Top 10 Courses This Decade?

[Jim Colton]

Discuss...

1. Pacific Dunes
2. Cape Kidnappers
3. Barnbougle Dunes
4. Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club
5. Rock Creek Cattle Company
6. Friar's Head
7. Sebonack Golf Club
8. Bandon Trails
9. Chambers Bay Golf Club
10. Kingsley Club

Honorable Mention:
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, Boston Golf Club, Calusa Pines Golf Club, Colorado Golf Club, The Club at Black Rock, Dallas National, Kinloch Golf Club, Nanea Golf Club, Nine Bridges, Old Sandwich

[Garland Bayley]

TDBB

[Kalen Braley]

Hard to argue with that ....of the 4 I've played they certainly belong on that list IMO.

I would think Gozzer Ranch and Wine Valley also deserve honorable mention status....

[Kevin Pallier]

Jim

Not that I've seen the following but they may be considered worthy of inclusion ?

Ellerston ?
Bayonne ?
Doonbeg ?
The Renaissance Club ?
St. Andrews (Castle) ?

[Tom Dunne]

Rustic Canyon, both for what it is and what it represents, should land well within the top 10.

[Mac Plumart]

Kauri Cliffs?

I've never played it...built in 2000, right?

It is rated by all the rating entities as being in the Top 100 in the World.

Oitavos Dunes in rated top 100 by Golf Mag. and was builit in 2001.

Ballyhack?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Kevin

Your reference to St Andrews (Castle), did you mean A photo or B photo

Photo A. Load of fun to be had by all apparently


OR

Photo B. A Little less fun ( some suggest taking seasickness pills before venturing onto the Greens)

                           

There is some talk by some of the old locals that when the golf course catches up with the age of the Castle, it may have become a great course, so the old sayings seem to be right ‘only time will tell’

Have fun which ever Castle your mean
 
Melvyn

[Michael Blake]

Jim,

I know you've played lots of the greats, but have you played all those in that top 10?  Just curious...and jealous.


Too bad most people won't ever see Wolf Point Club.

[Jim Colton]

Michael,

It's not my personal list, as I would have a different #1 overall.  I merely tried to compile the collective wisdom here and other places into a master list of courses that have opened since 2000.  Admittedly, I don't have enough to work with on Wine Valley, Sagebrush and a couple others to accurately slot them, which is part of the reason I just put up a top ten and let people react to it.

Here is the top 10 if you go by Ian L.'s recent Unofficial GCA rankings

Pacific Dunes   9.33
Ballyneal   8.96
Barnbougle Dunes   8.68
Friar’s Head    8.54
Cape Kidnappers, N.Z.   8.51
Rock Creek Cattle Company   8.03
Kingsley Club   8.00
Bandon Trails    7.95
Sebonack Golf Club   7.90
Chambers Bay   7.42

[Garland Bayley]

Jim,

Now here I went and thought it was your personal list. If it is a compilation of what you read here, then why isn't Castle Stuart at the top of the list?

[Kyle Henderson]

Clear Creek Tahoe and Castle Stuart warrant consideration

[George Freeman]

Here is the top 10 if you go by Ian L.'s recent Unofficial GCA rankings

Pacific Dunes   9.33
Ballyneal   8.96
Barnbougle Dunes   8.68
Friar’s Head    8.54
Cape Kidnappers, N.Z.   8.51
Rock Creek Cattle Company   8.03
Kingsley Club   8.00
Bandon Trails    7.95
Sebonack Golf Club   7.90
Chambers Bay   7.42

Not a bad decade for Mr. Doak...

Congrats Tom.

[Jaeger Kovich]

What year did Kingbarns open in? I think it is 2000 but I'm not 100%.

It also looks like Tobacco Road maybe just misses the list 1999?

... I haven't even been playing golf for a decade!!

[Kyle Henderson]

Here is the top 10 if you go by Ian L.'s recent Unofficial GCA rankings

Pacific Dunes   9.33
Ballyneal   8.96
Barnbougle Dunes   8.68
Friar’s Head    8.54
Cape Kidnappers, N.Z.   8.51
Rock Creek Cattle Company   8.03
Kingsley Club   8.00
Bandon Trails    7.95
Sebonack Golf Club   7.90
Chambers Bay   7.42

Not a bad decade for Mr. Doak...

Congrats Tom.

Or Coore/Crenshaw, especially  if you throw Colorado GC, Old Sandwich, and Clear Creek Tahoe into the mix.

[Chris DeNigris]

Maybe too early to crack the top 10 but Castle Stuart (as mentioned) and Machrihanish Dunes are very much HM worthy.

Wekopa Saguaro would be close as well.

[Andy Troeger]

The Alotian Club (T. Fazio) belongs on the list--possibly in the top ten. Not many get to see it, unfortunately. As much as I like Kingsley, I think Black Mesa is just as good or better as well.

As Kalen said, Gozzer Ranch deserves at least "Honorable Mention" status. Chris' mention of Saguaro does too. I'd add Paa-Ko Ridge.

I would have to think there are quite a few courses on the list that will stand the test of time.

[John Moore II]

Discuss...

1. Pacific Dunes
2. Cape Kidnappers
3. Barnbougle Dunes
4. Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club
5. Rock Creek Cattle Company
6. Friar's Head
7. Sebonack Golf Club
8. Bandon Trails
9. Chambers Bay Golf Club
10. Kingsley Club

Honorable Mention:
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, Boston Golf Club, Calusa Pines Golf Club, Colorado Golf Club, The Club at Black Rock, Dallas National, Kinloch Golf Club, Nanea Golf Club, Nine Bridges, Old Sandwich

OK, did Tom Doak really design 6 of the top 10 of the past ten years? No offense to him, but I just don't buy it. I think too many on here just don't want to admit that other people design some really good courses as well, they just don't fit some certain "style" profile. I haven't played any, so if I'm totally wrong, whatever, but I just can't see one person having designed such a large number of what someone would consider to be the best 10 of the last 10 years. Really?

[Ian Andrew]

I played 7 of the 10 suggested.
I would only disagree with one on that list - I just don't see what others see on that one.


I agree with Tom Dunne, that Rustic Canyon should be there.

One of the best of the decade for me was Monterey Peninsula Shore. It's a new course as far as I'm concerned and I liked it even more on the second playing.

[Jim Colton]

Discuss...

1. Pacific Dunes
2. Cape Kidnappers
3. Barnbougle Dunes
4. Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club
5. Rock Creek Cattle Company
6. Friar's Head
7. Sebonack Golf Club
8. Bandon Trails
9. Chambers Bay Golf Club
10. Kingsley Club

Honorable Mention:
Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, Boston Golf Club, Calusa Pines Golf Club, Colorado Golf Club, The Club at Black Rock, Dallas National, Kinloch Golf Club, Nanea Golf Club, Nine Bridges, Old Sandwich

OK, did Tom Doak really design 6 of the top 10 of the past ten years? No offense to him, but I just don't buy it. I think too many on here just don't want to admit that other people design some really good courses as well, they just don't fit some certain "style" profile. I haven't played any, so if I'm totally wrong, whatever, but I just can't see one person having designed such a large number of what someone would consider to be the best 10 of the last 10 years. Really?

John,

It is an interesting thought. A bunch of additional courses have been mentioned here.  The bigger question, I guess, is which of those six Doak designs is least likely to stand the test of time in order to get bumped from the top 10?  It certainly seems like a rock solid bunch.  Maybe Tom simply deserves a pat on the back for a job well done.

[Michael Dugger]

As everyone knows, a great course must occupy great land. 

Does someone, maybe John K. Moore, want to argue that...

Barnbougle
Kidnappers
Pac Dunes
Sebonack

are not layed out over incredible land???

[Mac Plumart]

I think Tom Doak will go down in history as one of the great golf course architects of all time...there is no question about it.  Whether that is all Tom...or his association with Mike Keiser...or the great talent on his team...or his time with Pete Dye (another all-time great)...is hard to judge...but really it doesn't matter.  He will be remembered as a great architect.

I like Jim's question.  Which of his courses will stand the test of time?  Which won't?  I think the Lido was amazing...but it is gone.

I remember Mike Malone's post of Friar's Head and his contention that is brought nothing new to C&C's portfolio.  Will that one be remembered?  For sure, Sand Hills will...right?

Anyway, it is fun to think about what people might be saying 50 years from now.  What they might be saying, who they might be talking about, etc.

Cool thread Jim!!

[Matt_Ward]

I've played six of the courses previously listed and while I am a huge fan of Sebonack -- I would offer another Nicklaus course (please note I am aware of Tom D's contribution to the LI layout) I would say Red Ledges in UT merits serious consideration. As Michael D correctly noted incredible land is an absolute must. Jack's work there in the greater Park City area will get little attention but it simply blew me away for the manner by which it used the native terrain and the scope and complexity of the individual holes and how they blend together. Correctly mentioned by Golf Magazine as this year's top private and rightly so.

[Rob Rigg]

I think Chambers Bay is a really solid course - but I am surprised it is in the top 10.

I have only played 3 out of the top 10 and read about the others, along with the honorable mentions, so my opinion is clearly speculative.

In a head to head, for me, CB and Tetherow are in the same league (which is very good), while Pac Dunes and Trails are at another level (exceptional). So that is my point of reference.

[Ash Towe]

I have only walked the course once but St Andrews Beach would be worth considering.  Some of the Aussie guys may wish to voice an opinion on this.

[Sean_A]

Michael,

It's not my personal list, as I would have a different #1 overall.  I merely tried to compile the collective wisdom here and other places into a master list of courses that have opened since 2000.  Admittedly, I don't have enough to work with on Wine Valley, Sagebrush and a couple others to accurately slot them, which is part of the reason I just put up a top ten and let people react to it.

Here is the top 10 if you go by Ian L.'s recent Unofficial GCA rankings

Pacific Dunes   9.33
Ballyneal   8.96
Barnbougle Dunes   8.68
Friar’s Head    8.54
Cape Kidnappers, N.Z.   8.51
Rock Creek Cattle Company   8.03
Kingsley Club   8.00
Bandon Trails    7.95
Sebonack Golf Club   7.90
Chambers Bay   7.42

I haven't seen any on this list, but the one which really stands out as the course for me to see is Ballyneal.  Kingsley would be nice to see as well because so many on here seem to love the place.  One which isn't listed which I would like to see is Wolf Point - that style of design is the sort which I think can thrill and accomodate a golfer from birth to death.  I must say Rustic Canyon is another as I want to see how good this public and affordable course really is.  Finally, I really like the look of Long Shadow and Castle Stuart - perhaps one day.

Ciao