It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for fans of Top100golfcourses.com. It's been 3 long years since we last released a USA Top 100 ranking, but the wait is finally over! We're excited to unveil our new and improved rankings, which reflect the many changes that have taken place in the US golf scene since our last release.
New minimalist design courses continue to be opened emphasizing width off the tee and placing a premium on playing to the right area to set up the best approach angle to the greens. Firm and fast playing surfaces encourage golfers to use the ground game, which is often the best option. There is also significant activity regarding new courses being built in warmer more southern climates where golf can be played year-round. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida are leading the way.
At Top100golfcourses.com, we're committed to providing the most trusted and reliable rankings in the industry. That's why we've invested heavily in our panel of experts, which includes some of the most well-traveled and architecturally engaged golfers in the country and the world.
We have made a significant investment in expanding and improving our panels in every major golf country around the world. Our US panel is now three times larger than before, and we are proud to have eight members who have played the US Top 100 and several others who have played over 1,000 different golf courses.
Significant movement in the new US ranking release, with 14 new entries, 50 courses dropping, 25 moving up, and only 11 holding their position.
Among the newcomers to the US Top 100 Rankings is CapRock Ranch, a collaboration between Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner. This stunning course debuted in last year’s Top 100 in the World rankings and offers the best of both worlds: spectacular caprock views and holes routed along the cliffs of a massive ravine, as well as inland holes that traverse the perfect dune landscape of the sand hills.
The newly restored Lido Golf Club, a faithful recreation of the original course designed by Charles B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor, has made a stunning debut in our rankings, entering as a massive favorite among our panel. It's a big, bold, and challenging course, located in the sandy hills of Wisconsin at Sand Valley Resort. Michael Keiser Jr. brought in Tom Doak and Brian Schneider, along with amateur golf historian Peter Flory, to complete the restoration.
Two new golf courses in South Carolina are spearheading the growth of a new major golf destination in the greater Augusta area. The Tree Farm, a long-time dream of PGA Tour pro Zac Blair, was the first on the scene.
The Tree Farm has been lauded for its routing prowess, thanks to the work of none other than Tom Doak and Kye Goalby. Its neighbor, Old Barnwell, showcases the sublime work of two veteran architects in Brian Schneider and Blake Conant.
These two gems are quickly gaining momentum and critical acclaim from golf lovers lucky enough to receive invites to visit them. With their stunning scenery and challenging layouts, they are poised to become two of the most sought-after golf destinations in the US.
The last several years have seen many historic championship courses undergo major restorations, many of which have improved in the rankings as well. Among these are Los Angeles (North), Oak Hill (East), Oakland Hills (South), Congressional (Blue), Inverness, Scioto, Southern Hills, Baltusrol (Lower), and Olympic (Lake).
What rises must fall, and so it is with golf courses. Some once-great courses have seen their popularity wane in recent years, due in part to the decline of penal golf course design. Pete Dye, a master of this style, has seen some of his best courses fall victim to this trend. Kiawah Island's Ocean Course, Whistling Straits' Straits Course, and TPC Sawgrass are all examples of courses that have seen their rankings drop in recent years.
Other golf courses that have experienced significant ranking declines this year include Muirfield Village, Bandon Dunes (Old Macdonald), the Streamsong courses, and Sebonack.
So, without further ado, here is our 2023 USA Top 100 ranking:
