The National (Links)

Long Island’s Ultimate Course All-star grouping selected By M. James Ward The spotlight shines brightly upon Bethpage State Park this week and its illustrious Black Course in hosting the PGA Championship. But golf's 3rd oldest major marks just another glowing chapter in the overall depth of superior courses dotting the landscape called Long Island. The area stretches west to the border with Queens County and New York City and to the far reaches of the twin forks with Orient Point and Montauk Point respectively. The quality of the golf on Long Island can easily surpass nearly all the States in America and if measured globally would be a prime contender for the overall top position. I have been quite fortunate in sampling the rich and varied golf menu for well over 40 years. Although I am by birth a resident of nearby Northern New Jersey the allure of the golf on Long Island is nothing less than a tour de force experience and I, and many others, eagerly return each golf season to sample the golf treasures provided. To better appreciate the depth of courses on Long Island I opted to create an all-star collection of eighteen holes. Given the qualities of the key courses I created a few self-imposed local rules. Only one hole per course can be used. To do otherwise would mean iconic layouts such as Shinnecock Hills and National Golf Links, as well as the more recent additions with Friar's Head and Sebonack, would easily have over half of the holes selected from their respective layouts. Holes selected must occupy the numeric position they occupy on their respective layouts. The position of where a hole is located in the actual routing is a major ingredient in why such a hole has importance. To do otherwise would mean an incoherent hodgepodge of holes without clear identity tied to a specific placement during a round. And, finally, I wanted to make sure the selected holes configure to an actual course par of 72. Like a crossword puzzle that meant making tough choices on which holes were ultimately picked. The nines are uneven with an outward par of 37 and inward total of 35. The total length for the course comes to 7,082 yards. The holes work in unison – providing a rich brew of architectural heft in full display. Long Island is blessed with exquisite terrain – complemented by a superior sand base at a number of key locations where golf took hold. It also helped that classical architects came to America during the early part of the 20th century and were able to seize upon these attributes by creating a depth of courses that arguably has no peer on the planet. So grab your clubs and get ready for the round of a lifetime on Long Island. 1st hole - Garden City Golf Club, Garden City, NY / 302 yards, par-4 Opening holes are often arranged in allowing golfers to stretch the muscles. Some courses feature strenuous tests but my starting hole is more about precision than just sheer brawn. The men's club at Garden City is a great example of heathland architecture hidden away from view in Nassau County. The opening hole is rather tempting given the lack of overall length. Those seeking a bold opening stroke can get to the green but not without risking a good deal in doing so. The area nearest to the green turns slightly left, bunkers awaiting those failing in shaping a tee shot accordingly. A birdie – even eagle – is doable. But, keep this in mind, shortness in yardage does not automatically mean a default option in being easy. 2nd hole - Sebonack Golf Club, Southampton, NY / 474 yards, par-4 After a mild opening hole be prepared for a demanding no-nonsense par-4 at Sebonack. The collaboration of designers Jack Nicklaus and Tom Doak makes for one of the most unusual and talented twosomes in golf architecture. Credit owner Michael Pascucci in getting these two giants hooked up. Their joint effort produced a layout that can compete in a number of ways with its storied neighbors Shinnecock Hills and National Golf Links. That's one tall order indeed and far from hyperbole. Sebonack 2nd hole - photo courtesy of Sebonack Golf Club The 2nd often plays into the prevailing wind and a quality tee shot is an absolute must. You start your journey by avoiding two stately elms situated near to the tee. Bunkers are well positioned in the drive zone and the key for one's approach is being on the short grass. The green is slightly elevated and features a diabolical false front that awaits the indifferent play. Bunkers guard the rear for those too bold in their efforts. The 2nd at Sebonack provides an intoxicating mixture of beauty and robust challenge. Not only is the hole among the finest long par-4's in all of Long Island, but the 2nd has plenty of ammunition to be rightly considered one of the best long par-4's in the world. 3rd hole - National Golf Links of America, Southampton, NY / 426 yards, par-4 The father of American golf – Charles Blair Macdonald – created a masterpiece with his effort at National Golf Links. While it’s true a number of other holes could have been selected, I find the par-4 3rd to be an absolute gem. Patterned after the "Alps hole" at Prestwick, the 3rd is actually better than the original. The land is rich in character and the range of options is impressive. Choosing the correct course of action begins at the tee. One has to be prudent in not going too far down the left side as the fairway terminates. Players who don't hit the fairway can play up the right side and leave themselves a short pitch. The green is tucked uphill and behind a large round hill. Those going this route had best know that a half-hearted play can reach a hidden deep cross-bunker where escape is highly problematic. No matter how many times you have played the hole, the rush of excitement in finding out exactly where your approach has landed when clearing the hill is exhilarating. 4th hole - Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale, NY / 517 yards, par-5 This week's PGA Championship will once again shine plenty of justified attention on the magnificence of the par-5 4th at Bethpage Black. The hole is blessed with superior terrain and the architecture is nothing less than riveting. Bethpage Black 4th hole - photo courtesy of the PGA of America Starting from an elevated tee the three-level hole is spectacular. The tee shot can be either daring or diplomatic. Those taking on the massive left side fairway bunker had best execute without hesitation. The second biggest decision is then carrying one's second shot over a Sahara bunker that runs perpendicular to the line of play. Should you hit the rough with your tee shot the carry over this bunker is far from certain. For the PGA Championship, the world's best players will likely attempt to reach the green in two shots. The green is no easy target as it falls away from the line of play and is quite narrow. There's also a large frontal bunker which must be carried sufficiently as its high face is quick to grab any miss-hit. There are few par-5's in the world that offer such a wide-ranging array of options and scoring outcomes and do so without the involvement of water. The 4th at Bethpage Black is indeed unforgettable. 5th hole - Fishers Island Club, Fishers Island, NY / 229 yards, par-3 It’s hard to concentrate on golf when you reach the 5th tee at Fishers Island. With arresting views of the Atlantic Ocean to your right, the challenge is focusing on the task at-hand. The Seth Raynor design is among his finest – likely his greatest effort. The hole sports a Biarritz presentation albeit in a modified form. The scale of all the elements is mega-big. Fishers Island 5th hole - photo courtesy of John Sabino The green is super-sized – as are the flanking bunkers. It’s breathtaking beauty and supreme challenge all in one hole – grand stuff indeed. The motto for the 5th should be right to the point – stand and deliver. For those wondering how can Fishers Island be included with others from Long island? The State of New York deems Fishers Island part of Suffolk County and therefore I decided to add it into the grouping. 6th hole - Piping Rock Club, Locust Valley, NY / 527 yards, par-5 The 6th at Piping Rock shows the keen mindset of its creator, Charles Blair Macdonald. This was his first inland course following his highly acclaimed effort at The National Golf Links of America and it was his talented associate Seth Raynor who carried through with the actual construction. Piping Rock view from 6th hole looking back across the old polo field (now the driving range) to the clubhouse - photo courtesy of John Sabino The fairway at the 6th includes a number of bunkers and those failing to pay heed will likely be paying a visit costing strokes. The fairway elbows slightly to the right and those looking to get maximum distance had best place the ball carefully as the landing area narrows on the right with rough and with a series of bunkers on the left. Strong players can reach the 6th in two shots but simply getting to the hole will not mean a fast and easy birdie. Quite the contrary, the 6th features a top-tier location that resists anything but the finest of plays. The rear bunker placement is ably positioned to catch aggressive approaches. A 2015/16 restoration effort brought back playing angles to their original intent. The 6th, like so many other holes at Piping Rock, has benefited immensely from this effort. 7th hole - Southampton Golf Club, Southampton, NY / 196 yards, par-3 Little known to many outsiders, Southampton is a fine club, set immediately next door to Shinnecock Hills. Seth Raynor did the design here and the 7th showcases a modified Redan-like green. Golfers had best pay close attention to a pesky frontal bunker which is ideally located to catch players looking to flight a ball in that direction and away from the two bunkers on the left. The green is tiled on a diagonal from upper left to lower right. The two aforementioned bunkers on the left are well positioned to catch the miss-hit or under-clubbed effort. The green is suitably contoured and those missing to either far side will have a most difficult time escaping with less than bogey. A large bunker on the right side of the green is also one to be avoided. 8th hole - Meadow Brook Club, Jericho, NY / 624 yards, par-5 The recent course updating of Meadow Brook has paid off well. The scale of the property is truly impressive. There's no clutter at Meadow Brook now as was the case years ago. The par-5 8th is a first rate three-shot hole. The drive is tested from the outset as one needs to work the ball to the left but not so much as a series of bunkers hug that side. The hole snakes back to the right and there is another ideally located fairway bunker protecting the inside portion of the fairway. The green is slightly elevated and is quite large like many of the Dick Wilson greens at the club. A grouping of bunker is well placed near the green. The 8th is a solid golf hole – working the ball and providing sufficient distance control is central to one's success. Many par-5 holes are viewed as "breathers" for players – the 8th is anything but routine. 9th hole - Maidstone Club, East Hampton, NY / 402 yards, par-4 The most memorable aspect of Maidstone is the middle portion of holes nearest to the Atlantic Ocean and showcasing an authentic links-like dimension. The standout effort comes at the par-4 9th. Running parallel to the coast the intersection of dramatic beauty and high-octane shot-making requirements makes for a classic connection. Being so near to the Atlantic means wind patterns plays a constant factor and ever-changing dimension. Maidstone 9th hole - photo courtesy of John Sabino The putting surface is elevated and like an honest judge accepts no bribes or shortcuts. You need to make your case with flawless execution because falls-off await the half-hearted effort. The 9th at Maidstone demonstrates conclusively that quality par-4 holes need not be the domain of the long slog-oriented type holes. OUTWARD - 3,697 Yards / Par-37 10th hole - Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, NY / 415 yards / par-4 The most noted of all Long Island courses is Shinnecock Hills. Picking just one hole was really hard because the layout has a slew of world-class holes. The 10th – named Eastward Ho – starts the inward half of holes which collectively are simply brilliant. The 10th presents a range of choices and when you stand on the tee you see a saddle of a fairway squeezed between fescue-covered mounds. Shinnecock Hills 10th hole At 260 yards the fairway plummets dramatically. Players can opt to hit lay-up shots between 240-260 yards and from that point play approaches to the green. Those opting to be more aggressive can go with driver and if successful will have their tee shot propel all the way to the bottom of the hill leaving as little 90-100 yards to an elevated green. Should the more aggressive route be chosen, the key is avoiding two hidden fairway bunkers to the left and punishing rough to the right side. Jack Nicklaus is well aware of this – having lost his first ball in major championship play during the 1st round of the 1986 US Open when hitting into the far right rough. The green is devilishly circular and featuring a rise all the way around its perimeter. There's also a diabolical false front grabbing any approach hit even a millimeter short and sending your ball back down the hill 60-70 yards away. When the wind is howling the green will dry out and requires a crisply struck approach. Going over is even worse than being short. Being long can mean one's ball being propelled 20-25 yards away from the hole and leaving the most dangerous of shots pitching back to a green that can easily send one's ball off the false front. A quintessential hole blessed with a first-rate terrain and architectural heft of the highest order. 11th hole - Deepdale Golf Club, Manhasset, NY / 450 yards, par-4 Few people outside of members and their select guests ever play Deepdale. The existing course is the handiwork of Dick Wilson and is among his finest creations. The 11th is a long par-4 adroitly showcases what Wilson emphasized. The straightaway hole features a drive zone ably protected by a series of fairway bunkers on the right side. The longer the tee shot is played the more precise the placement must be as the landing area tapers in from both sides. In short, if you want to hit driver, you're free to do so. But only those that combine power and placement will earn the reward. Wilson also provided a green ably shaped and raised slightly above the fairway – narrower towards the front and well protected by a series of bunkers on both sides. Deepdale is renowned for the speed of its green and the 11th holds true to form. Those missing the green will have to work especially hard to escape. Deepdale will not generate much visibility, clearly a club's prerogative, but make no mistake the final product Wilson provided remains a solid test. 12th hole - Montauk Downs, Montauk, NY / 228 yards, par-3 There are only two holes from public courses on my listing and the 12th hole was my last slot to fill and I needed to include a quality par-3. Like Bethpage, Montauk Downs is part of the New York State Parks system. The course found here today comes from the efforts of architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. Generally, this hole is played into the prevailing southwest wind and there are times when full driver may be required for nearly all players. Sad to say, the long par-3 has drifted into the shadows. That's a shame. The testing of players to hit a long iron or hybrid or even fairway metal is a skill that is brought to the forefront. The 12th green is elevated above the fairway with two well-placed bunkers located on the left and right sides. When the pin is cut tight to either side the approach requirements raise significantly. There's a bailout element for those less inclined if you hit it straight between the bunkers. The key begins with the shot trajectory because if there's one certain aspect you can generally count on, it’s the wind blowing. Count on this – the 12th at Montauk Downs does not suffer foolish play gladly. 13th hole - The Bridge, Bridgehampton, NY / 474 yards, par-4 Credit owner Robert Rubin for the vision of The Bridge. Built on the former Bridgehampton auto racetrack, the property is truly stunning for the vistas provided. One of the most scenic comes with the long par-4 13th. Starting from an elevated tee the backdrop simply captures your eye with Noyack Bay in the distance. The tee shot begins from an elevated perch. You descend into the fairway below and credit architect Rees Jones for splendid fairway bunker placements. Shaping the tee shot is crucial to avoid finding yourself in one of them. Protecting the putting surface is a solitary bunker and should the pin be placed anywhere near the left side it will take a top-tier approach execution to succeed. Jones added run-offs for those missing the approach and securing a par when doing so would be far from automatic. The 13th demonstrates how powerful the connection between beauty and challenge can be when carried out at a high level. 14th hole - The Creek, Locust Valley, NY / 424 yards, par-4 The 14th is a testament to the grand design provided by Charles Blair Macdonald. The 14th features a creek that protects the right side of the drive zone on this dogleg right uphill hole. Golfers can hit driver but the reward is a small one as the available landing area narrows considerably with the creek jutting into play. The approach plays uphill and the best advice is to take an extra club to get onto the putting surface. The green is quick and sloping and accepts the surest of strokes. The 14th fits the land superbly – decision is always an issue as the wind pattern off nearby Long Island Sound changes daily – sometimes even hourly! 15th hole - Friar's Head, Riverhead, NY / 460 yards, par-4 Choosing one hole from Friar's Head is no easy task but the 15th was selected for a range of reasons. The view from the tee captures it all. When arriving at the 15th you’re rendered speechless by what you see. The hole moves downhill turning gently to the left on the drive. In the background is Long Island Sound and the combination of land and water is truly magnificent. Friar's Head 15th hole - picture courtesy of John Sabino The 15th tempts the player to make the big tee shot – trying to position your shot as far down the hill as possible. A single bunker occupies the left side and must be avoided. Those looking for maximum gain had best be aware the fairway does narrow considerably as more distance is sought. The approach is also tested with a false front that repels all but the surest of efforts. The genius of co-designers Coore and Crenshaw is allowing the land to be the main attraction – adding the golf into the picture without overplaying one's hand. The 15th illustrates that supreme talent in grand fashion. 16th hole - North Shore Country Club, Glen Head, NY / 512 yards, par-5 Working the ball off the tee is a lost art given today's clubs and balls. However, when you arrive at the 16th hole at North Shore you had best have this skill. The hole provides the possibility for an eagle and birdie but to do so the execution needs to be carried out with precision. Those seeking to gain the most off the tee need to work-the-ball from right-to-left. If you don't turn the ball sufficiently you can easily run out of fairway. North Shore 16th hole - picture courtesy of North Shore Country Club The hole is named "Ravine" and one must be ever vigilant in avoiding it. The natural movement of the land is simply first rate. Hitting the green in two shots takes a well-crafted approach. In recent years the club hired Tom Doak's firm to bring back to life the many elements the club originally provided. The green site is also splendid. Plenty of movement abounds. For those missing the green with the approach you'll be forced to raise your efforts to escape unscathed. 17th hole - St. George's Golf & Country Club, East Setauket, NY / 127 yards, par-3 Few people have heard about St. George's but the Devereux Emmet design is well worth playing if an invite is offered. The penultimate hole on its face appears to be rather pedestrian. But such assessments are often founded on ignorance. A stellar short par-3 is the ultimate democratic hole. The full range of handicap types are tested for their nerve with the shortest of clubs. Calculating the wind when standing on the tee is a central element for success as the elevated green is rigorously protected on all sides by deep bunkers. Be mindful of the under club or miss-hit because it's not uncommon for balls to come back off the green and receive a most serious fate. Matching ball trajectory and pinpoint distance is essential. Done correctly a birdie awaits. Done incorrectly – bogey or worse. Short par-3s promise such easy pickings – this hole is very capable of picking your pocket instead. 18th hole - East Hampton Golf Club, East Hampton, NY / 295 yards, par-4 Far too often final holes impose a slog (usually a lengthy par-4) serving as the conclusion. I opted to go in another direction – one employed at a number of clubs in the United Kingdom. The ending hole in this case is a clear opportunity to finish with a birdie – even eagle – if circumstances work. East Hampton 18th hole - picture courtesy of East Hampton Golf Club The tandem of Coore and Crenshaw has created a seductive teaser here. The tee shot can be played conservatively or one can opt to turn the ball to the left and seek the green. To do so, the brave play must be executed flawlessly. Danger lurks for hapless play. The most memorable dimension is that so many different numbers are in play based on the strategy chosen and the execution provided. The green has an array of movements and it pays to be especially cognizant of just how a bold you want to be. A closing hole should provide a way to leave with a smile, but not guarantee that it will happen. The 18th at East Hampton concludes the round perfectly. INWARD - 3,385 Yards / Par-35 TOTAL - 7,082 Yards / Par-72

Carya in Belek heads up our new rankings for Turkey With only eighteen golf clubs operating across the nation, you might think a Top 15 chart for Turkey veers towards overprovision of the product on our part but there’s a genuine depth of quality to be found in the golf courses around the country, particularly in the Belek region, so we make no apology for showcasing so many of these top tracks. It’s hard to believe there wasn’t a single course located along the Mediterranean seaboard at the start of the 1990s but that all changed when the government designated eleven plots of land behind the existing coastal-fronted resort hotels for golf development to help fill otherwise empty bedrooms during the quieter shoulder seasons and winter months. Wisley Golf Club member Bulent Goktuna was keen to expand the game in his home country so he managed to secure one of the first parcels of land allocated for golf on a 50-year lease before engaging the services of David Jones and David Feherty to co-design the first course at The National Golf Club, with the trend setting layout opening in late 1994. The rest, as they say, is golfing history. The club started out with less than a hundred members but it wasn’t long before Scandinavian golfers began to arrive, escaping the long, harsh winter at home for the pine fringed fairways of Turkey’s Riviera on the Med. Once direct charter flights to nearby Antalya became popular, the Dutch, Germans and British would also arrive in increasing numbers. In 1995, the estimated number of visiting golfers was around 15,000. Twenty years later, that annual figure was almost half a million, according to statistics from the Belek Hotel Owners Association. Unfortunately, perceived security concerns have slowed growth in the last couple of years but an approximate total of five and a half million rounds over a 20-year period is still a mightily impressive statistic. And so to our Turkish rankings, which were last updated two years ago. Our new national number 1, rising two places to the top spot, is the current venue for the European Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open, the course at Carya Golf Club in Belek. Opened for play in November 2008, the course was envisioned as a 27-hole layout by its owner but architects Thomson, Perrett & Lobb convinced the client that an exceptional 18-hole course was preferable to the intended three loops of nine. The native heather initially discovered on the southern section of the property has since been transplanted throughout the course, giving the layout its distinctive, somewhat surprising, heathland feel. We visited the course last year and had this to say about what we found: “it’s blatantly obvious that no expense has been spared when installing the infrastructure here… the majestic umbrella pines that flank the fairways and the acres of heathers fronting many of the tee boxes sets the mood for a round which is played on a surprisingly undulating site… Carya certainly sets a very high standard.” Not only does the course now assume the mantle of national number 1, a position it will be hard to displace from when we next re-rank Turkey in two years’ time, Carya also shot twenty places up our Continental Europe Top 100 listings last month, breaking into the Top 50 at number 40. Also climbing two places to the national runner-up position in Turkey is the Prince course at the Cornelia Golf Resort in Belek, which lies less than four kilometres east of Carya. Designed by Nick Faldo and in operation for a decade now, the 27-hole facility at Cornelia is laid out within one of the more heavily contoured parcels of land in the region, affording it a natural feel that many of its close competitors lack. Host venue for the Eisenhower Trophy in 2012, Cornelia also rose a massive sixteen places in the latest edition of our European Top 100 to number 59 so it’s onward and upward for the top two tracks in Turkey! Our only new entry appears at number 12 and it’s an 18-hole layout from José Canales Mas Golf Uno Golf Design at Kusadasi International Golf Club on the Aegean coast, situated between the small town of Söke and the resort town of Kuşadası. It’s the first course in Turkey built within a residential development and it overlooks both the Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta National Park and the nearby Greek island of Samos. Set out on hilly terrain, there’s around 130 metres in elevation change across the property, offering simply stunning views of the surrounding mountain ranges and the Aegean Sea. Fairways have been cut through small plantations of olive and carob trees and holes are routed around the contours of two adjacent ridges, with a couple of lakes also coming into play on the front nine. We’re aware of a new project opening this year in Bodrum, where Tim Lobb has built a new course for the Carya owner, Fikret Ozturk of Regnum Hotels. Set inland from the coast in the mountains, it’s a strongly contoured course featuring rocky outcrops. Due to the difficult terrain, bunkering was developed in the field via sketch ideas and philosophies. Careful attention has been paid to ground conditions, with run offs, small undulations and trees forming the back bone of the playing strategy. An olive grove previously occupied the land and as much of it as possible was retained during construction. Expect to see this 18-hole layout, "Country Life", feature in our next news item on Turkish golf courses. Thanks to Tim Lobb of Lobb & Partners for background material used in compiling this report. Rank/ To view further details of the Top 15 for Turkey click the link. You’ll never see Top 100 Golf Courses claim that we publish “definitive” golf course listings but we do like to think that we produce the “most informed” rankings that you’ll find anywhere within the public domain of the golf media. We thrive on feedback so if there’s anything you’d like to tell us about our new Turkish standings then please use the “Respond to this article” link at the top or bottom of this page to give us your opinion. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

Second Hundred Golf Courses of the World 2016 We preview the challengers for the 2018 Top 100 Golf Courses of the World and list this season’s second hundred Having recently published the latest 2016 edition of our Top 100 Golf Courses of the World, we thought we’d take a look at the layouts that missed inclusion this time round. We’ve focused this Second Hundred Golf Courses of the World article on forty highlighted challengers, but it’s feasible that any of the hundred courses listed at the end of this article could make the next World Top 100. It’s also viable that numerous other courses could also make the grade. If you think we’ve missed a layout from our current World Top 100 or from our Second Hundred (listed in full at the end of this story), please click the “Respond to this article” link at the top and bottom of the page and share your opinion. The forty “challengers” are profiled by country below. At the end of this article we list the entire second hundred in alphabetical order. Australia Moonah is one of the toughest golf courses in Australia and it’s the headliner at the remarkable National Golf Club at Cape Schanck on the Mornington Peninsula. This modern Greg Norman/Bob Harrison links is not only dramatic but also raw and elemental. Two other National courses are also notable (Ocean course and Old course), which is why RTJ2 commented that the National is “one of the great golf complexes anywhere in the world”. No true golfer could disagree. King Island is situated in the Bass Strait, to the northwest of the main island of Tasmania, and it lies about half way between Tasmania and the mainland state of Victoria. It’s here that respected author Darius Oliver is said to have convinced businessman Duncan Andrews to develop the Cape Wickham site and subsequently American architect Mike DeVries was hired to lay out this dramatic links, which opened in 2015. It’s too early to say whether or not this project will be sustainable due to the remote island location and the vicious Roaring Forties, which batter King Island. It might be a step too far for all but the most intrepid golfers. The East course at Royal Melbourne is undoubtedly the West’s understudy. According to James Spence, author of the Finest Golf Courses of Asia and Australasia: “While it does not quite offer the grand theatre of the West, it is still a fantastic golfing experience and holds its own versus all other courses in the Melbourne area.” The Alister MacKenzie-designed Royal Adelaide has featured in our world hundred on numerous occasions but has missed out recently. James Spence commented as follows: “Although the sea hasn’t bordered the course at The Royal Adelaide for some 10,000 years, it remains, like Royal Lytham & St Annes, more of a links course than an inland course. Royal Adelaide is a favourite golf course of many Australian golfers and it’s easy to see why.” Seven Australian Opens, five Australian PGAs and ten other professional tournaments have been hosted at The Metropolitan Golf Club. The World Golf Championships Match Play Championship was held here in 2001 and this Sandbelt classic is polished to within an inch of its life. Fergal O'Leary, our US Consultant, played here recently and commented: “Attention to detail and conditioning at “Metro” is second to none, I even heard that some of the green-side bunkers have their edges hand-cut with scissors!” Bermuda The Mid Ocean Club is set on the northeastern tip of Bermuda in weathly Tucker's Town. The “Father of Golf Architecture”, Charles Blair Macdonald, originally laid out the course in 1921 adjacent to the Atlantic and it has been on the cusp of the World Top 100 for each edition. It’s a unique layout that’s routed across glorious undulating ground, but the Atlantic Ocean doesn’t play a major part in the design, merely providing a beautiful backdrop to a number of holes, the majority of which are set back a little further inland amongst the stately pines, the pretty glades and the dramatic valleys. Canada Hamilton Golf & Country Club, or Ancaster as it is known locally, is located on land which once known as Grange Farm and it is set most beautifully in elegant, heavily wooded seclusion. There are three loops of nine holes here, called South, West and East and the championship layout comprises of the West (front nine) and South (back nine). Although Hamilton’s club history can be traced back to 1894, the West and South were designed as two nine-hole courses by Harry S. Colt and both loops formally opened for play in 1916. It didn’t take long for Cabot Links to make a startling impact on the Canadian Top 100 rankings, soaring almost to the top of this prestigious national chart within months of its opening. No pressure then on Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw to deliver when their much awaited Cabot Cliffs layout debuted three years later. Situated half a mile away from Cabot Links, the Cliffs course occupies a more diverse landscape than its predecessor, sitting atop the bluffs that overlook the Gulf of St Lawrence, with fairways transitioning seamlessly between woodland, wetland and meadowland areas. Somewhat unusually, the layout is configured with three par threes, three par fours and three par fives on each of the nines. England The Herbert Fowler-designed East course at Saunton has been on the threshold of a World Top 100 ranking for many years. For one reason or another it has never managed to muscle its way onto the world list. This winter a number of new bunkers are being added by Mackenzie & Ebert and a couple of spectacular green run off areas are being created. The East course is undeniably a serious contender as is the Church course at St Enodoc, which pitches and rolls over glorious Cornish linksland. It even wraps around the church where the Poet Laureate, Sir John Betjeman, is buried. The poem “Seaside Golf” was inspired by a rare three Sir John carded at St Enodoc. Alwoodley came very close to knocking Ganton off the Yorkshire top spot when we recently revised our Best In County rankings. Many golfers think that the home course of Dr. Alister MacKenzie (his first architectural design) is one of his best layouts and it continues to progress upwards in our Britain & Ireland Top 100. A recent poster said: “Certainly a course which should be ranked higher and can rival the likes of the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa.” Royal Cinque Ports is one of England’s unsung links. It doesn’t have the dune drama of its near neighbour at Sandwich, but the greens complexes at Deal are as good as any links course in Britain, while the brutal closing stretch will sort the men from the boys. France Les Bordes was the brainchild of Baron Marcel Bich (the man behind Bic pens) and his friend Yoshiaki Sakurai. Together they committed to paper (presumably by biro) the wooded masterpiece that is consistently ranked as one of Europe’s greatest courses. Designed by the late Texan, Robert von Hagge, on a day when he was at his most wickedly creative. Les Bordes opened for play in 1986 and it’s a supreme challenge. The likeable Jean Van de Velde holds the current course record of 71 (one under par), so don’t visit Les Bordes expecting to play to handicap. This monster layout stretches to 7,062 yards from the tips and it really is as difficult as its reputation suggests. According to the old Big Bopper song, “Chantilly Lace had a pretty face and a wiggle in her walk”. Golf de Chantilly is far more than a pretty face; the Vineuil is one of Europe’s most glorious courses that’s set amidst the forest of the Ile de France, approximately 30 miles to the north of Paris. The club was originally founded in 1909 and it has played host to numerous French Opens, including the 1913 French Open, which George Duncan won. Germany Falkenstein is an attractive course, which is routed in all directions of the compass. The wooded location provides a genteel oasis to play golf, away from the hustle and bustle of Hamburg’s city centre. While tree-lined courses often have dull highway-like holes, here only the 2nd and 11th are relatively straight and that is just the right amount of diversion on a course full of doglegs and interest. Every hole presents a unique challenge, the bunkering is vintage Colt (with some modern alterations) and the green complexes provide great entertainment without going overboard. Indonesia In the words of Greg Norman: “When I first saw the site, I was immediately taken by the dramatic location, the fascinating local culture and the rolling hills covered with rice paddies. I was determined to keep all these features while building a golf course that would challenge even the world’s best. I’m proud to have played a part in developing this world-class golf course.” But is Nirwana Bali that good? Let’s find out from Kimi Hoshiyama, our China and Southern Asia Correspondent: “Nirwana Bali Golf Club features wonderful views overlooking the Indian Ocean. There are many rice terraces positioned on roughs and creeks crossing fairways on some holes. The rugged cliffs with three holes running along the Indian Ocean, terraced rice paddies and coastal landscape, have all been preserved to provide spectacular natural hazards. When the prevailing strong sea winds blow, the course becomes more difficult. The par 5 hole 6, the par 3 hole 7, the par 4 hole 13 and the par 3 hole 14 are superb, these holes are not only beautiful but also the ocean comes into play.” Japan The East and the West are two outstanding golf courses at Kasumigaseki Country Club. East or West, which is best? We’re really not too sure, but the East is the one that the members generally favour, so we think it’s prudent to stick with those in the know and Fergal agrees: “The site for the 2020 Olympics golf course. The East course has had some recent bunker work done by Tom Fazio, but the bigger challenge that the course is facing is to decide whether to consolidate the current “dual green system” into a single set of greens for the Olympics… We played on the old greens which are small and not very deep – certainly a challenge for the best of players. I am not in favour of consolidating the greens and adding numerous water features to the course as it takes away from one of the historic reasons why this club is so special. Having played this course twice now, my desire was not to touch the wonderful Charles Alison design and just let the best players in the world earn their gold medal.” Mexico At the end of 2014, the Golden Bear completed work on Quivira, his sixth Los Cabos layout, which is located on a truly stunning property at the end of the Baja peninsula, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Focal point of the 1,850-acre luxury resort, this fabulous 18-hole layout is reputed to have taken around eight years to construct at a cost of $40 million. According to Javier Pintos, our Argentinean Correspondent: “WOW! One thousand times WOW!! This is maybe the most spectacular piece of land on which I have played golf in my entire life. It has dunes, level changes, Ocean, carries across cliffs, mountains, desert, sun and views of the new Tiger Woods Course at Diamante (El Cardonal). I was lucky to play here two days after Jack Nicklaus played it in its inaugural event last December 2014.” Netherlands In the early days, the Kennemer Golf & Country Club played on a rudimentary nine-hole course and when it moved to its present location in 1927, the brilliant Harry Colt was commissioned to lay out the course amongst the towering sand dunes and the result is still really good, despite damage caused by the occupying army during the Second World War. In 1985, Frank Pennink was tasked with adding nine new holes (Pennink’s last design before this death). Each nine has a name and is also referred to as the A, B and C course, so things can get a bit confusing. The A course is also called Van Hengel (named after Steven van Hengel who was a member and an eminent figurehead in Dutch golf), the B course is called Pennink and the C nine is called Colt. The Dutch Open utilises holes from all three nines, so play all 27 and then decide for yourself which two of the three loops combine to make the best course. New Zealand Kauri Cliffs dropped off our 2016 world hundred list to the amazement of many. Will it be back? Quite possibly – seaside golf doesn’t get much better than this. It’s hard not to be seduced by the magnificent ocean vistas that grab your attention the entire way round. Is the course itself good enough for a world ranking? That’s a tough question but many golfers would reply with a resounding yes. One of the few true links courses in the Southern Hemisphere and host to a dozen New Zealand Opens, Paraparaumu Beach is a household name and has twice been listed in our World Top 100 (2006 and 2012). Fergal O’Leary was very impressed when he played Paraparam almost twelve months ago: “Everything about the club is humble and unpretentious and fits every element of a golfing gem. If you’re looking for a course which will examine how accurate you are from the tee, then you’ve met your match.” Scotland According to Colin Montgomerie, “wherever Loch Lomond is ranked, it ought to be higher”, it’s therefore a no-brainer that this beautiful Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish design from 1993 must appear on this second hundred list. “The best golf experience in Europe” is how one reviewer described this unique course set on the bonnie, bonnie banks. Prestwick has been described as quirky, eccentric, strangely odd and rather confusing. This golfing monument often divides opinion. However, there’s no denying that this time-honoured links genuinely deserves consideration for a world ranking position. After all, this is where the Open Championship began and nobody could ever accuse it of being a bore. Machrihanish is widely loved by golf course architecture aficionados and frankly what’s not to like at this remote golfing outpost on the tip of the Kintyre peninsula? Perhaps if the round concluded half as strongly as it started, Machrihanish would be a permanent feature in the world hundred. Gleneagles is one of Europe’s finest destinations with a wonderful hotel and a Ryder Cup course within its portfolio. Let’s not dwell on the PGA Centenary course, which will never be a contender for this stellar ranking list, but concentrate on the regally named courses for a moment. The Queen’s is the favourite of many mid handicap golfers and it’s as pretty as pretty can be, but it’s the King’s course that’s knocking on the door. Often lauded as James Braid’s finest design, the King’s is hard not to like; the setting is glorious and the course big and bold, but perhaps it’s a little too refined for some. South Africa Durban is part of Africa’s Zulu Kingdom and it’s a bewitching seaside playground in the province known as KwaZulu-Natal. Amidst the hustle and bustle of this cosmopolitan city lies the serenity and calm of Durban Country Club. The Country Club course has not appeared in our world hundred since 2008, despite many rating this 1922 Laurie Waters and George Waterman design as the best in the land. Set on the edge of the Indian Ocean, hidden behind a high ridge of sand dunes, the layout undulates beautifully through lush and intimidating tropical vegetation. Durban could easily reappear in the World Top 100 but many golfers reckon there’s a better course down at Fancourt. The Links course at Fancourt opened for play in November 2000 and it represents a unique and very tough South African golfing experience. The course was designed by Gary Player, but only after the Black Knight’s team had studied in great detail the characteristics of classic Scottish links courses. The Links does indeed resemble a traditional seaside links, but so far they have failed to replicate the changeable British weather. Fergal played here recently: “The sheer scale and size of the Links course is a sight to behold by itself. It’s an immensely enjoyable and impressive course to play. Without debate, it’s Gary’s best design in his global portfolio. Don’t be fooled by the name, this is not a Links golf course by definition, however the inherent pot-bunkers, blind drives and swashbuckling fairways immediately give the sense that you are beside the seashore.” South Korea Author, James Spence, kindly allowed us to reprint his account of Nine Bridges from the Finest Golf Courses of Asia and Australasia: "The course was designed by Golf Plan whose two principles are Ronald Fream and David Dale. As befits a golf design firm led by a horticulturalist, the visual presentation and aesthetics of the course are excellent. The public relations releases talk about how the designers have sought to create a Scottish Highlands course and, for once, this is not mere hyperbole. The manicuring and finishing is of an order of perfection you are not liable to find in Scotland so, in truth, it more resembles an American course in a Scottish atmosphere. And this part of Jeju Island does indeed resemble Perthshire. The two nines have been laid out on a very generous allocation of land that wanders through pine-clad rolling land in the lee of Mount Halla, at 6,000 feet South Korea’s tallest mountain.” Spain Spain may have lost the fight to host the 2022 Ryder Cup, but the Spanish Ryder Cup bid course at PGA Catalunya is at the pinnacle of Spanish golf. The Stadium course is the culmination of more than ten years of planning and design by the European Tour who wanted to build their own Players Championship course to rival the PGA Tour’s TPC at Sawgrass. It has to be said that it was a decade well spent. The PGA Stadium is so good that within months of opening, it hosted the 1999 Gene Sarazen World Open and the Spanish Open in 2000. The Spanish Open returned to the Stadium course in 2009 (won by Thomas Levet) and in 2014 when veteran Miguel Angel Jiménez extended his own record as the oldest winner in European Tour history, prevailing in a three-man play-off. Sweden According to many, the Stadium course at Bro Hof Slott is Sweden’s best course and even architect RTJ2 thinks so: “Everything is big at Bro Hof! The holes are longer, the greens are bigger, the course has more water and the bunkers are larger and well placed. Besides which, the wind is always part of the game. On the dogleg holes you not only have to hit the balls a long way, you also have to get them to stop. Mother Earth must have created this area for a golf course. All I had to do was to walk around this beautiful landscape and see where the holes would fit in. There was an enormous amount of land and a large wallet. If, in spite of everything, there wasn’t enough land, we could get more.” Therefore, big really is better – you’ve been told. Thailand Formed in 2007 by thirty of Thailand’s wealthiest people, Ayodhya Links is one of the most exclusive golf clubs in Asia. Membership to the club is by invitation, so only the great and the good of Thai society mingle in the clubhouse – and unless you’re closely acquainted with one of these invitees, don’t hold your breath on getting a game here anytime soon. The design company of Thomson and Perrett created the course and they've laid out a tough track where water lies in wait at each and every one of the eighteen holes on the scorecard. If you add rolling fairways, lightning fast greens and a variety of deep bunkers into the golfing mix then it’s easy to see why Ayodhya is regarded as a real test of golf. USA Old Town Club in North Carolina is an obvious World Top 100 contender. It rocketed into our latest 2016 US Top 100 (#49) following the Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw 2011 restoration of this Perry Maxwell classic. Gozzer Ranch in Idaho is widely regarded as Tom Fazio’s best design, perhaps even better than Shadow Creek (North) and Wade Hampton (which occupies a place in our current world hundred). Pete Dye has two contenders knocking on the door: The Honors Course in Tennessee and Harbour Town in South Carolina (which was a collaboration with Jack Nicklaus). Bandon Trails (Coore & Crenshaw) must also be a candidate, along with the classics of Yeamans Hall (Seth Raynor), Winged Foot (East) by AW Tillinghast, which has recently been restored by Gil Hanse, Myopia Hunt (Herbert Corey Leeds) described by a reviewer; “Mypoia is to America what Prestwick is to Scotland,” and the Valley Club of Montecito by Alister MacKenzie (with a little help from Robert Hunter and, more recently, Tom Doak). The nine highlighted USA courses above only scratch the surface, as there are perhaps two-dozen or more American layouts that could conceivably make the World Top 100. The depth and quality in the States is second to no other country. If only more clubs could be accessed by regular golfers. Keith Baxter Editor-in-Chief Top 100 Golf Courses