, II - -, - The man behind the original world's Top 100 list shines a light on some of the layouts ignored by his creation OU'l' OF '1'11 F:

By George Peper

42 UNKSmagazine.com Twenty-seven years ago, while ed1tor-ln-ch1ef of Magazine, I perpetrated somethlngcalled the 'Top 100 Courses in the World.' For that mistake, and everything It has wrought, I am deeply and eternally SORRY. Hey, it seemed like a good idea al the lime. The maga- This wretched excess wo uld be harmless if not for two zine got great publicity and sold more ads and copies, and problems. Fi rst, the lists are inherentl y flawed. No matter I was proud of our biennial list, the fi rst to rank courses how ex perienced and knowledgeable. a selection panel will from one to 100. Over time, however, I came to realize I'd not-

MARCH 2006 UNKSmagazine.oom 45 No matter how experienced stipulation that they may nol vOle for their own courses, and bUI I'm not s u~ that does the whole job. knowJedgeable, My suspicion always has been that competitive instinct a selection panel will not- compels architects to give low grades to each other's courses, to the benefit of , Alister Macken- CANNOT zie, el aI., who are not competitors for contracts. Nick- get the ratings right. laus once asked me why more of his courses weren't on the list. (A t the lime, he didn't realize his votes for his own courses didn't count.) "It's partly because we have people like you on the panel," I replied. The GOLF panel also includes public relations execs, resort owners, tour operators, photographers, writers and others with close to courses. The last I kn ew, all these conflict-or-interest votes counted. I have little knowledge of the Golf Digest panel, except that it includes more than 800 low- golfers, whose identities, unlike GOLFs panelists, are kept anonymous. With a group that size, some raters inevi tably will be more knowledgeable and responsible than others. I'm also not sure whether all low handicappers may ~ able to judge the capacity of a course to be enjoyed by all levels of player. But the aspect I've always questioned is their ultra-anal tost Underrated grading S)'$tcm. Whertas GOLF simpl y asks panelists to rate Courses In Great Britain and Ireland each course from A to F, using his or her own definition of great ness, Golf Digest requires a grade from one to 10 1. CARNE GOLF LINKS, Came, lrelaod in eight different categories. I can assure you that giving There's no more exhilarating finish in golf. even a single mark 10 several hu ndred courses requires a 2. THE ISLAND GOLF CLUB, Donabate, Irela nd fair amount of concentration. I can't imagine filling in Rugged beauty in serene Isolation by the Irish Sea. several thousand boxes, at least not with any sustained diligence and accuracy. THE MACHRIE GOLF LINKS, Isle of Islay, 3. It's no wonder the rankings are a source of constant con- Well worth f!!rIery minute of the two-hour ferry ride. sternation to the magazines. Over the last two decades Golf 4. RYE GOLF CLUB, Rye, En~aod Digest has tweaked its methodology more often than Katie A splendid anachronism-nothing has changed in a century. Couric has changed her hairdo, and GOLF quietly began a wholesale re-evaluation of its ranking system recently. ROYAL PORTHCAWL GOLF CLUB, Porthcawl, Wales 5. The second weakness of the rankings is more impor- site that brought TIger to his knees. tant. The magic number-lOO-is simply too small. There 6. ST. ANDREWS (New) , Sl Andrews, Scotland are more than 30,000 courses in the world; to celebrate The fairest test in the Auld Grey loon. only 100 is ludicrous. Hell, there are 100 great courses within a three-hour drive of Manhattan! FORMBY GOLF CLUB, Formby, En~and 7. As a consequence, countless courses have gone without links and heath land in perfect harmony. the recognition they deserve. I'd like to repair the mess 8. ROYAL GOLF CLUB, Abe"'een, Scotland I've made, but 1 don't really see a solution. I could rank the The front nine is as good as Imks golf gets. 100 most underrated courses, but the moment that list was published, those would no longer be the 100 most ST. ENODOC GOLF CLUB, Rock, En~and 9. underrated. All I ca n do is try to figure out why some i A must-see, for the Himalaya Bunker alone. ! deserving courses miss out, and give a kiss to a few of the I 10. DOWNFlElD GOLF CLUB, Dundee, Scotland fairest bridesmaids. It's Dundee, but you'd swear It's Colorado or Carolina. I can think of six reasons that great courses are ignored. I -G.P. The firs t three, as in real estate, involve location. I

MARCH 2006 Egoma.n1acal developers now say, 'Build Top 100 me a course, In the Middle of Nowhere no matter what It costs.' On the most recent rankings, only 30 slates are represented on GOLF's "Top 100 Courses in the U.$." list (a companion to its world rankings). and 33 on the Golf Digest list. You could argue effectively thai the best courses happen to be in those stales, but it's also true that unless induced by a big-name designer or a brilliant marketing campaign, course raters are not inclined to travel beyond cell-phone netwo rks. Courses such as The Unks of North Dakota thus have an uphill fight. But those who make it to this distant outpost are rewarded. Though it's not a true links, the windswept fa irways and prairie-grass rough make for a reasonable fuc- simile. And while renowned Sand Hills may be more serene, the views here-overlooking Lake Sakakawea-are better. Few places in North America are more remote than the north shore of Prince Edward Island. where The links at Crowbush Cove unfolds on a range of seaside dunes. Nearby Highland Links has gotten all the a ttention, including a berth on GOLF's list. but this 12-year-old Thomas McBroom design is in better condition and has earned the loyalty of the locals. The Ovenated There are more reasons to go Cooperstown, New York, Courses in the World than the National Baseball Hall of Fame. One is Leather- & C.C. (No. 2), P;neh,m, N.C. stocking, a 1909 Devereux Emmet design. The -5 18th. 1. Sorry. those greens are borderline Goofy Golf. a classic Cape hole with an island tee and a green back- dropped by the Otesaga Hotel ve randah, alone is worth the 2. ROYAL MELBOURNE G.C. (Composite), M.bOIIme, Ail""U, trip. A1so in upstate New York, check out The Sagamore, The ranked course is a composite of two ISs that no one plays. one of the most scenic Ross courses this side of Dornoch. 3. (Composite), BrookHne, Mass. Mesquite. Nevada, may not sound like a place you'd Same situation-a composite used only for major tournaments. want to visit, but after seeing Wolf Creek, you may not GOLF CLUB, G,lIane, Scotland want to leave. Set high above the desert Ooor in a theater 4. A fine, straightforward test of championship ~- of red-rock canyons, teeming waterfalls and glistening and utterty charmless. creeks. it is breathtaking in every sense. But bring your A (Lower), Springfield, NJ . game-from the back tees the Slope Rating is 154, the 5. America's Muirfield. third highest in the country. Then there is Black Mesa, whose name is almost as 6. AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB, A,g,sta, Ga. forbidding as its location: 5,400 feet up in the mountains If it's so great, why do they change it fNery yeaI'? north of Santa Fe. New Mexico. It is one of the more spec- 7. PINE VALLEY GOLF CLUB, Pine Valley, NJ. tacular courses anywhere, with holes climbing, diving and Superb, but not No. I-too many holes where weaving through massive sandstone formations. With no you don't see a tee shot land. sign of civilization o ther than the clubhouse. Black Mesa ROYAL GOLF CLUB, T.. on, Scotland can look like the moon. but the golf is heavenly. S. Six dull holes-six interesting holes-six dull holes. I A few years ago financiers Charles Schwab and George j Roberts decided they wanted a very private playground. On 9. , ''"' Beach, Aa. the Big Island of Hawaii they found a tract of land at the Elite membership, world-class locker roo m, typical Florida golf course. I foot of a volcano overlooking the Pacific. then gave David I Mclay Kidd an unlimited budgel. The result is Nanea- 10. THE , Straffan, Ireland I few panelists have .seen it, but those who have are raving. Dublin meets Doral. -G.p.

MARCH 2006 Wrong Side of the Tracks The aforementioned Lo ng Island courses are all fine layouts, In the Shadow of a Titan set on the sandy soil that has long been regarded as ideal for Golfe rs visit St. Andrews for one rnson and o nl y o ne n:a· golf, but let's be honest: There's also a Gatsby factor. son: the Old Course. Among locals. however, the Old Andrew Carnegie called golf "the natural adjunct of high isn't even the" ~ t in town. That distinction goes to the civilization," and civilization doesn't get much higher than in New Course, all but ignored by visito rs and raters. If the the Hamptons, Westchester County, N.Y., Philadel phia's Main New were in any other village in Scotland. it would sure· Line, Hobe Sound, Fla., and Pebble Beach, all areas that sport ly ran k among the to p co urses in the world. lofty representatives on the Top 100 lists. Col/Digest, after all, In Californ ia, where" Pebble Beach and Cypress Point ca­ has always rated "tradition" and "ambianct" highly. tainly merit their high rankings, golf cognos«:nti and UNKS The frightfully posh spots always have had an advantage readers know all about their gem of a neighbor. Monterey over places like Las Vegas. Unless you're Steve Wyn n and Peninsula's Shore Course. profiled in the Januaryl willing to spend 550 million, your casino course isn't like- February issue. Hut how can this masterful redesign by the ly to crack anyone's To p 100. late Mike" Sira ntz be excluded from the lists? Over the past two decades, as Vegas has expanded well Up the coast, a magnificent public la)'Out has resided just beyond The Strip, several excellent courses have sprouted- across from the venerable and to widespread critical indifference, But Reflection Bay Golf Club. I hope newly resto red Harding deserves a look, as do Rio Secco and Southern Highlands. Park, having hosted a successfu l tour event (t he 2005 Atlantic City fights a similar stig ma: an image borne: of WGC-America n Ex press Championship), will take its gambli ng and exace:rbated by "The Sopranos." Galloway ri ghtful place in someone's To p 100. National has wo n just acclaim , but a pair of aces remains Ac ross the country in t he Hamptons, the great tri- un played- visually arresting Shore Ga te and Atlantic umvirate of Shinnecock. National and Maidstone has bttn City Counhy Club. joined with great fa nfa re by Atlantic, The Bridge and Despite giving us songs like "Mama Get The Hammer, Friar's Head. All a re exclusive cl ubs. Meanwhile, on the There's A Fl y On Pa pa's Head" and "I Can't Get Over You very tip of Lo ng Island, the marvelous muni Montauk Till You Get O ut Fro m Unde rneath Him," Nashville has Downs sits on a wi nd-whipped stretch with views of where failed to attract attention from panelists. But between shows the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound meet. A reno- al the Grand Ole Opry, by all means play The Hermitage vation by Rees Jo nes is afoot and perha ps will bring o r GreyStone, perennial host to the men's and ",'omen's Montauk the recognitio n it has always deserved. state championshi ps. In Flo rida, o ne of the most overrated courses in the world, Seminole, is just minutes fro m one of the most underrated: Pine Tree, a test of strategy and ball control Initial that you appreciate more every time you play it. New top-of-the-line private clubs still seek exclusivity. They do it Even if a course is not featured in the national publications, an called it "the best course in the South," and differently than their older brethren. by actively pursuing panelists. influential ~up of design junkies, many of whom are panelists. wro te in the guest book, "The best course I've ever seen." That's because they need members to recoup the millions Qu ickly tra ck down new layouts and offer their opinions. Still. In my humble view, Pinehurst No.2 is a defi nite sec- spent building the course. Creating a national "buzz" equates to despite the amount of information available, it is possible for a ond to its younger siblings, 4, 7 and 8, no t to mention two prestige that attracts members. That usually means opening up bona fide hidden gem to slip pa st the ever-widening net contemporaries down the road, Pine Needles and Mid the curtain just enough to joumalists and panelists. 'There are definitely courses that are OYerlooked; says architect Pines, where you can enjoy the Ross experience o n gTttns -Ratings are like liquid gold; says Pat Norton of Norton Com­ Tom Ooalt "Most attention ~ to the top five or 10 architects. that aren't nearl y as silly. munications. a public relations company for several clubs, includ, For any other architect, odds are 5O-SO they wi ll be OYerloo+led." The SOO-pound gorilla in Northern Michigan is Crystal ing long Island's Sebonack, wh ich already has attracted national No matter the approach. it's safe to S8'/ geography is no longer Downs, and the many courses that have sprung up around I publicity before its planned opening later this year. "Sometimes a factor in whether a great new course- public or private- receives it have had a tough act to follow. But one with the right I owners are in a panic to get raters there as soon as the grass is attention. 'There's a lot of competition these days to build the • pedigree is the Kingsley Club, a minimalist design whose in. before the course is ready. That can actually end up undermin­ next ~eat hidden gem; says Doak. "People are doing it on a architect, Mike DeVries. grew up playing Crystal Downs. It's ing membership efforts. if the course doesn't make the rankings: pretty regu lar basis: only four years old. but seems destined to move up the charts.. A hopeful dub may host a charity outing with celebrities and In fact, remoteness has become such a publicity tool that to Another throwback is Tom Weiskopfs Forest Dunes, where pros. or even a tour event The PGA Tour is a tough entry, but there's find a true hidden gem, ~u have to look past the courses that the Pine Val ley-like inward nine is equal to his finest work I• always the "Silly Season; the Champions Tour and the LPGA Tour. give themselves that label. - David Barrett I I at Troon North in Arizona and Loch Lo mond in Scotland. I S2 UNK.SrrIagaMe.com MARCH 2006 MARCH 2006 The Garbo Factor Creek on Long Island and The Country Wannamolsett in Rhode Island. a ter- While most courses work hard- and Club of Fairfield in Connecticut might rific test of driving with artfu l bunker- some become obnoxiously aggressive- be more highl y regarded had they been ing and IS engaging green complexes- in pursuit of a Top 100 berth. a few just more open to paneliSlS. Bul since they but with a par of 69. Ditto cypress-lined want to be left alone. They'd rather be don', like publicity, I'll just leave it at that. Uncoln Park, one of the sites of the San underrated than overrun. Fishers Island Francisco City Championships. with cap- didn't succeed in its quest for obscurity Size Matters tivating views of the . beca~ it was too good to be ignored. but There seems 10 be a bias against cours- It will never make anyone's list because I wonder whether the enthralling cours- es that literall y don't measure up. How it's a 5, 149-yard par 6S . In Michigan, es at Deepdale, Piping Rock and The else to explai n the oversight of Ross' there's The Dunes Club. For a while it was on the GOLF list, but no longer. America J BetJtl Why? Probably because it's a nine-holer. T~n R~a.wn

Sol UNKSrnag.!mne.com MARCH 2006