"Florida Golf News" Favorite 100

[John_Conley]

There was a comment not too long ago on this list.  I just saw a copy.  For your viewing, here are the "readers' favorites".

1. Bay Hill
2. TPC Stadium
3. Doral Blue
4. Black Diamond Quarry
5. Innisbrook Copperhead
6. El Diablo
7. Emerald Dunes
8. PGA National Champion
9. World Woods Pine Barrens
10. Mission Inn El Campeon
11. University Park
12. Falcon's Fire
13. WDW Osprey Ridge
14. Sandestin Raven
15. Southern Dunes
16. Ocean Hammock
17. Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes
18. Seminole
19. Regatta Bay
20. Victoria Hills
21. Pablo Creek
22. TPC Heron Bay
23. Hammock Dunes
24. OCN Panther Lake
25. Timuquana
26. WDW Palm
27. Grand Cypress N/S
28. Slammer & Squire
29. Timacuan
30. Legacy at Lakewood Ranch
31. Shark's Tooth
32. Grand Cypress New
33. Wildcat Run
34. Bluewater Bay Bay-Magnolia
35. Celebration
36. World Woods Rolling Oaks
37. Crandon Park
38. Emerald Bay
39. Jupiter Hills
40. Loxahatchee
41. Lake Jovita
42. Sandestin Burnt Pine
43. Keene's Point Golden Bear
44. Tiburon
45. Gateway
46. Bonita Bay Marsh
47. Medalist
48. Metro West
49. Indian River
50. Pine Tree

Notables in the next 50:
Bear's Club, Camp Creek, Champions Gate International, WDW Magnolia, Golden Ocala, Hawk's Nest, John's Island West, King & Bear, Lake Nona, both courses at LPGA, Mirasol Sunset, Naples National, Old Marsh, Old Memorial, OCN Crooked Cat, Pelican's Nest, PGA Village Dye, PGA Village South, Sawgrass Oceanside, TPC Tampa Bay, TPC Valley, Trump International, and Innisbrook Island.

Missing the Top 100:
Mountain Lake, Ravines, CC of Ocala, most of the new stuff near Naples, four of the five Bonita Bay courses, and Loblolly Pines.

I have played:
7 of the top 10
8 of the next 10
7 of the 3rd ten (although I just walked Timuquana)
5 of the 4th ten
and 9 of the 5th ten (although I only drove Indian River)
for 36 out of the top 50,
so I do feel qualified to comment on its merit.

[Chris_Clouser]

Seminole at 18?

Guess these guys just don't know what good is or didn't even get on the course.

Either way, I'm sure the club could care less.

[DTaylor18]

John, i assume that this list is heavily influenced by what the readers have access to play?  For example, Falcon's Fire at #12?  Was Isleworth on the list?  What did you think of the list, I think your decile list looks far more accurate.  I realize this list probably doesn't tmean anything, but it's interesting to see.

[John_Conley]

Dan:

Bingo.  Isleworth is another course not in the Top 100.  And it is a pretty good course.

Someone on the board a week or so ago said that this list was coming out soon and that it might help Matt on the "I hate Florida" thread.

The list is just a list of courses that people wrote on a ballot.  Nothing more.

[Willie_Dow]

John

Was Bent Pine on the list?  Or Quail Valley?

[John_Conley]

Willie:

I think Bent Pine made 2nd Fifty.  Pretty sure Quail Valley didn't.  The latter probably doesn't get many votes, ditto Red Stick.

I borrowed someone's copy to share here and already gave it back.

[SPDB]

John,
Wasn't innisbrook in the top 20?

JI West in the 2d 50? Its one of the top 3-4 courses in FL, IMO

[CHC1948]

Is this list a joke?  Seminole and Pine Tree ranked that low, that can't be right.  Seminole is by far the best course in the state of florida and is still my favorite in the world, however, I need to play more courses so that will mean more.    

CHC

[Anthony_Nysse]

I don't even want to know who put this list together....Look at the courses in the next 50.....Trump International, Old Marsh, Naples National, Old Memorial, and Lake Nona. I know that some of these courses aren't Top 100's but still, they are much better that many of the Top 25 on that list.

[Craig Disher]

Are any of the first 17 private? I don't know them all but doubt it. Indian Creek not on the list?!

[Doug Sobieski]

John:

You did this just to get everyone's panties in a bundle, didn't you!!! This will devolve into a mind-numbing thread bashing the READERS of the publication, and people won't think to consider the demographic of those casting votes!!!!!!!!!

Shame on you, JC, for starting this mess. And by the way, how can you argue with Bay Hill at #1 I certainly won't!!

All the best,

Sobe

PS Did you catch the Valdosta result from last weekend? On to the state semis in the Georgia Dome!!!

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I think this publication is doing a great dis-service by not having separate categories for private/public. After all ,how many of their readers get a chance to play Seminole, Indian Creek, Pine Tree, Boca Rio, et al?

Steve

[John_Conley]

Doug:

#1- How about Darlington!!  Final 4 is going to keep his job for another week at least!    And yes, I did check that today and forgot to e-mail you.  On a local note, Edgewater High - the team I have been following for the 4th season - is on ESPN2 on Thursday from the Big Apple.  Their FB team plays in the 6A final Saturday from Gainesville.  A big week.

#2- I can't help but laugh.  I said a week ago that the Charley Stine ranking from Florida Golf News wasn't worth the paper it was printed on after someone said it might be "proof" that Florida has better golf than Matt Ward thinks.  Now I printed it for all interested to see and the backlash is comical.

GUYS - THE EDITOR ASKS GOLFERS TO NAME THEIR FAVORITE COURSES TO PLAY AND PEOPLE GIVE THE NAMES OF THEIR FAVORITE GOLF COURSES TO PLAY.  HOW CAN ANYONE ARGUE WITH THE RESULT?  Of course it is biased toward the high-profile and daily-fee.  Copperhead, TPC, and Bay Hill host a Tour stop and  they finish WHERE?  On top!!  Surprise!

I wouldn't take it too seriously.

[John_Conley]

John,
Wasn't innisbrook in the top 20?

Spiderbite:

I typed Innisbrook instead of Isleworth, where I played with Dan.

My bad.

[Bill Gayne]

Looking at the private courses, I'm surprised Hammock Dunes is so high. I didn't think it would get that much play from the general public to get placed that high. The few times I've been out there we've been one of the few groups on the course.

[Willie_Dow]

John

With Indian River in the top 50, I would hope Sandridge, Ron Garl's public course should not be far behind.  Both the Lakes and the Dunes courses are top notch.

[Matt_Ward]

John C:

Bay Hill and Doral / Blue are two of the top three -- the noise you hear in the background is me laughing uncontrollably!

It would probably serve readers to separate the private from those generally available to the public. The listing you posted is simply nothing more than a Gallup poll findings IMHO.

[frank_D]

F Y I

the list is compiled based on "popular" voting - and you ALL know what happens when there is a vote in florida

the voters can be anyone really as there are no restrictions

i wrote a letter to the editor Ed Travis on this matter last year but it really doesn't have fixed criteria

for example the newspaper is drop shipped in bulk to certain courses ( ie Tiburon ) and anyone seeing the paper and liking the course may be compelled to respond - without playing any other courses in the naples area or the rest of florida for that matter

[John_Conley]

Frank:

I sent an e-mail to Charley Stine one year when this came out and he printed it.  Maybe yours will get published!

The "flaw" - if there is one - is clearly that access and visibility drive the result.  If you cast a vote for Mountain Lake they'd have one.

The list is what it is, simply a listing of the good courses in Florida in some order.  It is not comprehensive.

[Mike Worth]

Falcon's Fire at #11?  Wow.  I could believe 11th from the bottom.  

[frank_D]

Maybe yours will get published!

The list is what it is, simply a listing of the good courses in Florida in some order.  It is not comprehensive.

much to editor ed travis's credit - he did publish my letter to him at florida golf news whereas i indicated the bias in the vote meant nothing in the way of rating a course design, conditioning, pace of play, value, etc against other courses

the newspaper was simply compiling a listing of courses that were arbitrarily voted for by individuals and who knows what the individual voter's criteria was

not only is is not comprehensive - you'll notice it is not consistent - with wild jumps up and down for certain courses -some of which i know have maintained a standard from one year's vote to the next - and this to me anyway highlights the results are arbitrary

[SteveTL]

The list isn't worth the paper it's written on...

A total waste of someone's energy...

[Mike Benham]

They got the Tallahassee area spot on accurate ...