Golf Digest New US Ratings Now Available

[goldj]

Did anyone other than me notice that Digest’s new US ratings can be found on the online edition of the February issue findable on their app?  I’m not proficient enough to create a link to them but i’m sure that someone on this website can do that.


Happy and healthy New Year to you all.

[Paul Carey]

nm

[Anthony_Nysse]

Did anyone other than me notice that Digest’s new US ratings can be found on the online edition of the February issue findable on their app?  I’m not proficient enough to create a link to them but i’m sure that someone on this website can do that.


Happy and healthy New Year to you all.

Personal Favorite-Friars Head up to #15
Newcomers:


Myopia Hunt @ #76
Monterey Peninsula @ #79
Sleepy Hollow @ #89
Old Town @  #98.

[Jeff Schley]

They don't have an app for android apparently.

[Jeff Schley]

A couple things that stand out to me:

1. Almost all the courses only moved up or down no more than 5 spots.

2. There was a lot of love for Monterrey Peninsula CC.  The Dunes debuted at 79, as Anthony noted, and the Shore went from 65 to 56.

3. The courses that moved down 10 or more spots:
Kinlock 52 to 66
 Kittansett Club 67 to 78
 Spring Hill GC 69 to 93
 Laurel Valley 95 to 105
 Flint Hills National 97 to 113
Sahalee 98 to 117

4. The courses that moved up 10 or more spots:
Winged Foot East 62 to 52
 Shoreacres 66 to 55
 Essex County Club (MA.) 91 to 73
Calusa Pines 96 to 83
 Sleep Hollow 101 to 89

5. Some notable debuts are Sand Valley at 110, Stone Eagle at 111, Mamouth Dunes at 145, Streamsong Black 169

6. Bel Air dropped from 157 to170 probably because hardly any raters saw TD's renovation.

7. In the second greatest 100 there were no courses that moved up 20 or more places, but a plethora of courses that moved down 20 or more places:
Bellerive down from 118 to 144
Eugene CC down from 128 to 159
Lost Dunes down from 141 to 161
Ocean Forest down from 128 to 162
Long Cove down 148 to 168
Sanctuary down 152 to 175
Trump International (West Palm Beach) down 156 to 178
Torrey Pines down 166 to 186
Glenwild down 168 to 188
Kiawah Island Club (river) down 175 to 198
The Broadmoor (east) down 169 to 199
Whisper Rock (lower) down 172 to 200

8. Overall there were 3 new courses for the TOP 100 and 23 in the Second 100 for a total of 26 courses that are no longer ranked now from 2 years ago.

[Brian Finn]

I'm having a heck of a time finding the list online, and there doesn't seem to be a Golf Digest app available in the app store.  Any tips?  I'd like to see the full list.  Thanks.

[Tim Martin]

I think Sleepy Hollow will move up in the next cycle after more people get to see the reworked greens. It’s really a fantastic effort by Gil Hanse and those involved.

[Tom_Doak]

Mammoth Dunes at 145, Streamsong Black 169

That's strange, didn't the current issue of GOLF DIGEST just give Streamsong Black the nod over Mammoth Dunes for Best New Course?


I know that the criteria for rankings are slightly different, but I think the Best New award gives points to playability instead of resistance to scoring, and you would think Mammoth Dunes would score higher on playability, relative to Streamsong.


Also, it's kind of sad that none of the "newcomers" to the top 100 are new courses.  When's the last time that happened?

[Pete Lavallee]

Someone please explain how Essex County jumped 18 points? I’m under the impression the course is little changed since Ross passed away?

[Eric Smith]

Did anyone other than me notice that Digest’s new US ratings can be found on the online edition of the February issue findable on their app?

Probably other members of the club? Isn’t the Top 100 the goal when a club spends that amount of money?

[Jeff Schley]

Mammoth Dunes at 145, Streamsong Black 169

That's strange, didn't the current issue of GOLF DIGEST just give Streamsong Black the nod over Mammoth Dunes for Best New Course?


I know that the criteria for rankings are slightly different, but I think the Best New award gives points to playability instead of resistance to scoring, and you would think Mammoth Dunes would score higher on playability, relative to Streamsong.


Also, it's kind of sad that none of the "newcomers" to the top 100 are new courses.  When's the last time that happened?

Criteria for best new course :Our Best New Courses are determined by evaluations from our national panel of experts, nearly 1,500 low-handicap male and female golfers who played candidate courses during the past 12 months and evaluated them on seven criteria: Shot Values, Design Variety, Resistance to Scoring, Memorability, Aesthetics, Conditioning and Ambience.

The criteria for top 100 is exactly the same..... so not sure why the discrepancy either.  Also interesting that Congaree didn't make the top 100 or top 200 even.  I'm assuming not enough raters to qualify.

[Jeff Schley]

I'm having a heck of a time finding the list online, and there doesn't seem to be a Golf Digest app available in the app store.  Any tips?  I'd like to see the full list.  Thanks.

I think it is only available on their app (no app for android) and subscribers which I have.  I posted some screen shots over at golfwrx if you want to check those out.  With our photo sharing I can't post screen shots as I don't really know it is even possible. If anyone knows let me know.

[Tom_Doak]

Someone please explain how Essex County jumped 18 points? I’m under the impression the course is little changed since Ross passed away?

First, don't forget, these 1-100 rankings blur that the underlying numbers are very close together.  Essex is maybe only rated a fraction of a point higher than it was before, as a result of some panelists going to see it for the first time.  But that's the difference between 91st and 73rd, because the courses in the bottom half of the list are bunched very closely together.

We did some work there years ago on bunkers and grassing lines, and my former associate Bruce Hepner has been back to clear away a bunch more trees and open up vistas.

But the change in its ranking is more of a change of perspective.  The pecking order of Brookline - Salem - Winchester was established by rankings from 30+ years ago, and panelists knew those were supposed to be the top three, so it stayed that way for a long time.  I suggested Darius Oliver go see Essex County and Myopia when he was making his big tour of America, and he rated Essex County as Ross's best course in America . . . so now there are a bunch of panelists who are freed up to vote that way, or maybe think they should.

Myopia's rise [76th from nowhere] is maybe even more impressive, but Essex County has leapfrogged a lot of sacred cow Ross courses from the old lists.

[corey miller]

Very happy with the Sleepy Hollow (#89) inclusion, the members will/should be happy though I suspect the stringent GD criteria does the club no favors. 

I am more happy with the attendant comments:
Panelist comments, Sleepy Hollow Country Club:
"Four of the most beautiful, strategic par 3s you will find in the United States. The third hole and the third-to-last hole will leave you never wanting to leave the greens—they are not only phenomenal green sites but incredibly interesting, undulating greens that are some of the best in the game."
"Some of the coolest and most picturesque holes in the country. The design variety by Macdonald and Tillinghast is off the charts. One of the most fun rounds of golf I’ve ever played."

For me it is all compelling golf that is FUN and in a unique setting.   And using those criteria (granted they are solely mine)Sleepy Hollow is substantially higher.     

[Paul Jones]

Here is the link - https://www.golfdigest.com/gallery/americas-100-greatest-golf-courses-ranking

[John Kavanaugh]

Any word on Moraine? I've heard great things.

[JC Jones]

A couple things that stand out to me:

1. Almost all the courses only moved up or down no more than 5 spots.

2. There was a lot of love for Monterrey Peninsula CC.  The Dunes debuted at 79, as Anthony noted, and the Shore went from 65 to 56.

3. The courses that moved down 10 or more spots:
Kinlock 52 to 66
 Kittansett Club 67 to 78
 Spring Hill GC 69 to 93
 Laurel Valley 95 to 105
 Flint Hills National 97 to 113
Sahalee 98 to 117

4. The courses that moved up 10 or more spots:
Winged Foot East 62 to 52
 Shoreacres 66 to 55
 Essex County Club (MA.) 91 to 73
Calusa Pines 96 to 83
 Sleep Hollow 101 to 89

5. Some notable debuts are Sand Valley at 110, Stone Eagle at 111, Mamouth Dunes at 145, Streamsong Black 169

6. Bel Air dropped from 157 to170 probably because hardly any raters saw TD's renovation.

7. In the second greatest 100 there were no courses that moved up 20 or more places, but a plethora of courses that moved down 20 or more places:
Bellerive down from 118 to 144
Eugene CC down from 128 to 159
Lost Dunes down from 141 to 161
Ocean Forest down from 128 to 162
Long Cove down 148 to 168
Sanctuary down 152 to 175
Trump International (West Palm Beach) down 156 to 178
Torrey Pines down 166 to 186
Glenwild down 168 to 188
Kiawah Island Club (river) down 175 to 198
The Broadmoor (east) down 169 to 199
Whisper Rock (lower) down 172 to 200

8. Overall there were 3 new courses for the TOP 100 and 23 in the Second 100 for a total of 26 courses that are no longer ranked now from 2 years ago.

Where are you getting the information about the Next 100?

[Jeff Schley]

A couple things that stand out to me:

1. Almost all the courses only moved up or down no more than 5 spots.

2. There was a lot of love for Monterrey Peninsula CC.  The Dunes debuted at 79, as Anthony noted, and the Shore went from 65 to 56.

3. The courses that moved down 10 or more spots:
Kinlock 52 to 66
 Kittansett Club 67 to 78
 Spring Hill GC 69 to 93
 Laurel Valley 95 to 105
 Flint Hills National 97 to 113
Sahalee 98 to 117

4. The courses that moved up 10 or more spots:
Winged Foot East 62 to 52
 Shoreacres 66 to 55
 Essex County Club (MA.) 91 to 73
Calusa Pines 96 to 83
 Sleep Hollow 101 to 89

5. Some notable debuts are Sand Valley at 110, Stone Eagle at 111, Mamouth Dunes at 145, Streamsong Black 169

6. Bel Air dropped from 157 to170 probably because hardly any raters saw TD's renovation.

7. In the second greatest 100 there were no courses that moved up 20 or more places, but a plethora of courses that moved down 20 or more places:
Bellerive down from 118 to 144
Eugene CC down from 128 to 159
Lost Dunes down from 141 to 161
Ocean Forest down from 128 to 162
Long Cove down 148 to 168
Sanctuary down 152 to 175
Trump International (West Palm Beach) down 156 to 178
Torrey Pines down 166 to 186
Glenwild down 168 to 188
Kiawah Island Club (river) down 175 to 198
The Broadmoor (east) down 169 to 199
Whisper Rock (lower) down 172 to 200

8. Overall there were 3 new courses for the TOP 100 and 23 in the Second 100 for a total of 26 courses that are no longer ranked now from 2 years ago.

Where are you getting the information about the Next 100?

It's my own ranking ..... JK 
It is published on the app version of GD for subscribers. So if you have a subscription it is easy to find, not sure if it is free yet.

[JC Jones]

Just making sure you aren't disclosing information not yet public

[Jeff Schley]

Just making sure you aren't disclosing information not yet public

Thanks Officer Jones 

[Anthony_Nysse]

Any word on Moraine? I've heard great things.

#196

[Jeff Schley]

Dormie Network keeps both courses basically at the same ranking.
Victoria is 43 again. Ballyhack dropped slightly from 183 to 191.

[Sinclair Eaddy]

Myopia has always been a bit restrictive when in comes to guest play and raters. I guess times have changed. It's nice to see it now in the top 100.

[Jack Davis]

Certainly bias seeing all the hard work at Essex County Club on a daily basis but a lot has changed over the past decade. Thousands of trees down to open up vistas, expose rock outcroppings and improve turf conditions. Mow lines have been altered to incorporate bunkers and hazards but also provide proper angles into the greens. We've added some tees, both long and short, to accommodate a wider range of players. For a course that tips out around 6600 yards, the resistance to scoring for great players but fun for high handicaps in remarkable. Our Director of Grounds, Eric Richardson and Bruce Hepner have teamed up to dramatically improve course conditions and return some great Donald Ross features. More tree, bunker and turf work still to come!

[Jeff Schley]

Someone please explain how Essex County jumped 18 points? I’m under the impression the course is little changed since Ross passed away?

I played there this past summer and really enjoyed the course and behind Pinehurst and Plainfield it is my favorite Ross design.  The greens were superior and behind Plainfield the best greens I played this year. Of course you get into the final stretch of 16, 17, 18 and the course becomes a ton of fun and a very unique finish with wonderful views. I think it only has 2 par 5's IIRC and one was LONG into the wind when we played. I think it deserves the accolades.  Another nice tidbit is the yellow house that Ross lived in is still there and can be seen from various spots.  Really enjoyed the course and had lifetime caddies to accompany us who were helpful and playful.  Great day at ECC for sure.