2023 Golf Course March Madness Bracket - *FINAL*

[Michael Chadwick]

Let's have some fun matching courses against each other, and allow ourselves (and all you lurkers!) to personally vote on winners until GCA crowns a national champion.

The seeding follows the most recent GOLF Magazine US list from 1 to 64. In hindsight I should've used Digest so that there could've been more early round upsets    although I think there may still be a few surprises throughout the bracket.

The bracket can be viewed here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E47H2P4KzGbJS3k9j2yzmwFUbwwZqhjhnge37NkOdL8/edit?usp=sharing

Please use the below VOTING link to select a winner for each game. My two requests are that you 1.) Only fill out the form once per round, and 2.) Do not intentionally troll the voting.

EDIT: Voting is complete. The 2023 National Champion is Cypress Point.

Enjoy!

[John Kavanaugh]

Would picking Princeton over Arizona be trolling?

[Michael Chadwick]

Would picking Princeton over Arizona be trolling?

Not when the higher seed, like U of A, has a penchant for underperforming!

[Tim Leahy]

Olympic Lake is a 15 seed? Your out of your mind. Anyone that thinks there are 56 courses in the US better than Olympic Lake has no clue what a great golf course is.

[Joe_Tucholski]

Olympic Lake is a 15 seed? Your out of your mind. Anyone that thinks there are 56 courses in the US better than Olympic Lake has no clue what a great golf course is.

Tim clearly not a fan of the golf magazine rankings huh, which was stated as the basis for seedings.  The lake course is at 60, so 59 courses above it.

[Tom_Doak]

Olympic Lake is a 15 seed? Your out of your mind. Anyone that thinks there are 56 courses in the US better than Olympic Lake has no clue what a great golf course is.

I must not have a clue, then.


P.S.  Also, Rock Creek v Pacific Dunes is an unfortunate draw.

[Michael Chadwick]

Rock Creek v Pacific Dunes is an unfortunate draw.

Agreed. Gil's newer designs also got tough opponents. CapRock with Augusta, Ohoopee with Cal.


So far, though, there is only one division that is skewing all chalk.


We've had about 80 respondents, keep it coming!

[Alex Miller]

Some very intriguing matchups and a couple fun ones where I was fortunate enough to have played both. The two most interesting for me:


Garden City vs Bandon Trails - Won't give away which one I picked, but a fantastic matchup. I've long held BT in my top 2 at the resort and there are other seeds higher than GCGC which it would've easily beat out. Meanwhile GCGC is wonderful, perhaps without any non-minor flaws, and presents an interesting contrast in how a great course could be built on a seemingly random but good plot of reasonable links/heath land vs the BT adventure through multiple environments.


NGLA vs The Creek - Easier to give away as NGLA may be my personal favorite ever played, but my god I think The Creek is easily a top 8 seed if not higher. Would have been a heavy hitting second round matchup let alone first. The Creek not only is fantastic MacDonald architecture but has the feeling of a club you could spend a lot of time at. Bonus: the range hits to 6 template greens and can be played as a short course.

[Dan_Callahan]

If a frame my votes in the context of which courses I would most like to go back to, both Eastward Ho! and Myopia could end up doing some serious damage.

[Tim Leahy]

Olympic Lake is a 15 seed? Your out of your mind. Anyone that thinks there are 56 courses in the US better than Olympic Lake has no clue what a great golf course is.

I must not have a clue, then.


P.S.  Also, Rock Creek v Pacific Dunes is an unfortunate draw.

The USGA, PGA and Rider Cup people seem to agree with me.

[John Kavanaugh]

Considering that any course that I played moves past one that I haven’t. Olympic Lake earned a victory on my ballot. 15 seeds are killing it.

[Stewart Abramson]

Ballyneal vs Sleepy Hollow is a real tough call. They are two of my personal favorites. Both should have been able to make the sweet sixteen IMO

[Kalen Braley]

If its any consolation Tim,

I'm surprised Olympic was even in the top 100, much less the bracket.     I can think of a few others that shoulda been in the 64 instead

[John Kavanaugh]

If its any consolation Tim,

I'm surprised Olympic was even in the top 100, much less the bracket.     I can think of a few others that shoulda been in the 64 instead

Kalen,


What courses have you played that you believe should be in the 64?

[Max Prokopy]

Thank you for setting this up.  I enjoyed going through the shrines I've seen and imagined ones not yet trodden.


I found the Myopia/TCC matchup serendipitous. 

[Michael Chadwick]

With over 100 responses, our Round of 64 is complete. Although there were not as many shocking upsets as the men's tournament, a few occurred, in addition to couple of very close matchups.

The breakdown of voting was as follows:

East Region
1. Pine Valley 98% > 16. Pikewood National 2%
8. Kiawah Island Ocean 53.3% > 9. Peachtree 46.7% CLOSE
5. Crystal Downs 93.5% > 12. Muirfield Village 6.5%
4. Winged Foot West 87.6% > 13. Honors Course 12.4%
6. Southern Hills 41.3% < 11. Yeamans Hall 58.7% UPSET
3. Pinehurst #2 90.7% > 14. Wade Hampton 9.3%
7. Garden City 54.7% > 10. Bandon Trails 46.2% CLOSE
2. Merion 98.1% > Olympic Lake 1.9%

West Region
1. Cypress Point 97.2% > Harbor Town 2.8%
8. Ballyneal 44.2% < Sleepy Hollow 55.8% UPSET (and a bad one if you ask me; I blame over-colorized photos of a particular par 3!)
5. Oakland Hills South 53.3% > 12. Quaker Ridge 46.7% CLOSE
4. Friar's Head 84% > 13. The Golf Club 16%
6. SFGC 83.2% > 11. Winged Foot East 16.8%
3. Pebble Beach 93.5% > 14. Congressional Blue 6.5%
7. Cal Club 58.7% > 10. Ohoopee 42.3%
2. Augusta National 89.6% > 15. CapRock Ranch 10.4%

South Region
1. Shinnecock 93.4% > 16. Essex County 6.6%
8. Bethpage Black 33% < 9. Camargo 67% UPSET
5. Prairie Dunes 78.3% > 12. Bandon Dunes 21.7%
4. Riviera 89.6% > 13. Sawgrass 10.4%
6. Brookline 50.9% > 11. Myopia 49.1% DOUBLE OVERTIME
3. LACC 91.5% > 14. Whistling Straits 8.5%
7. Somerset Hills 58.5% > 10. Old Town 41.5%
2. Sand Hills 81.9% > 15. Pasatiempo 18.1%

Midwest Region
1. NGLA 97.2% > 16. The Creek 2.8%
8. Maidstone 81% > 9. Inverness 19%
5. Pacific Dunes 84% > 12. Rock Creek Cattle Co. 16%
4. Chicago Golf 84% > 13. Valley Club of Montecito 16%
6. Seminole 91.5% > 11. Baltusrol Lower 8.5%
3. Fishers Island 92.4% > 14. Old Sandwich 8.6%
7. Shoreacres 87.7% > 10. Oak Hill East 12.3%
2. Oakmont 84% > 15. Eastward Ho! 16%

The voting form link in the OP has been edited to direct you to the Round of 32 matchups, live now until Sunday evening, and is also copied here: https://forms.gle/MUcEAvEFWurV1n2o9

Bring on your postgame analyses!

   

[Jeff Schley]

Wow some heartbreaking losses for excellent courses. Like asking which of your children you love more.  I'll pick one from each bracket.

• 8. Kiawah Island Ocean 53.3% > 9. Peachtree 46.7% CLOSE   -   I think Kiawah is a unique course and setting, but Peachtree is my favorite Ross.
  
• 5. Oakland Hills South 53.3% > 12. Quaker Ridge 46.7% CLOSE   -   I haven't played the restored OH, but QR is underrated as it sits in such a prominent golf club rich area.  It was my choice.
• 6. Brookline 50.9% > 11. Myopia 49.1% DOUBLE OVERTIME   -   I'm surprised this was as close as it was. We are talking the composite US Open course yes?  Brookline is a classic parkland tough golf course.
• 4. Chicago Golf 84% > 13. Valley Club of Montecito 16%   -   This was so very tough.  I have a love affair with the Valley Club admittedly. The setting is phenomenal, year round great golf, clubhouse.... that isn't even factoring in a Mackenzie layout with great greens. Not punishing long or long rough, very playable.
  

[John Kavanaugh]

The only winner is Golf Magazine. Round one was a verification exercise.

[Sven Nilsen]

• 8. Kiawah Island Ocean 53.3% > 9. Peachtree 46.7% CLOSE   -   I think Kiawah is a unique course and setting, but Peachtree is my favorite Ross.

Peachtree is a Ross?

[Jeff Schley]

• 8. Kiawah Island Ocean 53.3% > 9. Peachtree 46.7% CLOSE   -   I think Kiawah is a unique course and setting, but Peachtree is my favorite Ross.

Peachtree is a Ross?

Sorry Sven I was changing my copy and pasted stuff, had Seminole there for another comment.  RTJ and definitely my favorite by him.

[Brian Ross]

Michael,

You have Sand Hills twice on the Round of 32 Voting. Believe the second one (last matchup in the bracket) should be Oakmont, not Sand Hills.

[Tom_Doak]

Michael,

You have Sand Hills twice on the Round of 32 Voting. Believe the second one (last matchup in the bracket) should be Oakmont, not Sand Hills.

Yeah, that is stacking the deck a little bit.

[Tom_Doak]

Olympic Lake is a 15 seed? Your out of your mind. Anyone that thinks there are 56 courses in the US better than Olympic Lake has no clue what a great golf course is.

I must not have a clue, then.

The USGA, PGA and Rider Cup people seem to agree with me.

And you think that's a good thing?  Just more evidence for the 98.1%.

[Ira Fishman]

I did not vote in the first round because Ballyneal v Sleepy Hollow was the only match where I have played both courses. Ballyneal would have been my choice. In the second round, CPC v Sleepy Hollow is the only match where I have played both courses.


I guess I am curious as to the criteria that people use to vote if they have not played the courses (although some voters have probably played most0. But it is not quite the same as picking FDU over Purdue without seeing either team play—the match up was a game with a result on the scoreboard.


I do think it is fun, but am curious how people make their “picks”.

[John Kavanaugh]

Every course I have played beats any course I have not. A double digit seed won the whole thing. I guess that makes it my favorite course.