Ranking Objective & Process
The objective of
Top 100 Golf Courses is to
curate the most respected rankings for local, regional, national
and global areas. Our editorial team and panellists are
well-educated, considered, and exceptionally well-travelled.
We don’t believe golf courses can be distilled into a
statistical score, so whilst we issue Ranking Guidance, it is
not a prescriptive set of criteria for one to score.
Once the rankings are submitted and relative positions collated,
a core group will check for anomalies, biases or anything else
that looks out of place.
We believe we have one of the strongest and well-informed
panels, and we trust you to draw your own conclusions.
Ranking Guidance for Panellists
Top 100 Golf Courses champions strategic golf. Strategic golf is
varied, interesting, engaging golf that asks questions answered
by different golfers in different ways.
We do not believe it’s possible to take all emotion, personal
preference, and subjectivity out of a ranking, nor should we
excessively try to do so.
That is why we issue guidance rather than criteria. We strive to
ensure our rankings are well-considered, devoid of bias and
reward the courses you’d like to visit time and time again.
Our 5 main points of guidance are:
- Golf Course Architecture
- Strategic Challenge
- Variety
- Consistency of Calibre
- Golf Course & Land Management
1 – Golf Course Architecture
Sound golf course architecture is not easily distilled into a
few words, especially when applied to golf courses around the
entire planet. Golf courses are built to suit different
objectives, budgets, landscapes, and climates.
It is the remit of our panellists to distil the great courses
and truly consider their architectural merit. The first three
fundamental principles of golf course architecture are:
- Routing
- Green Complexes
- Use of Landscape
Routing – a major aspect of
routing that should be considered is walkability. For example,
the distance between the greens and tees. Are you walking
forward and traversing the full extent of the site? Long walks
and steep climbs can be indicators of an unimaginative routing
that should be avoided, if possible, to do so. If a golf course
is well-routed in exceptionally difficult terrain, this should
be considered a positive.
Superb examples of exceptional routings are The Old Course in St
Andrews and Muirfield. The Old Course is a classic out-and-back
layout. This routing, in a typical long and narrow links land
environment, works as well now as it ever did. Muirfield
contrasts nicely with concentric loops, taking advantage of the
elevated land, making every hole different with a perennial
wind.
Green Complexes – The green
complex includes the immediate approach, greenside hazards
(including bunkers, run-offs, swales, etc.) as well as the
putting surface itself.
Green complexes should be drivers of strategic play. For
example, does the green complex reward approaching it from a
certain distance or angle? Or is it easily approached from any
angle? Are the putting surfaces surrounded by long grasses? Or
is there an opportunity for creative recovery by all classes of
players?
Green speed is not the be-all and end-all. Chasing green speed
should never come at the expense of contours. However, greens
should be full of character, interest, and challenge without
being contrived.
Use of Landscape – Landscapes
used for golf come in many forms. There are many examples of
ideal, natural links but there are also incredible parkland
layouts. Compelling golf can be found using minimalist routings
on natural land but also can be feats of engineering on
otherwise ill-suited landscapes.
Identifying great features and incorporating them into the golf
course should be rewarded. However, often subtlety and restraint
can win out. Many fine golf courses use subdued natural contours
on the playing surfaces, and larger landforms are used
effectively in the routing. Rye and Seminole are two links golf
courses that use a dune system to great effect in both similar
and opposing ways. Does the golf course get everything from its
great features? Or are they squandered on just a shot or perhaps
a hole or two?
2 – Strategic Challenge
We do not reward courses that are simply difficult. Any course
can be made nearly unplayable by lengthening the holes,
narrowing the fairways and juicing up the rough. Penal golf,
where restrictive and attritional, is not favoured. This makes
it slightly more difficult for the very best players but nearly
impossible for the weaker or even average player. It limits
choices, options, and decision making, which are the fundamental
principles of strategic golf.
Golf courses that are playable but enjoyable for the weaker
player, whilst providing a thorough test for the elite player,
are elevated. They should provide options and encourage the
player to make choices. A course that dictates the required shot
and only tests execution should not fare as well as one where
there are multiple routes to the hole, and it is up to the
player who must plot their route. Width is almost always a
factor in having multiple routes and, therefore options.
3 – Variety in Play & Presentation
The golf course precipitates play, exercising the broadest range
of skills in a player. Rather than facing the monotony of the
same hole or shot type, the fascination comes from the widest
variety of shots. A varied test should require almost every club
in the bag and shot in the golfer’s arsenal.
Whilst related to Routing, holes should vary concerning length,
direction, style, and challenges. Are all the bunkers uniform?
Or are they similar in size, style, depth, and shape? How many
different shot types are required to extricate oneself from
trouble? Is driver required on every hole with the sole
exception being the one-shot holes?
4 – Consistency
Consistency here refers to the quality and consistency of both
the individual holes and the golf course as a whole. Is a gentle
opener just an introduction to dull holes before the clubhouse
and the best golf? Conversely, do you hit the highest notes
before running out of steam prematurely?
Balance though is required; a consistent course doesn’t need to
be 18 holes of ‘crescendo’. There can be ebb and flow, sometimes
referred to as compression and release. The very best courses
have inspiring and interesting holes offset by quieter holes in
the round. The quieter holes, however, must still have
architectural merit. The Old Course at St Andrew's has some of
the best one, two and three-shot holes on a single set or nine
holes anywhere – being the 11th, 14th and 17th respectively.
However, holes 2 through 6 stand as some of the best examples of
‘quieter holes’ of outstanding architectural merit.
Green complexes should be of consistent style in as much it
should be difficult to notice where new greens have been built
or altered over time. Whilst not confused with monotony, there
should be an overall unity to the holes making up the course.
5 – Golf Course and Land Management
Conditioning does not refer to day-to-day presentation or even
the lushness of the turf. Rather, we are interested primarily in
the presentation and management of the land and golf course over
time.
For example, are the mowing lines contributing factors towards
the Strategic Challenge? Is the rough well maintained, or has it
been left unchecked? Long rough is not always negative, so long
as it allows one to find and advance the ball without too much
bother. Nearly always would thin and wispy rough would be
preferred to lush, dense grass.
Are the gorse and trees managed to avoid encroaching upon play?
Do the playing corridors allow specimens to stand out, perhaps
even using them as part of the strategy? The 18th at Pebble
Beach may be used as an example.
True greens that run pure are more highly regarded than simply
rapid surfaces. Firm and fast conditions that encourage running
golf are preferred to soft ground that rewards aerial or target
golf.
Aspects Excluded
At Top 100 Golf Courses, it is the golf course we rank rather
than the experience. A golf club’s perceived exclusivity,
clubhouse amenities, or level of service should not be
considered as part of the golf course’s position in the ranking.
Some inflate the position of a mediocre golf course in a
beautiful setting, but we resist the temptation. Conversely, we
must also not be biased against great golf in a
less-than-inspired location. Carnoustie may be a good example of
this.
