Golf Magazine Best New Courses of 2008, etc.

[Norbert P]

  Here's a link to Golf.com that explains a little of why Lubker beat out Castle Course.

http://www.golf.com/golf/courses_travel/article/0,28136,1861742,00.html



Or, stay here . . .

1. Lubker Golf
Resort Djursland, Denmark
0114538-408000; $87-$130; lubker.com

Scandinavia's answer to Valderrama is this flawlessly conditioned 27-hole Robert Trent Jones II design in the Jutland region of Denmark, three hours from Copenhagen. Of the three nines, Sand and Sky form the premier pairing, while Forest is a less challenging loop. Lead architect Bruce Charlton employed a variety of bold bunkering styles to create strategic interest throughout, but what sends scores soaring is the heavily contoured greens and their surrounds, which make par saves a heroic endeavor. With numerous wetlands in play (and a Viking graveyard alongside the course), Lubker will entertain and challenge, but its remarkable course conditioning sets it apart.

Runner Up: The Castle Course at St. Andrews
St. Andrews, Scotland
011-44-1334-466-666; $130-$190; standrews.org.uk

No course polarized our panelists more than the new seventh course in St. Andrews. This David McLay Kidd design features epic scale, incredible views of bay, beach and town, and some of the most challenging, thrilling golf in the game's homeland. Still, some panelists feel strongly that the greens are too severely contoured and that the dune-like fairway knobs are almost anti-strategic. The majority of our panelists who have played the Castle have had strong reactions — for and against — but nearly everyone agrees that with a bit more seasoning it may well claim a place among golf's most cherished courses.


The statement . . . "Lubker will entertain and challenge, but its remarkable course conditioning sets it apart."    bewilders me.

DMK's work is easily the most "Spotlighted" of the year.

[Rob Rigg]

Paging Matt Ward -

I know you have played many of these courses - can you give us your ranking of the courses on this list?

Just curious - since I know you have opinions on the matter . . . 

[Chris_Blakely]

Jack did the Scioto restoration.

Jack AND Mike Hurdzan

Originally it was only going to be Dr. Michael Hurdzan, but I believe Jack stopped by and gave his 50 cents (and then got involved).

[W.H. Cosgrove]

9) The Idaho Club

Wait a second!  I'm rather familiar wit the N Idaho golf courses and have played Hidden Lakes (Idaho Club) a number of times over the years.  I'm actually credited (in acknowledgements) in Sidorsky's "365 days of golf" with getting Hidden Lakes in his book.  The new Nicklaus nine opened so late this year that I'm surprised anybody has seen it much less a voting panel.  I was asked to wait until the spring to see the place when I asked this fall to come out.

JC

Palouse Ridge opened in Late August.  The wagon train couldn't have made it there before the winter blizzards set in.  They must do this list from Google Earth or something

[Matt_Ward]

Rob:

Credit Golf Mag in having Rock Creek listed -- that's something Digest did not have with it's so-called "best new" group of courses.

I have only played two of the top four private -- the other is Trump's second 18 in NJ -- Rock Creek is the better without question. That's not to say the second 18 at TN is not good -- it's very good in plenty of areas but Rock Creek is arguably the best Doak layout here in the States to date -- with only the likes of Sebonack being ahead of it, in my mind.

In regards to public courses -- Pound Ridge is a tough penal layout and frankly I see Four Mile Ranch being considerably undervalued. Far more compelling architecture that's edgy from Jim Engh, less intense than PR and mugh higher on the fun meter.

There are a few more I can weigh in on but don't have the time right now to oblige you.

[Ronald Montesano]

I find it incredibly disingenuous that Golf Magazine would mock us by calling Tetherow a "best courses you can play."  In their words, it will offer "limited outside play" until it goes private in 2010.  Not just private, but with a boutique hotel.  BOUTIQUE!!!  The most condescending vocabule of the new millenium.  GOD how I hate that adjective.

Lake Presidential Golf Club seems to have emerged from a test tube.  The other top ten Publics You Can Play list their designer/architect.  LPGC fails to do so, claiming lineage from the Landmark Land Company.  What's the story?  Embarrassed by the dude you hired?

[Tom_Doak]

Ronald:

All the courses Landmark is building are designed in-house, I believe by an old friend of mine who worked for Perry Dye way back when.  But for some reason Landmark would prefer not to use his name -- and since he's their full-time employee, he can't complain too much.  But it IS a bit odd.

I agree that listing Tetherow as public is also a bit odd -- I hadn't even noticed that.  But, the way things are going in the Bend housing market right now, I think it's probably a reasonable bet that the course will not go completely private anytime soon.

[Jonathan Cummings]

I just finished an article about Lake Presidential which will be out next month (strangely) in Virginia Golfer.  As Tom suggests LPGC is designed by a pair of in-house guys - Jeff Potts and Chris Cole (longtime head pro at Oak Tree).

It's a pleasant housing development tract on a pretty good piece of property but it's miles from a top 100 course.

JC

[Ronald Montesano]

Thanks for that one...a quick Google search allowed only one entry with their names contained.

[Joel_Stewart]

I'm surprised that the courses are ranked, considering that, to the best of my knowledge, no one actually votes on this "ranking" -- the editors just put it together through word of mouth.

Or at least that's how they've done it before, unless they've changed the system.  I know for a fact that the panel that votes on the top 100 courses doesn't vote on "best new".

The criteria has to be on the buzz???

Martis Camp to my knowledge didn't have 1 panelist from Golf magazine.  To me its going to be the clear cut favorite for next years Golf Digest best new based on its Fazio, in the mountains and is quite spectacular.  Lastly there are going to be a limited number of other courses.

[Raphael_Larson]

Best Privates

6) Ritz Carlton GC Creighton Farms - VA

For those who've played or toured Creighton Farms, does it compare favorably with other top DC area modern privates (i.e. RTJ, Four Streams, etc.)?  How about with Kinloch?   

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