Course ratings.

I know "top 100" is traditional in most magazines and online polls but is there an argument to expand these and give more clubs a chance to enter the listings and give some of those at the lower end a call to not rest on their status and laurels or would say a top 150 dilute it too much? Look at the top 10 in the GM poll and 6 are Scottish, 2 are Irish and only Sunningdale New is remotely down south. Again Sunningdale Old and Royal St Georges the only southern ones in 11-20 so not sure there is that much of a bias.

There are nearly 140 "contender courses" currently for the top 100 - I think its current 100, some former top 100, some that are identified as possibles, probables and some that have had some large improvements done, so not far away from the 150 you mention.

GM do a top 200, but dont rank them in an order, as it could be argued that once down to a certain level that the differences are even more negligible.
 
Merseyside is where a lot of the English ones are, so dont know what you mean by within touching distance of Merseyside?
The OP started his post by saying if silloth was in the Merseyside area it would be rated higher. The thought process being it could sit comfortably amongst the highly rated courses.👍⁰
 
The OP started his post by saying if silloth was in the Merseyside area it would be rated higher. The thought process being it could sit comfortably amongst the highly rated courses.👍⁰
Tash Lad. I will go on record here and say that location means rock all.

I promise you that when I review a course I stick to the parameters assigned by GM and geographic location is not one of them.
 
The only geographical factor is the local environment....eg the Surrey/Berks sand belt is better for building golf courses, rather than the heavy clay of parts of Wiltshire.

But the rating is of the quality of the course, not it’s post code.

Some places you just pull into the car park, look out and just say “wow!”
 
I'm confused Tashy, of the top 10 only one course is in Merseyside and one in Surry, the majority are in Scotland with two in NI so how do these fit in your theory ?
 
Is St Andrews really the 2nd best course in the UK and 5th in the world? As an experience it's awesome and I'd recommend everyone play if they can. But to be fair as a course ,outside of a few holes it doesn't live long in the memory.
 
I'm confused Tashy, of the top 10 only one course is in Merseyside and one in Surry, the majority are in Scotland with two in NI so how do these fit in your theory ?

Is St Andrews really the 2nd best course in the UK and 5th in the world? As an experience it's awesome and I'd recommend everyone play if they can. But to be fair as a course ,outside of a few holes it doesn't live long in the memory.

^^^^^ This all day long and has saved me a couple of sentances. And yes I have played the old course. If we reverse the scenario and put the course alone away from St Andrews, it would struggle.
Now if location is not rated, and it is the course alone. Why is St Andrews rated so highly. Here's the thing, it's cost me £35 and it didn't live long in the memory.
 
^^^^^ This all day long and has saved me a couple of sentances. And yes I have played the old course. If we reverse the scenario and put the course alone away from St Andrews, it would struggle.
Now if location is not rated, and it is the course alone. Why is St Andrews rated so highly. Here's the thing, it's cost me £35 and it didn't live long in the memory.

I'm still confused... which bit is answering my question??
 
^^^^^ This all day long and has saved me a couple of sentances. And yes I have played the old course. If we reverse the scenario and put the course alone away from St Andrews, it would struggle.
Now if location is not rated, and it is the course alone. Why is St Andrews rated so highly. Here's the thing, it's cost me £35 and it didn't live long in the memory.

You could design a course like the old course, have all the holes going round anti-clockwise of an open field, with out of bounds on the right hand side for most holes, get some bumps in there, some bunkers, Make the greens massive and make sure two holes end on each green, angle them, oh don't forget to stick the course hotel on the 17th driving line. A couple of cross overs, chuck in some really rubbish holes, tees next to some greens/fairway, job done and sure it would make the top 3 courses in the world not :)
 
Cynical and worthless reply. I asked the question so it would give the majority a clearer insight into what a GM course reviewer had to mark against which may then help explain why a course like St Andrews is where it is

Ok precious. 💃

😂
 
The OP started his post by saying if silloth was in the Merseyside area it would be rated higher. The thought process being it could sit comfortably amongst the highly rated courses.👍⁰

I know he did, but you said that Merseyside is within touching distances of some of the premier links courses. These premier links courses are actually IN Merseyside, is all I was saying.

Pedants 3 star badge for me.(y)
 
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