I wish I was in the same tax bracket as you all are in order to render some sort of worthwhile opinion to vote on these courses I only know through reading, much like, The Giving Tree, The Tao of Pooh, or many Doonsebury comics.
I had hoped that at this point in 56 trips around the sun, I would have been. But, I suspect it's dropping out of law school, driving a cab in San Francisco, then having a more "hands on" approach to the law thereby landing a job with the Lipset Service in San Francisco (at my ripe age of 27 where I thought I was surely making it), meeting Hunter Thompson, Warren Hinkle, former Mayor Joseph, Aliato, then Mayor Art Agnos, and then working with former SF chief of Police Frank Jordan at the Lipset Service, who became mayor a year or so before I left the Bay Area....and after all that, I am still a peasant of sorts -- albeit with a colorful history who has met and worked with a number of wonderful people, whereby, I have never become so myself so as to comment on such a ranking which, as a former D1 golfer, and knowing all these places through various readings, which may as well be fiction to me, only seems to render my own self, and opinions, much like fiction as well.
As for those who have inferred the above Bay Area references, I can factually state without regret, I suppose, I was never invited to the Cal Club, Olympic, Merced, SF Golf Club, because with a history like mine, I was none too surprised anyway.
However, even after I moved away in 95, it never kept me from missing San Geronimo, and sad at its demise, and conversely, despise, the opening #1 of both Lincoln Park, which I always considered a course "beneath me" that I never got "on top of", and #1 at Gleneagles, which, on some days, could very well be the most diabolical course on the planet with 40* weather, 30mph winds, and built on the side of a massive hill/mountain carved out of 6 story California Pines.
I will say though, that without giving a binocular type look at the list provided here (I didn't feel the need as it wasn't in my alley, so to speak) -- two of the most beautiful places I've ever been able to set foot on, whereby my weirdness as a human being, and my come and go golf game was appreciated, when I appreciated my visit and acceptance, twice as much back, was The Country Club Of Florida, and Haig Point.
Are they on the list? They should be. Not necessarily architecturally only speaking, although, one could make good arguments I suppose...but merely for the class they exude, while having a pretty damn decent track on top of it where they're both largely underplayed, that you feel like the only person on the planet while you're there.
While you may not be, the fact that the organization makes you feel like you are, speaks volumes--at least to my soul.
I have no idea why I felt the need to type this other than having returned from Myrtle Beach, on a vacation, paid top 100 course private rack rates at public resort courses that neither held their warrant in condition or layout, and on top of that, because of my long hair, lanky Bobby Clampett look and Dave Hill attitude, got treated like shit.
I hate golf and people sometimes.
But I sure like reading what you all have to say here and the fact that of all the other sports I played in my life, only golf has a different playing field in every arena -- and you discuss them all with class.
That restores my faith in humanity. I will continue to sit on the end of the bench, observe, listen and learn. Thank you all, for all your sharing.