Well, 2005 will be done in a few hours. I am writing from Barnbougle in Tasmania where it is about 5:45 in the morning. Can't wait to go play these two courses.
There has been a never ending stream of "rankings" chatter on this board for years. I was a GD panelist for a time and have been a GM panelist for quite a few years now. A few thoughts on the journey, and the rankings.
The rankings are fun. The discussion is fun. They are highly imperfect, of course. But 20-plus years ago, if I hadn't opened up GOLF magazine and started perusing the list, I never would have gone on this incredible journey. Incredible places, for sure, but what we really remember are the people along the way. The wonderful element of golf is that we interact with others, and share the experience, in a way that is so unique. Without this game, and this admittedly silly quest, would I have ever talked to Ganton members about their experiences during WWII? Would I have had dinner at an unmarked steakhouse in Kobe, Japan? Would I have tried to translate French to English and meters to yards for my traveling companion in France as two lovely older ladies moved us around Chantilly. I remember a dusty courtyard at a Barossa Valley winery 20 years ago, where we bought some wonderful wine that we devoured with a Pizza. And all the non-Top-rated courses along the way. There still are gems out there, where nobody will recognize the name when you get home, but you can find that serenity, beauty or challenge. And, of course, the kindness and hospitality afforded by so many who share the love of this wonderful game.
I think the GOLF rankings served a very important purpose. I know that is a big statement. But, if Norman Klaparda and Bob McCoy and our fearless leader here (and so many others) had not gone out of their way to see everything and started giving recognition to courses that were more quirky than brawny, more thoughtful, less pre-programmed, more respectful of the player, then we probably would not have emerged as successfully from the Dark Age as we did and we wouldn't have all this great work being done by Doak, Coore, Crenshaw and Hanse and so many others. These guys would always have been good, but would they have gotten the commercial opportunities without the recognition afforded them by GM first?
I have many disagreements with the current list, but sometimes we learn more seeing courses we don't like. One of the biggest challenges to compiling such a list in a truly "accurate" fashion is there is no right answer. I have been constantly amazed over the years at how highly ranked some courses can be, or how overlooked others can be. But, overall, the results have been a pretty good indicator of what's right with the golf architecture world. Let's face it, there have never been more than 40 or 50 "Top 100" courses in the world. There are another 200 after that clear top echelon that can all make a case, but at the end of the day, courses that leave that indelible mark on one's memory are still few and far between.