Top 100 Golf Course rankings are popular and we love the discussion and buzz they produce. However, not all Top 100 Golf Course rankings are created equal. Below are a few of the rankings widely available and an overview of what makes them different and offer a suggestion of who may prefer which ranking.
National Club Golfer Top 100 Ranking
Newly published in 2020, the National Club Golfer Top 100 is a well-rounded Top 100 Ranking.
NCG Ranking Criteria
- 20% – Architecture & Design (Well designed individual holes? Course as a whole? Is there a mix of strategic, penal and heroic holes?)
- 10% – Conditioning & Presentation (Turf & green quality plus consistency.)
- 10% – Consistency (Does the course get better during the round? Is the design harmonious?)
- 10% – Scenery, Surroundings & Ambience (Is the course attractive?)
- 10% – Playability (Enjoyable for the shorter hitter and higher handicapper?)
- 10% – Challenge (Does it challenge an elite golfer?)
- 10% – Variety (Does it test all facets of one’s game? Is it predictable? Does it require a variety of shot types?)
- 10% – Routing (Long walks between holes? Does it flow? Are holes sequentially different?)
- 10% – Charm, Distinctiveness & Memorability (Do you want to return? Can you remember the course?)
NCG Top 100 Golf Course Ranking Evaluation
The panel is smaller than most others with 8 members. 4 are single-digit golfers and the rest are better than bogey golfers. Course reviews are weighted to give more frequent and fresher visits greater worth. The panel is small and there are some bold takes – especially Skibo Castle ahead of 16 stalwarts in the Golf Top 100 in the World List! An excellent first Top 100 list, you would expect the panel to perhaps grow and rankings to be refined.
However, we love the fact the golf is what is rated as opposed to bits and pieces before the 1st tee and after the 18th green. The weighting and criteria are well balanced and are a great way for the amateur to analyse their own golf experience. The explanation of the criteria isn’t obscure nor does it leave much ambiguity. Seeing Royal Worlington slot in provides instant credibility to any ranking in our books. The panel was obviously willing to take risks and not be swayed by other rankings.
NCG Top 100 Ranking Is Best…
If you are a better golfer & only interested in the golf itself – National Club Golfer may be the ranking for you.
NCG Top 100 Ranking VS The Competition
NCG was the only ranking to leave off:
- Dumbarnie
- Walton Heath New
- Broadstone
NCG was the only ranking to include:
- Luffness
- Panmure
- Moray Old
- Gailes Links
- Dunbar
- Beau Desert
Interesting observations:
- NCG is more bullish on Portmarnock, Skibo, Walton Heath Old, Western Gailes, The Island, Alwoodley, and Woking. (Equating to greater disparity in rank.)
- NCG is less bullish on Royal Dornoch, Sunningdale Old, Swinley Forest, Royal Porthcawl, and St Enodoc in the Top 50 than the other rankings. (Equating to greater disparity in rank.)
Golf Monthly Top 100 Ranking
A perennial powerhouse from a media titan, the Golf Monthly Top 100 Ranking is the ranking the commercial clubs driven by visitor income want to climb!
Golf Monthly Ranking Criteria
- 35% – Quality of Test & Design
- 30% – Conditioning & Presentation
- 15% – Visual Appeal (Internally & Externally)
- 10% – Club Facilities
- 10% – Overall Visitor Experience
Golf Monthly Top 100 Golf Course Ranking Evaluation
Beginning in 2004, the list has been compiled 8 times on a biennial review. They have tried to make the subjective selection process objective claiming they are fair as possible, adjusting for improvements and upgrades. They begin with the current Top 100 list and supplement it with 40-50 contenders. The assessors can play the courses in matches, society visits, or whilst off-duty with friends. There are three categories of panel members: Senior (3), Staff (10), and Reader (21). The Senior Panel ranges in age from 48-61 with handicaps from 6-14. The Staff Panel ranges in age from 23-62 with handicaps from 4-18. The Reader Panel ranges in age from 32-72 with handicaps from 2-18.
Up to 35% of the rating and therefore rank is based on characteristics other than the course itself. This isn’t right or wrong, just different. Internal Visual Appeal, Club Facilities, and Overall Visitor Experience are no doubt important to a club’s ranking but does it reflect where the golf course should be?
The ranking leaves off courses that are not pay-for-play. This would explain the exclusion of Queenwood, Beaverbrook, JCB & Loch Lomond.
Golf Monthly Top 100 Ranking Is Best…
If the overall golf experience is as important to you as the golf itself. You probably like The Masters and Augusta National more than The Open and the Open Rota Venues.
GM Top 100 Golf Course Ranking VS The Competition
Golf Monthly was the only ranking to leave off:
- Carne
- Hindhead
- Loch Lomond
- Machrihanish Dunes
- Renaissance Club
- Skibo
- Wentworth Club West
Golf Monthly was the only ranking to include:
- Blairgowrie Rosemont
- Saunton West
- Druids Glen
- Ferndown
- Mount Juliet
- Murcar
- Remedy Oak
- The Belfry
- The Grove
- Trevose
- Woburn Marquess
- Woburn Duchess
- Woburn Duke’s
Interesting observations:
- Golf Monthly is the only rank to have two inland courses in the Top 10, Sunningdale Old and New.
- Golf Monthly is more bullish on Royal Liverpool, The European, Adare Manor, Burnham & Berrow, Hillside, Hankley Common, Old Head, Nairn, Royal St David’s & Tralee in the Top 50 than the other rankings. (Equating to greater disparity in rank.)
- Golf Monthly is less bullish on North Berwick in the Top 50 than the other rankings. (Equating to greater disparity in rank.)
Top 100 Golf Courses Rank
A digital powerhouse, the Top 100 Golf Course website is a go-to resource in the modern age.
Top 100 Golf Courses Rank Criteria
- 40% – Quality of Test & Design
- 30% – Visual Appeal and Enjoyment
- 30% – Presentation
Top 100 Golf Course Ranking Evaluation
A staple of the digital golf landscape, the raters appear to be decorated amateurs and professionals. One is also intrigued by the rules and algorithms used. The website uses trusted expert opinions from golfers who have played extensively in their country or territory. Rankings are usually done biennially using rules and algorithms. They consider the rankings to be honest, informed, and genuine. Club professionals & club champions are relied on heavily for their insight and opinions.
As golf club professionals & club champions are relied on heavily for their insight and opinions, we wonder if a club champion and professional could be biased in their appraisal? Do the criteria lend themselves to being more subjective? Does proficiency in playing the game and scoring well make you an authority on good golf?
Top 100 Golf Course Ranking Is Best…
If you are an accomplished golfer and you golf professionals and top amateurs are in a position to tell you what good golf is.
Top 100 Golf Course Ranking VS The Competition
Top 100 Golf Courses was the only ranking to leave off:
- Sherwood Forest
Top 100 Golf Courses was the only ranking to include:
- Queenwood
- Narin & Portnoo
- New Zealand
- Delamere Forest
- Dundonald Links
Interesting observations:
- Top 100 Golf Courses is more bullish on Ballybunion Old, Lahinch, Ganton, St Enodoc, and Wentworth West, in the Top 50 than the other rankings. (Equating to greater disparity in rank.)
- Top 100 Golf Courses is less bullish on Waterville, Royal Liverpool Hoylake, in the Top 50 than the other rankings. (Equating to greater disparity in rank.)
Today’s Golfer/ Golf World Top 100 Rank
Golf World is Today’s Golfer ranking label. Chris Bertrum has one of the most enviable and unenviable jobs in golf. Since taking over, the rank has been refined and massive shifts in rankings seen. The openness and candor are to be applauded. The majority of the panel are mid-handicap golfers. There are a couple of single-digit golfers and a single plus handicapper.
Today’s Golfer/ Golf World Rank Criteria
- 40% – Design (Landscape 20%, Greens 10%, Routing 10%)
- 15% – Setting & Atmosphere
- 15% – Memorability
- 10% – Playability (Is it tough or unfair?)
- 10% – Consistency
- 10% – Presentation
Today’s Golfer/ Golf World Ranking Evaluation
Let’s start with the positives – off-course facilities, customer service, and tournament pedigree are not factored into the rank. There is an attempt to evaluate and grade architectural merit as the panel is asked to reflect upon routing, green complexes, and strategy.
It is worth mentioning that a large proportion of the weight is given to landscape design, setting, atmosphere, and presentation. In fact, a whopping 45% is directly linked to these features.
Today’s Golfer/ Golf World Ranking Is Best…
For the average golfer looking for a fair rank. Overall, it is pretty to agree with most of the ranking with nothing egregious standing out. From 75 onwards, there are probably 50 clubs that are in with a legitimate chance.
Today’s Golfer/ Golf World Ranking VS The Competition
Top 100 Golf Courses was the only ranking to leave off:
- None fit this criterion. All courses appear on at least one other Top 100 Golf Course rank.
Top 100 Golf Courses was the only ranking to include:
- Castletown
Consensus Top 100 List
Between the three rankings evaluated (National Club Golfer, Today’s Golfer/ Golf World, Golf Monthly, and Top 100 Golf Courses) here is the Consensus Top 100 (which numbers 79):
Aberdovey Golf Club
Adare Manor
Alwoodley Golf Club (The)
Ballybunion – Old Course
Ballyliffin Glashedy
Ballyliffin Old
Berkshire Golf Club (The) – The Blue Course
Berkshire Golf Club (The) – The Red Course
Burnham & Berrow – Championship
Carnoustie – Championship
Castle Stuart Golf Links
County Louth Golf Club (Baltray)
County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point – Colt Championship Links
Cruden Bay Golf Club
Enniscrone Golf Club – The Dunes
European Club (The)
Formby Golf Club
Ganton Golf Club
Gleneagles – The King’s Course
Gleneagles – The Queen’s Course
Gullane Golf Club Course No. 1
Hankley Common Golf Club
Hillside Golf Club
Hunstanton Golf Club
Kingsbarns Golf Links
Lahinch Golf Club – Old Course Championship
Liphook Golf Club
Machrie (The) – The Machrie Links
Machrihanish Golf Club (The) – Championship Course (Kintyre)
Muirfield (Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers)
Nairn Golf Club (The) – The Championship Course
North Berwick Golf Club (The) – The West Links
Notts Golf Club (Hollinwell)
Old Head Golf Links
Parkstone Golf Club
Pennard Golf Club
Portmarnock Golf Club
Portstewart Golf Club – The Strand
Prestwick Golf Club (Old Prestwick)
Princes
Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort – Sandy Hills Links
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club – Balgownie Course
Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club (Deal)
Royal County Down Golf Club (The) – Championship Links (Newcastle)
Royal Dornoch Golf Club – Championship
Royal Liverpool Golf Club (Hoylake)
Royal Lytham & St Anne’s Golf Club
Royal Porthcawl Golf Club
Royal Portrush Golf Club – Dunluce Links
Royal St David’s Golf Club (Harlech)
Royal St George’s Golf Club (Sandwich)
Royal Troon Golf Club – Old Course
Royal West Norfolk Golf Club (Brancaster)
Rye Golf Club – Old
Saunton Golf Club East
Silloth-on-Solway Golf Club
Southport & Ainsdale (S&A) Golf Club
St Andrews Links – The Castle Course
St Andrews Links – The New Course
St Andrews Links – Old Course
St Enodoc Golf Club – Church Course
St George’s Hill Golf Club – The Red 9 The Blue 9
Sunningdale Golf Club – New Course
Sunningdale Golf Club – Old Course
Swinley Forest Golf Club
Tralee Golf Club
Trump International Scotland
Trump International Golf Links – Doonbeg
Trump Turnberry – Ailsa Championship Course
Walton Heath – Old Course
Waterville Golf Links
West Lancashire Golf Club (The) (West Lancs)
West Sussex Golf Club (Pulborough)
Western Gailes Golf Club
Woking Golf Club
Woodhall Spa – Hotchkin Course
Worplesdon Golf Club
Golf Course Rankings Evaluated Conclusion
Top 100 Golf Course rankings are subjective and we applaud all of the above for publishing their criteria for evaluating a Top 100 Golf Course. While the list here is not exhaustive, it does give you a basis for ranking the rankings…
What We Predict For 2024
The Addington will continue to rise. The second course at Castle Stuart will open to rave reviews. Tom Doak’s St Patrick’s will continue to rise both in the world ranks and in the GB&I. Top 100 Golf Course rankings will be as popular as ever.
What We Would Like to See
A review of Golf Monthly’s Rank. It would appear Golf Monthly is lagging behind with regard to the current tastes in golf course design, and presentation. 13 of 100 courses are found only on their rank. 7 of 100 are not found on only their rank. That means there is a 20% discrepancy between their rank and everyone else…
