GM Top 100 courses

[SAPCOR1]

Love Machrihanish,the remoteness of it,hitting blind shots into the unknown, as Val says the 18th is a poor finishing hole which really doesn't compare to the rest of the course. Its the drive to get there that kills me.

You can always sweep through the heather, like deer in the glen.......

But of an ordeal getting there but the scenery is great and the trips s worth it if you add a game at the Dunes as well

 

[Captainron]

Managed to play 22 so far.

Dear god! What is The Brabazon doing on that list????

Several I would disagree with as many on here have already said.

 

[patricks148]

Why are you so sore on Mach, its a quality course. For me the only real bad hole is 18, it's a crap finish for such a course.

I just found it rather bland the two times i've played it, conditions wasn't good either time, though once was on a craw outing and it was march. but last time was middle of the summer.

 

[Val]

I just found it rather bland the two times i've played it, conditions wasn't good either time, though once was on a craw outing and it was march. but last time was middle of the summer.

I didnt like it at all first time i played it but having played it a couple of times since it's really grown on me, like most quality links do.

 

[patricks148]

I didnt like it at all first time i played it but having played it a couple of times since it's really grown on me, like most quality links do.

TBH Martin, it was only because i was on my way to Islay for work and took the clubs. It was in poor condition for that time of year and as its so far away unless i had to actually go to Campbeltown (which is unlikely) i just wouldn't bother, far better courses closer. I could get to western and play a round just in the time it would take to get to Machrihanish.

 

[Jimaroid]

The entry for St Andrews New uses a picture of the 2nd hole of St Andrews Jubilee, considering the Jubilee doesn't feature in the top 100 at all and many think it's the better course it's a nicely ironic mistake.

 

[Val]

TBH Martin, it was only because i was on my way to Islay for work and took the clubs. It was in poor condition for that time of year and as its so far away unless i had to actually go to Campbeltown (which is unlikely) i just wouldn't bother, far better courses closer. I could get to western and play a round just in the time it would take to get to Machrihanish.

I'd never tire of playing Western Gailes, fantastic golf course.

 

[Jake O'Reilly]

Most of us only rate the Course! The GM list rates a few other things as well, albeit with weightings. So the likes of Wentworth, Grove and The Open courses are going to be boosted somewhat - think 'the experience of The Old Course!'.

Just to add to this, our rankings are based on the below, which is why some course like The Belfry and The Grove have featured higher than the course alone may suggest in some of your opinions. You can read about all the criteria in depth, and the panelists involved, in our new issue that goes on sale Thursday:

Quality of test & design (35/100)
Mix of holes, character, does it reward good golf etc

Condition & presentation (30/100)
Tees, greens, different cuts of rough, signage, bunker quality etc

Visual appeal (15/100)
Memorable views, surrounding land, in keeping with its environment etc

Facilities (10/100)
Clubhouse, practice ground, changing rooms, website info etc

Experience (10/100)
Welcome, sense of occasion, value for money, do you want to return etc

 

[Smiffy]

Just checked and I've played 24 of 'em

 

[Foxholer]

Just to add to this, our rankings are based on the below, which is why some course like The Belfry and The Grove have featured higher than the course alone may suggest in some of your opinions. You can read about all the criteria in depth, and the panelists involved, in our new issue that goes on sale Thursday:

Quality of test & design (35/100)
Mix of holes, character, does it reward good golf etc

Condition & presentation (30/100)
Tees, greens, different cuts of rough, signage, bunker quality etc

Visual appeal (15/100)
Memorable views, surrounding land, in keeping with its environment etc

Facilities (10/100)
Clubhouse, practice ground, changing rooms, website info etc

Experience (10/100)
Welcome, sense of occasion, value for money, do you want to return etc

Thanks Jake.

I suspect that in most cases, the weighting here would be more like 60;25;5;5;5! Although there could well be a 'negative aspects' list/scale too!

As others have posted, all pretty subjective, but seems a reasonable list. And such a tough job checking them out too!

 

[Jake O'Reilly]

As others have posted, all pretty subjective, but seems a reasonable list. And such a tough job checking them out too!

We regularly weep for poor Jezz who has played all 100, and over 650 courses in total!

 

[Hacker Khan]

I'm not sure if GM did this before but a best value top 100 would be very useful. The list produced is very good to look at, but in a way we all kind of know which courses will be at the top of the list. And when I looked at the prices for most of the top ones, if you were paying the advertised green fees, they did seem out of reach for a lot of golfers apart from probably a one off special occasion. But a 'best value' list would be very good and arguably something that would be useful to the more golfers more of the time.

 

[Jake O'Reilly]

I'm not sure if GM did this before but a best value top 100 would be very useful. The list produced is very good to look at, but in a way we all kind of know which courses will be at the top of the list.

'Value' is so very subjective, and doing a best value 100 would also entail our assessors visiting 700+ courses to be thorough! A better approach would perhaps be 'Top 100 under £XX', which I'll be sure to mention in our next GM staff meeting.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Just to add to this, our rankings are based on the below, which is why some course like The Belfry and The Grove have featured higher than the course alone may suggest in some of your opinions. You can read about all the criteria in depth, and the panelists involved, in our new issue that goes on sale Thursday:

Quality of test & design (35/100)
Mix of holes, character, does it reward good golf etc

Condition & presentation (30/100)
Tees, greens, different cuts of rough, signage, bunker quality etc

Visual appeal (15/100)
Memorable views, surrounding land, in keeping with its environment etc

Facilities (10/100)
Clubhouse, practice ground, changing rooms, website info etc

Experience (10/100)
Welcome, sense of occasion, value for money, do you want to return etc

35 marks out of 100 for quality of test and design.
Thanks Jake all makes sense to me now and I can understand how I get agitated when this list comes out.

 

[IanG]

'Value' is so very subjective, and doing a best value 100 would also entail our assessors visiting 700+ courses to be thorough! A better approach would perhaps be 'Top 100 under £XX', which I'll be sure to mention in our next GM staff meeting.

National Club Golfer did such a list last year (under £100) , which I happen to remember as we came out top !!:whoo:

It's still online at their site.

 

[Hacker Khan]

'Value' is so very subjective, and doing a best value 100 would also entail our assessors visiting 700+ courses to be thorough! A better approach would perhaps be 'Top 100 under £XX', which I'll be sure to mention in our next GM staff meeting.

Cheers Jake. I agree that value is very subjective and it is a tricky one. But it would be great if you could find a peach of a course relatively near you that you were unaware of, that you could play for a sensible (again very subjective I agree) amount of money.

 

[stevek1969]

With regards to reviews is it not the same people reviewing the same courses year in year out, maybe its time for fresh eyes. It doesn't matter they've played golf for 100 years or played 1000s of courses its the same people is it not,time for a fresh outlook.

 

[Jake O'Reilly]

With regards to reviews is it not the same people reviewing the same courses year in year out, maybe its time for fresh eyes. It doesn't matter they've played golf for 100 years or played 1000s of courses its the same people is it not,time for a fresh outlook.

Our staff panel remains mostly the same as they bring experience to the table, but our advisory panel (other experienced members of the golf industry) and our reader panel changes frequently, as explained in this month's magazine, which goes on sale Thursday.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I do believe the weight of the assessment should be more towards the quality and lay out of the course which you appear to have got right 80% - and with that weighting I still don't understand how the Belfry Brabazon is in there as well as the Grove

Would put a course like Blackmoor above , Gog Magog , Sheringham , Cromer etc

 

[Liverbirdie]

Hi Jake, I presume that all the "markers" give their marks out of ...... and it's all on a spreadsheet.

For a bit of forum fun and debate, could you either do a new list, or even tell us what some of the big difference in positions would be, if they were only rated on the following:-

Quality of test & design (35/100)
Mix of holes, character, does it reward good golf etc

Condition & presentation (30/100)
Tees, greens, different cuts of rough, signage, bunker quality etc

Visual appeal (15/100)
Memorable views, surrounding land, in keeping with its environment etc

I think most of us on here generally just judge on the above (apart from the Old course and some of the more memorable ones like Sunningdale etc). Not everyone stays for "high tea" and goes to the short game area, so personally would be fascinated what come out of the above......


Go on,I dares yer.....