Golf Magazine's Top 100 - Let the games begin!

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

We on Kiawah Island are quite happy with the latest rankings.  I haven't seen them all but here's what was in today's paper -- inthe top in the U.S., The Ocean Course moves 21 spots from 65th to 44th and debuts at 78th in the top in the world rankings.  With The Ocean Course moving to 15th modern in Golfweek, why do y'all think Golf Digest so out-of-step with The Ocean Course creeping up to 70th in the U.S.?

Ocean Course, Yeamans Hall crack Golf's Top 100 courses
BY TOMMY BRASWELL
Of The Post and Courier Staff
The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island and Yeamans Hall Club in Hanahan both jumped into Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses in the World. Results of the biennial listing of the top 100 courses in both the world and in the United States will be published in the September issue of Golf Magazine.

Three South Carolina courses made the Top 100 Courses in the World. Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island moved up eight spots, to No. 67. The Ocean Course, which was not on the 2001 world list, is ranked No. 79. Yeamans Hall also made the world list at No. 92.

In the top 100 courses in the United States, Harbour Town is ranked No. 40, up four spots. The Ocean Course is No. 44, up from No. 65 in 2001. Yeamans Hall moved up 12 spots to No. 55 in the U.S.

The Golf Club at Briar's Creek, located on John's Island, was ranked No. 61 in the United States, the highest of any new courses to make the list and also the only 2002 course to make the rankings the first time.

Long Cove on Hilton Head Island was ranked No. 68 in the U.S., the exact ranking it earned in 2001.

The top 10 world courses were Pine Valley in New Jersey; Cypress Point in California; Muirfield in Scotland; Shinnecock in New York; Augusta National in Georgia; St. Andrews in Scotland; Pebble Beach in California; Royal Melbourne in Australia; Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina; and Royal County Down in Northern Ireland.

In addition to the above-named U.S. courses, Sand Hills in Nebraska; Merion-East in Pennsylvania; Oakmont in Pennsylvania; and Winged Foot-West in New York made the U.S. top 10.

The Golf Magazine panel includes such players as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Peter Jacobsen and Annika Sorenstam, plus administrators of the game of golf and prominent journalists.

The panel includes 14 architects (architects cannot rate courses they designed), including Tom Doak, Pete Dye, Rees Jones, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Tom Weiskopf.

The architects' top 10 in the world were Cypress Point, St. Andrews, Royal County Down, Pebble Beach, Pine Valley, Shinnecock, Augusta National, Pinehurst No. 2, Muirfield and Royal Dornoch.

[THuckaby2]

Mucho congrats to Kiawah - Ocean.  From all I see from afar that ranking seems to be well deserved.

As for the rest, well... the Top 10 doesn't seem all that out of place to me, although PB at #7 is interesting.  I'm sure somewhere in Pennsylvania a certain redan-loving doctor is smiling this morning....  

What the hell, I can't argue to strongly against the 6 they have over PB, even if they have the wrong Southampton course in that #4 slot.  But hey, SH would be preferred by the masses.  It takes a refined taste to see the true greatness across the road.  

Muirfield at #3 is interesting also... Very, very high praise.  But having recently played there, I can't argue with that too much either.  The adjective "pure" as pertaining to golf was coined at that course.

No Dornoch in Top 10?  Hmmmmmm.....

TH

[A_Clay_Man]

I'm surprised that ANGC hasn't fallen off a bit. Maybe then the alterations would be looked at in their proper light?

[THuckaby2]

That is interesting re M & SH, redanman.

And what the hell, not at all inappropriate.

As for PB remaining in architects' top 10, well, even they do like to actually play the game.  

TH

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Just so y'all know, I have a call into their advertising guy to see if I can get the total list.  Once I get it, I'll post it so the games can really begin.  Enjoy...

[THuckaby2]

Thanks, Mike.  Oh yeah, you know how this goes.  I'm sure we're gonna argue till the cows come home the difference between #38 and #55...  I just assume that Ran will be man enough to come on and defend the rankings in which he participates like a certain someone did, and got roasted, toasted and blasted for, when the Golf Digest version came out...  

TH

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

TH--

If you look at my original post, I did ask why if The Ocean Course (or TOC as we call it here  ) moved from 92 to 72 to 65 to 44 in Golf Magazine and TOC moved from 56 to 36 to 22 to 15 Modern in Golfweek, how is it that TOC moved from 41 to 65 to 67 to 70 in the last few Golf Digest rankings, hmmmm?

[Scratch_Nathan]

Viva Las Vegis -
Congratulations on the great news for Kiawah.  Though we don't get votes, Mr. Methvin and I would certainly echo the view of our panel and I think often of the December meeting and round with you.  I brag to anyone who'll listen that I played TOC for the first time and didn't lose a ball!  It's one of my proudest golf accomplishments.  GM's best to you and everyone who contributes to the quality of your great property.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Mike,

The reason Kiawan-Ocean is only at #70 on GD is because of the stupid Tradition points rating, which is already naturally included in other ranking criteria.  What was K-O's GD ranking factoring out Tradition?


I like Yeamans Hall a lot.   It would be a great everyday/members course.  But I'm not sure it's Top 100 in the World.  I haven't played it since they lengthened it a little, though.

The lists are not on GM's web site yet.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

I brag to anyone who'll listen that I played TOC for the first time and didn't lose a ball!  It's one of my proudest golf accomplishments.  

I can guarantee you that you are one of the very few to accomplish that feet.  One year after the Ryder Cup we dredged the pond in front of No. 17 and pulled out 34,000 balls.  As they say in the pro shop, we don't sell golf balls, we rent them.

[THuckaby2]

Mike:

Oh, I read your question correctly.  It's just Ran's turn to take the shit, thus my ignoring.  

TH

[GeoffreyC]

Mike

Congratulations to the folks at Kiawah.  The praise is well deserved.  The Ocean course is awesome.

Other thoughts-

Ran will not like this but Yeamons is way over rated at #55 in the US.  Please! Its a wonderful course but it certainly benefits from its location and peaceful southern plantation atmosphere. Put the same course up in the Northeast and it gets lost among the other MacDonald/Raynor's like Yale, Piping Rock, Creek and probably others.

Muirfield is a favorite of mine as are Pinehurst #2 and Winged Foot West but they are all too high relative to my list of favorites.

I also heard that Hidden Creek might have slipped into the US list at #72.  That too is a huge stretch. Make no mistake, Hidden Creek is a fine course but to think that among the nearly 30,000 courses in the US that it is that good is overzelous enthusasm.  In the next survey in two years I'm sure that Friar's Head will be WAY higher up on the list then that. Sand Hills certainly deserves its top 10 status as well.

OK now fire away at me but thats my opinion.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Mike:

Oh, I read your question correctly.  It's just Ran's turn to take the shit, thus my ignoring.  

TH

As Kobe says, "I plead the 5th," eh?

[JDoyle]

Geoffrey,

I am a big fan of Yeaman's Hall, but I have to agree with what you said.  It is a very solid course and I love the recent work they have done there....but that ranking is too much.  I think that beautiful approach to the clubhouse must fill these raters with a contact-high.

You are also dead-on with Hidden Creek.  I liked the course very much when I was there in the spring with a mutual Yale loving friend of ours.  But it's a little early for HC to score so well on the GM rankings.  It must be the C&C factor.  If so, where will Friar's Head appear....top 10?

[bakerg]

According to a different news wire there are 4 new additions to the World 100.  Unfortunetly it does not list the four.  

[Scratch_Nathan]

GOLF MAGAZINE Update:

New to the World list:
Kauri Cliffs (49)
Kiawah Ocean (79)
Yeamans Hall (92)
European Club (98)

New to US list:
Briar's Creek (61)
Torrey Pines South (67)
Hidden Creek (72)
Lehigh (83)
Mauna Kea (90)
Ridgewood West/East (94)
Milwaukee (95)
Atlantic (97)
Galloway National (98)

Falling off World list:
Kasumigaseki East
Nantucket
Double Eagle
Black Diamond (Quarry)

Falling off US list:
Pablo Creek
Oak Tree
Pumpkin Ridge Witch Hollow and Ghost Creek
Jupiter Hills
Estancia
Butler National
Stonewall
Troon

[Scott_Burroughs]

Torrey Pines!  Does this inclusion tarnish any luster/legitimacy of GM's list?

[THuckaby2]

Let's hope so.  My god, how horrible.  Ran, answer for yourself.  

TH

[GeoffreyC]

Does anyone know where

Fenway
Plainfield
Rustic Canyon

fit on the list?

[THuckaby2]

I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, GC.  If the last one doesn't fall somewhere, there will be some interesting conversation I'm sure....  

TH

[NAF]

That is completely PATHETIC that the Kingsley Club is not in the Top 100 in the U.S.  A real downer. I've played several of the ones of the new in the U.S. and the KC is vastly (in my opinion) superior.  For the life of me I cannot understand why that course is so underrated.  I would think if Hidden Creek can make it, that DeVries' course should be up there.  Just unbelieveable the omission.

[THuckaby2]

Love it.  Keep after them, Noel.  When will Ran be man enough to step up and face the music?  

BTW, how do you know TKC isn't on the list?

TH

[Scratch_Nathan]

Fenway isn't on it.
Plainfield is #66 on US
Rustic Canyon isn't on it.

[THuckaby2]

"Rustic Canyon isn't on it."

Assuming TKC also isn't, will those who berated me for GD's list please step forward and give GM the HUGE ration of shit it now deserves?

I am just appalled at these ommissions.  

TH

[A_Clay_Man]

Butler off? torrey on? oops.