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.

The Bottom

In addiction treatment, there's a long-standing saying that goes something like "you have to hit rock bottom before you can rise up." 

I am a golf addict.  And in terms of my quest for even par, I believe I've hit rock bottom.

Two years ago I had 5 rounds that were within 5 shots of par.  Last year I had 2 such rounds.  This year?  Zero.  My best round this year is +9.  And even worse, of my last 8 rounds, 5 have been in the 90s.

I've been so inconsistent I can't even pinpoint where the trouble is.  In one round I hit 50% of fairways and 50% of greens in regulation (including 9 out of 12 in one stretch) and still shot 94 (the problem: terrible short game).  Two weeks later I had 9 penalty shots en route to another 94. 

But there are signs that my game is coming back around.  On Tuesday this week I went to the driving range for the first time since the beginning of the season.  Practice helps!  (Who knew?)  I worked almost exclusively on staying connected through the swing by practicing with a head cover tucked in my left armpit (see example below).  I truly believe this is the perfect drill, and a novice could probably learn the proper swing by just hitting golf balls this way without any other instruction (well, except maybe learning proper grip and "keep your head down").



Yesterday I had the distinct pleasure of being invited to play at Brae Burn Country Club in Newton, MA.  Brae Burn is one of the truly historic golf clubs in New England, having hosted the 1919 US Open as well as several US Amateur tournaments.  It's currently ranked as the number 18 course in Massachusetts by Golf Digest.  And it was spectacular, with uniquely contoured holes and absolutely pristine conditions.  And finally my game seemed to be back on track, at least for the first 12 holes.  My very first shot was a pull-hook, but after that I played nearly flawlessly on the front 9, carding a 3-over 38 that was marred by 3 missed putts inside of 6 feet.

I followed the front with a birdie on the short par-5 10th hole to get to 2-over, then bogey-par on 11 and 12.  Unfortunately I fell apart after that, going 9-over on the next 5 holes before recovering with a par on the 18th.  So definitely not a great round, but I really had it going for 12 holes, which is a lot better than I can say for any other round in the past month.

I plan to get back out this weekend.  Here's hoping I can put 18 holes together and start to get this mission back on track.