Michigan, United States
With many holes lined by trees, six US Opens and one Ryder Cup under its belt, the South course at Oakland Hills Country Club should be treated with respect.
Oakland Hills Country Club (South)
With many holes lined by trees, six US Opens and one Ryder Cup under its belt, the South course at Oakland Hills Country Club should be treated with respect.
Oakland Hills Country Club played host to the 2004 Ryder Cup matches between the USA and Europe. Team Captains were Hal Sutton (US) and Bernhard Langer (Europe). The 35th Ryder Cup was the most one-sided contest for a number of years. Europe led America by 11-5 going into Sunday’s singles and when Sergio Gargia rallied to beat reigning Masters Champion Phil Mickelson 3 and 2, the writing was on the wall for the home team. Colin Montgomerie secured the winning point against David Toms but the entire European team played their part in achieving a record-breaking victory, which included rookies Thomas Levet and Ian Poulter scoring their first points. Europe 18 ½ - USA 9 ½. The Ryder Cup was played at The Belfry in 2002 and at The K Club in 2006.
Oakland Hills Country Club is located on Michigan’s rolling Bloomfield Hills. The club has two courses, the famous South course and the less famous North course.
Donald Ross laid out the South course in 1917 and Robert Trent Jones toughened the layout up ahead of the 1951 US Open, which was won emphatically by Ben Hogan. After his win, Hogan commented that he had “brought this monster to its knees” and since then the course is affectionately known as “The Monster”.
”The most pungent remark made during the controversial 1951 Open Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club,” wrote Robert Trent Jones in The Complete Golfer, “came from that patriarch of professional golf, Walter Hagen: ‘The course is playing the players instead of the players playing the course.’ In this comment, Hagen summed up the psychological shock suffered by the world’s ranking golfers when they encountered the remodelled course, for these modern players had been getting away with murder for years, and didn’t know it. They had been playing over course that, with a few exceptions, had been laid out in the 1920s, or earlier, and which had been tailored for the equipment and the ball and the playing conditions of that era.”
Rees Jones – son of Robert Trent Jones – undertook a series of renovations (mainly bunkering) to the South course ahead of the 2008 PGA Championships and the layout was stretched out in excess of 7,300 yards. Oakland Hills once again became a fearsome test with only three players beating par. Padraig Harrington followed in the footsteps of Gary Player and David Graham who were former Oakland Hills PGA winners (1974 and 1979 respectively). Harrington’s two closing rounds of 66 were enough to give him a two shot victory over Sergio Garcia. But Harrington was perhaps even more pleased to become the first European to win consecutive majors as he followed up his 2008 Open Championship win at Royal Birkdale by triumphing in the 2008 USPGA at Oakland Hills. Click here for more details.
Gil Hanse has been advising Oakland Hills Country Club on course restoration since 2015. There may now be fewer trees, but with six US Opens and one Ryder Cup under its belt, the South should still be treated with respect. We think that you’ll certainly appreciate the challenge and therefore we recommend that you befriend a member immediately. We also think that Oakland Hills is one of the fairest tests of golf in the land. Do you agree?
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
Scotland, United Kingdom
Hauts-de-France, France
Michigan, United States
Tasmania, Australia
Ohio, United States
The biennial Ryder Cup matches have graced some of golf's most celebrated courses since 1927, creating an unparalleled legacy across two continents. These twenty-five championship layouts have witnessed the sport's greatest team battles, from crushing defeats to miraculous victories that have defined professional golf's most coveted team trophy. Each venue stands as a testament to architectural excellence and competitive drama. For comprehensive rankings of these legendary venues, explore our detailed analyses: Best European Ryder Cup Venues, Best USA Ryder Cup Venues, and the complete Top 25 Ryder Cup Venues ranking. Fancy a flutter on the Ryder Cup? Betway is dedicated to providing the best in online betting. Enhance your enjoyment of the Ryder Cup with Betway! The Ryder Cup - Golf's Ultimate Stage What began as a friendly competition between American and British professionals has transformed into the sport's most intense team rivalry. The inclusion of continental Europeans in 1979 revolutionised the matches, creating the modern era's nail-biting contests that have elevated these courses to legendary status in golf history. 1. Muirfield - The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers Hosted: 1973 | Final Score: USA 19-13 Home to The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, established in 1744 as golf's oldest verifiable club, Muirfield broke new ground as Scotland's first Ryder Cup host. The East Lothian links, originally crafted by Old Tom Morris in 1891 and masterfully redesigned by Harry Colt in 1925, presented a formidable test that featured the competition's inaugural hole-in-one. 2. Oakland Hills Country Club - South Course Hosted: 2004 | Final Score: Europe 18½-9½ Michigan's Oakland Hills delivered European golf's most emphatic victory on American soil during the 35th matches. Donald Ross's 1918 masterpiece proved the perfect stage for Bernhard Langer's tactical brilliance, as Europe dominated from start to finish in what became a watershed moment for international team golf. 3. Pinehurst Resort No. 2 Hosted: 1951 | Final Score: USA 9½-2½ The North Carolina Sandhills witnessed American supremacy at its peak when Ben Hogan and Sam Snead's powerhouse squad demolished Great Britain. Donald Ross's crown jewel, which he proclaimed his "fairest championship test," provided the backdrop for one-sided matches that epitomised the pre-European era's competitive imbalance. 4. Bethpage State Park - Black Course Upcoming: 2025 A.W. Tillinghast's 1936 municipal masterpiece will make history as New York's second Ryder Cup host, representing public golf's highest achievement. The Long Island layout's democratic accessibility and championship pedigree embody American golf's inclusive spirit while promising to challenge the world's elite. 5. Oak Hill Country Club - East Course Hosted: 1995 | Final Score: Europe 14½-13½ Rochester's Donald Ross gem witnessed European hearts breaking American dreams when Philip Walton's nerveless final-hole performance secured continental glory. The New York venue's tree-lined majesty has welcomed every major championship, cementing its status among America's most versatile championship tests. 6. Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Hosted: 1961, 1977 | Final Scores: USA 14½-9½, USA 12½-7½ Lancashire's railway-flanked links earned Bernard Darwin's immortal description as "a beast of a course, but a just beast." Royal Lytham & St Annes twice watched American dominance in the twilight years before European inclusion, with the 1977 matches marking the final Great Britain & Ireland contest. 7. Ganton Golf Club Hosted: 1949 | Final Score: USA 7-5 Yorkshire's heathland jewel showcased Ben Hogan's post-accident resilience as American captain while delivering Britain's closest challenge of the immediate post-war period. The inland links hybrid, blessed with North Sea characteristics, demonstrated championship golf's finest architectural principles during September's dramatic conclusion. 8. Royal Birkdale Golf Club Hosted: 1965, 1969 | Final Scores: USA 19½-12½, Tied 16-16 Southport's towering dunes provided the stage for sportsmanship's defining moment when Jack Nicklaus conceded Tony Jacklin's crucial putt, creating the competition's first deadlock. Royal Birkdale established the template for gracious competition that continues to influence modern matches. 9. Whistling Straits - Straits Course Hosted: 2021 | Final Score: USA 19-9 Wisconsin's manufactured links delivered America's most comprehensive modern triumph, with Lake Michigan's winds witnessing Dustin Johnson's historic perfect record. Pete Dye's artificial seaside creation proved that manufactured drama could match natural theatre in producing unforgettable championship moments. 10. Real Club Valderrama Hosted: 1997 | Final Score: Europe 14½-13½ Andalusia's cork oak-lined masterpiece shattered geographical barriers as the first continental host, with Seve Ballesteros orchestrating European triumph on Spanish soil. Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s precision-demanding layout proved the perfect canvas for continental golf's coming-of-age celebration. 11. Walton Heath Golf Club Hosted: 1981 | Final Score: USA 18½-9½ Surrey's emergency host delivered American dominance when construction delays forced a venue change from The Belfry. Walton Heath's heathland classic's strategic challenges couldn't prevent the United States' commanding performance during Europe's transitional period following continental inclusion. 12. Kiawah Island Golf Resort - Ocean Course Hosted: 1991 | Final Score: USA 14½-13½ South Carolina's windswept peninsula created the "War by the Shore," where Bernhard Langer's missed putt on the final green handed America victory in golf's most tension-filled conclusion. Pete Dye's oceanside links established the template for dramatic match finishes. 13. The Country Club - Brookline Hosted: 1999 | Final Score: USA 14½-13½ Massachusetts witnessed the "Miracle of Brookline" when Justin Leonard's impossible 45-foot putt sparked America's greatest comeback from a seemingly hopeless position. The historic Boston-area venue proved that championship golf's oldest venues could still produce modern magic. 14. Scioto Country Club Hosted: 1931 | Final Score: USA 9-3 Ohio's sweltering heat intensified American dominance during the competition's fourth edition, establishing patterns of home-soil success that would define early matches. 15. Olympic Club - Lake Course Future Host: 2033 San Francisco's fog-shrouded challenge will bring Pacific Coast golf to the international stage, promising that California's unique coastal conditions will test the world's finest players. Returning to California for the first time since 1959 (Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells), the Ryder Cup's return to the West Coast at the Olympic Club will be marvellous. 16. Muirfield Village Golf Club Hosted: 1987 | Final Score: Europe 15-13 Jack Nicklaus's Ohio tribute to Scottish Muirfield backfired spectacularly when Europe claimed their first American victory on the Golden Bear's home course. The designer-captain's strategic masterpiece couldn't prevent Tony Jacklin's tactical triumph in this watershed European success. 17. Ridgewood Country Club Hosted: 1935 | Final Score: USA 9-3 New Jersey's parkland test restored American confidence following Great Britain's 1933 breakthrough, demonstrating home advantage during the competition's pre-war consolidation period. 18. Medinah Country Club No. 3 Hosted: 2012 | Final Score: Europe 14½-13½ Illinois witnessed European golf's greatest resurrection when José María Olazábal's team overcame a commanding deficit through Sunday's extraordinary singles surge. The Chicago-area venue's championship pedigree couldn't prevent one of sport's most stunning turnarounds. 19. East Lake Golf Club Hosted: 1963 | Final Score: USA 23-9 Atlanta's historic venue delivered the most lopsided result in competition history, showcasing American professional golf's overwhelming superiority during the pre-European era. The Georgia course demonstrated how format changes couldn't address the fundamental competitive imbalance. 20. Wentworth Club - West Course Hosted: 1953 | Result: USA 6½-5½ Surrey's "Burma Road" provided early evidence of improving British competitiveness while maintaining American superiority during the 1950s. Harry Colt's parkland masterpiece has remained European professional golf's spiritual home through decades of championship hosting. 21. Hazeltine National Golf Club Hosted: 2016, Future: 2029 | Result: USA 17-11 Minnesota's championship layout will achieve unique status as America's first repeat Ryder Cup host when matches return in 2029. The 2016 success ended European dominance while establishing precedent for venue revisitation in the modern era. 22. Adare Manor Future Host: 2027 Ireland's luxury resort will showcase Tom Fazio's championship redesign when County Limerick welcomes golf's greatest team competition. The renovated course promises to combine Irish hospitality with world-class championship conditions. 23. Laurel Valley Golf Club Hosted: 1975 | Final Score: USA 21-11 Pennsylvania's exclusive venue marked the final overwhelming American victory before European inclusion transformed competitive balance. The mountain course's championship test couldn't prevent the predictable outcome that prompted format reconsideration. 24. Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club Hosted: 1933, 1937 | Final Scores: GB 6½-5½, USA 8-4 Lancashire's seaside links experienced contrasting fortunes during the 1930s, celebrating Britain's last pre-war triumph before witnessing America's inaugural overseas victory. 25. Moortown Golf Club Hosted: 1929 | Final Score: GB 7-5 Yorkshire's Alister MacKenzie design provided the stage for Great Britain's second victory, establishing early hope that would sustain the competition through decades of American dominance. Championship Legacy These legendary courses represent golf's architectural evolution and competitive development over nearly a century. From Scottish links tradition to American championship innovation, each venue has contributed unique characteristics to the sport's most celebrated team competition. Additional Championship Venues Beyond these top 25, several other distinguished courses have hosted Ryder Cup matches, each adding their own chapter to the competition's rich history: Le Golf National - Albatros Course (2018, Europe 17½-10½) - France's national course delivered European dominance in Paris, with Francesco Molinari's perfect record highlighting continental excellence. Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (2023, Europe 16½-11½) - Rome's Jim Fazio design showcased Italian hospitality while witnessing Europe's commanding victory in the competition's first visit to Italy. The Belfry - Brabazon Course (1985, 1989, 1993, 2002) - Warwickshire's purpose-built venue hosted more matches than any other course, becoming synonymous with European Ryder Cup success during four memorable encounters. Celtic Manor Resort - Twenty Ten Course (2010, Europe 14½-13½) - Wales' modern championship layout battled weather delays to deliver European triumph in the competition's wettest finish. The K Club - Palmer North Course (2006, Europe 18½-9½) - Ireland's Arnold Palmer design provided the stage for European dominance during an emotional week marked by Darren Clarke's inspiring performance. Gleneagles Hotel - PGA Centenary Course (2014, Europe 16½-11½) - Scotland's Jack Nicklaus-designed course witnessed a comprehensive European victory in the Highlands' championship debut. Valhalla Golf Club (2008, USA 16½-11½) - Kentucky's Jack Nicklaus design delivered rare American success during Europe's dominant period of the 2000s. Worcester Country Club (1927, USA 9½-2½) - Massachusetts hosted the inaugural official matches, establishing the competition's foundation with a decisive American victory. Champions Golf Club (1967, USA 23½-8½) - Texas witnessed overwhelming American dominance during the format's expansion era. PGA National Golf Club (1983, USA 14½-13½) - Florida's challenging layout produced the decade's closest contest during competitive balance emergence. Lindrick Golf Club (1957, GB 7½-4½) - Yorkshire's surprise hosted Great Britain's breakthrough victory, ending American dominance and revitalising competition interest. The Greenbrier (1979, USA 17-11) - West Virginia's Sam Snead course marked the European era's beginning with the first continental team inclusion. Old Warson Country Club (1971, USA 18½-13½), Portland Golf Club (1947, USA 11-1), Eldorado Country Club (1959, USA 8½-3½), and Thunderbird Country Club (1955, USA 8-4) each contributed to the competition's development during various evolutionary phases. The diverse collection demonstrates how great architecture transcends geographical boundaries, creating universal tests that challenge the world's finest players. As future venues prepare to join this exclusive fraternity, they assume the responsibility of maintaining the standards established by golf's greatest championship courses.
The Monster waits for the start of the 2008 PGA 6th August 2008 Harrington reckons good driving is key to the taming of Oakland Hills as he eyes the possibility of back-to-back Majors. Padraig Harrington believes good driving will determine whether or not he can add a title at the US PGA Championship to the one he collected at The Open Championship last month. The two-time Open Championship winner, who was part of the European Ryder Cup Team that triumphed at Oakland Hills Country Club in 2004, played nine holes of practice on both Monday and Tuesday at the par-70, 7,395 yard South Course before concluding: "It’s just a bigger golf course.” An extra 300 extra yards have been added since the Irishman’s 2004 visit, and this time he is expecting a more rigorous set-up. The 36 year old said: “Since we have come back, there's more drivers off the tee, it's enclosed with more bunkers, I suppose most of them were there the last time but I think that you got to hit driver, you've got to hit it straight. “And the greens, while they’re incredibly difficult to putt on, they're at least a little bit more receptive than they were back in The Ryder Cup (in 2004).” The Irishman compared the golf course to those set-up for previous editions of the US Open. He said: “I think this golf course is set up more like what a US Open was set up three or four years ago where missing the fairway by a couple of yards is the same as missing it by ten yards. There is no difference once you go off, there's no first cut, second cut, third cut of rough. “So this is a tougher test in those terms, and it's a more intimidating test and more punishing in the sense that a slight miss is just as bad as a big miss. Maybe even a big miss might get away with more. “So it will be an interesting golf course to see shot management out there and whether to be aggressive or not, or whether to play very cautiously.” Article courtesy of Europeantour.com
US East North Central Division Best in State Rankings 2020 This is the sixth of nine Best in State revisions that we’re currently conducting for the United States so we’re now two thirds of the way through our biennial re-ranking process, having re-appraised thirty-three of the fifty states. In this reworking of the East North Central Division, we take a closer look at the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Part of the Great Lakes region, these five states cover an area of approximately 300,000 square miles, with a population of around 47 million people. Much of the best golf is concentrated around the cities of Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis and Milwaukee but travel away from these major centres and you’ll come across the likes of Crystal Downs and Sand Valley which are among the finest golfing grounds in the entire country. A total of nineteen courses in this review are listed at the moment in our US Top 100, with eight of these layouts also occupying a position within our World Top 100 chart so this is clearly a geographic area with an exceptional number of great golf courses. In recognition of this, we’ve increased the coverage in these five states by more than 25% so there are now a total of 295 courses listed below. Without further ado then, let’s take a look at how the new numbers stack up, starting in the Prairie State of Illinois, where we’ve added another ten courses to produce a Top 70 chart. Illinois The course at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, recognized as the first 18-hole layout in America, is still No. 1 in our Illinois listings. Originally designed by C.B. Macdonald then enhanced soon after by Seth Raynor in the 1920s, this layout is a timeless classic that played an important part in the evolution of championship golf in America, hosting early editions of the US Amateur, the US Open and the Ryder Cup. Chicago Golf Club Our correspondent Marc Bender recently commented as follows: “No matter how you analyze your round at Chicago Golf Club, you’d be hard pressed to find a single negative take away from your experience and the course. You’ve undoubtedly just played one of the best courses in the world that has everything to offer and checks every single box for a pure gem; regardless of what boxes you may have on your list of criteria for a great course.” At #21, soaring seventeen places up the chart, the course at Glen View Club is another early tournament venue, hosting the very first Western Open in 1899 before staging both the US Amateur and US Open inside the following five years. Those championships took place on the course that Herbert Tweedie set out for the members, but William Flynn then revised and extended that layout in 1922 to fashion the fairways that are still in play today. Glen View Club The course at Ruth Lake Country Club in Hinsdale is the highest of our new entries, arriving ahead of the others at #35. Founded almost a century ago in 1923, the club engaged William Langford to carve eighteen holes through 160 acres of woodland adjacent to Ruth Lake and its sparkling waters emerge on the back nine. Several architects have modified the layout down the years, with Arthur Hills numbered among them. One of his former design partners, J. Drew Rodgers, completed a bunker renovation program last year, in addition to redesigning the home green of the par three closing hole. Ruth Lake Country Club Rank/ Click the link to see full details of our latest Illinois Best in State rankings Indiana The top three positions in our Indiana standings are unaltered, so the course at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh retains the No. 1 spot. Designed by Tom Fazio for founder Terry Friedman on the site of an old coal mine, this 18-hole layout first opened for play in the late 1990s, hosting the US Senior Amateur championship in 2006. Victoria National Golf Club Three 5-ball rated reviews in the last twelve months have provided comments such as: “what I admire the most about the course is the uniqueness of each hole. I never got the sense I was playing the same hole… Victoria National is clearly a course one can never forget and clearly belongs in the upper echelons of layouts that Tom Fazio has created… this is a super track, if you can get on you gotta go.” A couple of collegiate courses make a big impact on our revised Indianan rankings, which might surprise a few people who’re unaware of the quality to be found in educational establishments around the country. The highest newcomer at #6 in the updated chart is the Pfau Course at Indiana University in Bloomington, where architect Steve Smyers collaborated with Fuzzy Zoeller, a Hoosier State native and two-time Major winner, to manufacture a new course on a 265-acre tract that previously housed the 18-hole Championship course, a par three layout and a cross country circuit. The $12 million project, which took 2½ years to complete, has resulted in a new course which is far better suited to modern requirements and is capable of hosting top-flight competitions. And, what’s even better, it’s available for public play at reasonable rates. Pfau Course at Indiana University Rising five places to #11, the Pete Dye-designed Kampen course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette regains all the ground it lost last time around when it fell five spots during our 2018 re-ranking exercise. Described by a reviewer last year as “a fantastic challenge with plenty of width for the high handicapper, yet an extremely difficult test for tournaments” the Kampen course, along with the recently refurbished Ackerman-Allen course, can definitely lay claim to the title “best 36-hole university golf complex” in the whole country. As does Indiana University, the Birck Boilermaker facility also welcomes pay-and-play golfers. Birck Boilermaker Kampen course Click the link to see full details of our latest Indiana Best in State rankings Michigan The top four rungs of the Michigan ladder have been occupied by the same four courses since 2016, so the celebrated Alister MacKenzie/Perry Maxwell layout at Crystal Downs Country Club in Frankfort maintains its No.1 status in the Wolverine State. Tom Doak’s Renaissance Golf Design firm has made numerous little improvements in recent years, ensuring this Golden Age layout stays as relevant now in the modern era as it was nearly a hundred years ago. Crystal Downs Country Club Regular contributor Peter Wood posted these comments a couple of months back: “Crystal Downs CC is a classic MacKenzie course in a beautiful remote setting. The club will rarely host tournaments or be televised. It will likely remain relatively unknown by the masses – but the true believers will know all about it and seek it out. They won’t be disappointed!” The most significant upward move in the new chart is made by the course at Meadowbrook Country Club in Northville, rising seven places to #5. Andy Staples carried out a renovation of this layout to mark the club’s centenary just a couple of years ago, preserving the original Willie Park Junior holes that were first laid out back in 1916 and removing hundreds of trees to improve vistas and assist with on-site agronomy. The results of this work are spectacular, paving the way for a well-deserved leg up in the state listings. Meadowbrook Country Club We included the Black circuit of The Loop at Forest Dunes Golf Club when we re-ranked Michigan two years ago. Now it’s time to introduce the reversible Red course of The Loop as our highest new entry at #15 in an expanded Top 70 state chart. Our US correspondent Fergal O’Leary was here last year and he endorsed our stance of treating the Black and Red as distinct courses by stating: “we have two totally separate, unique courses and they should be treated and rated separately.” He also ended his review by writing: “there’s no doubt visitors will come back here multiple times as the golf and hospitality is as good as you can ever ask for. With time and maturity, the golf course will be a superstar.” Forest Dunes The Loop Red Click the link to see full details of our latest Michigan Best in State rankings Ohio There’s very little movement at the top of our state listings for Ohio. In fact, for the top eight positions, there’s absolutely no chart activity whatsoever. These eight courses stay exactly where they ended up when re-ranked two years ago, meaning Seth Raynor’s mid-1920s design at The Camargo Club in Cincinnati holds onto its No. 1 billing. The Camargo Club Only the other day, another of our frequent contributors, Colin Braithwaite, posted the following: “Camargo is a throwback and a real treat to play. A Raynor design that he never got to see the final product as he passed away before completion. Huge greens and fairways, with no water hazards, not long by today’s standards, but keep in mind it is a par 70… This is a fantastic course. Hard to beat the par 3s.” We’ve added another 25 courses to what used to be a Top 50 for the Buckeye State and the highest of these new entries is the Kendale course at Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, making an impressive first appearance at #28. Dating back to the early 1930s when Bill Diddel designed two 18-hole layouts on 500 acres for the club, the Kendale course has just undergone a substantial renovation by Jason Straka, with irrigation lines replaced, bunkers refurbished, fairways widened, trees removed and greens reconstructed. Kenwood Country Club - Kendale course Another course to benefit from an extensive renovation involving the removal of many trees and the replacement of all the bunkers is the Championship layout at Columbus Country Club, climbing nine places to #37. The original 9-hole course at the club was created by Tom Bendelow, with Donald Ross adding another nine in 1914. A number of leading architects then carried out modifications down the years and the latest in that long line to make his mark is Kentucky-based Kevin Hargrave, who’s a long-time close associate of Keith Foster. Columbus Country Club Championship course Click the link to see full details of our latest Ohio Best in State rankings Wisconsin The Straits course at Whistling Straits in Kohler is Wisconsin’s No.1, a position it’s held since we started our Best in State standings. Set out on the western edge of Lake Michigan by Pete Dye in the late 1990s, this track has already hosted three PGA Championships and a US Senior Open. It was also due to stage the latest edition of the Ryder Cup matches a couple of months ago before the current COVID-19 pandemic caused a postponement until next year. Whistling Straits - Straits course Peter Wood sent us another review for this course the week the Ryder Cup was meant to be played here: “Pete Dye took a pancake flat piece of land and imported enough sand and soil to fill an ocean. His aim was to create a championship links course reminiscent of the famous courses on the west coast of Ireland. The finished product is a topsy turvy journey through an endless dunescape littered with bunkers, from deep pot bunkers to wider waste bunkers, some are groomed, some are left to the vagaries of the ever-present wind.” Advancing four spots to #16, the Brute course at the Grand Geneva Resort on Lake Geneva is our biggest climber, returning to where it was positioned after our 2016 chart reappraisals. The other 18-hole layout at the resort – originally called The Briar Patch and now known as The Highlands – is a Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus co-design that has been much-altered over the last fifty years but the Brute remains largely as it was first laid out by Robert Bruce Harris back in 1968, featuring elevation changes on nearly every hole. Grand Geneva Resort - Brute course The highest of our ten new entries for Wisconsin is The Club at Lac La Belle at #28. Founded in 1896, the club’s first three professionals – Alex Smith, Robert Simpson and Willie Anderson – won a combined total of eight US Open and Western Open titles between 1901 and 1911, so the club is steeped in the early history of the game in the United States. Thirty acres were recently acquired, allowing Craig Haltom to design four new holes and revamp the rest of the course, constructing new greens and clearing thousands of trees during a significant course upgrade. The Club at Lac La Belle We’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of the tentatively titled “Sedge Valley,” Tom Doak’s sub-par 70, 6,000-yard 18-hole course at the Sand Valley Golf Resort in Nekoosa. Both Gil Hanse and Mike DeVries submitted proposals for a new course but it was the Doak design that found approval with owner Mike Keiser, with fairways to be routed close to the existing Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes layouts. Some are hoping this new course will drive another nail into the coffin of the “distance+difficulty=good” golfing era. Let’s hope so. Click the link to see full details of our latest Wisconsin Best in State rankings Next up: the South Atlantic Division states of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
