The Best Courses | The Membership

I know, it's been a while.

Let's just pretend that's not the case.  We'll get to the 2012 analysis and what's to come for 2013 soon.

Moving on.... Golf Digest has a new iPhone app for rating golf courses based on their "proprietary formula" that is used to determine their "Best Courses" lists.  The app is pretty terrible, filled with bugs and generally less fun than one would hope.

BUT (of course), I've been using that "proprietary formula" for a few years to rate the courses that I have played.  And after last summer's Scotland trip, I've got enough good ones in the database to put out a list of the 10 Best.

First, here are the categories Golf Digest uses (quoted from their website):

1. Shot Values
How well does the course pose risks and rewards and equally test length, accuracy and finesse?

2. Resistance to Scoring
How difficult, while still being fair, is the course for a scratch player from the back tees?

3. Design Variety
How varied are the golf course's holes in differing lengths, configurations, hazard placements, green shapes and green contours?

4. Memorability
How well do the design features (tees, fairways, greens, hazards, vegetation and terrain) provide individuality to each hole, yet a collective continuity to the entire 18?

5. Aesthetics
How well do the scenic values of the course (including landscaping, vegetation, water features and backdrops) add to the pleasure of a round?

6. Conditioning
How firm, fast and rolling were the fairways, and how firm yet receptive were the greens on the day you played the course?

7. Ambience
How well does the overall feel and atmosphere of the course reflect or uphold the traditional values of the game?

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2011-05/100-greatest-golf-courses-methodology#ixzz2Lh4BmpZh

Each category is given a score from 1-10, with 10 being absolutely perfect (in other words, grade tough).  Category #1 (which I interpret as "how fun/awesome is it to play the course") is counted twice, so the maximum score is 80.

With that in mind, here's my list, with the scores I'd assign them:

1. Turnberry Resort (Ailsa Course), Ayrshire, Scotland - 73.4 points.
2. St. Andrews Links (Old Course), St. Andrews, Scotland - 69.8 points.
3. Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale, NY - 65.8 points.
4. TPC Boston, Norton, MA - 64 points.
5. Links at Lighthouse Sound, Bishopville, MD - 63 points.
6. Ballyowen, Hardyston, NJ - 62.7 points.
    Granite Links Golf Club (Milton-Quincy), Quincy, MA - 62.7 points.
8. The International (Oaks), Bolton, MA - 61.8 points.
9. Brae Burn C.C., Newton, MA - 61.6 points.
10. Turning Stone Resort (Atunyote), Verona, NY - 60.5 points.
      Red Tail Golf Course, Devens, MA - 60.5 points.

Honorable mentions: the other 2 courses at Turning Stone (Shenendoah 60 points; Kaluhyat 59.2 points), and Newport National in Middletown, RI (59.9 points).

My category leaders are:
Shot Values - St. Andrews (9.2)
Resistance to Scoring - Bethpage Black (10)
Design Variety - Turnberry (8.5)
Memorability - St. Andrews (10)
Aesthetics - Turnberry (9.9)
Conditioning - Turnberry (9.5)
Ambience - St. Andrews (10)

I look at that list and feel very fortunate.  4 of the courses have hosted major championships (Turnberry, St. Andrews, Bethpage, Brae Burn), 2 others have been the host to PGA Tour events (TPC Boston and Atunyote), and one was the site of a US Women's Public Links Championship (Red Tail).

The others?  Lighthouse Sound has been called the "Pebble Beach of the east" -- probably a stretch, but still gives you some clue to the natural beauty that surrounds it.  Ballyowen is a spectacular track, probably my favorite (US) course on the list.  The Oaks course at The International is the sister course to the multi-record-holding Pines course on the same property (longest hole, largest tee box, largest green).  And Granite Links is my new home.

Yes, that's right, I'm now a member of a club.

I'm not sure what that means for The Mission.  But I know I'm looking forward to playing a lot of rounds on the same course this year.  I know I now have access to a practice facility with a range, short game area, and multiple putting greens, and I can only hope that with that kind of practice that even par is not far away.