Top 100 Courses feedback

[HomerJSimpson]

I'll answer that for you, yes I'm also sure about that. I've played a good few parkland courses this year in different parts of the country and all have been saturated at different times I've played.

Old Ranfurly - Renfrewshire - saturated - most months
Lochwinnoch - Renfrewshire - saturated - September
Kilmacolm - Renfrewshire - saturated - August
Renfrew - Renfrewshire - total bog - July

Millport - North Ayrshire - saturated - September

Rothesay - Argyll & Bute - saturated - May & August
The Carrick - Argyll & Bute - saturated

Bellisle - South Ayrshire - saturated - August

Letham Grange - Angus - should have worn welly boots - June

Craigmillar Park - L&B - soft as whoopsie - August

Dumfries & County - D&G - very wet under foot - April

Callander - Perthshire - wet but not the worst - May


I think its safe to say that almost if not EVERY inland course in Scotland has suffered this year with the horrendous rain fall we've had. I'm quite sure that they have all been shut this summer at some point.

I understand that Scotland has suffered but it is a poll inclusive of the British Isles and there are plenty on the GM 100 and a few from the the next 100 I might be temtped to squeeze in to the top list that haven't sufferedas badl and have been eminantly playable all year.

I grant that Scotland has a significant number of good courses may of which are great but will never make the top 100 but represent a test and value for money and that they have a large proportion of the GM top 100 but there needs to be some recognition of the fact that golf doesn't start and end north of hadrians wall

 

[Foxholer]

Jezz, what about St Anne's OL what would make it so far behind Hillside or Southport and Ainsdale?

Nice and all that it is - even with the aircraft noise next door, it just ain't as special as Hillside which I've played, and would rank in my top 10 or so, or what I've heard of S&A (which I haven't played). Formby, down the road a bit is right up there in the 'special' courses for me! I'd personally rate SAOL slightly below Leven, but there wouldn't be much in it - and it's only my opinion too! It did handle the biblical downpour we experienced, the first time I played it, rather better than the waterproof-less Pro we had in the party - who squelched in after 6!

 

[Ethan]

Golf Digest has just published its best courses in the US and the rest of the world. The criteria they use are interesting:

The Golf Digest Course Ranking Panel of more than 900 men and women evaluates courses on seven criteria, each on a scale of 1 (unacceptable) to 10 (absolutely perfect). The categories, which apply to America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses, America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses, and Best in State, are as follows:

1. SHOT VALUES
How well does the course pose risks and rewards and equally test length, accuracy and finesse?

2. RESISTANCE TO SCORING
How difficult, while still being fair, is the course for a scratch player from the back tees?

3. DESIGN VARIETY
How varied are the golf course's holes in differing lengths, configurations, hazard placements, green shapes and green contours?

4. MEMORABILITY
How well do the design features (tees, fairways, greens, hazards, vegetation and terrain) provide individuality to each hole, yet a collective continuity to the entire 18?

5. AESTHETICS
How well do the scenic values of the course (including landscaping, vegetation, water features and backdrops) add to the pleasure of a round?

6. CONDITIONING
How firm, fast and rolling were the fairways, and how firm yet receptive were the greens on the day you played the course?

7. AMBIENCE
How well does the overall feel and atmosphere of the course reflect or uphold the traditional values of the game?

ARRIVING AT THE FINAL SCORE
For each course, we total the average scores it gets in the seven categories (the scores in the Shot Values category count double).

You can find their lists here:

Outside the US:
http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2012-05/100-best-golf-courses-outside-us

US:
http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2011-05/100-greatest-golf-courses

 

[Bomber69]

Hey Noisy Boy, get that scretary on double time and get the list published,as I've got a spare couple of hours to digest your choices!!!!!

She will be on it first thing in the morning.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

One of the problems of this list is that in the year 2050 none of the top 100 courses will be available to the general public and so the lists will have no value at all.

D4S has probably played more of the top 100 courses than anyone else on this board but when he gives an honest opinion he is shot down by all the GM hangers on.
I have played about 25% of these courses and walked another 10%.
In my small opinion the list is just a load of tosh complied by a bunch freeloaders.
Make the compilers pay the full whack green fees and see the changes.

 

[Foxholer]

6. CONDITIONING
How firm, fast and rolling were the fairways, and how firm yet receptive were the greens on the day you played the course?

I'd disagree with the way that criterion was specified - both for fairways (definitely) and for greens (moderately). I'd reword it to differentiate between shots from fairway and rough and would have less emphasis on 'firm fast and rolling' - penalises tree-lined courses too much imo. 'Receptive greens' rather penalises most links courses too! Sounds like something you could actually get a machine to measure, something (Stimpmeter apart) I find detestable for golf course analysis/rating!

 

[FairwayDodger]

My list would be interesting since 95% of the GM list is out since I've never played them. Then I think I've only played one in England... so a wee north of the border bias may creep in....

FWIW here's the top ten I've played this year

1. Gullane #1
2. Gullane #2
3. Dunbar
4. Crail - Craighead
5. Crail - Balcombie
6. St Andrews - Dukes
7. Mortonhall
8. Pitlochry
9. Cathkin Braes
10. Royal Musselburgh

BTW - that includes all the links courses I've played this year and I don't think that's coincidental.

 

[pokerjoke]

Golf Digest has just published its best courses in the US and the rest of the world. The criteria they use are interesting:

The Golf Digest Course Ranking Panel of more than 900 men and women evaluates courses on seven criteria, each on a scale of 1 (unacceptable) to 10 (absolutely perfect). The categories, which apply to America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses, America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses, and Best in State, are as follows:

1. SHOT VALUES
How well does the course pose risks and rewards and equally test length, accuracy and finesse?

2. RESISTANCE TO SCORING
How difficult, while still being fair, is the course for a scratch player from the back tees?

3. DESIGN VARIETY
How varied are the golf course's holes in differing lengths, configurations, hazard placements, green shapes and green contours?

4. MEMORABILITY
How well do the design features (tees, fairways, greens, hazards, vegetation and terrain) provide individuality to each hole, yet a collective continuity to the entire 18?

5. AESTHETICS
How well do the scenic values of the course (including landscaping, vegetation, water features and backdrops) add to the pleasure of a round?

6. CONDITIONING
How firm, fast and rolling were the fairways, and how firm yet receptive were the greens on the day you played the course?

7. AMBIENCE
How well does the overall feel and atmosphere of the course reflect or uphold the traditional values of the game?

ARRIVING AT THE FINAL SCORE
For each course, we total the average scores it gets in the seven categories (the scores in the Shot Values category count double).

You can find their lists here:

Outside the US:
http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2012-05/100-best-golf-courses-outside-us

US:
http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2011-05/100-greatest-golf-courses

Thats the trouble with the US OF A always trying to be bigger and better than everyone else.

 

[thecraw]

Then allow me to retort, I agree that yes at times this year most parkland courses will have had periods where they were ridiculously wet; but to suggest, as bomber did, that the vast majority of the nations parkland courses were unplayable this year is utter rubbish.

I'd agree with you that the Budweiser did some talking last night however certainly most inland courses in Scotland will have been shut at some stage therefore making them unplayable.

 

[thecraw]

I understand that Scotland has suffered but it is a poll inclusive of the British Isles and there are plenty on the GM 100 and a few from the the next 100 I might be temtped to squeeze in to the top list that haven't sufferedas badl and have been eminantly playable all year.

I grant that Scotland has a significant number of good courses may of which are great but will never make the top 100 but represent a test and value for money and that they have a large proportion of the GM top 100 but there needs to be some recognition of the fact that golf doesn't start and end north of hadrians wall

Thanks for trying to educate me with a lesson in geography however the point I was making was that the vast majority of golf courses in inland Scotland will have suffered badly, very very badly with the weather this year. Even the links have suffered with the sea at Machrihanish coming up over the first fairway.

I wasn't trying to infer that Scotland has better courses as we all know that it does!


:cheers:

 

[Ethan]

Thats the trouble with the US OF A always trying to be bigger and better than everyone else.

No, it really isn't. That set of criteria, whether you agree with them or not, place more of an emphasis on the quality and design of the course, and are actually more traditional than many other rating systems.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I'd agree with you that the Budweiser did some talking last night however certainly most inland courses in Scotland will have been shut at some stage therefore making them unplayable.

Indeed. I played at Kirkcaldy today and one hole is out of action and another should have been as it was practically unplayable. I also had to drop out of casual water on another hole.... and it hasn't rained over the last two days.

 

[bozza]

After the weather we have had this year I find it hard to place parkland courses in the list as most will have been unplayable this year so surely this must have an impact on the ratings, no?

Not all parkland courses are poor at draining though

My home course Stressholme has only been shut about 4/5 days so far this year, which for a municiple course is amazing.

Yes it would never make it anywhere near the top 100 but it just go's to show it's not just links courses that can handle the bad weather.