GolfWorld readers vote Forest Dunes #1!

[Eric Smith]

Congratulations to Forest Dunes in Roscommon, MI as it was voted the #1 Public Golf Facility in America by GolfWorld's readers.  "More than 46,000 votes and 600,000 criteria evaluations led to GolfWorld's Readers' Choice selections."

Forest Dunes is one of my favorite places, just a great golf getaway.

Here's the top 50 public list... http://www.golfdigest.com/golfworld/2009/09/golf_readers_choice_top_50_public

[Jud_T]

a completely rediculous list, both public and private...2 trump courses above crystal downs and sand hills? come on guys.....

[Mark Pritchett]

I would guess more people who voted have played Forest Dunes than Crystal Downs.  One thing you can be sure of-post a list of any kind on this board and someone will call it ridiculous in just a few responses. 

[Richard Choi]

Plow through that list...Bethpage is #36.  That pretty much tells me all I need to know...

Not if you look at it from the Cart Golf perspective...

[Jim Franklin]

I will dare say the Golf World list is about as bad as they come. Golf Digest looks impeccable compared to it. I saw their list yesterday and waaaay too many courses were being rated in the 9+ scoring range. To me, that is just not right, but that is also the general public's view of golf.

[Steve Kline]

Yep...everything's a nine.

The Golf Digest ratings done by users of their site are worthless for this very reason. Some of the courses rated as a 4 that I have played I would never play again.

[Jim Franklin]

Yep...everything's a nine.

The Golf Digest ratings done by users of their site are worthless for this very reason. Some of the courses rated as a 4 that I have played I would never play again.

Is a 4 a good course? I would say no and would not want to play there again. So what is the problem?

[Jeff_Brauer]

I looked at the BP rankings - low on clubhouse, food, pace of play, other amenities.  Given the critieria, I can imagine sleeping in my car all night just for the privilege of playing at a course with surly service would downgrade the experience to "only" 36.  

This ranking is based on more than architecture.  And its based on the Joe Sixpack, not the elitest snob.  Nothing wrong with a ranking like that.  It is what it is.  And while you might not like certain courses as much, being the access whores   you are, its probably a pretty good indication of what the typical reader of Golf World, or the typical Joe 6 would probably like if he showed up.

A bit OT, but is that really a photo of Cypress in the Private Slide show? I can't ID the holes right off the bat. 

[Michael Blake]

And BP ranks #10 in the 'golf course quality' category.

Nice to see such categories as 'pro shop,' 'off course amenities/activities,'  and 'clubhouse/locker room' given some weight 

[Jim Colton]

Can someone tell me about The Ridge at Back Brook?  It's a 9.81, just behind Cypress Point (9.82)

Some serious ballot stuffing going on here.

[Phil_the_Author]

Actually, this is not a ranking of Bethpage BLACK, but of BETHPAGE State Park GC... Though I am quite sure in ASSUMING that the majority of those voting in this were refering to the Black, it is not noted as such in the article but only as BETHPAGE. I have to ask if this includes the Red and the other courses...

[Rob Rigg]

Always good to see what people think outside of our little bubble.

Some of those courses I had never heard of - and I wonder how the "private" part even works - there is no way a lot of GW readers would have played some of the tough privates to get on - right? - so did they rate them anyways? or was the rating pool for those clubs really small?

Based on the recent thread about "what they need to do to improve Pine Valley" - these lists can never be a real shock to the system - can they?

[Tim Leahy]

Plow through that list...Bethpage is #36.  That pretty much tells me all I need to know...

Like Yogi Berra once said, nobody plays Bethpage Black anymore, it's too crowded and you have to walk.

[jeffwarne]

Yep...everything's a nine.

The Golf Digest ratings done by users of their site are worthless for this very reason. Some of the courses rated as a 4 that I have played I would never play again.

Is a 4 a good course? I would say no and would not want to play there again. So what is the problem?

I just played three Doak "2" courses (Shiskine, Carradale, and Dunaverty) for the second time that contain stunning scenery and sporty,fun golf in a an uncrowded relaxed enviroment so I put little stock in other people's absolute # ratings, no matter how qualified or well traveled.
But I certainly do appreciate and respect their opinions and the effort and passion that went into forming them.
Different strokes for different folks

[Brent Carlson]

I've heard that FD is a very good course.

How does it rank in GCA eyes?  Internal scoring to say.

[Ryan Farrow]

I don't mind the concept, It would be great for everyone to know what the real populous of the golfing world thinks. But how hard is it to come up with some relevant rating criteria. Its got to be about the GOLF or else nobody will take this thing seriously. I could care less who makes the list or who doesn't, but at least base it on the actual golfing experience, not how well the cart boy washed your clubs, or if the clubhouse had an adequate selection of hats to choose from.

[ed_getka]

I looked at the BP rankings - low on clubhouse, food, pace of play, other amenities.  Given the critieria, I can imagine sleeping in my car all night just for the privilege of playing at a course with surly service would downgrade the experience to "only" 36.  

This ranking is based on more than architecture.  And its based on the Joe Sixpack, not the elitest snob.  Nothing wrong with a ranking like that.  It is what it is.  And while you might not like certain courses as much, being the access whores   you are, its probably a pretty good indication of what the typical reader of Golf World, or the typical Joe 6 would probably like if he showed up.

A bit OT, but is that really a photo of Cypress in the Private Slide show? I can't ID the holes right off the bat. 

Cypress
#8 green is top of photo. #9 comes back down the left of that. #6 green is middle right. #11 green is lower right.

[Adam Clayman]

Jeff. How do you really feel about the participants in this forum?

[jeffwarne]

Jeff. How do you really feel about the participants in this forum?

Adam,
Did you forget the smiley face?

So far, All the participants I've met on this forum have been great people and I have received invaluable input from the opinions and experiences of our well traveled and insightful GCAers.
Do I need to edit my post?
I put little stock in absolute numbers, not in their opinions or descriptions.

[Adam Clayman]

Jeff W. I also forgot to include the quotes from Jeff B.

And its based on the Joe Sixpack, not the elitest snob.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Adam,

I love everybody and wish them a happy everything.  I did add my own smiley face, ya know.  But, this thread is perfectly predictable here. At least one of 1500 who are truly interested in architecture will post a thread sort of looking down the noses of the popular opinion of the masses. 

It reminds me of a friend who snubbed his nose at the Beatles and Stones, while letting me know that his favorite band, that no one ever heard of because they could play wildly difficult arrangements, whereas the big boys stuck to fairly predictable chord arrangements.  The bazillions of record sales vs probably hundreds of his band, never seemed to sway his opinion that there must be something right about their music.