I enjoyed Royal Dornoch immensely but to be in the very top echelon of courses requires fewer blemishes than I saw.
The side to side chipping to multiple elevated firm greens seemed gimmicky in my view.
The left to right on many of the early holes was repetitive along with the multiple revetted bunkers flanking or fronting greens. I am a Flynn angularity guy.
More greens like Foxy with width sideways. More greens at ground level.
I thought the "walk in the park" was sensational but I don't factor that in my analysis much. I played well the first three times in great weather with the gorse in bloom and great caddie experiences and playing companions.
I just couldn't shake the feeling of repetitive looks and penality.
Other great courses I have played that sit higher for me are Pine Valley, Royal County Down, Ballybunion, Lahinch, Royal Porthcawl, and Oakmont to name a few. I see this course in the Pennard, Deal, Rye, Saint Enedoc, Bethpage Black category of fine courses with some blemishes.
I think the ambience of location, mountains, gorse, and views throughout may affect some opinions like Pebble and Old Head do.