National Club Golfer ranks Britain's best links

[Adam Lawrence]

Interesting - haven't seen a links-only ranking before, although there's a few non-links courses snuck in. And some questionable rankings...

https://nationalclubgolfer.secure.yetti.co.uk/courses/articles/featured-courses/britains-top-100-links-courses.html

(This is Great Britain only, so nothing in either part of Ireland is included)

[Tommy Williamsen]

Interesting list but it was a pain to navigate on my iPad. I finally quit.

[Jud_T]

Sort of an odd combo of criteria.  As if Golfweek and Digest drank too much at the Christmas party and woke up sharing a bed...Not sure what to even make of it.

[Bill_McBride]

Questionable to say the least, although I haven't played a lot of those ranked above them, they must be damned good to beat Lundin and Leven at 62 and 64, Littlestone at 67, Rye at 35  , Royal Cinque Ports at 39  , and Wallasey at 70!

And Elie.  Did I miss Elie?

[Paul Gray]

Hmm, interesting but, as Jud said, very odd criteria. Some of the rankings are more than a little strange as well. 

[David_Tepper]

Skibo Castle at number 10? Very interesting indeed.

[Jim McCann]

I played Skibo Castle a few months ago and was VERY impressed by the strides made in the last few years to make it a "proper" links.



For those who might be interested in reading the review, here's the link:

http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/productdetails.asp?id=116

[Jon Wiggett]

I know Gary Gruber and his boys have put a lot of work into the course in recent years.

Jon

[Jim McCann]

Having looked at the links chart a little more closely, it’s not THAT bad, actually – though why anybody would want to create a Top 100 for Britain, as opposed to a more conventional Top 100 for GB & Ireland is a little obscure.

For those who haven’t gone through the tedious process of clicking the link to each ten course strata in the chart, here’s the full list:

1   Muirfield
2   Carnoustie (Championship)
3   Royal Dornoch (Championship)
4   Royal Lytham & St Annes
5   Royal Birkdale
6   Royal St George's
7   St Andrews (Old)
8   Turnberry (Ailsa)
9   North Berwick (West)
10   Skibo Castle
11   Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie)
12   Royal Troon (Old)
13   St Enodoc (Church)
14   Nairn (Championship)
15   Saunton (East)
16   Prestwick
17   Royal West Norfolk
18   Royal Liverpool
19   Trump International
20   Royal Porthcawl
21   Hillside
22   Kingsbarns
23   Cruden Bay
24   Western Gailes
25   St Andrews (New)
26   Formby
27   Castle Stuart
28   West Lancashire
29   Royal Cinq Ports
30   Hunstanton
31   Silloth on Solway
32   Southport & Ainsdale
33   Dundonald
34   Aberdovey
35   Rye (Old)
36   Luffness New
37   Burnham & Berrow
38   Machrihanish Dunes
39   Gullane (No. 1)
40   Machrihanish  
41   Renaissance Club
42   St Andrews (Jubilee)
43   Royal St David's
44   Machrie
45   Seacroft
46   Archerfield (Fidra)
47   Southerness
48   Ashburnham
49   St Andrews (Castle)
50   Moray (Old)
51   Dunbar
52   Murcar Links
53   Trevose (Championship)
54   Golspie
55   Pennard
56   Montrose (Medal)
57   Prince's
58   Panmure
59   Archerfield (Dirleton)
60   Conwy
61   Tenby
62   Lundin
63   Brora
64   Leven Links
65   Seaton Carew
66   Saunton (West)
67   Littlestone
68   Perranporth
69   Monifieth (Medal)
70   Wallasey
71   Pyle & Kenfig
72   Gullane (No.2)
73   Glasgow (Gailes)
74   St Annes Old
75   Tain
76   Royal North Devon
77   Goswick
78   Castletown
79   Hayling
80   Seascale
81   Isle of Purbeck (Purbeck)
82   Irvine
83   Kilspindie
84   Prestwick St Nicholas
85   Sheringham
86   North Wales
87   Barassie
88   Bamburgh Castle
89   Porthmadog
90   West Kilbride
91   Pwllheli
92   Nairn Dunbar
93   Askernish
94   Fortrose & Rosemarkie
95   Longniddry
96   Carnoustie (Burnside)
97   Fairhaven
98   Craigielaw
99   Duff House Royal
100   Newburgh-on-Ythan

Having said that I’m largely in agreement with the courses featured, a few items did raise an eyebrow…

I think several courses are riding too high in the standings, including Skibo Castle, West Lancashire, Southport & Ainsdale, Luffness New
(all personal favourites, mind you) and Ashburnham (based on its position relative to Welsh courses on other ranking lists).

Scottish courses I feel should not be on the list include: Askernish, Carnoustie (Burnside), Duff House Royal and Newburgh - absolutely no
way should any of them be in a GB Top 100 that can afford to exclude Turnberry (Kintyre), Scotscraig, Crail (Balcomie) and Elie!

In England, courses like Great Yarmouth & Caister, Felixtowe Ferry (Martello) and West Cornwall may all be worthy of a place in the chart
as might Machynys Peninsula in Wales.  

The links pedigree of a number of courses in this Top 100 might well be questionable but, nonetheless, it’s not a list that I’d instantly dismiss.

Root out the small number of daft entries that appear - Askernish really does appear to be the Scottish equivalent of Royal Worlington and Newmarket these days - and it’s actually not that bad a list!

.

[Rich Goodale]

It's not a bad list, even though some obvious biases shine through and more that a few selections are borderline insane.

Cave lector, however--both of the browsers I use told me that the site it not a secure one.  I was stupid enough to download it, but if you do you without some caution you are even stupider than me!

[Niall C]

Jim

In terms of quality, Duff House Royal is better than a number of those listed above it (IMO) however it simply shouldn't be on this list as clearly its not a links.

I always tend to judge these lists by where Silloth is ranked and placing it at 31 discredits this list straight away 

Niall

[Adam Lawrence]

Have you _been_ to Askernish Jim? I know I'm biased, but I would have it way higher - I think you can't ignore the half dozen truly world class golf holes there.

I think it is GB only as NCG does not circulate on the island of Ireland, though I could be wrong about that.

[Mark Pearce]

Bamburgh Castle is lovely but cannot by any stretch of the imagination, be called a links.  Nor can it possibly be considered a better course than Elie.  There are a number of courses on that list that are too low.  Silloth, as Niall says, is one.  Goswick is another.

And how can the World's Best Golf Course be 19th!

[Ally Mcintosh]

Well when there aare pprox 250 links in the world of which about 54 or 55 are in Ireland and a bunch spread in other places, why didn't they just list every links course in Britain?.... There can't be many more than 150 or 160...

Let's have a go at the "bottom 20" links courses... What are the worst?

After you

[Jim McCann]

Adam:

I was privileged to participate in the club's first Open competition back on 22 August 2008 (before carousing the night away at a ceilidh in a nearby school house with the likes of Ralph Thompson, Hamish Grey, Martin Ebert and Gordon Irvine  ) so yes, I've played Askernish and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a flying visit to South Uist too.

The course has some way to go in my opinion - particularly in relation to the elemental tee boxes and green sites - before it's good enough to be in a Scottish Top 100, never mind a Top 100 for GB & I.

I'm sure, in the fullness of time, it could perhaps attain the reverence of, say, Islay's Machrie - one of my all-time favourite links - but for now it still has a very long way to go...

[Niall C]

Jim

I take it from your comments that the condition of the course comes into the equation ? That being the case, do you think Balmedie merits no. 19 given its still growing in ?

Niall

[Ally Mcintosh]

Adam:

I was privileged to participate in the club's first Open competition back on 22 August 2008 (before carousing the night away at a ceilidh in a nearby school house with the likes of Ralph Thompson, Hamish Grey, Martin Ebert and Gordon Irvine  ) so yes, I've played Askernish and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a flying visit to South Uist too.

The course has some way to go in my opinion - particularly in relation to the elemental tee positions and green sites - before it's good enough to be in a Scottish Top 100, never mind a Top 100 for GB & I.

I'm sure, in the fullness of time, it could perhaps attain the reverence of, say, Islay's Machrie - one of my all-time favourite links - but for now it still has a very long way to go...

Hey Jim, can you give me your Top-100 Scottish links?... Poor Askernish sounds like it might struggle to make a list with less than 100 entries...

[jeffwarne]

Adam:

I was privileged to participate in the club's first Open competition back on 22 August 2008 (before carousing the night away at a ceilidh in a nearby school house with the likes of Ralph Thompson, Hamish Grey, Martin Ebert and Gordon Irvine  ) so yes, I've played Askernish and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a flying visit to South Uist too.

The course has some way to go in my opinion - particularly in relation to the elemental tee positions and green sites - before it's good enough to be in a Scottish Top 100, never mind a Top 100 for GB & I.

I'm sure, in the fullness of time, it could perhaps attain the reverence of, say, Islay's Machrie - one of my all-time favourite links - but for now it still has a very long way to go...

Hey Jim, can you give me your Top-100 Scottish links?... Poor Askernish sounds like it might struggle to make a list with less than 100 entries...

Top 100 UK (a great site and resource by the way)-click on Scotland

it didn't make the Top 100 Scotland(granted it's not an all links list, so perhaps it makes his Top 100 links of Scotland list )

I like both lists-very informative and thought provoking-sure you can quiblble with selections, but is there really a difference between #30 and #53?
Lists are a great starting point
I especially the way Top 100 UK breaks it down by region

[Jim McCann]

Niall:

The Trump course is one of 26 out of the 100 that I've not yet played.

It features as a non ranked "gem" on the www.top100golfcourses.co.uk website at the moment because it's really quite absurd to have a brand new course catapulted into the upper echelons of a national ranking chart weeks after it first opens - indeed it was in the Golf World Top 10 BEFORE it opened!!!

Sorry, I didn't mention Trump International in my original post when I named some courses that I thought were too highly placed in this Top 100 chart.

Ally:

I've PM'd you my personal Scottish Top 100 of ALL types of courses; I've never broken that national chart down by course category before to know how many of them are links.

[Sean_A]

Having looked at the links chart a little more closely, it’s not THAT bad, actually – though why anybody would want to create a Top 100 for Britain, as opposed to a more conventional Top 100 for GB & Ireland is a little obscure.

For those who haven’t gone through the tedious process of clicking the link to each ten course strata in the chart, here’s the full list:

1   Muirfield
2   Carnoustie (Championship)
3   Royal Dornoch (Championship)
4   Royal Lytham & St Annes
5   Royal Birkdale
6   Royal St George's
7   St Andrews (Old)
8   Turnberry (Ailsa)
9   North Berwick (West)
10   Skibo Castle
11   Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie)
12   Royal Troon (Old)
13   St Enodoc (Church)
14   Nairn (Championship)
15   Saunton (East)
16   Prestwick
17   Royal West Norfolk
18   Royal Liverpool
19   Trump International
20   Royal Porthcawl
21   Hillside
22   Kingsbarns
23   Cruden Bay
24   Western Gailes
25   St Andrews (New)
26   Formby
27   Castle Stuart
28   West Lancashire
29   Royal Cinq Ports
30   Hunstanton
31   Silloth on Solway
32   Southport & Ainsdale
33   Dundonald
34   Aberdovey
35   Rye (Old)
36   Luffness New
37   Burnham & Berrow
38   Machrihanish Dunes
39   Gullane (No. 1)
40   Machrihanish   
41   Renaissance Club
42   St Andrews (Jubilee)
43   Royal St David's
44   Machrie
45   Seacroft
46   Archerfield (Fidra)
47   Southerness
48   Ashburnham
49   St Andrews (Castle)
50   Moray (Old)
51   Dunbar
52   Murcar Links
53   Trevose (Championship)
54   Golspie
55   Pennard
56   Montrose (Medal)
57   Prince's
58   Panmure
59   Archerfield (Dirleton)
60   Conwy
61   Tenby
62   Lundin
63   Brora
64   Leven Links
65   Seaton Carew
66   Saunton (West)
67   Littlestone
68   Perranporth
69   Monifieth (Medal)
70   Wallasey
71   Pyle & Kenfig
72   Gullane (No.2)
73   Glasgow (Gailes)
74   St Annes Old
75   Tain
76   Royal North Devon
77   Goswick
78   Castletown
79   Hayling
80   Seascale
81   Isle of Purbeck
82   Irvine
83   Kilspindie
84   Prestwick St Nicholas
85   Sheringham
86   North Wales
87   Barassie
88   Bamburgh Castle
89   Portmadog
90   West Kilbride
91   Pwllheli
92   Nairn Dunbar
93   Askernish
94   Fortrose & Rosemarkie
95   Longniddry
96   Carnoustie (Burnside)
97   Fairhaven
98   Craigielaw
99   Duff House Royal
100   Newburgh-on-Ythan

Having said that I’m largely in agreement with the courses featured, a few items did raise an eyebrow…

I think several courses are riding too high in the standings, including Skibo Castle, West Lancashire, Southport & Ainsdale, Luffness New
(all personal favourites, mind you) and Ashburnham (based on its position relative to Welsh courses on other ranking lists).

Scottish courses I feel should not be on the list include: Askernish, Carnoustie (Burnside), Duff House Royal and Newburgh - absolutely no
way should any of them be in a GB Top 100 that can afford to exclude Turnberry (Kintyre), Scotscraig, Crail (Balcomie) and Elie!

In England, courses like Great Yarmouth & Caister, Felixtowe Ferry (Martello) and West Cornwall may all be worthy of a place in the chart
as might Machynys Peninsula in Wales.   

The links pedigree of a number of courses in this Top 100 might well be questionable but, nonetheless, it’s not a list that I’d instantly dismiss.

Root out the small number of daft entries that appear - Askernish really does appear to be the Scottish equivalent of Royal Worlington and Newmarket these days - and it’s actually not that bad a list!

The courses I think are badly askew with Carnoustie, Lytham & Rye sharing top honours

1  Muirfield top 20
2  Carnoustie (Championship) top 40
4  Royal Lytham & St Annes top 40
5  Royal Birkdale top 20
8  Turnberry (Ailsa) top 40
12  Royal Troon (Old) top 40
13  St Enodoc (Church) top 5
16  Prestwick top 5
26  Formby top 10
29  Royal Cinque Ports top 10
35  Rye (Old) top 5
55  Pennard top 20
57   Prince's top 20
61   Tenby top 40
63   Brora top 40
66   Saunton (West) top 40
67   Littlestone top 40
70   Wallasey top 40
76   Royal North Devon top 40
78   Castletown top 40

Ciao

[Greg Taylor]

Skibo at #10... hard fail.

[Jim McCann]

Further to an earlier reply when I mentioned that Askernish would be doing well to reach a Scottish Top 100, I meant a Top 100 list of ALL types of courses, not just links.

I’ve since checked “True Links” and Robert Price’s “Scotland’s Golf Courses” books to find there's a total of around 111 links courses in Scotland so Askernish SHOULD be able to make it into my personal Tartan Top 100 of Links courses – then again, as I have 38 of these yet to play, the jury’s still out on that one…  

[Mark Pearce]

Sean,

RND top 40?  Really?  Plenty of history, lots of charm but there must easily be 40 better links courses in the UK.

[Sean_A]

Sean,

RND top 40?  Really?  Plenty of history, lots of charm but there must easily be 40 better links courses in the UK.

Mark

Maybe you are right.  I hate to be too hard on the old girl just because I don't care for those spikey plants - I am told some people love those holes. 

The course I have a hard time figuring out is Seascale.  It has more than few very fine holes - I am talking top notch, but the course doesn't seem to pull together very well.  Yet, I can't quite determine why the course falls short. 

#3


#9


#10


#16


#18


Ciao





 

[Tommy Williamsen]

Having looked at the links chart a little more closely, it’s not THAT bad, actually – though why anybody would want to create a Top 100 for Britain, as opposed to a more conventional Top 100 for GB & Ireland is a little obscure.

For those who haven’t gone through the tedious process of clicking the link to each ten course strata in the chart, here’s the full list:

1   Muirfield
2   Carnoustie (Championship)
3   Royal Dornoch (Championship)
4   Royal Lytham & St Annes
5   Royal Birkdale
6   Royal St George's
7   St Andrews (Old)
8   Turnberry (Ailsa)
9   North Berwick (West)
10   Skibo Castle
11   Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie)
12   Royal Troon (Old)
13   St Enodoc (Church)
14   Nairn (Championship)
15   Saunton (East)
16   Prestwick
17   Royal West Norfolk
18   Royal Liverpool
19   Trump International
20   Royal Porthcawl
21   Hillside
22   Kingsbarns
23   Cruden Bay
24   Western Gailes
25   St Andrews (New)
26   Formby
27   Castle Stuart
28   West Lancashire
29   Royal Cinq Ports
30   Hunstanton
31   Silloth on Solway
32   Southport & Ainsdale
33   Dundonald
34   Aberdovey
35   Rye (Old)
36   Luffness New
37   Burnham & Berrow
38   Machrihanish Dunes
39   Gullane (No. 1)
40   Machrihanish   
41   Renaissance Club
42   St Andrews (Jubilee)
43   Royal St David's
44   Machrie
45   Seacroft
46   Archerfield (Fidra)
47   Southerness
48   Ashburnham
49   St Andrews (Castle)
50   Moray (Old)
51   Dunbar
52   Murcar Links
53   Trevose (Championship)
54   Golspie
55   Pennard
56   Montrose (Medal)
57   Prince's
58   Panmure
59   Archerfield (Dirleton)
60   Conwy
61   Tenby
62   Lundin
63   Brora
64   Leven Links
65   Seaton Carew
66   Saunton (West)
67   Littlestone
68   Perranporth
69   Monifieth (Medal)
70   Wallasey
71   Pyle & Kenfig
72   Gullane (No.2)
73   Glasgow (Gailes)
74   St Annes Old
75   Tain
76   Royal North Devon
77   Goswick
78   Castletown
79   Hayling
80   Seascale
81   Isle of Purbeck
82   Irvine
83   Kilspindie
84   Prestwick St Nicholas
85   Sheringham
86   North Wales
87   Barassie
88   Bamburgh Castle
89   Portmadog
90   West Kilbride
91   Pwllheli
92   Nairn Dunbar
93   Askernish
94   Fortrose & Rosemarkie
95   Longniddry
96   Carnoustie (Burnside)
97   Fairhaven
98   Craigielaw
99   Duff House Royal
100   Newburgh-on-Ythan

Having said that I’m largely in agreement with the courses featured, a few items did raise an eyebrow…

I think several courses are riding too high in the standings, including Skibo Castle, West Lancashire, Southport & Ainsdale, Luffness New
(all personal favourites, mind you) and Ashburnham (based on its position relative to Welsh courses on other ranking lists).

Scottish courses I feel should not be on the list include: Askernish, Carnoustie (Burnside), Duff House Royal and Newburgh - absolutely no
way should any of them be in a GB Top 100 that can afford to exclude Turnberry (Kintyre), Scotscraig, Crail (Balcomie) and Elie!

In England, courses like Great Yarmouth & Caister, Felixtowe Ferry (Martello) and West Cornwall may all be worthy of a place in the chart
as might Machynys Peninsula in Wales.   

The links pedigree of a number of courses in this Top 100 might well be questionable but, nonetheless, it’s not a list that I’d instantly dismiss.

Root out the small number of daft entries that appear - Askernish really does appear to be the Scottish equivalent of Royal Worlington and Newmarket these days - and it’s actually not that bad a list!

The courses I think are badly askew with Carnoustie, Lytham & Rye sharing top honours

1  Muirfield top 20
2  Carnoustie (Championship) top 40
4  Royal Lytham & St Annes top 40
5  Royal Birkdale top 20
8  Turnberry (Ailsa) top 40
12  Royal Troon (Old) top 40
13  St Enodoc (Church) top 5
16  Prestwick top 5
26  Formby top 10
29  Royal Cinque Ports top 10
35  Rye (Old) top 5
55  Pennard top 20
57   Prince's top 20
61   Tenby top 40
63   Brora top 40
66   Saunton (West) top 40
67   Littlestone top 40
70   Wallasey top 40
76   Royal North Devon top 40
78   Castletown top 40

Ciao

Sean my friend, nice to see you beginning to warm up to RND.