GM Top 100 courses

bigslice said:
Finally found time to buy the mag and went straight to the top 100. I dont play many away course i could count this years on my middle finger. I understand the process set out by the mag but theres defo a flaw somewhere. I cant quite put my finger on it but here goes. Ive not got mag to hand so bare with me. I joined Machrihanish Dunes this season after a lot of tooing and swaying. Old mach or dunes mmmm. Finally decided on dunes . Ive played both many times and enjoyed both equally.
But come on The Dunes only mentioned in next 100. Ure having a laugh.
My review is based on condition and maintenance of course as both course are very similar.
The condition of old mach and its lack of control or possible apathy over the last two three years made my choice very easy. I know a new person was brought in and have heard bits here n there. BUT yes a big BUT Machrihanish Dunes is miles ahead in condition by a country mile. Ive played it the last few sundays and unwould never know it was winter. ( well apart from the wind) ok there are other factors for making the top 100. But im just amazed it never made the top 100.
Holes 15 and 16 are brilliant holes in run up to the last two card wreckers of 17 and 18.
How did u play 17 and 18 Jezz cos ive no clue. 17 i play like a drive a wee wedge to edge of hill then wedge again. 18 if u dont make the cliff uve no chance of getting over them. I wud happily take a 5 all day.
My wee rant isnt biased as i carefully picked which of the two to join.
Anyway Jezz if u say u got 5 and 5 at 17 and 18i believe u.
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When a course is reviewed, it is awarded a mark out of 100. This consists of 35 marks for strategy and design and 30 marks for condition and presentation. I've not played the Dunes before but the 2 bits I've highlighted above are relevant. Firstly, no course is going to make the top 100 just by being in good condition as it is only 30% of the available marks. Secondly, based on your comments about the closing holes (like I say, never played the course) it doesn't sound to me like they are particularly well designed holes?

Jacko_G said:
Having played both courses I do find it bizarre to say the least that GM seem to see over 50 places between the two courses. Machrihanish Dunes has improved every time I've returned to play it.

Machrihanish on the other hand has stagnated over the last few years. Hopefully now it's on the right track but it'll take time to get it back to where it once was.

I'd be interested to know what the review/report was on Machrihanish Dunes and why it failed to get into the top 100 when (my opinion) there are a good few lesser courses in that list.

Also when you hear others rating it so highly it's a strange omission.

http://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/2016/12/07/played-ncg/
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As always, these lists are very subjective. A personal favourite of mine (and also one of the other reviewers) has only just got into the top 100 in this latest ranking.
 
Considering the geographic location of machrihanish it seems almost certain that any reviewers will play both courses either the same day or on consecutive days so they must be getting reviewed quite consistently and in direct comparison to each other.

Personally I loved both but I played the dunes when it was suffering a bit after that bad winter. Really hope to get back over there soon.
 
drive4show said:
When a course is reviewed, it is awarded a mark out of 100. This consists of 35 marks for strategy and design and 30 marks for condition and presentation. I've not played the Dunes before but the 2 bits I've highlighted above are relevant. Firstly, no course is going to make the top 100 just by being in good condition as it is only 30% of the available marks. Secondly, based on your comments about the closing holes (like I say, never played the course) it doesn't sound to me like they are particularly well designed holes?



As always, these lists are very subjective. A personal favourite of mine (and also one of the other reviewers) has only just got into the top 100 in this latest ranking.
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Ive said i understand the process at gm towers. But from my house its 180 miles driving to get there and 180 back. Im saying that i carefully picked which one to join. The plan is to join both but old mach is at least two seasons away for that.
If i was to give marks out if ten . Dunes gets 10 old mach 6.
The last two holes u need to think how to play them, i cant unfortuantely but was interested in how Jezz attacked them.
Ps its a 12 hour day trip but defo worth it
 
FairwayDodger said:
Considering the geographic location of machrihanish it seems almost certain that any reviewers will play both courses either the same day or on consecutive days so they must be getting reviewed quite consistently and in direct comparison to each other.

Personally I loved both but I played the dunes when it was suffering a bit after that bad winter. Really hope to get back over there soon.
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Not sure if the last time u played i was there, but its in good nick right now. Last sunday the bay looked like the set of "point break"
 
bigslice said:
Not sure if the last time u played i was there, but its in good nick right now. Last sunday the bay looked like the set of "point break"
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Yes I haven't been back since then.

Must admit it's more the dunes that I tell friends about than the old course and that's the one I'm most looking forward to playing again. I just loved the wildness of it and the way you can hardly ever see any golf course other than the hole you are playing.
 
drive4show said:
When a course is reviewed, it is awarded a mark out of 100. This consists of 35 marks for strategy and design and 30 marks for condition and presentation. I've not played the Dunes before but the 2 bits I've highlighted above are relevant. Firstly, no course is going to make the top 100 just by being in good condition as it is only 30% of the available marks. Secondly, based on your comments about the closing holes (like I say, never played the course) it doesn't sound to me like they are particularly well designed holes?



As always, these lists are very subjective. A personal favourite of mine (and also one of the other reviewers) has only just got into the top 100 in this latest ranking.
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Well if you have not played them or done your research into the place you should refrain from making sweeping statements that can't be further from the truth.

I believe big slice is asking how the reviewer personally played or plotted the last few holes.

I know how to play them and have my strategy depending on wind etc.
 
Jacko_G said:
Well if you have not played them or done your research into the place you should refrain from making sweeping statements that can't be further from the truth.

I believe big slice is asking how the reviewer personally played or plotted the last few holes.

I know how to play them and have my strategy depending on wind etc.
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Not a clue what you are talking about here. All I was doing was explaining how the review process works and how/why a course would or would not get into the top 100. As for how the reviewers (plural, there would have been more than 1 of them) played the final holes I have no idea, I was just questioning that the strategy required to play them doesn't make them sound very well designed. If that is the case it would help to explain why the course isn't in the top 100. Such is the strength of courses in GB&I that a top 100 course cannot afford to have too many weaker holes or it won't get in.
 
The finish of the Dunes is head and shoulders above the finish at Machrihanish. The opening holes also better at the Dunes. For me there is not much between them through the meat of the course and although saying that my preference is still Machrihanish but both very good and I don't understand why they are so far apart in the ratings hence why I asked the question on the FB live Q&A
 
Val said:
The finish of the Dunes is head and shoulders above the finish at Machrihanish. The opening holes also better at the Dunes. For me there is not much between them through the meat of the course and although saying that my preference is still Machrihanish but both very good and I don't understand why they are so far apart in the ratings hence why I asked the question on the FB live Q&A
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Would agree with most of this and strongly agree that there is never over 50 spots between them. I still cannot decide what I prefer. The guys I golf with mainly prefer The Dunes but I'm still on the fence.

The last 4 at Machrihanish Dunes blow the last 4 at Machrihanish out of the water.
 
I still can't believe Machrihanish is Number 53 apart from the 1st hole for obvious reasons i can't recall another hole on the course to be honest. Ive played much better courses like Narin & Portnoo and Donegal and i can't believe there not in the Top 100.
 
I'm not a great 'reader' so whilst writing this I'm listening to Mike, Jezza and Rob on the Golf Monthly podcast but through SoundCloud and I think it's far better listening to them all and the reasoning behind the list against trying to read it through the magazine and understand it in type.

Some excellent and varied letters written in also and to be fair Mike reads them out and the panel covered them brilliantly, especially when Rob Smith gets 'called out' over his 15 handicap!

I liked the reasoning and answers to that letter from Rob and Mike stating that the panelists and their results were based on the observations from handicap golfers, not elitists or Pro's who don't pay to play them. Courses are not designed for those Pro golfers alone, if they were, we wouldn't, as ordinary golfers be able to enjoy ourselves around them as they'd be too tough, so it's a real list for real golfers as the majority of club handicaps average around the teens, so why would you only include courses that the majority of us wouldn't want to play or couldn't play for cost reasons also, it would be a pointless list then IMO.

I think the list is a true and honest list and will always be subjective as we all look for different things across all areas of a club/course we visit.

Now, where do I sign up to be a panelist ;)
 
stevek1969 said:
I still can't believe Machrihanish is Number 53 apart from the 1st hole for obvious reasons i can't recall another hole on the course to be honest. Ive played much better courses like Narin & Portnoo and Donegal and i can't believe there not in the Top 100.
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I agree about Nairn, superb golf course
 
Fish said:
I'm not a great 'reader' so whilst writing this I'm listening to Mike, Jezza and Rob on the Golf Monthly podcast but through SoundCloud and I think it's far better listening to them all and the reasoning behind the list against trying to read it through the magazine and understand it in type.

Some excellent and varied letters written in also and to be fair Mike reads them out and the panel covered them brilliantly, especially when Rob Smith gets 'called out' over his 15 handicap!

I liked the reasoning and answers to that letter from Rob and Mike stating that the panelists and their results were based on the observations from handicap golfers, not elitists or Pro's who don't pay to play them. Courses are not designed for those Pro golfers alone, if they were, we wouldn't, as ordinary golfers be able to enjoy ourselves around them as they'd be too tough, so it's a real list for real golfers as the majority of club handicaps average around the teens, so why would you only include courses that the majority of us wouldn't want to play or couldn't play for cost reasons also, it would be a pointless list then IMO.

I think the list is a true and honest list and will always be subjective as we all look for different things across all areas of a club/course we visit.

Now, where do I sign up to be a panelist ;)
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Lol i was reading ure post and thinking i hope he gets the job:D
 
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