Streamsong Black

US South Atlantic Division Best in State Rankings 2018 Our Best in State biennial re-ranking exercise for the United States of America reaches the halfway stage with this news release for the eight South Atlantic states of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. In this revision, we’ve expanded four of those state charts so there are now four hundred and five different courses featured across this geographical region, almost double the number listed in our inaugural 2012 state listings three editions ago. In the last few months, we’ve processed the Pacific, Mountain, East South Central and West South Central Divisions and, before the summer is over, we’ll have updated the standings for states in West and East North Central, the Mid-Atlantic and New England Divisions. But first to matters in hand and The South Atlantic region which has seventeen courses currently occupying positions in our US Top 100, making it one of the nation’s strongest golfing territories. We start in Delaware, the second smallest state in the USA with a population of around one million. Delaware Located an hour’s drive north of Dover, the state capital, lies the small town of Greenville in New Castle County, where the Bidermann course displaces Wilmington's South course as the number 1 golfing layout in our First State rankings. Redesigned by Dick Wilson in the mid-1960s, the Bidermann course sees less than ten thousand rounds played on it during the year, hence there’s no need to allocate tee times for a membership numbering fewer than three hundred. The only new entry in the state chart arrives at number 14 and it’s a mid-1980s design from Algie M. Pulley at Cripple Creek Golf and Country Club near Bethany Beach which has recently had its fairways and approach areas successfully converted to Latitude 36 bermuda grass. The club has also increased the size of its short game practice area, allowing more players to hone their chipping and putting skills. Rank/ Click this link to see full details of our 2018 Delaware Best in State courses. Florida The Sunshine State is a golfing powerhouse, with the top half dozen tracks in Florida also ranked nationally. The state Top 100 is headed by the Donald Ross-designed course at Seminole in Juno Beach, where two of our well-travelled correspondents paid a visit last year. Javier Pintos, our Argentina correspondent, called it both “special” and “charming” with David Davis, our International Correspondent declaring it “one of the best routed and most interesting courses in the world”. The two older, more established tracks at Streamsong, the Red and the Blue, ease up one place in the new table to number 3 and number 4 but it’s the Gil Hanse-designed Black course (the first of nine new entries at number 6) that’s causing a stir since it opened last year. Our US Consultant Fergal O’Leary has played the course, calling it a “gigantic piece of golf minimalism of enormous scale (where) fairways, waste areas and greens are amongst the biggest I’ve seen… the sheer scale of the property is a lot to comprehend”. Two other tracks make impressive upward moves in the upper echelons of the new state listings and they’re situated right next door to each other in Hobe Sound. Tom Fazio’s 18-hole design at McArthur Golf Club enters the Top 10 for the first time with a seven-place rise to number 9 and Bobby Weed’s recent renovation of the Medalist Golf Club course leads to a Top 20 debut after a climb of six places to number 18. Michael Jordan is currently building a new course near Hobe Sound called Grove XXIII, paying homage to the number 23 he wore for most of his basketball career. Tom Doak was considered for the project, but the NBA legend selected Bobby Weed who will stay on site to supervise the design process which is due to complete in 2019. We expect Grove XXIII to feature prominently in our 2020 Florida rankings. Click this link to see full details of our 2018 Florida Best in State courses. Georgia Still the number one track in the Peach State standings, Augusta National Golf Club is regarded by many as an elusive golfing shrine, the one place – apart from the Old course at St Andrews – they would most like to play, given the chance, which is a lot easier said than done because invitations are very few and far between. Some might say its lavish conditioning represents much of what’s wrong with golf in the modern era but we’re sure such critics will be glued to their television for four days when the Masters tournament comes around every April. On the southeast perimeter of the course, across the other side of Rae’s Creek, lies Augusta Country Club (up five to number 8) which was formed in 1897, way before its more famous near neighbour was ever thought about. Once a 36-hole facility, the club now operates an 18-hole layout (formerly called the Hill) that was redesigned by Donald Ross in 1927. Brian Silva carried out a remarkable restoration here early in the new millennium and this work is only now being fully appreciated. The Crabapple course at Capital City Club (at number 17) is the highest of ten new Georgian entries as we extend the state chart to a Top 50. A Tom Fazio design from 2002, the course sits on a property some twenty-two miles north of the club’s other 18-hole Brookhaven course, located next to Atlanta National Golf Club in Milton. The Crabapple made a big impact the year after opening when it hosted the 2003 WGC-American Express Championship which Tiger Woods won by two strokes from three other players. We are keeping a watchful eye on Gil Hanse's new layout at Ohoopee Match Club, which is due to open later this year on land formerly used for growing onions – it's sure to make a bold statement in our 2020 rankings. According to Hanse, who was interviewed by Golf Course Architecture; “the course is going to be a ton of fun to play, and owner Michael Walrath founded the club to foster the experience of match play. We have tried to design a course that will feature a lot of half par holes and some expansive hazards. The sandy site is conducive to that and we are excited about what we have cooked up.” Click this link to see full details of our 2018 Georgia Best in State courses. Maryland The top three places in the Old Line State listings remain the same as last time so the East course at Baltimore Country Club is still the state number 1. Laid out by A. W. Tillinghast in 1926, the course – known locally as Five Farms – has hosted many prestigious amateur and professional events, including the 1928 PGA Championship, the 1932 US Amateur, the 1965 Walker Cup and the 1988 US Women’s Open. Keith Foster completed a well-received restoration of the course in 2015, reviving much of the original design intent. The first of three new entries appears at number 15 and it’s The Links at Perry Cabin near St Michael’s in Talbot County. The course was originally built by Andy Dye in the 1960s but it fell on hard times and closed in 2015. The rebuilt layout is another Dye family production and this time it’s a collaboration between P.B. Dye and his parents Pete and Alice Dye, featuring a brilliant Biarritz green on the par three 7th and an iconic island green on the par three 17th. Click this link to see full details of our 2018 Maryland Best in State courses. North Carolina The fabled No.2 course at the Pinehurst Resort in Moore County sits atop our chart for the Tar Heel State, which we’ve now increased in size to a Top 75. Designed by Donald Ross in 1907, the layout was tweaked on an almost continual basis by the old master right up until he died in 1948, and Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw’s recent renovation has breathed new life into an old golfing masterpiece that certainly looked at its very best during both the US Open and US Women’s Open in 2014. Regular contributor M. James Ward had this to say about the course last year: “Pinehurst #2 is one of those few ‘must’ plays for the architectural cognoscenti. If one can secure permission, it pays to walk the course prior to any round and really see the manner in which the ‘small details’ all add up… #2 is number one in my book for any design student to view first hand. If the opportunity allows to play enough rounds the discerning elements will only add to your enjoyment in playing this iconic layout.” Another couple of Donald Ross tracks enter the Top 10: Roaring Gap Club thunders up the listings from number 12 to number 6 and Mid Pines Club advances nine places to number 8. Our aforementioned raters Fergal O’Leary and David Davis visited Roaring Gap independently not so long ago and they mentioned there was “plenty of charm about this massively underrated course” located on “a great and interesting property” whilst another of our top reviewers, Richard Smith, played Mid Pines Club just a few weeks ago, when he said: “In Contrast to modern designs, which seek to intimidate the golfer while actually allowing for quite a bit of room for most shots, designer Donald Ross accomplished the opposite here. Relatively benign and open holes actually require very precise placement to play the hole properly.” The highest new entry at number 23 is the Elk River Club in Avery County, positioned at an altitude of 3,500 feet above sea level in the Blue Ridge Mountains between the ski resorts of Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain. Despite the fabulous mountain scenery that surrounds the layout, the fairways actually occupy quite flat terrain and the course had the distinction in 1984 of being the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Course to open in North Carolina. Click this link to see full details of our 2018 North Carolina Best in State courses. South Carolina The Palmetto State has had another handful of courses added to its ranking chart so we now highlight the Top 80 layouts in South Carolina. The Ocean course at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort retains its status as the number 1 course in the state and many consider it to be one of Pete Dye’s best designs. Opened just in time to host the 29th edition of Ryder Cup matches in 1991, the Ocean course is one of five 18-hole layouts within a fabulous resort that offers ninety holes of championship golf in a stunning location overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Three courses make noteworthy progress inside the new table’s Top 10 positions. At number 4 (up three places) there’s the Robert Trent Jones Snr-designed layout at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, site of the US Women’s Open in 1962, which has been providing a stiff test for golfers since it first opened in 1948. Hard on its heels at number 5 (up six spots) comes the much-revered (and much-revised) layout at Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, where many top architects – Gil Hanse the latest – have had a hand restoring the course back to its 1895 origins. And at number 7 (up six places), the course at Chechessee Creek Club near Okatie is a Coore & Crenshaw design – described by one reviewer as “a tour through nature” – that’s adopted a rather low profile since it debuted in 2000. The highest newcomer on the South Carolina chart emerges at a very commendable number 12 and it’s the result of a philanthropic project developed between the small settlements of Ridgeland and Grays in Jasper County by a couple of high-end private golf club owners in The Carolinas. The course at Congaree Golf Club is a Tom Fazio layout set within a vast site that was once nothing other than a rice plantation and the architect has routed the fairways around an old plantation house, stables and courtyard, affording a painstakingly preserved 19th century ambiance equivalent to, as one recent reviewer wrote, being “invited behind the curtains to witness a land where time has no meaning”. Click this link to see full details of our 2018 South Carolina Best in State courses. Virginia We’ve added another ten courses to the Old Dominion chart to form a state Top 50 which is still led by the Kinloch Golf Club in Goochland County at number 1. Designed by architect Lester George in conjunction with Vinnie Giles, the US Amateur champion in 1972 (who also won the British equivalent three years later), the course exhibits something of a split personality as the front nine is routed through forested terrain with the back nine laid out around an enormous 70-acre lake. The most significant leap up the listings is made by the newly upgraded 18-hole layout in Albemarle County called Full Cry at Keswick Hall, soaring eighteen places to number 7. The original course dates back to 1949 though Arnold Palmer upgraded this layout in the early 1990s. When the property changed hands in 2012, Pete Dye was called in to redesign the course and he’s added more than a thousand yards to the length while simultaneously changing the par on more than half the holes. The new entry to make the biggest impression in this chart is Boonsboro Country Club in Lynchburg (new at number 14) where Willie Park Jnr arrived in 1922 to set out a course for the club which Fred Findlay eventually completed seven years later. Modifications have been made since then, of course, most appreciably in 1964 when holes were re-sequenced due to the construction of a swimming pool and in 1981 when Rees Jones carried out some work. Donald Ross and William Flynn's historic legacies at Washington Golf & Country Club in Arlington are currently being renovated as is Mike Stranz's layout at Royal New Kent. It remains to be seen where these rejuvenated courses will land in our 2020 rankings. Click this link to see full details of our 2018 Virginia Best in State courses. West Virginia The courses in the top five positons in the Mountain State chart remain as they were before this latest reappraisal took place which means the 18-hole layout at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport remains in the number 1 slot. Situated in the hill country of Harrison County, the course is laid out on the site of an old coal mine so there are various reminders of the property’s former use dotted around the layout. Opened in 1994, it actually took all of sixteen years to get the project off the drawing board and into play! The only West Virginian new entry is the Woodhaven course at Glade Springs in Raleigh County, replacing the Greenbriar course at the Greenbriar Resort which is currently closed for reconstruction by Phil Mickelson’s design firm. The Tom Clark-designed Woodhaven is the toughest of the three 18-hole layouts at a fabulous 54-hole resort in Daniels, due to the undulating, forested nature of the terrain that the course is set out on. Click this link to see full details of our 2018 West Virginia Best in State courses. We’re always happy to receive feedback when we update our US Best in State charts so feel free to let us know what you think of these eight listings. Is there perhaps a course that shouldn’t have made the cut or maybe there’s another which is due a position in one of the state tables? Whatever you’re thinking, please click the “Respond to this article” link at the top or at the bottom of this page to share your thoughts with us. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

Review of the Month November 2017 - Streamsong (Black) When Streamsong opened 36 holes featuring Tom Doak's Blue layout and Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore's Red course there was little to question the design quality, which is far beyond the pedestrian level found at many Florida courses. A third course was planned to join the twosome early on. Given the standard of existing golf, the bar to meet what was already done would be a tough chore for just about any architect. In a brilliant move, the ownership opted to bring on board likely the only person capable in not only equaling what had already been done but also surpassing it. Gil Hanse is arguably the most sought after architect in all of golf design today. His blast-off has been nothing less than rocket-like in its ascendancy. Hanse's successes are especially noteworthy for the range of his efforts – both in the restoration and in creating new efforts. It was Hanse who won the design job for creating the 18-hole layout for the '16 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Hanse resurrected a tired Doral Blue layout for Donald Trump in Florida. He also played a major role in bringing to the forefront all of the qualities George Thomas originally created for LACC's North Course, which will host the '23 US Open after many years in declining such involvement. Hanse has worked his magic with other restoration efforts involving the likes of Winged Foot, Aronimink, Oakland Hills, Southern Hills, Plainfield, to name just a few. On the new course scene his design at Rustic Canyon leapfrogged a number of LA-area daily fee courses that were clearly overmatched by this affordable public gem. The same can be said when Hanse partnered with Mark Parsinen at Castle Stuart in Scotland. Other notable layouts include Mossy Oak in Mississippi and Boston Golf Club in Massachusetts, among several others. In short, Hanse took on the Streamsong project and all eyes would be watching to see if he could again step to the forefront and continue his incredible momentum. The answer is yes he has… Streamsong clearly provides a golf product that moves completely away from the low level results seen at so many other courses in Florida. There's no doubt the resort is sequestered away from the ongoing festivities of nearby Tampa and Orlando respectively and for some a visit of a few days will suffice. The resort has seen fit to add a number of top tier amenities to keep guests from developing any wanderlust. In simple terms, if you consider yourself a core golfer and you head to Florida -- Streamsong should be front and center on one's agenda. Hanse stepped into a difficult situation given the momentum already in place, but, as he has done with other efforts, the net result is an imaginative layout that distinguishes itself very, very well. By M. James Ward Review of the Month November 2017 selected by Editor-in-Chief, Keith Baxter – click to read more about Streamsong (Black).

Florida is one of the world's great golf destinations, but its reputation for championship courses and high-end resorts can make it seem like a difficult place for beginners to start. It doesn't have to be. Across the state, you'll find short municipal layouts, forgiving designs, affordable daily-fee courses and practice facilities that make it easier to learn the game without being overwhelmed. Some offer a gentle introduction to 18 holes, while others provide a chance to experience famous golf venues from more manageable tees. We've picked some of the best options for beginners, looking at factors including length, difficulty, green fees, accessibility and the overall experience. Whether you're playing your first full round or simply looking for a Florida course where you can enjoy the game without needing a low handicap, these are the courses worth putting on your list. The Park West Palm Why play it: Golf for everyone, with plenty of ways to learn and practice Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: From $95 Best for: Beginners looking to learn and improve The Park is a particularly good introduction to golf for beginners because it offers plenty of ways to learn the game before committing to 18 holes. Alongside the full-length course is a Toptracer driving range, putting course and the Lit 9, a nine-hole par-three layout that can be played with little more than a wedge and putter. The 18-hole course itself was completely rebuilt by Hanse Golf Course Design, replacing Dick Wilson's original 1947 West Palm Beach layout with a new routing. The real appeal, however, is the club's approach to growing the game. Green fees for juniors registered as West Palm Beach city residents are just $20, while carts are not permitted before noon and caddies are actively encouraged. The Lit 9 costs $30 for adults and is free for children aged 12 and under, providing an inexpensive way to get on the course without tackling 18 holes. The Park has even hosted The Match IX, but despite welcoming stars such as Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang, its focus remains firmly on making golf accessible to everyone. Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club Why play it: A links-inspired layout where everything is laid out in front of you Length: 6,220 yards - Par 72 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Price: From $49 Best for: Beginners ready for a full-length challenge Southern Dunes offers a gentler introduction to championship-style golf than its 7,227-yard black-tee length might suggest. Designed by Steve Smyers in 1993, the course uses a sandy, undulating site and extensive mounding to create a links-like feel, with huge traditional bunkers, wispy waste areas and occasional water hazards shaping the holes. There are five sets of tees, with the shortest full course measuring 5,633 yards, giving beginners the option to leave the driver in the bag and play a manageable yardage. The appeal is that there are few surprises around Southern Dunes. The fairways, hazards and greens are generally laid out in front of you, allowing beginners to see the challenge and plot their way around rather than having to guess what lies ahead. The large, fast greens and rolling fairways still demand good putting and accuracy, but choose the right tees and Southern Dunes becomes a fair test rather than an intimidating one. Located in Haines City, just south of Orlando, it also offers an unusual taste of links-style golf in Central Florida. Orange County National – Panther Lake Course Why play it: A huge golf facility where beginners can build confidence before tackling 18 holes Length: 6,002 yards - Par 72 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Price: From $75 Best for: Beginners who want a full golf experience Orange County National is built around golf, with 45 holes, a 42-acre circular driving range, a 36-hole putting course and the nine-hole Tooth course all on the same sprawling property. For beginners, that means there are plenty of ways to practice before taking on Panther Lake, whether that means working on the range, spending time on the putting course or starting with nine holes. Panther Lake itself opened in 1997 and was designed by Phil Ritson, Isao Aoki and David Harman, with the rolling site providing some of the elevation change that is unusual for Florida. At more than 7,400 yards from the tips, Panther Lake is certainly not short, but the multiple tee options allow beginners to choose a yardage suited to their game. The course is set across more than 900 acres with no surrounding housing, creating a remarkably open and peaceful setting despite being a short drive from Orlando. With its extensive practice facilities and two championship courses, Orange County National gives beginners plenty of room to practise before working their way up to Panther Lake. Juliette Falls Golf Course Why play it: A scenic, strategic course with plenty of tee options Length: 6,269 yards - Par 72 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Price: From $70 Best for: Beginners ready to step up to a full-length course Juliette Falls proves that beginner-friendly golf doesn't have to mean giving up on scenery or ambition. John Sanford's 2007 design stretches to more than 7,200 yards from the back tees, but five sets of tees allow newer golfers to choose a more manageable distance. The layout winds through mature oak trees and the former phosphate-mining site, with generous corridors and clear angles of play making it possible to see the strategy of each hole before deciding how aggressively to play it. The course becomes particularly dramatic from the sixth hole, where the par five requires a tee shot over Reflection Lake, followed by the tropical landscaping and waterfall at the par-three seventh. Water is a recurring feature, but the hazards are generally visible rather than hidden, rewarding beginners who take the sensible route rather than chasing distance. With its rolling terrain, mature trees and four waterfalls, Juliette Falls offers a more substantial challenge while remaining accessible to golfers who choose the right tees. North Palm Beach Country Club Why play it: A forgiving Nicklaus design with plenty of room off the tee Length: 5,932 yards - Par 71 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: From $60 Best for: Beginners who want a forgiving 18-hole course North Palm Beach Country Club is a good option for beginners who want to play a proper 18-hole course without being punished for every wayward drive. Redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 2006, the course measures just under 7,100 yards from the back tees, but Nicklaus specifically designed it to be user-friendly from the member and senior tees. The first 180 to 200 yards from those tees are particularly wide, giving newer golfers plenty of room to find the fairway and build confidence off the tee. The course sits on a sandy site of less than 125 acres, with several lakes adding strategy without overwhelming the layout. Nicklaus also described the greens as having plenty of movement, giving beginners a chance to work on their short game as they progress. There is some history here, too: the original course dates to the late 1920s and was one of the final designs by Seth Raynor before Nicklaus gave the layout a new lease of life. In 2006, it became only the second Nicklaus Signature municipal course in the USA. Dye’s Valley at TPC Sawgrass Why play it: A chance to experience TPC Sawgrass without taking on the Stadium Course Length: 6,079 yards - Par 72 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Price: From $350 Best for: Beginners ready for a taste of championship golf Dye’s Valley offers beginners a chance to experience the TPC Sawgrass setting without immediately throwing them into the deep end of the Stadium Course. Designed by Pete Dye with Bobby Weed and player consultant Jerry Pate, the course stretches to around 6,850 yards but is less demanding from the forward tees. Water remains a major part of the challenge, lining many holes, although there are fewer forced carries than on its famous neighbour. The course opened in 1987, five years after Pate won The Players Championship and famously celebrated by dunking Dye in a nearby lake. There is still plenty of Dye’s trademark strategy here, with water, bunkering and demanding greens requiring golfers to think their way around the course. For beginners, however, the shorter length and variety of tee options make Dye’s Valley a more approachable way to experience one of American golf’s best-known venues. Winter Park Pines Golf Club Why play it: A short, affordable 18-hole course where beginners can leave the driver in the bag Length: 5,107 yards - Par 70 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: From $45 Best for: Beginners looking for an affordable full round Winter Park Pines is a reminder that beginners don't need 7,000 yards to get a proper 18-hole golf experience. The Lloyd Clifton-designed course opened in 1968 and measures just 5,354 yards from the back tees, with forward tees bringing it down to 4,336 yards. The layout features five par threes and three par fives, while the relatively short par fours give newer golfers plenty of opportunities to reach the greens without relying on their longest clubs. Water is a recurring feature, including a creek that runs through the property, so there are still hazards to negotiate despite the modest yardage. But the course is designed to provide a test for both novices and more experienced golfers, with a driving range and practice greens available before the round. Best of all, non-resident green fees start at just $45 on weekdays during the summer, making Winter Park Pines one of the more affordable ways to play 18 holes in the Orlando area. Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course Why play it: A spectacular 18-hole introduction to golf with every hole within reach Length: 2,572 yards - Par 54 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: From $35 Best for: Beginners who want to learn the game without a full-length course Palm Beach Par 3 strips golf back to its essentials, with 18 holes ranging from just 81 to 211 yards. Set between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, the course gives beginners a chance to experience a full round without needing the distance or consistency required on a traditional par 72. Each hole has three sets of tees, while water hazards and sand bunkers provide plenty of challenges without turning every missed shot into a lost ball. The course dates back to 1961, when it was designed by Dick Wilson and his apprentice Joe Lee, before being completely redesigned by Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd in 2009. Alongside the ocean views, golfers have access to a full-length driving range, putting green and practice bunker, making it possible to work on the basics before taking on the course. For beginners, it is an affordable and unusually scenic way to get 18 holes under the belt.