Doaks Scale is interesting as its easy for one number to slide into another. For, instance, the idea of "region" is very vague. Some that didn't know countries could easily say the US has maybe three regions whereas the GB&I easily six regions. Of course, this is nonsense in the big picture. Each and every country could break down to far more detail.
"An excellent course, worth checking out if you get within 100 miles." I have been within 100 miles Silloth tons of times and didn't think it was worth checking out at the time...which implies a special trip to see., but I did it once so does that mean 7 works?
"One of the very best courses in the region...worth special trip to see"...make the region small enough and sure, Silloth can be the best course in the region. Means 8 works as well.
"Worth a game if you are in town"...well who is ever in Silloth by chance? By definition, Silloth requires a special trip to see for practically every person the book is targeted. So 6 doesn't work from this perspective, but that doesn't mean the course is any better or worse, just that Doak's scale doesn't really work across countries and most especially in the GB&I because its the only place on earth which has anywhere near the number of quality designs the US does...yet the size of the UK and Ireland is about the size of Indiana and California combined! Clearly, a region in the US is far larger than in GB&I. It strikes me that scores from different regions are not compatible. Some regions are weak and some strong.
So with that in mind one could easily say that Silloth is in the region of England and that still wouldn't be a large region in the US! Is Silloth one of the very best courses in England? Take it further and it is clear that a small region like England (size of Alabama) is clearly superior to the vast majority of regions in the US. The gist of this is for GB&I, one can make a case for anything from 6 to however great one thinks Silloth is. Do folks have fun playing Silloth? The answer to that question is what matters most. I have long had doubts about the use of the Doak scale...sometimes even when Doak uses it!
For sure Silloth is one of the best value courses to be had in GB&I and I would like to return. But there is no way I could say Silloth is better than Formby. When I look at the expanisveness of the Formby, its 3s, 4s, & 5s compared to Silloth, the quality and interest of the greens, the varied terrain and architectural input and better varied yardage there is only one conclusion..Formby is better. Yet, I would rather play Silloth because it is one of the best value courses in England and its good enough.
Ciao