Junior
Tour Winner
Need to pop my Old Course Cherry. I want to do it this Summer, but, I didn't get in the ballot and the thought of a 4am start to get in the line puts me off.
New Top 100 Rankings
- Thread starter MendieGK
- Start date
Need to pop my Old Course Cherry. I want to do it this Summer, but, I didn't get in the ballot and the thought of a 4am start to get in the line puts me off.
D
Deleted member 17920
Guest
Junior
Tour Winner
Fair points. I've heard a lot say that about TOC. I loved Carnoustie. Shame about the condition this year, was it burnt out no doubt with the Summer we had ? . You raise a good point though......Should such a great course drop in the rankings due to its condition based on one difficult Summer for the greenkeepers ?
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
The best golfing experience on one of the best courses in the world -as a course it’s not better than RCD though
I think the forward tees we were playing was what let it down for me, ball in the ditch off 5 with a 3 wood was most annoying.
richart
Major Champion
Only played 45 now.
Nice to see the courses we played H4H days on have moved up the rankings. West Hill has had a a nice rise. Surprised RCD, Royal St georges, Cinque Ports and Swinley have gone down. Sunningdale New should be ranked higher than Old. Better par 3's to start with.
Nice to see the courses we played H4H days on have moved up the rankings. West Hill has had a a nice rise. Surprised RCD, Royal St georges, Cinque Ports and Swinley have gone down. Sunningdale New should be ranked higher than Old. Better par 3's to start with.
Grant85
Head Pro
I don't get why St Andrews old course, has gone up and is now number 2 tbh.
Don't dispute that as an experience, it is top 3 and is a must play but as a course, test/design, challenge, visual appeal and conditioning and crossovers, some really poor holes in my eyes, just cant see why it is top 2, when compared to the other courses I have played on the list. But aren't opinions great
Saunton west and blairgowie and royal north devon are the big droppers. Was really looking forward to playing both Sauntons and RND next year, hope the three courses are still grand now they have dropped.
This is where the subjectivity comes into it.
Not played ToC, but I have walked it entirely one Sunday and spent plenty of hours just watching the 1st tee and 18th green. It is simply a spiritual experience to be there given the history of the site, the devotion of the town to Golf and that it has remained an Open venue with a broadly similar layout for all these years.
No doubt it is also marketed very cleverly as 'the home of golf' - but I think as a golfer and golf fan, the actual course is secondary to the experience, the atmosphere and the history of just being there. No doubt the golf is still hugely enjoyable, especially if you get the right conditions.
As I said, I wouldn't be bothered about ticking off all, or even many, of the Top 100 courses, but for me the Old Course is a must.
Bucket list to play it all 3 ways;
1. Get a tee time allocated from the annual application and plan a few days there months in advance
2. Get in through the ballot with a mate, 2 days in advance.
3. Turn up at 2:30am one summers morning, wait in the queue for the sun to rise over the town and get out with 3 random tourists!
D
Deleted member 21258
Guest
I get how it is a must play course 100% and I would say to anyone that you must play it, as an experience it is one of the best and totally get that D4S would want to go back. It is so special for the reasons you list. (ballot is a great way to get in on the off season, we got in on a Saturday first try in the off season, begin of nov, I was watching for a nice Sat forecast and get in first time. I also saw 3 groups who had got in more than twice over the few days I look for that week. So % chances must be high. Mats do need to be used but you can put your ball in the semi. During the two previous summer and in advance I had applied for many days and never got in)
These rankings are done on a points basis, which are quality of test and design (35%). Conditioning and presentation (30%), visual appeal, internally and externally (15%), club’s facilities and the overall visitor experience (each 10%).
On that basis it wouldn't be above a lot of the better courses I have played, as experience only counts for 10% and maybe visual appeal is 15%, so totally get why cabby used to say what he did about TOC.
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
This may be of interest to you based on the above. Yes, NO course is going to be top 100 based on 10% marks for the experience but this article may help people to understand why TOC is so highly regarded.
https://www.eigca.org/Article/EIGCA10889.ink
In particular, the 2nd section
The modern design style: Strategic Design
Take TOC to anywhere else in the world and it wouldn't make the top 100.....FACT !
Grant85
Head Pro
Fair enough if they do have a set criteria, then they can rank the courses on a reasonably consistent basis... however there is one criteria missing that is very important 'Desirability'.
Ultimately a lot of these other courses may well be immaculately maintained with well designed golf holes and beautiful surroundings, but a large number of people have heard very little about them and don't necessarily have huge desire to play them... certainly not to travel great distances and play them.
Grant85
Head Pro
I don't think anyone is disputing that.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
I will - it’s still a stunning and move it somewhere and it’s still a top ten course in the world
D
Deleted member 21258
Guest
Do you think hole crossovers, being able to play rubbish and play from a different fairway and lots of short playing holes, conditioning certainly not up there with the best, makes for a top ten course in the world ? I personally think no way
Grant85 I think has hit the nail on the head, TOC is very desired.
Anyway all the best
Of course it can't be disputed, it's a fact.
Liverbirdie
Ryder Cup Winner
Ah, so its subjective nonsense one minute, but now personal rankings are facts?
PNWokingham
Journeyman Pro
a made up list?? I suppose that differs from non made-up ones?
Qwerty
Tour Winner
If I’d travelled to somewhere like The west coast of Ireland to play a course ranked in the top 20 and had payed £200+ for the privilege, I’d be pretty annoyed and surprised if 5 of the holes had a similar featureless layout like
1,18,8,9,10 at TOC.
Top 20 - I’d be expecting 18 Good/Very Good, Strong Holes.
1,18 Well they are what they are..
8,9,10 If these are good golf holes Can someone please tell me what I’m missing because I couldn’t see it (I’ve played the course twice)
1,18,8,9,10 at TOC.
Top 20 - I’d be expecting 18 Good/Very Good, Strong Holes.
1,18 Well they are what they are..
8,9,10 If these are good golf holes Can someone please tell me what I’m missing because I couldn’t see it (I’ve played the course twice)
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FACT
You're a real stain aren't you.
If you were a golf course you'd be Maywood Golf Club - soon to be shut down
