Golfweek 2023 course rankings

[astavrides]

The 2023 top 100 public courses list has been posted on the Golfweek website. Notably Landmand debuted at t-14 (tied with Spyglass, right behind TPC Sawgrass, and right ahead of Manele and the Sand Valley courses).
Top public courses by state and top modern and classic courses are also posted.


It has been about 2 years since the last Golf magazine public course rankings, so hopefully that list will be posted soon too.

[Tommy Williamsen]

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/golfweeks-best-2023-courses-you-can-play-top-100-u-s-public-access-golf-ranking/

Bandon did well, as expected. Landman is the next big thing, I guess. Seems too high.

[Steve Lapper]

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/golfweeks-best-2023-courses-you-can-play-top-100-u-s-public-access-golf-ranking/

Bandon did well, as expected. Landman is the next big thing, I guess. Seems too high.

IMO, Kohler remains way too high and Landmand just right.

[Dan_Callahan]

Harbour Town is perennially ranked about 100 spots too high (in my opinion).


No idea how Caledonia could be placed 14 spots higher than Tobacco Road.

[John Kavanaugh]

Rustic Canyon being so low verifies my opinion of Golfweek. Who are you guys and why does anyone care?

[John Kavanaugh]

I’m a touch pissed at Bay Hill being called public. I lived on the course for a year and never played it because it’s private. I’d love to know how many raters paid to stay at the lodge.

[Edward Glidewell]

They still have Linville Golf Club listed as public access -- I don't think it is.


You used to be able to play as a non-member (or guest of a member) if you were staying at the Eseeola Lodge, but I believe the Eseeola Lodge is no longer available for public booking and you have to be the guest of a member to stay there.

[Daryl David]

You used to be able to play as a non-member (or guest of a member) if you were staying at the Eseeola Lodge, but I believe the Eseeola Lodge is no longer available for public booking and you have to be the guest of a member to stay there.

You are correct. It’s a shame. A special place. Hard to believe they have enough member demand to fill the lodge during the season. I guess that’s the Covid effect. Prior to 2020, I would bet at least half the guests each day were not members or guests of members.

[Tommy Williamsen]

You used to be able to play as a non-member (or guest of a member) if you were staying at the Eseeola Lodge, but I believe the Eseeola Lodge is no longer available for public booking and you have to be the guest of a member to stay there.

You are correct. It’s a shame. A special place. Hard to believe they have enough member demand to fill the lodge during the season. I guess that’s the Covid effect. Prior to 2020, I would bet at least half the guests each day were not members or guests of members.

https://www.linvillegolfclub.com/the-eseeola-lodge

[Jeff Schley]

PGA West Stadium should be listed in the top 100. It was the west coast TPC Sawgrass and was exhibit A for hard is good of the 80’s design school.  It still provides a frustrating wonder for amateurs, while pros shred it at the Hope (always will be) every year.  Better than Torrey Pines.


Also like Desert Willow and LaQuina Resort Mountain.

[Tom_Doak]

This ranking is so weird, with the Bandon courses bunched like that, and then the Sand Valley courses, and then the Streamsong courses.  It gives the distinct impression that the raters are mostly considering the ambience of the places, and barely factoring in the design of the golf holes, if at all.

[Tom_Doak]

Landman is the next big thing, I guess. Seems too high.

I think you've got to wait 3-4 years to get a stable rating for a course like that.  The people who go see a new course first are always the architects' biggest fans . . . for the course to stay that high, their skeptics will have to agree.  [Or never go, which is also possible considering the location!]

[John Kavanaugh]

I love Landman but if Golfweek sends out their river cruise battalion things could get messy.

[M. Shea Sweeney]

No Bethpage Red, no Montauk Downs

[astavrides]

This ranking is so weird, with the Bandon courses bunched like that, and then the Sand Valley courses, and then the Streamsong courses.  It gives the distinct impression that the raters are mostly considering the ambience of the places, and barely factoring in the design of the golf holes, if at all.

As a counterpoint, Pac Dunes is rated almost a full point higher than Sheep Ranch (8.57 vs 7.80). And one routing of the Silvies Ranch reversible course is 14 places higher than the other (43 vs 57).

[Brent Carlson]

It's nice to see Chambers Bay moving up.  It's still too low in my opinion.  I'd like to see some of the original features restored.

[Jason Topp]

I've played 42 of the 100.  I agree PGA West Stadium course should easily fit on this list.  The gap in ratings outside of the top 25 is so low as to be essentially meaningless. 

[Tom_Doak]

This ranking is so weird, with the Bandon courses bunched like that, and then the Sand Valley courses, and then the Streamsong courses.  It gives the distinct impression that the raters are mostly considering the ambience of the places, and barely factoring in the design of the golf holes, if at all.

As a counterpoint, Pac Dunes is rated almost a full point higher than Sheep Ranch (8.57 vs 7.80). And one routing of the Silvies Ranch reversible course is 14 places higher than the other (43 vs 57).

That doesn't seem like much of a difference, to me.


In the first case, everything at Bandon starts with an 8, and then people go up to 9 sometimes, or down to 7 rarely.  The other destinations are starting a half-point or full point lower on the totem pole.


I haven't been to Silvies Ranch, but I know [from talking to Dan Hixson when he came to Forest Dunes] that those two courses aren't strictly reversible, so it is easier to imagine that one is substantially preferable to the other.

[Rob Marshall]

No Bethpage Red, no Montauk Downs

Only played it once but I really like the Red.

[Joe_Tucholski]

Without a PGA tour stop at Firestone wonder how it will fall in the rankings, didn't realize it had a stay and play open to anyone.

[Tom_Doak]

Without a PGA tour stop at Firestone wonder how it will fall in the rankings, didn't realize it had a stay and play open to anyone.

That's how far it has fallen ;-)

[Mike Hendren]

I’m quite fond of the Ross course at French Lick.  Quirky greens and one shot brutes.


Would love to see this list 30 years ago but can’t find it.

[Ira Fishman]

Evidence of the magnetic distortion of the Bandon experience is on the Top 200 Modern list: SS Red and Blue are better courses than Old Mac, Bandon Dunes, and Sheep Ranch. There are others too.


Ira

[Joe Bausch]

I’m quite fond of the Ross course at French Lick.  Quirky greens and one shot brutes.


Would love to see this list 30 years ago but can’t find it.

Same fondness, Bogey.

[William_G]

This ranking is so weird, with the Bandon courses bunched like that, It gives the distinct impression that the raters are mostly considering the ambience of the places, and barely factoring in the design of the golf holes, if at all.

so funny, maybe the funniest thing typed ever on this site


as if PD is not all about the ambience LOL


Tara Iti is TD's best but without PD, would never have happened