Composite"

[George Freeman]

With all this ranking talk of late, I thought it would be interesting to compile a Golfweek Top 100 ranking by combining the classic and modern lists.  It will also help to create more of an apples to apples comparison against GD's list.  Interesting that the top of the list is Classic heavy (not surprising) but the bottom of the list is Modern heavy.

The second number is the courses ranking in their respective category:

1   1.         Cypress Point Club  9.54
2   2.         Pine Valley Golf Club           9.50
3   1.         Sand Hills Golf Club     9.38
4   2.         Pacific Dunes  9.23
5   3.         Shinnecock Hills Golf Club  9.22
6   4.         Merion Golf Club (East)      9.11
7   5.         Oakmont Country Club       9.01   
8   6.         National Golf Links of America      9.01
9   7.         Pebble Beach Golf Links     9.00
10   8.         Crystal Downs          8.90
11   9.         Augusta National Golf Club            8.87
12   3.         Whistling Straits (Straits)       8.69
13   10.      Prairie Dunes Country Club            8.65
14   11.      Fishers Island Golf Club      8.65   
15   12.      San Francisco Golf Club        8.59
16   13.      Chicago Golf Club     8.56
17   14.      Pinehurst No. 2         8.49
18   15.      Seminole Golf Club  8.45
19   16.      Winged Foot Golf Club (West)       8.30
20   4.         Pete Dye Golf Club      8.30
21   5.         Bandon Dunes 8.28
22   6.         Friar’s Head    8.27
23   7.         Sebonack Golf Club     8.18
24   8.         Ballyneal         8.17
25   17.      Oakland Hills CC (South)    8.14
26   9.         The Golf Club   8.14
27   10.       Shadow Creek Golf Club          8.11
28   11.       Muirfield Village Golf Club      8.10
29   18.      Bethpage State Park (Black)         8.09
30   19.      Garden City Golf Club          8.08
31   12.       Kinloch Golf Club         8.04
32   20.      Los Angeles CC (North)      8.02
33   13.       Old Sandwich Golf Club           8.02
34   21.      The Olympic Club (Lake)    8.01
35   14.       Honors Course            7.96
36   22.      Camargo Club           7.95
37   23.      The Country Club (Composite)     7.94
38   24.      Riviera Country Club           7.93
39   25.      Southern Hills Country Club          7.93
40   15.       Spyglass Hill Golf Club            7.87
41   16.       TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium)       7.87
42   26.      Wannamoisett Country Club           7.86
43   17.       Wade Hampton Club    7.82
44   18.       Ocean Course at Kiawah Island          7.82
45   27.      Shoreacres Golf Club           7.77
46   19.       Chambers Bay Golf Club         7.75
47   28.      Plainfield Country Club       7.69
48   29.      Pasatiempo Golf Club          7.65
49   30.      Somerset Hills Country Club         7.64
50   20.       Kingsley Club  7.59
51   31.      Myopia Hunt Club    7.58
52   32.      Maidstone Club        7.57
53   33.      Peachtree Golf Club 7.57
54   21.       Calusa Pines Golf Club            7.55
55   36.      Winged Foot Golf Club (East)        7.53
56   35.      Oak Hill Country Club (East)         7.53
57   36.      Inverness Club         7.53
58   22.       Bandon Trails  7.52
59   37.      Quaker Ridge            7.51
60   38.      Yeamans Hall Club  7.51
61   23.       Colorado Golf Club*    7.51
62   39.      Baltusrol Golf Club (Lower)           7.49
63   24.       Dunes Club      7.48
64   25.       Dallas National Golf Club        7.47
65   40.      Valley Club of Montecito    7.45
66   41.      Olympia Fields C.C. (North)          7.45
67   26.       Boston Golf Club          7.45
68   42.      Baltimore Country Club (East)     7.44
69   27.       Wild Horse Golf Club   7.44
70   43.      Salem Country Club            7.42
71   28.       Harbour Town Golf Links        7.42
72   29.       Monterey Peninsula CC (Shore)          7.42
73   30.       Desert Forest Golf Club          7.42
74   31.       Castle Pines Golf Club   7.41
75   32.       Arcadia Bluffs 7.41
76   33.       World Woods GC (Pine Barrens)         7.41
77   34.       Galloway National Golf Club   7.40
78   44.      The Course at Yale  7.39
79   35.       Bayonne Golf Club       7.39
80   45.      Newport Country Club        7.37
81   36.       Blackwolf Run GC (River)        7.37
82   46.      Piping Rock    7.36
83   37.       Wolf Run           7.35
84   38.       Mayacama Golf Club   7.34
85   47.      Homestead Resort (Cascades)    7.32
86   48.      Milwaukee Country Club     7.32
87   39.       The Club at Cuscowilla            7.32
88   40.       Double Eagle Golf Club           7.32
89   49.      Colonial Country Club         7.30
90   50.      Scioto Country Club            7.29
91   51.      East Lake Golf Club  7.28
92   52.      Interlachen Country Club   7.27
93   53.      Holston Hills Country Club 7.27
94   41.       Black Diamond Ranch (Quarry)          7.27
95   42.       Sutton Bay Club           7.24
96   43.       Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club           7.24
97   54.      White Bear Yacht Club        7.22
98   44.       The Club at Black Rock            7.21
99   45.       Quail Hollow Club        7.20
100   46.       Karsten Creek Golf Club          7.19


And the 100 courses that did not make the top 100:

101   55.      Medinah Country Club (No. 3)       7.18
102   56.      Aronimink Golf Club   7.17
103   57.      Cherry Hills Country Club   7.17
104   58.      Lawsonia Golf Club (Links)            7.17
105   59.      Kittansett Club         7.15
106   47.       Long Cove Club           7.13
107   60.      California Golf Club  7.11
108   48.       Forest Highlands GC (Canyon)           7.11
109   61.      Essex County Club  7.10
110   62.      Fenway Golf Club     7.10
111   63.      NCR Country Club (South) 7.10
112   64.      Pine Needles Country Club            7.10
113   49.       The Rim           7.10
114   50.       The Preserve  7.08
115   51.       Pronghorn (Fazio)      7.06
116   52.       Lost Dunes Golf Club   7.06
117   53.       Trump National Golf Club        7.05
118   65.      Lancaster Country Club      7.03
119   54.       Briggs Ranch Golf Club            7.03
120   55.       Fallen Oak Golf Club* 7.03
121   56.       Eugene Country Club  7.03
122   57.       Sanctuary        7.03
123   58.       Olde Farm Golf Club    7.03
124   66.      Franklin Hills Country Club            7.02
125   59.       Butler National Golf Club        7.00
126   60.       The Concession           7.00
127   61.       Kiawah Island Club (Cassique)           7.00
128   62.       Black Sheep Golf Club 7.00
129   63.       Victoria National Golf Club      6.99
130   64.       Atlantic Golf Club        6.99
131   67.      Brookside Country Club      6.98
132   68.      Baltusrol Golf Club (Upper)            6.97
133   69.      Huntingdon Valley CC         6.97
134   65.       Shoal Creek Golf Course         6.97
135   70.      Mountain Lake          6.96
136   71.      St. Louis Country Club        6.96
137   66.       Kapalua GC (Plantation)         6.96
138   67.       We-Ko-Pa GC (Saguaro)         6.96
139   72.      Ekwanok Country Club        6.95
140   68.       Hazeltine National Golf Club   6.95
141   69.       Crooked Stick Golf Club          6.94
142   73.      Whippoorwill Country Club            6.93
143   74.      Congressional CC (Blue)    6.93
144   70.       Lahontan Golf Club      6.93
145   75.      Indianwood C.C. (Old)        6.91
146   76.      Fox Chapel Golf Club           6.91
147   71.       Pumpkin Ridge (Witch Hollow)           6.91
148   77.      Country Club of Fairfield    6.89
149   78.      The Minikahda Club 6.89
150   79.      Philadelphia CC (Spring Mill)         6.89
151   72.       The Stone Canyon Club           6.89
152   80.      Lehigh Country Club            6.88
153   81.      Taconic Golf Club     6.88
154   73.       Harvester Golf Club    6.88
155   74.       Ocean Forest Golf Club           6.88
156   75.       Southern Highlands GC           6.88
157   76.       The Powder Horn        6.88
158   77.       Jupiter Hills Club (Hills)          6.87
159   78.       Hidden Creek Golf Club           6.87
160   79.       Estancia          6.87
161   80.       Whisper Rock GC (Upper)       6.86
162   81.       McArthur Golf Club*    6.86
163   82.       Forest Dunes   6.85
164   87.       Quintero Golf and CC   6.82
165   82.      Bel-Air Country Club           6.84
166   83.       Sea Island GC (Seaside)         6.84
167   83.      Ridgewood CC (East/West)          6.83
168   84.       Valhalla Golf Club        6.83
169   85.       Princeville GC (Prince)           6.83
170   84.      Northland Country Club      6.82
171   86.       Robert Trent Jones GC            6.82
172   85.      Old Town Club           6.81
173   88.       Secession Golf Club    6.81
174   89.       Flint Hills National GC 6.80
175   86.      Creek Club     6.79
176   90.       Links of North Dakota 6.79
177   87.      Eastward Ho!            6.78
178   88.      Canterbury Golf Club           6.78
179   91.       Forest Creek GC (North)         6.78
180   92.       Marquette GC (Greywalls) *   6.78
181   89.      Hollywood Golf Club            6.77
182   93.       Seven Canyons Golf Course    6.77
183   94.       Black Mesa Golf Club   6.77
184   95.       Hawk’s Ridge Golf Club           6.77
185   90.      Skokie Country Club            6.76
186   96.       Old Tabby Links          6.76
187   97.       Spanish Oaks Golf Club*         6.75
188   91.      Sankaty Head Golf Club      6.73
189   98.       Caledonia Golf & Fish Club     6.73
190   99.       Crosswater at Sunriver           6.73
191   100.     The Golf Club at Ravenna*     6.73
192   92.      Rolling Green Golf Course   6.72
193   93.      Brook Hollow Country Club            6.71
194   94.      Dunes Golf & Beach Club    6.70
195   95.      Augusta Country Club         6.69
196   96.      Point O’Woods G&CC           6.66
197   97.      Champions GC (Cypress Creek)   6.65
198   98.      Engineers Club         6.65
199   99.      Beverly Country Club          6.62
200   100.    Sunnehanna Country Club 6.61

[Jonathan Cummings]

George - that 2nd 100 is quite interesting.  They all seem pretty well placed in the 2nd 100.  JC

[Willie_Dow]

Once again I'd like to know the basis of these various ratings.  How many visits are involved by how many raters per course?  Does the number of major events offered come into play?  What characteristics determine its ranking?  Is this noted in the article?

[cary lichtenstein]

Another thing I rarely see mentioned is how many times each rater played the course.

One play often is misleading, eye candy can dominant, an the subtle's overlooked.

Weather can also influence, both positive and negative.

Raters get wined and dined one their initial play, playing under the radar helps those impressed by massive car, wine, wealth, and  memorabilia collections.

[Adam Clayman]

Willie, You have been on this site for a long time and you honestly don't know the criteria that GW uses?

GW does not use tradition or resistance to scoring categories. Conditioning is also a bit of non-factor if one has an eye focused on the architecture.
 Also, our rating is not an average of points generated by the different categories. It is an independent value placing the course where the rater feels it belongs in or out of the top 100.

Cary's comment on influence seems interesting to me. But I suppose I shouldn't challenge it since he has been there.

George, This exercise is somewhat comparing apples to cumquats. The criteria are different for the two categories.

[George Freeman]

George, This exercise is somewhat comparing apples to cumquats. The criteria are different for the two categories.

Adam - point taken.  Apples to apples in a sense of top 100 courses in the US combining public & private and classic & modern courses, not necessarily the way they got to the rankings...

[Andy Troeger]

George, This exercise is somewhat comparing apples to cumquats. The criteria are different for the two categories.

As much as I realize this is true, I have to wonder if it really matters. I'm sure a "composite" list wouldn't look exactly like the one above, but I don't think there would be significant changes either.

[George Freeman]

George, This exercise is somewhat comparing apples to cumquats. The criteria are different for the two categories.

I misread your response the first time:  There is only one criteria that differs between modern and classics for GW, so it's not too far of a stretch...

[Adam Clayman]

Yes, but in your list you are comparing numbers as though they are cut from the same cloth. They are not. That was my point.

[PCCraig]

Having a little fun in excel George?! 

Pretty cool to look at it that way. Gotta love Myopia in the top 50 in the whole country and Medinah out of the top 100.

[Jim Nugent]

Sorry, George, your compiled list has no meaning.  You can't mix and match the two categories.  The courses on the classic list are only compared to other classic courses.  Courses on the modern list are only compared to other moderns. 

I wish Golfweek would do a combined list, though. 

[Jonathan Cummings]

George - the grading scales GW uses are identical for modern and classic.  (1-10 in half steps).  The two lists are completely comparable.  JC

[Jim Nugent]

George - the grading scales GW uses are identical for modern and classic.  (1-10 in half steps).  The two lists are completely comparable.  JC

You are 100% dead wrong.  The grading scales are completely NON-comparable.  e.g., a 10 for a classic course means it is among the top 5 classic courses.  But it does not say a thing about how it compares to modern courses.   You can not mix them together to come up with a combined list.   

[Andy Troeger]

Jim,
Even given that I'm still perfectly happy to use George's composite list as an overall top 100. It may not be "GolfWeek sanctioned" and may not be 100% correct but I don't believe for a minute that its not a good approximation of what they'd come up with if they put together one list.

After all, how do they come up with these state lists that include modern and classic public courses. Do raters have to submit an entirely different score, or do they just combine them as George did? (Spyglass vs Pasatiempo for example).

[Chuck Brown]

Whatever the metrics, this is a far better-looking list than the g-d- list that GD produced...

[Mark Smolens]

"Raters get wined and dined one their initial play, playing under the radar helps those impressed by massive car, wine, wealth, and  memorabilia collections."

Cary, do they really?  I'm not a rater, but I've played several rounds in the Valley of the Sun with a friend who is.  We were neither wined, nor dined, on our visits to Whisper Rock, Desert Mountain, and Vista Verde.  They did comp the rounds of our rater's guests at DM, but that was only because the kid in the pro shop didn't know how to ring us up when we arrived, and when we went in after the round the pro discovered that the register had already been closed, and he didn't want to bother firing it up again. . .

I would certainly agree with many of the criticisms of the rating process that have appeared on this site, but your blanket assertion about the manner that raters gets treated strikes me as unfair.
 

[Jonathan Cummings]

Jim - IM me and I'll explain the process to you.  JC

[Jim Nugent]

Jonathan, I would much rather hear the explanation here.