Precedent for increasing acclaim?

[Ted Sturges]

I am a member of Yeamans Hall Club, so I preface these remarks by admitting my bias.


Is there an example of another course that has risen more in general acclaim than YHC in the last 50 years?  I don't know what year Tom Doak first visited the course, but that visit was, in my opinion the genesis of YHC's ascension.  My friend, the late Dr. Henry Terrie read what Tom wrote about the course (that "if the greens were fixed up, the place would be terrific") and contacted Tom to ask more about his views on the course.  A late 90's renovation followed (Renaissance Golf), and a second renovation was completed in 2017 (Jim Urbina). 


YHC is now universally counted among the top 100 courses in the US.  I have many friends who now rank the course in the top 100 in the World, and I have a few friends whose opinions I respect who place Yeamans among the top 50 courses in the world.


My question is this...is there an example of another course that has risen more in the opinion of the golf world in the last 50 years than Yeamans Hall Club?  I'd be curious to know what courses might have experienced a similar ascension.


TS

[Pete Lavallee]

I would submit Crystal Downs and Pasatiempo as two courses whose ratings have gone up considerably in the last 50 years.

[Ted Sirbaugh]

I would submit Crystal Downs and Pasatiempo as two courses whose ratings have gone up considerably in the last 50 years.

I'd also add NGLA and Fishers Island to that list

[jeffwarne]

NGLA the clear winner-unranked in the 80's
North Berwick
Crystal Downs
Palmetto-unloved in the early 80's (when it was at its unirrigated unaltered best)
Southampton


The golf world went stupid around 1970(or thereabouts)


and interestingly just as the Dark ages of architecture began to subside 15-20 years ago, the golf world has gotten equally stupid about allowing equipment to render many of these rediscovered gems unuseable(or bastardized) for elite play.
Rather ironic

[John Connolly]

Cal Club of San Fran.

[Mike Sweeney]

My question is this...is there an example of another course that has risen more in the opinion of the golf world in the last 50 years than Yeamans Hall Club?  I'd be curious to know what courses might have experienced a similar ascension.


TS

Ted,


Most of the "golf world", other than 1500+ GCA nuts, have never heard of YHC or even National Golf Links of America. But everyone has heard of Bethpage Black which would be the #1 for the "golf world", I think.


Not sure why, but Shinnecock was not on the first GD list in 1966, but it did pop on in 1967. There is an argument that it did not get its due until the 1986 US Open, 90 years after the 1896 US Open and the first on the Flynn course.


Here is the 1966-2012 all-time GD list:


https://www.golfdigest.com/story/100greatestcourses_roster

[Tim Martin]

NGLA the clear winner-unranked in the 80's
North Berwick
Crystal Downs
Palmetto-unloved in the early 80's (when it was at its unirrigated unaltered best)
Southampton


The golf world went stupid around 1970(or thereabouts)


and interestingly just as the Dark ages of architecture began to subside 15-20 years ago, the golf world has gotten equally studid about allowing equipment to render many of these rediscovered gems unuseable(or bastardized) for elite play.
Rather ironic

NGLA’s rank climbed from 15 to 8 since 2007 which is quite a leap and hard to argue with.

[J_ Crisham]

Old Town has had a much deserved meteoric rise since the C/C restoration. Another club to jump out of anonymity is Old Elm. Debut last year in GW at #66. Pretty impressive- given the offseason work being done there I can see it going considerably higher.

[jeffwarne]

.

[Cal Seifert]

Just about all of the Raynor courses that received successful renovations to restore the old features seem to benefit much like YHC.

[Mike Hendren]

I doubt that more than a handful of posters here had even heard of Holston Hills 40 years ago when I first visited.  It's ascendency is likely in the past however as restorations of more renowned courses become more widespread.

Moraine might be another.

Mike

[Lou_Duran]

It's ascendency is likely in the past however as restorations of more renowned courses become more widespread.

Moraine might be another.

I suspect that the change in preference from difficulty/championship/modern to fun/playable/pedigreed has at least as much to do with it.   Ran's and his site's growing influence over 15+ years, and the considerable number of raters/panelists who participate or lurk here, probably have a lot to do with this shift.  Arguably, as this trend gained traction, courses benefiting from the shift found the impetus to restore or renovate (not to underestimate the impact of less competition from new courses).

Mike Sweeney- re: Shinny, my host some years back told me that he was recruited by a neighbor to join the club back in the late '60s/early 70s.  He was not a VIP or a particularly good golfer, noting that the club just needed members.  Though his membership did not include voting rights and was subject to periodical review, he did not feel in danger of being "un-invited".

I think that joining top clubs up and down the east coast was probably always an "in" thing-to-do, but the number of clubs fitting this image just didn't grow fast enough with the number of folks gaining the means and interest in doing so.   My host at Shinny commented that though infinitely better-positioned to join such a club on the day we played than many years earlier, he wouldn't be given a second look.

Supply and demand is an immutable law no matter how hard we try to get around it.  Scarcity and appeal to our vanities are also in play, though there are probably a handful of these ascending courses which might consider my application.

[Dunlop_White]

Really restorations have been the springboard…. the common denominator for most classical courses that preserve their golf traditions. It’s not hard to measure the value of classical golf course restorations. Over the last two decades, classical golf architects have become brand names of great reverence. Much of their burgeoning acclaim is simple. They've left behind an impressive legacy of courses…. Crystal, NGLA, LACC, Old Town, Cal Club, Yeamans, etc., etc., that have soared in varying degrees among the elite in the country following a thoughtful restoration. The list is rather large -- encompassing many of the Top 100 today. These classical golf courses have many more alluring virtues. Besides their positive impact on course rankings, restorations also enable many clubs to enjoy a full membership. Certainly classical golf course architecture is an attraction, but its “authenticity” helps make it one of the most powerful marketing tools available.

[Bill Gayne]

One of the biggest stories is East Lake which was barely operating in the late eighties/early nineties.

[Mark_Fine]

Ted,
Tons of other great examples as aleady pointed out.  My home course is another - Lehigh CC.  When I joined in 1997, most of the membership didn't realize how good it was.  After finally getting it some exposure by some well traveled and knowledgeable people, Golf Magazine put it on their Top 100 list for years and Golfweek did the same.  It never has gotten enough votes to make Golf Digest's.  Many still come to play the other courses at the more noted club near by but those in the know now come to see Lehigh.


Mark

[Sean_A]

Ok, from the perspective of a guy who followed rankings when living in the US 20 years ago then losing touch....the classic courses which seem to have come up from nowhere are

Yeamans
Old Town
Palmetto...but I am not sure it is top 100 anyway..is it?
Bethpage
Yale
St Georges Ontario
Cal Club
Shoreacres
Morfontaine
Milwaukee
Lawsonia
White Bear
Franklin Hills
Roaring Gap
Whippoorwill
Wykagyl
Monroe

Ciao

[Niall C]

This seems to be largely a discussion on US courses but as someone did mention some UK courses I'd agree the suggestion that North Berwick is experiencing something of a renaissance with the visiting golfer but that is nothing in comparison to the meteoric rise of Dornoch ever since Tom Watson discovered it for America. The only other course world wide that I'd guess might have seen a similar rise might be Royal Melbourne although not sure of its standings back in the day.


Niall

[Sean_A]

North Berwick is an odd one.  It may not have been in world rankings, but it has been famous ever since I started looking into courses and buying books.  NB was one of the first courses I pegged to play when I eventually made it the UK.  It seemed just as famous as Open venues IMO.

Ciao

[ward peyronnin]

When I first joined Cruden Bay in 2004 i ran into a friends visiting brother in law. When someone else mentioned( because he worked for BA) that i was a member he announced he was a member at Nairn. When I mentioned that we now had an opportunity to trade rounds he allowed as that would be ok but Nairn was twice as good as CB.  aside from showing what a rude SOB this guy was it revealed that because Nairn had a great set of greens(conditioned) many rated Nairn higher than CB.

I recently emailed my friend a new GD ranking listing Cb at 56 in the World ( i think this was outside the US)Nairn receives no mention' I asked him to give his bro in law my love.

Nevertheless CB has risen meteorically in the assessment of golfers without what I would consider any major changes until recently that I am aware of.

[Niall C]

Ward
 
It’s not for me to defend your friends brother-in-law but I don’t think it’s considered rude over here to offer an opinion on the respective merits of golf courses, even a frank one like his and even if you’re members. Of course, I don’t know how he phrased it and in what way.
 
Now as to the substance of his opinion, I wouldn’t say Nairn is twice as good but for my money it is a better course over all, but then I’m not American 
 
Niall

[Kalen Braley]

For all the ratings bashing and criticisms of course owners for spending money for better ratings that happens on GCA, its both odd and yet refreshing to see a thread like this.

[Ira Fishman]

I do not think Somerset Hills, Pasatiempo, or Eastward Ho! have been mentioned.  And I do not remember LA CC being so well-regarded until fairly recently.


It is indeed refreshing to see classic design have such a nice comeback.


Ira

[Jeff Schley]

I do not think Somerset Hills, Pasatiempo, or Eastward Ho! have been mentioned.  And I do not remember LA CC being so well-regarded until fairly recently.


It is indeed refreshing to see classic design have such a nice comeback.


Ira

I think LA CC was being silently punished for their apparent arrogance for turning down the USGA for so many years.

[ward peyronnin]

Niall

When you are glowing with the anticipation of enjoying the course you have just joined and merely offer up the observation that proximity allows for mutual play only to be slammed with a put down of your "club" we actually call that being an asshole here in America. Hard to explain but I know one when I meet one.

And while I am being an American, who has played tens of courses in the Uk I will also point out that Cruden Baynow  ranks much higher in the homegrown UK assessments and rankings, so there must be many non Americans who don't share your view and who contribute to the significant advance in the homegrown rankings CB has enjoyed said rise in recognition being what this thread is about.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I remember - vaguely - that Cruden Bay spent some time in a World Top-50 back in the 80’s. That was completely non-UK driven because at the time it was sitting down at the lower end of the GB&I Golf World rankings (which were the only one of their type at the time). I think it has grown in stature at home, probably because of its stature elsewhere.


In fact, I’d argue that GB&I rankings are these days a reflection of how courses are performing on the world scale. Cart before the horse.


In other words, almost all rankings are being driven by world wide travelling hit ‘n’ runners. There is no longer a place for plainer looking courses that reward thought and repeat plays. Courses are rewarded first and foremost for cool shots that make one chuckle with amusement. In an ideal world, you want both but the latter trumps the former in the ratings game.