GOLF recently dropped its latest list of the Top 100 Courses in the World, and guess what? Pine Valley snagged the top spot once again. But that’s not all, some courses got the boot while eight newbies made it onto the list. So, what’s the biggest jaw-dropper in the ranking? Let’s hear it from the panelists themselves.
Bill Hogan, who’s been on the panel since 1998, was stoked to see St. George’s Hill in England climb up the ranks to No. 71. He’s all about that unique heathland course with its cool elevation changes. Will Davenport, a panelist since 2020, was thrilled to see St. George’s Hill move up the list. He’s always been a fan of that place. He also noticed the hyped-up Lido making an appearance on the list, and he’s looking forward to seeing how it gets talked about as it gains more fame. Then there’s the rise of Sunningdale New on the list, up 10 spots to No. 54, which just adds more weight to the argument that Sunningdale is the best 36-hole club in the world.
Jeff Lewis, a panelist since 2003, had a bit of a bias but was surprised and bummed that Quaker Ridge got the boot. He thinks that sometimes rankings tend to focus on the latest and greatest, leaving some gems in the dust. Josh Sens, a panelist since 2015, agreed with Jeff about the bias in rankings. But he also pointed out the epicness and quality of some of golf’s most famous new and remote spots. From the cliffs of the Caribbean to the wilds of Norway and the ocean in New Zealand, it’s some stiff competition. And let’s not forget the fact that once you get past the top 20 or 30, it’s all about splitting hairs and personal opinions. It’s tough to quantify something that’s unquantifiable. There are way more than 100 courses that could make a case for being on the list, so someone’s always going to feel left out. There’s bound to be disagreements and critiques, and anyone who claims to have the absolute truth is just fooling themselves.