It all started with an innocent gift. Christmas, 2007, was the beginning of the quest. Scott, one of our three sons, saw a display board in Golf Digest that listed the Top 100 Public Courses in the United States. In looking over the list, he noticed that my wife Marilyn and I had played several of these courses. If I remember correctly, I had played 17 of that year’s top 100. Although it was a nice gift, I was wondering what he was thinking. I knew that I would most likely not play too many more courses on this list. Scott thought otherwise as he encouraged us to start playing more of them as our schedule would allow.
Now, 12 years later, we have been fortunate to have played every course from not only this Top 100 ranking, but all eight of the Top 100 Rankings since 2003. This brought the total courses played to 194. This may seem a bit strange, but you have to keep in mind that the magazine updates its list every two years and new courses are always added. This blog is about the journey from 17 courses to the now current total of 204. Since the first list in 2003 to the latest in 2019, Golf Digest has included 213 different courses in their rankings. From this total, two courses have closed and seven others have become private clubs. That leaves 204 courses to be played. If past trends hold true, there will be approximately 10 new courses added in each new ranking. The least number of new courses added was in 2007 with seven, and the most was twenty two in 2009. The past three rankings, 2013, 2015 and 2017, all added ten new courses. The latest 2019 list added 13 new courses but three were previously ranked so that again means that 10 courses were added that were never before ranked.
Fortunately for me, there are fewer new courses being built and this has slowed down the addition of new courses that have not been previously included. Achieving the original goal of playing all 194 courses has been a most joyful experience. Traveling the United States with my wife, who loves playing almost as much as I, seeing new territory, meeting new people and comparing the great courses built by so many outstanding architects has been a dream come true. Planning the next trip and the one beyond keeps the joy and excitement never ending.
I have been told by more than one golf junkie that I am living their dream. I hope that by sharing some of our experiences and trips, both short and extended, you may also be able to begin your quest to see this great country and to play many of the outstanding golf courses that are available to all. I would surmise though, that anyone wanting to play scores of golf courses across the United States on a regular basis, is either single or has a spouse that is as enthused about the quest as you. Luckily for me, Marilyn likes to travel, loves both the joy and the challenge of golf and also is willing to put up with my crazy ideas. We have been fortunate to have played every one of the courses together as a couple. At one time, I had played 17 courses on company and buddy trips that she had not played. In the past year, we made the effort to go back to these 17 and play them as a couple so when I finished the quest, she would also be done at the same time. On November 13, 2018 we completed this long and enjoyable journey with Marilyn making birdie on the final hole at Pasatiempo. We could not have scripted a better finish after playing 3,474 holes.
Even if you do not plan on playing a lot of the courses on the Top 100 list, perhaps I can give you some insights and evaluations of the courses I have played and this information will be helpful to you. I will also try to share some information on how I plan our trips which can include playing 14 courses in 15 days in seven states. Most of those days we are driving less than 4 hours either before or after golf. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me by email and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.
There are several rankings and lists of golf courses and they are each determined by a different method. As I mentioned, I chose the Golf Digest listing to follow since that is the board that I first received as a gift. It is not my intention to rank these courses in a particular order, but only to enjoy the experience of playing great courses that are open to the public. I have found that many of the courses that were last ranked on Golf Digest’s list as far back as 2003 or 2005 were some of my favorites. Courses fall off the ranking for various reasons, but in my opinion it is normally because newer courses are built by outstanding architects and room must be made for these additions. Other times it appears that an existing course is remodeled or renovated and it too must be recognized for its excellence. It also seems that some of the previous courses have fallen on tough times during the economic downturn and their conditioning has suffered as a result which drops them from the Top 100. I have seldom been disappointed by any course that has ever been on this special list.
In our travels, I try to be aware of other courses in the area that are highly ranked by other publications such as Golf and Golf Week. If time allows, we will play these courses both for the enjoyment and in the event that they may be added to Golf Digest’s future Top 100 list. A good example of this occurred four years ago when a trip through the upper plain states included three courses in the sand hill area of Nebraska; Wild Horse (#71 on current list), Prairie Club Dunes (#41 on current list) and Prairie Club Pines (#90 on current list). The following year all three were added to the Golf Digest Top 100 Public courses and rightfully so.
Currently, there are 15 courses in the Golf magazine Top 100 list that have never been ranked by Golf Digest. In another interesting note, Golf Week has several states where they rank one or more courses higher in a particular state than a course ranked highly in the United States by Golf Digest. For example, Golf Week ranks Mid Pines as the second best course in North Carolina ahead of Dormie Club (#43 on current list), Pinehurst #4 (#59 on current list), Pine Needles (#64 on current list), Tobacco Road (#71 on current list), Linville (#76 on current list), and Pinehurst #8 (#80 on current list). Yet, Mid Pines is nowhere to be found on the Golf Digest list. Which magazine ranking is the most accurate? It really does not matter as all the courses on all the lists are outstanding in their own way. You cannot go wrong playing any of them. Personally, I love all of the above courses and I have to admit, Mid Pines rates very high with me especially since Kyle Franz completed the restoration of this classic Ross design. Just like panelists that compile the rankings, the average golfer will have his or her own favorite based on the type of course to which they are partial. In my own group of golf buddies, some love the visual artistry and deception of a Michael Strantz course such as Tobacco Road and others in the group would much prefer a course that sits clearly in front of them such as Strantz’s first solo design, Caledonia (#73 on current list). (Since this original post, Golf Digest has revealed its 2017 rankings and Mid Pines is now included at #94.)
Just for your information, if you happen to be curious, Marilyn and I are both 71 years old, and lucky to be in very good health up to now. She plays to a handicap that moves between 12 and 15 and my handicap varies from 4 to 8. She has been retired from nursing for 4 years. I am a financial advisor with a very good staff that keeps the office going and my clients taken care of when I am not in the office. Without my associates and a terrific Administrative Assistant, I could not travel as I do and retirement would be around the corner. It may seem that golf is our number one priority but that is far from the truth. Our family of three sons, their wives and our 8 grandchildren are the top priority. My clients and my business continue to be of utmost importance as well. But when family and business activities are taken care of, it is off to the course.
With this background, let’s begin the journey through the Top 100. (or is it the Top 204?)
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