Golf Course Rankings

A good walk spoiled…

The golf magazines try to make golf course rankings and “Top 100 Golf Courses” lists an “objective” art. They are based on a criteria for only low handicap players to understand. Then they apply the “nerd” filter: Is there a Biarritz green, a cape hole, a Redan, a “Tilly” this or “MacKenzie” that? Don’t get me wrong they do a decent job and it’s a factor in my rankings. It was also nice to read in the 2020 Issue 11 Golf Digest that they are adding a “fun” factor into the ranking along with some other modifications, but I don’t think you can remove personal subjectivity from rating any golf course. So with that said, here’s how my ratings work.

Wow Factor. Of course it’s much easier for seaside courses to offer this but any course any where can offer golf holes and a setting that you remember. Oh and big points off for housing developments. Conditioning plays a factor and is worth more points if a certain aspect of the conditioning creates a “Wow” factor like the greens at Oakmont and the waste areas at Pine Valley.

Fun Factor. I play golf to have fun. I don’t work on my game for hours on the range before and after every round. That’s work. I don’t play a course to get kicked in the nuts for 18 holes. That’s work, too, though just like skiing it is nice to say you took on and survived a monster. Is the course fun to play? Do the people and the setting complement the course?

Exotic Location. I’m from the center of the Northeast US megalopolis. The further you get from there and the harder it is to get to, the higher the ranking. Cape Kidnappers? Check. Pebble Beach? Check. Is this unfair for courses in the Northeast? Who cares, this is my ranking.

Exclusivity. It’s pretty cool to play hard-to-access courses. Studio 54 would’ve been a crappy disco if everyone could get in. Hosting a major (or other PGA Tour stop) helps.

Uniqueness. This works two ways. Did the course stand out from other courses? Were the holes unique so you didn’t feel like you were playing the same hole over and over again?

Then there’s my buddy’s, Johnny Cocktails’, 30-point ranking system: 10 points for access to booze. 10 points for hotness of cart girls. 10 points for quality of golf course. I don’t go that far (though I do like it) but certainly the atmosphere of the clubhouse, the ability to enjoy a cold Miller Lite, screwdriver or Bloody Mary on the course, grill room, etc., is worth some points in my book.

The Top 200 Golf Courses (IMO)

  1. Cape Kidnappers – Hawke’s Bay – NZ
  2. St. Andrews: Old Course – St. Andrews, Scotland – UK
  3. Pebble Beach – Pebble Beach, CA – US
  4. Pine Valley – Pine Valley, NJ – US
  5. Royal County Down – Newcastle, North Ireland – UK
  6. Royal Troon – Troon, Scotland – UK
  7. Oakmont – Oakmont, PA – US
  8. New South Wales – Sydney, NSW – AUSTRALIA
  9. Pacific Dunes – Bandon, OR – US
  10. National Golf Links – Southampton, NY – US
  11. Noordwijkse – Noordwijk – NETHERLANDS
  12. Cabot Cliffs – Inverness, NS – CAN
  13. Royal Portrush (Dunluce) – Portrush, North Ireland – UK
  14. Merion (East) – Ardmore, PA – US
  15. Carnoustie – Carnoustie, Scotland – UK
  16. Oakland Hills – Bloomfield Hills, MI – US
  17. Kiawah Ocean Course – Kiawah, SC – US
  18. Riviera – Pacific Palisades, CA – US
  19. Whistling Straits – Sheboygan, WI – US
  20. Ardglass Golf Club – Ardglass, North Ireland – UK
  21. Prestwick Golf Club – Prestwick, Scotland – UK
  22. Tenby Golf Club – Tenby, Wales – UK
  23. Portmarnock – Portmarnock – IE
  24. Kapalua Plantation – Lahaina, HI – US
  25. Manele – Lana’i, HI – US
  26. Bandon Dunes – Bandon, OR – US
  27. Royal Melbourne – Black Rock, VIC – AUSTRALIA
  28. Kingsbarns Golf Links – St. Andrews, Scotland – UK
  29. Baltusrol (Lower) – Springfield, NJ – US
  30. Winged Foot (West) – Mamaroneck, NY – US
  31. Falsterbo Golfklubb – Falsterbo – SWE
  32. Arcadia Bluffs – Arcadia, MI – US
  33. Shoal Creek – Shoal Creek, AL – US
  34. Shadow Creek – North Las Vegas, NV – US
  35. Harbourtown – Hilton Head Island, SC – US
  36. Torrey Pines (South) – La Jolla, CA – US
  37. Alcaidesa (Links) – Costa Del Sol – ESP
  38. TPC Sawgrass – Ponte Vedra Beach, CA -US
  39. Colonial – Fort Worth, TX – US
  40. Ohoopee Match Club – Cobbtown, GA – US
  41. Forest Highlands (Canyon) – Flagstaff, AZ – US
  42. Olympia Fields – Olympia Fields, IL – US
  43. Cabot Links – Inverness, NS – CAN
  44. Quechee Club (Highlands) – Quechee, VT – US
  45. Bellerive – St. Louis, MO – US
  46. Spyglass Hill – Pebble Beach, CA – US
  47. Trump National (Los Angeles) – Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA – US
  48. Muskoka Bay – Gravenhurst, ON – CAN
  49. Crooked Stick – Carmel, IN – US
  50. Desert Forest – Carefree, AZ – US
  51. Sahalee – Sammamish, WA – US
  52. Sea Island Resort (Seaside) – St. Simon’s Island, GA – US
  53. White Witch – Rose Hall, St. James – JAI
  54. Liberty National – Jersey City, NJ – US
  55. Robert Trent Jones – Lake Manassas, VA – US
  56. Old MacDonald – Bandon, OR – US
  57. Pinehurst (No. 2) – Pinehurst, NC – US
  58. Congressional Country Club (Blue) – Bethesda, MD – US
  59. Troon North (Monument) – Scottsdale, AZ – US
  60. Kinloch – Manakin-Sabot, VA – US
  61. Golf Club of Tennessee – Kingston Springs, TN – US
  62. Erin Hills Golf Course – Hartford, WI – US
  63. Homestead (Cascades) – Hot Springs, VA – US
  64. The Rim – Payson, AZ – US
  65. Streamsong (Red) – Streamsong, FL – US
  66. Vale do Lobo (Ocean) – Algarve – POR
  67. St. Andrews: Castle Course – St. Andrews, Scotland – UK
  68. Black Desert Resort – Ivins, UT – US
  69. Firestone (South) – Akron, OH – US
  70. Galloway National – Galloway Twp., NJ – US
  71. Streamsong (Blue) – Streamsong, FL – US
  72. Sherwood – Thousand Oaks, CA – US
  73. The Ridge at Back Brook – East Amwell, NJ – US
  74. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro) – Fort McDowell, AZ – US
  75. Bandon Trails – Bandon, OR – US
  76. Bethpage (Black) – Farmingdale, NY – US
  77. Bayonne – Bayonne, NJ – US
  78. Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon) – Flourtown, PA – US
  79. Aronimink Golf Club – Newtown Square, PA – US
  80. Valhalla Golf Club – Louisville, KY – US
  81. Lost Rail Golf Club – Gretna, NE – US
  82. Hazeltine National – Chaska, MN – US
  83. Wynn Golf Club – Las Vegas, NV – US
  84. Cape Breton Highlands – Ingonish, NS – CAN
  85. Cascata – Boulder City, NV – US
  86. Ko’olau – Kaneohe, HI – US
  87. Links at Spanish Bay – Pebble Beach, CA – US
  88. Victoria National – Newburgh, IN – US
  89. La Iguana – Playa Herradura – CR
  90. Quaker Ridge – Scarsdale, NY – US
  91. Somerset Hills Country Club – Bernardsville, NJ – US
  92. Wilderness Club – Eureka, MT – US
  93. Hollywood Golf Club – Deal, NJ – US
  94. California Golf Club – North San Francisco, CA – US
  95. Ozarks National – Hollister, MO – US
  96. Pinehurst #10 – Aberdeen, NC – US
  97. Sanctuary – Sedalia, CO – US
  98. Bel-Air – Bel Air, CA – US
  99. Butler National – Oak Brook, IL – US
  100. Dallas National – Dallas, TX – US
  101. Chambers Bay – University Place, WA – US
  102. GrayBull Club – Maxwell, NE – US
  103. Spanish Oaks – Bee Cave, TX – US
  104. Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort – French Lick, IN – US
  105. Black Diamond Ranch (Quarry) – Lecanto, FL – US
  106. Pelican Hill (Ocean South) – Newport Coast, CA – US
  107. Atlantic City Country Club – Northfield, NJ – US
  108. Pronghorn Club (Fazio) – Bend, OR – US
  109. Sand Valley – Nekoosa, WI – US
  110. The Concession Golf Club – Bradenton, FL -US
  111. Pelican Hill Golf Club: Ocean North – Newport Coast, CA – US
  112. Colorado Golf Club – Parker, CO – US
  113. The Bear’s Club – Jupiter, FL – US
  114. Half Moon Bay Golf Links: Ocean Course – Half Moon Bay, CA – US
  115. Congressional Country Club: Gold Course – Bethesda, MD – US
  116. Ocean Club – Paradise Island – BAH
  117. Fallen Oak Golf Club – Saucier, MS – US
  118. Blackwolf Run: River Course – Kohler, WI – US
  119. Troon North Golf Club: Pinnacle Course – Scottsdale, AZ – US
  120. El Camaleon Golf Club at Mayakoba Resort – Playa del Carmen – MEX
  121. Laurel Valley Golf Club – Ligonier, PA – US
  122. Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club – Sandia Park, NM – US
  123. The Broadmoor Golf Club: East Course – Colorado Springs, CO – US
  124. Garden City Golf Club – Garden City, NY – US
  125. Barton Creek: Fazio Foothills – Austin, TX – US
  126. Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course: North – La Jolla, CA – US
  127. Red Sky Ranch Golf Club: Fazio Course – Wolcott, CO – US
  128. Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club – Ocala, FL – US
  129. Hamilton Farm Golf Club – Gladstone, NJ – US
  130. Mammoth Dunes – Hartford, WI – US
  131. Golden Horseshoe Golf Club: Gold Course – Williamsburg, VA – US
  132. Barton Creek: Fazio Canyons – Austin, TX – US
  133. Apogee Golf Club (West Course) – Indiantown, FL – US
  134. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club – Myrtle Beach, FL – US
  135. Trump National Washington DC: Championship Course – Sterling, VA – US
  136. Commonwealth National Golf Club – Horsham, PA – US
  137. Kapalua Bay Course – Lahaina, HI – US
  138. Hidden Creek Golf Club – Egg Harbor Twp., NJ – US
  139. Gut Altentann Golf & Country Club – Henndorf am Wallersee – Austria
  140. The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge – Snoqualmie, WA – US
  141. Lancaster Country Club – Lancaster, PA – US
  142. Country Club of Vermont – Waterbury Center, VT – US
  143. Greenbrier: TPC Old White – White Sulpher Springs, WV – US
  144. The Country Club of Florida – Village of Golf, FL – US
  145. Quail Valley Golf Club – Vero Beach, FL – US
  146. Camp Creek Golf Club – Inlet Beach, FL – US
  147. Huntsville Golf Club – Dallas, PA – US
  148. Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point – Bronx, NY – US
  149. Metedeconk National Golf Club – Jackson, NJ – US
  150. Lookaway Golf Club – Buckingham, PA – US
  151. Pronghorn Club (Nicklaus) – Bend, OR – US
  152. Cherokee Town & Country Club (North) – Atlanta, GA – US
  153. Indian Wells Players Course – Indian Wells, CA – US
  154. Reflection Bay Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas Resort – Henderson, NV – US
  155. Cinnamon Hill Golf Course – Rose Hall, St. James – JAI
  156. Whistling Straits: Irish Course – Kohler, WI – US
  157. Red Sky Ranch Golf Club: Norman Course – Wolcott, CO – US
  158. Cabot Citrus Farms: Karoo Course – Brooksville, FL – US
  159. Sand Hollow Resort (Championship Course) – Hurricane, UT – US
  160. Longboat Key Club: Harbourside Blue Heron & Red Hawk – Longboat Key, FL – US
  161. Salish Cliffs Golf Club – Shelton, WA – US
  162. Streamsong Resort: Black Course – Streamsong, FL – US
  163. Doral Golf Resort & Spa: Blue Course – Miami, FL – US
  164. Cabot Citrus Farms: Roost Course – Brooksville, FL – US
  165. Tierra Del Sol Resort & Country Club – Oranjestad – ARU
  166. Bay Hill Country Club – Orlando, FL – US
  167. TPC Scottsdale – Stadium Course – Scottsdale, AZ – US
  168. The Boulders Golf Club: South Course – Carefree, AZ – US
  169. Stewart Creek Golf & Country Club – Canmore, AB – CAN
  170. The Golf Course at Gray’s Landing – Truckee, CA – US
  171. Karlstejn Golf Resort – Liten – CZ
  172. Wilshire Country Club – Los Angeles, CA – US
  173. Lochenheath Golf Club – Williamsburg, MI – US
  174. Forest Creek Golf Club: South Course – McNeill, NC – US
  175. Forest Creek Golf Club: North Course – McNeill, NC – US
  176. Huntingdon Valley Country Club – Huntingdon Valley, PA – US
  177. Capitol Hill Judge Course – Prattville, AL – US
  178. Payne’s Valley – Hollister, MO – US
  179. Pound Ridge Golf Club – Pound Ridge, NY – US
  180. Greenbrier Sporting Club: The Snead – White Sulpher Springs, WV – US
  181. The Pfau Course at Indiana Unversity – Bloomington, IN – US
  182. Moselem Springs Golf Club – Fleetwood, PA – US
  183. Country Club of Scranton – Clark’s Summit, PA – US
  184. TPC Jasna Polana – Princeton, NJ – US
  185. Pinehurst No. 8 – Pinehurst, NC – US
  186. Maridoe Golf Club – Carrollton, TX – US
  187. Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club – St. George, UT – US
  188. Barefoot Resort & Golf: Love Course – North Myrtle Beach, SC – US
  189. Cog Hill #4 Dubsdread – LeMont, IL – US
  190. Quintero – Peoria, AZ – US
  191. Cambrian Ridge – Sherling/Canyon – Greenville, AL – US
  192. Sugarbush Golf Club – Warren, VT – US
  193. Stonewall – Elverson, PA – US
  194. Baltimore Country Club: Five Farms East Course – Lutherville Timonium, MD – US
  195. ArborLinks – Nebraska City, NE – US
  196. Richland Golf Club – Nashville, TN – US
  197. The River Club – Suwanee, GA – US
  198. Pinehurst No. 4 – Pinehurst, NC – US
  199. Pine Tree Golf Club – Boynton Beach, FL – US
  200. White Manor Country Club – Malvern, PA – US