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John Sessions

Golf Magazine's US Top 100
« on: August 24, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
There has been discussion on their world ranking but the USA one is a bigger mystery to me. On the one hand, places like Yeamans, St. Louis, Myopia, The Creek, Piping Rock, etc made it in and they seek absolutely no attention as old private clubs. This is good, as I assume these are true  classics even though I've never played them.On the other, who can make any sense out of the modern courses that made it in? It seems like a real mish-mash.

Ben DeLow

Golf Magazine's US Top 100
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
It's a good point your bring up, and I wondered the same thing. It's hard not to laugh when you see courses like Salem, St. Louis, Yale, Plainfield, Myopia and Piping Rock intermingling with such architectural stalwarts as Pumpkin Ridge, Firestone, Colletin River (take your pick!), The Dunes, and Atlantic.Since it's hard to come up with a concrete explanation, I'd chalk this weird disparity up to the lack of criteria for the judges, the post-Tom Doak making up to Rees Jones for all he has suffered (after all, he is a modern day genius), and the lack of any kind of interest in architecture as opposed to the all-important characteristics like accessibility, prestige, location, politics, friend of the magazine, etc...

Ran Morrissett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Golf Magazine's US Top 100
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Modern courses are built to impress on visit no. 1 but by the 10th visit, the striking visual nature of (some of) them has worn off. The golfer starts to see through the gloss and finds an average design with few strategic options. These modern courses then sink slowly but surely back down into the basement where they belong. However, a few modern courses like those built by Coore/Crenshaw or Doak remain fresh after numerous visits, thanks to a geniune superb design in magic settings. Examples include the Plantation Course at Kapalua or High Pointe. But, of course, neither made it into the top 100 US, so obviously, I have no clue what the heck is going on...

John Morrissett

Golf Magazine's US Top 100
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 1999, 08:00:00 PM »
Ran--I'm glad you mentioned that.  The absence of Kapalua's Plantation course is the worst feature of the whole rankings.  It's bad enough that it is not in the World Top 100, but not in the U.S. Top 100??????!!??  I would dare would someone on their Committee who has played it to tell me there are 100 courses in the country he would rather play.  What's wrong with it?  Too fun?  Too pretty?

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