Will a few of the Golf Digest Raters please explain to me the rating process wherein 3 Creek Ranch beat out Ballyneal.

Thank you

Cary

Cary:

I'll be more blunt than Huckaby.   There are over 800 panelists at GD and a huge faction (I would say a majority)  like modern designs.  If you look at the historical results, Tom Fazio, Jim Engh, Jack Nicklaus have not only won or placed the majority of new courses, but they have also placed many courses on the top 100.  Its a simple democratic process.

PS.  I haven't played either.

Speaking of raters preferring modern designs, I believe that if GD raters scores were taken as turned in, few or none of the classics would make the top 100. This doesn't happen, because GD post processes the scores to add points to the classics for being classic, thereby elevating them in the rankings.

No matter what the rankings say, congratulations to Tom and his crew on a great addition here in Northeastern Colorado.  No one can predict how great it will or will not become, only time will tell.

"Trumped by a bunch of pictures again!"

If that be the case Mr Doak, maybe you should hire me to photograph your courses. Allthough, I believe Alice Dye was a big fan of your photographic prowess.

I was fortunate enough to play and rate both courses this year.  As a rater I try to get out and rate/see as many courses as possible in order to have as broad of a view as possible as well as continue to learn and appreciate the various styles and aspects in golf design.  I was able to rate about 65 courses this year ranging from Washington, California, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas.  In fact, I was able to rate 5 of the top 10 courses from the best new private category (Carlton Woods, 3 Creek Ranch, Ballyneal, Tumble Creek, and Tuhaye).

I also was quite surprised to see 3 Creek out do Ballyneal and I'll admit I enjoy a lot of aspects of "new" design styles.  But I felt it was pretty clear that Ballyneal was the superior course.  I visited Ballyneal in mid-June (I don't think the course had been open long) and 3 Creek in mid-July.  Obviously I can't speak for other panelists and everyone has their own opinion, but the only category I ranked 3 Creek higher than Ballyneal in was conditioning.  I don't know if GD still throws that category out in the best new rankings, but I know they used to.  The shaggy greens didn't bother me (although it did take a few holes to get used to) or anything, I just think the course hadn't had a chance to fully grow in as well whereas 3 Creek was pretty pristine by mid-summer.

As far as Tiger Woods goes, he has bought a lot on the property but I don't know if he has started building anything on it yet.  In fact, he hadn't even visited the property as of mid-July according to the staff members we talked to.  

Interestingly, the billionaires are pretty much kicking the millionaires out of Jackson 30 minutes west over into Victor and Driggs Idaho.  That area used to be nothing much more than potato country, but it now has Headwaters (Gary Stephenson/Stephen Jones/Byron Nelson team design), a new Hale Irwin reversible routing design opening up in 2007, a Greg Norman course just was announced, and there is talk of two others.  Could end up being a decent golf destination although the season is quite short.

Wow, you sure have the west covered, Bill.  

Cary,
 Perhaps Whitten was miffed Tom's crew didn't run out and dig bunkers on the rightside of the 18th fairway as he suggested in his review?

Left in Ben's awesome picture.



Here's one I don't have permission to post, but for you guys... and in the search for knowledge... here goes...

That's a Josh Smith.

http://www.golftodaymagazine.com/0906/people.htm

Nick,

Check it out:
http://www.joshuacfsmith.com/intro.html

Josh is a great guy; and a fine artist.

Cary,

I know of one instance where a GD rater disliked Ballyneal intensely, giving it a "1" in the aesthetics category.  As a Ballyneal member, I'm hopelessly biased, but for me, a great deal of Ballyneal's appeal is the unique look, a good golf course artfully integrated into the "choppy" sand dunes.  Golf courses built in meadows and forests are common.  I think the rater in question is way off, since I believe aesthetics and beauty are one of Ballyneal's strong suits.

Ballyneal experienced some tough growing conditions during the last season.  It was very hot in May and June.  The course was pretty brown in July and August.  The greens were kept slow this year to ensure proper grow-in.  The fall brought good growing weather, and the course conditions ended on a high note, with hopes of better turf conditions next year.

I've tried to remain fairly quiet about this whole thing, so I don't sound defensive about it.  All of our members just love the place, and that's all that matters.

Huh?

While I think some of the pictures look really good, and remind me in a way of the more convex features I've seen from Rees at Olde Kinderhook, I have to say that this one proves that old habits die hard.

I know of one instance where a GD rater disliked Ballyneal intensely, giving it a "1" in the aesthetics category.

a 1?!?!?  now that is something I can never understand