Golfweek's Best New Courses 2009

[Pete_Pittock]

Cannot find an online list at Golfweek. The list is of courses that opened in 2008 and 2009 (*). Wine Valley is best new course opening in 2009.
Courses 21-40 are listed in Reply#5. Architect names expanded for clarity issues (also for reply5)

1. Rock Creek Cattle Co; (Architect) Tom Doak, Deer Lodge MT
2. Palouse Ridge GC; John Harbottle, Pullman, WA
3. Rainmakers GC; Robert Trent Jones Jr, Ruidoso, NM
4. Sugarloaf Mtn Golf & Town Club; Bill Coore/BenCrenshaw, Minneola FL
5. Wine Valley GC*; Dan Hixson, Walla Walla, WA

6. Tetherow;David McKay Kidd, Bend, OR
7. Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort*; PeteDye, French Lick, IN
8. Creighton Farms; Jack Nicklaus, Aldie, VA
9. Timlick Tahoe; John Harbottle/Johnny Miller, Truckee CA
10. Coyote Springs  (Chase Course); Jack Nicklaus, Coyote Springs, NV

11. Ritz Carlton GC at Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita)*; Jack Nicklaus, Marana, AZ
12. TPC Potomac*; Jim Hardy/Steve Wenzloff, Potomac, MD
13. Trump National GC (New); Tommy Fazio, Bedminster, NJ [editing issue?]
14. The Wilderness Club of Montana*;Nick Faldo, Eureka, MT
15. The Club at 12 Oaks; Michael Nicklaus, Holly Springs, NC

16. Cliffs at Keowee Springs; Tom Fazio, Six Miles, SC
17. Innsbrook GC; Arnold Palmer, Merry Hill, NC
18. Sand Hollow GC (Championship);John Fought, Hurricane, UT
19. Bella Collina; Steve Smyers/Nick Faldo, Monteverde, FL
20. Jack Frost National GC*; Mark Brown/Terry LaGree, Blakeslee, PA

[Garland Bayley]

Palouse Ridge! You've got to be kidding!
I wasn't that enamored with Tetherow, but it still trumps Palouse Ridge big time.

But, my biggest question is how did it ever get above Wine Valley?!?!?!

[Tim Leahy]

Timilick was listed as no. 23 on the 2008 list?

http://www.golfweek.com/news/2008/jul/07/2008-golfweeks-best-new-courses/#

[Pete_Pittock]

Garland,
Average Rating:
Rock Creek   8.28
Palouse        7.22
Rainmakers  6.90
Sugarloaf      6.86
Wine Valley  6.65
Tetherow     6.65

I have not played Palouse Ridge.

Tim,
Watch for #31 on a later post.
Only 7 courses show a 2009 opening (I will asterisk), the rest are 2008. The only thing I can surmise is that with additional raters seeing more courses the 'ranking' evoke a shake out. That may also answer GBs observation.

[PThomas]

Timilick was listed as no. 23 on the 2008 list?

http://www.golfweek.com/news/2008/jul/07/2008-golfweeks-best-new-courses/#

the new list may very well be a cumulative list for the last few years

[Pete_Pittock]

21. TPC San Francisco Bay at Stonebrae; David McKayKidd, East Bay Hills, CA
22. The Idaho Club; Jack Nicklaus, Sand Point, ID
23. Lake Presidential GC;  Chris Cole/Jeff Potts, Upper Marlboro, MD
24. Journey at Pechanga; Steve Forrest/Arthur Hills,  Temecula, CA
25. The Outlaw GC; JohnLaFoy, Ruidoso, NM

26. Sweetgrass GC; Paul Albanese, Harris, MI
27. Encanterra Trilogy; Tom Lehman, Queen Creek, AZ
28. The Deltona Club; Bobby Weed, Deltona, FL
29. Wild Rock GC; Dana Fry/Michael Hurdzan, Wisconsin Dells, WI
30. The Golf Club of Kansas; Tom Jackson, Lenexa, KS

31. Yocha De He; Brad Bell, Brooks, CA
32. Jay Peak; Graham Cooke, Warren, VT [may not be in Warren}
33. Payne Stewart GC*; Bobby Clampett, Branson, MO
34. TPC Treviso Bay; Arthur Hills, Naples, FL
35. Fairvue Plantation (Foxlands); Bill Bergin, Gallatin, TN

36. Eagle Falls GC; Clive Clark, Indio, CA
37. Pound Ridge GC; Pete & Perry Dye, Pound Ridge, NY
38. Plantation G&CC; Dana Fry/Michael Hurdzan, Ft Myers, FL
39. Little Mountain GC; Dana Fry/Michael Hurdzan, Concord, OH [opening year 2000?]
40. Black Bull GC; Tom Weiskopf, Bozeman, MT

[Pete_Pittock]

Tim,
Thank you for the link to the 2008 list, which included courses opening in 2007 and 2008. Here is what happened to the courses which opened in 2008 that were on last year's list.
Course        Ranking   Ranking     Ranking
                  2008        2008 only  2009
Tetherow        7               1            6      
Sugarloaf        10              2            4
Palouse          15              3            2        
TPC SF           20              4            21
Lake Presid.   21               5            23  
Creighton F    22              6            8
Timlick           23              7            9
Eagle Falls     27              8            36
Bella Collina   40             10           19
GC Kansas     47             11    


Palouse Ridge, Timlick-Tahoe, Creighton Farms and Bella Collina all made signifcant gains this year.

[Garland Bayley]

Well Pete,

You got me motivated. I finished and sent my TheWalkingGolfer.com review of Palouse Ridge to Rob for posting.

Since it essentially says don't even think of visiting this course for a golfing experience, because of the walkability issues, it is not a full review.

I guess my next task to procrastinate will be my full review for this website.

[Doug Ralston]

I am confused. #39 Little Mountain was opened in 2000! How can it be 'best new' anything?

Good to see Sweetgrass get a little attention. Worth a visit when you play on UP.

Doug

[Pete_Pittock]

Doug,
Could be why the list is not on-line. By the way, TPC Potomac is the complete redo of TPC Avenal.

[Anthony Gray]

  Wine Valley has the best bunkering that I have ever seen.

  Anthony

[Pete_Pittock]

Anthony
They were beautiful because Kalen was seduced by their siren-like call.

[Anthony Gray]

Anthony
They were beautiful because Kalen was seduced by their siren-like call.

  So true Pete,

  Anthony

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Palouse Ridge! You've got to be kidding!
I wasn't that enamored with Tetherow, but it still trumps Palouse Ridge big time.

But, my biggest question is how did it ever get above Wine Valley?!?!?!

Interesting comment Garland.  While Palouse would be a very difficult walk it still manages to reward good shots and punish bad.  With the exception of #2 which is a very common golf hole, the remainder of the course utilizes a difficult site to its maximum potential.  Testing driving accuracy, requiring strong approach shots and a thoughtful approach to its strategy, it may be Harbottles best work to date.  

I do not consider Palouse as strong a layout as Wine valley which takes the same strengths as Palouse to yet another level.  Wine Valley may suffer over time because it is very difficult to photograph.  It is so big and so open that it is simply not photogenic.  While that is not required of a golf course it is apparently an attribute to the PR machine.  Nonetheless it plays like a dream and is worth the trip to Walla Walla.

Which brings me to Tetherow, which is over the top interesting to look at.  It, however, is not a golf course that I would choose to play regularly.  It is simply to confining. Tetherow lacks the strategic options and variation, I believe is required of a great golf course.  It is a lot like an over made up woman, great to look at, tantalizing, and ulitmately a disappointment after further investigation.  Lots of flash and not much substance.  

Palouse and Tetherow simply beg for that second date!

[Brad Tufts]

32. Jay Peak; Cooke, Warren, VT

Not that it matters, but Jay Peak is not in Warren...that's where Sugarbush is.

Jay Peak is in Jay, VT, about 90 mins north of Warren on Rte. 7.

Need to get up there sometime soon, but it's a long drive from Boston to the Canadian border...

[Pete_Pittock]

I can only regurgitate what is written. Looks like a longer addendum in the next Golfweek issue.

[Tom_Doak]

What is up with "Payne Stewart GC Clampett, Branson, MO" ?

Is that Bobby Clampett or Jed Clampett?

[Jim Colton]

Garland,
Average Rating:
Rock Creek   8.28

8.28?  What the hell is wrong with these people?  Are they blind?   

1.         Sand Hills Golf Club     9.38
2.         Pacific Dunes  9.23
3.         Whistling Straits (Straits)       8.69
4.         Pete Dye Golf Club      8.30
5.         Bandon Dunes 8.28
6.         Friar’s Head    8.27
7.         Sebonack Golf Club     8.18
8.         Ballyneal         8.17
9.         The Golf Club   8.14
10.       Shadow Creek Golf Club          8.11

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Are there any new courses that didn't make GW's Top 40? 

[Tom_Doak]

Steve:

It's for two years, so there are way more than 40 candidates.  In 2011 they may have to cut it back, though.

Sadly, Common Ground did not even make the top 40, but it may be too new.

[Aidan Bradley]

"What is up with "Payne Stewart GC Clampett, Branson, MO" ?
Is that Bobby Clampett or Jed Clampett?"

Tom, I find these remarks to be disengenous and unnecessary. You disappoint me........

Aidan Bradley.

[Jeff Doerr]

Palouse Ridge! You've got to be kidding!
I wasn't that enamored with Tetherow, but it still trumps Palouse Ridge big time.

But, my biggest question is how did it ever get above Wine Valley?!?!?!

I like Palouse Ridge a lot and wish it was 30 minutes away. But, I do wish Wine Valley was in my back yard. The challenge for me with Palouse is 1) Walking 2) Par 5s - 10 being the exception 3) Par 3s - 6 being the exception. For the most part I really liked the par 4 holes...

[Andy Troeger]

Were Martis Camp and Cornerstone too old to be considered? Both of those are Golf Digest "Best New" candidates this year.

I actually have Idaho Club (#22) slightly ahead of Rainmakers (#3). Both are good courses and well worth playing. I wouldn't have expected either to threaten the Top 100 Modern listing, but it would appear that Rainmakers' initial score would give them a reasonable chance.

Looking at this list and based mainly on photos and comments from others, it seems to have a lot of good courses that could be mixed and matched depending on personal preference, with one great one that I have seen leading the way. I would be curious if there's much differential in scoring between #5/6 at 6.65 and the courses that follow.

[Tom_Doak]

Aidan:

Sorry to disappoint you.  It may have been a silly way to phrase it, but it was a serious question:  what the heck does the "Clampett" mean?

[Carl Nichols]

Aidan:

Sorry to disappoint you.  It may have been a silly way to phrase it, but it was a serious question:  what the heck does the "Clampett" mean?

The name of every other course that's listed is followed by (presumably) the last name of the designer, and I therefore assumed that someone named Clampett designed this course.  I also assumed it was Bobby, not Jed.