Golf Digest 100 Greatest Public Courses 2023

[jwhite86]

My list:

4 - Whistling Straits - Straits

17 - Sand Valley

18 - Blackwolf Run - River

26 - Mammoth Dunes

52 - Sentry World

56 - Whistling Straits - Irish

59 - Greywalls

62 - Lawsonia - Links

74 - Blackwolf Run - Meadow Valley

88 - The Bull

 

10 in total

[Tuggerman]

On 7/28/2023 at 4:02 PM, So_Cal said:

Golfweek’s list is way better. 

The only course I've played on Golfweek's list is PGA National Champions course which is at 100 and I wasn't very impressed. The West Palm muni (The Park at West Palm) just got a recent renovation and is much more enjoyable imo

[eboettne]

1 hour ago, vallygolf said:

Dino Mountain is an architecturally terrible course.  Fun to look at, but really from a design standpoint is very very average.  Quintero is its pretty stepsister.  I agree there.

 

I've played 42 of the top 100, including 17 of the top 20

 

It's been 6 years or so since I played Dinosaur Mountain so can't really speak to how good/or not good it was architecturally. I just remember I enjoyed playing it more than Quintero. Neither are top 100 courses IMO

[Long_Left]

1 hour ago, Tuggerman said:

If anyone is curious, the courses from 2021's list that didn't make this one were:

39. (NEW) BLACK DIAMOND RANCH (QUARRY) *

54. COURSE OMITTED AFTER PUBLICATION

63. BAY HARBOR (MICH.) G.C. (LINKS/QUARRY)

75. OLD WAVERLY G.C.

85. CALEDONIA G. & FISH CLUB

89. (NEW) TPC COLORADO

90. WORLD WOODS G.C. (PINE BARRENS)

94. BULLE ROCK

95. (NEW) GRIZZLY RANCH

96. (NEW) KINGSMILL RESORT (RIVER)

99. (NEW) THE MCLEMORE CLUB*

100. (NEW) SPRING CREEK G.C.

 

I know World Woods G.C. got bought by Cabot and is being renovated and should be open in late 2023 as Cabot Citrus Farms.

 

I've played 8 on the current list and played Caledonia Golf and Fish Club recently, it is nearly as good as any of the 8 I played and better than a few.

 

Black Mesa is underrated, It's polarizing (bad ball striking day and it will end you,) difficult to get to, and a mediocre range setup, but the golf is visually stunning and very playable until the "big miss" shows up. If it were within 30 minutes of a major metro area it would be top 25 in my opinion, it is better than Paako Ridge by a wide margin.

 

 

 

[SilverBullets]

On 7/30/2023 at 2:04 PM, eboettne said:

Agreed I liked Dino mountain better than Quintero 

I like most courses in the valley more than Quintero lol

[SilverBullets]

I'm at 28 but have been fortunate enough that I've covered 7 of the top 10 and 13 of the top 20.  Not too bad.

 

1. (1) Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. (2) Pacific Dunes
3. (4) Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course
4. (3) Whistling Straits: Straits Course
6. (6) Pinehurst No. 2
8. (7) Bandon Dunes
10. (9) Erin Hills Golf Course
11. (13) Bandon Trails
12. (10) Spyglass Hill Golf Course
13. (12) Old Macdonald
14. (14) Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club: Bluffs Course
18. (16) Blackwolf Run: River
20. (22) Chambers Bay
23. (23) Kapalua: Plantation
27. (25) Harbour Town Golf Links
28. (32) Pinehurst No. 4
32. (33) Forest Dunes Golf Club
45. (49) Tobacco Road Golf Club
48. (53) The Links At Spanish Bay
56. (47) Whistling Straits: Irish Course
57. (82) Tetherow Golf Club
58. (59) The Loop Black Course at Forest Dunes
63. (73) Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
69. (78) The Loop Red Course at Forest Dunes
74. (74) Blackwolf Run: Meadow Valleys
83. (88) Quintero Golf Club
87. (92) Poppy Hills Golf Course
93. (84) The Virtues Golf Club
 

It's a travesty that Quintero is on this list when places like Troon North Pinnacle, WeKoPa Saguaro and Grayhawk Raptor are not.  Phoenix courses are weirdly absent from the major lists.  I get all of the arguments about TPC Scottsdale Stadium being over priced but it's absolutely better than every course on my list below Tobacco Road (with the exception of Pine Needles, that place is awesome).  You could make arguments for 4 or 5 publics in Scottsdale/Phoenix (TN Pinnacle, both WeKoPa tracks, Grayhawk Raptor, Southern Dunes, TPC Stadium) which can go toe to toe with most of the courses in the second 50. 

 

Poppy Hills should be higher in my opinion (it's better than Spanish Bay, Tetherow, The Loop Red, BWR Meadows), BWR Meadows, The Virtues, and Quintero shouldn't be on this list at all.  Tetherow in the 50's is WAY too high (not sure it should even be on the list).  

Edited July 31, 2023 by SilverBullets

[jlevitt9]

Pacific Dunes being #2 is laughable. It's the 3rd best course on property, lol.

 

Josh

[Chanceman]

9 hours ago, SilverBullets said:

I'm at 28 but have been fortunate enough that I've covered 7 of the top 10 and 13 of the top 20.  Not too bad.

 

1. (1) Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. (2) Pacific Dunes
3. (4) Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course
4. (3) Whistling Straits: Straits Course
6. (6) Pinehurst No. 2
8. (7) Bandon Dunes
10. (9) Erin Hills Golf Course
11. (13) Bandon Trails
12. (10) Spyglass Hill Golf Course
13. (12) Old Macdonald
14. (14) Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club: Bluffs Course
18. (16) Blackwolf Run: River
20. (22) Chambers Bay
23. (23) Kapalua: Plantation
27. (25) Harbour Town Golf Links
28. (32) Pinehurst No. 4
32. (33) Forest Dunes Golf Club
45. (49) Tobacco Road Golf Club
48. (53) The Links At Spanish Bay
56. (47) Whistling Straits: Irish Course
57. (82) Tetherow Golf Club
58. (59) The Loop Black Course at Forest Dunes
63. (73) Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
69. (78) The Loop Red Course at Forest Dunes
74. (74) Blackwolf Run: Meadow Valleys
83. (88) Quintero Golf Club
87. (92) Poppy Hills Golf Course
93. (84) The Virtues Golf Club
 

It's a travesty that Quintero is on this list when places like Troon North Pinnacle, WeKoPa Saguaro and Grayhawk Raptor are not.  Phoenix courses are weirdly absent from the major lists.  I get all of the arguments about TPC Scottsdale Stadium being over priced but it's absolutely better than every course on my list below Tobacco Road (with the exception of Pine Needles, that place is awesome).  You could make arguments for 4 or 5 publics in Scottsdale/Phoenix (TN Pinnacle, both WeKoPa tracks, Grayhawk Raptor, Southern Dunes, TPC Stadium) which can go toe to toe with most of the courses in the second 50. 

 

Poppy Hills should be higher in my opinion (it's better than Spanish Bay, Tetherow, The Loop Red, BWR Meadows), BWR Meadows, The Virtues, and Quintero shouldn't be on this list at all.  Tetherow in the 50's is WAY too high (not sure it should even be on the list).  

I absolutely agree that Southern Dunes (Ak Chin) should be on this list. Way better than Quintero and quite a few others. I dont know why it falls under the radar - probably because its well away from the Scottsdale Strip.

[Drwoods2017]

13 hours ago, jlevitt9 said:

Pacific Dunes being #2 is laughable. It's the 3rd best course on property, lol.

 

Josh

It's the best course on property for the criteria for the rankings.  Probably 3rd best in terms of fun and memorable shots but it's still an amazing course. I'd have it listed above the other bandon courses in a best of rankings.

[FuzzyKnuckles]

Glad to see Chambers and Streamsong moving up. Both great properties, but I played Chambers recently and had an unbelievable time.

 

Also good for Big Cedar to get all 3 Branson, MO courses ranked now

[eboettne]

14 hours ago, jlevitt9 said:

Pacific Dunes being #2 is laughable. It's the 3rd best course on property, lol.

 

Josh

 

Have we not learned anything about Bandon and the plethora of good golf available? Every person has different rankings so to say it's laughable seems a bit drastic.

[ilikegolf26]

When did Firestone CC become public?

[mci711]

1 hour ago, FuzzyKnuckles said:

Glad to see Chambers and Streamsong moving up. Both great properties, but I played Chambers recently and had an unbelievable time.

 

Also good for Big Cedar to get all 3 Branson, MO courses ranked now

 

Chambers deserves another major! 

[jlevitt9]

1 hour ago, eboettne said:

 

Have we not learned anything about Bandon and the plethora of good golf available? Every person has different rankings so to say it's laughable seems a bit drastic.

I hear what you’re saying, but any course where the first hole is a 6 iron lay up off the tee…. 🤣

[jerebear21]

2 minutes ago, jlevitt9 said:

I hear what you’re saying, but any course where the first hole is a 6 iron lay up off the tee…. 🤣

 

You can get away with irons off the tee the first 2 holes.  And the finishing 18 is a wtf just happened after 3-17 purity.  Feel the same about dunes, old mac and trails.  Horrible finishing holes.  Probably try to mirror cypress big letdown. As crappy as pebble’s inland holes may be, I always leave with a smile on my face cuz 16/17/18 was pretty darn good. 

[mci711]

8 minutes ago, jlevitt9 said:

I hear what you’re saying, but any course where the first hole is a 6 iron lay up off the tee…. 🤣

 

Misread never mind. lol

Edited August 1, 2023 by mci711

[Argonne69]

5 hours ago, ilikegolf26 said:

When did Firestone CC become public?

 

Firestone requires a very expensive stay and play. It's been a few years. 

 

[eboettne]

On 8/1/2023 at 9:26 AM, jlevitt9 said:

I hear what you’re saying, but any course where the first hole is a 6 iron lay up off the tee…. 🤣

 

While I don't love the hole, I've hit anything from a 4 iron to a driver on that hole. Hardly the worst hole I've played and it's my 2nd favorite course I've every played.  There are criticisms of every course there if you want to be really picky but 1 mediocre hole hardly disqualifies it in my opinion.  

[jlevitt9]

19 minutes ago, eboettne said:

 

While I don't love the hole, I've hit anything from a 4 iron to a driver on that hole. Hardly the worst hole I've played and it's my 2nd favorite course I've every played.  There are criticisms of every course there if you want to be really picky but 1 mediocre hole hardly disqualifies it in my opinion.  

 

Junky holes at Pacific include:

 

- First hole....300+ yard with blind fairway after 175 yards

- Fifth hole...the second worst par 3 on property behind 12 Trails

- Sixth hole....50ft bunker near the green to help slow up play

- Ninth hole...split fairway and you don't know which green to hit at

- Eleven is the most overhyped par 3 on the planet

 

Now none of this is to say that Pacific isn't a great course, although I'm bitching a lot, lol....17 is the second or third best par 3 on property and is absolutely stunning, and the back 9 has some wonderful holes, but to say it's the #2 course in the US is, I'm sorry, laughable, especially if every caddie I've talked to there feels the same. 

Edited August 3, 2023 by jlevitt9

[eboettne]

Just now, jlevitt9 said:

 

I've been to Bandon six times and played each course numerous times (save for Sheep). Junky holes at Pacific include:

 

- First hole....300+ yard with blind fairway after 175 yards

- Fifth hole...the second worst par 3 on property behind 12 Trails

- Sixth hole....50ft bunker near the green to help slow up play

- Ninth hole...split fairway and you don't know which green to hit at

- Eleven is the most overhyped par 3 on the planet

 

Now none of this is to say that Pacific isn't a great course, although I'm bitching a lot, lol....17 is the second or third best par 3 on property and is absolutely stunning, and the back 9 has some wonderful holes, but to say it's the #2 course in the US is, I'm sorry, laughable.

 

Reading your comments make me realize that we wouldn't have much common ground.  Agree to disagree

[jlevitt9]

1 hour ago, eboettne said:

 

Reading your comments make me realize that we wouldn't have much common ground.  Agree to disagree

 

Fair enough!

[mci711]

I have a hot take. Sand Valley course is the best course at either property. 🤷‍♂️

[Drwoods2017]

11 minutes ago, jlevitt9 said:

 

Fair enough!

Pretty sure once again the rankings are based on architecture. Not whats fun to play. 

[Drwoods2017]

2 hours ago, jlevitt9 said:

 

Junky holes at Pacific include:

 

- First hole....300+ yard with blind fairway after 175 yards

- Fifth hole...the second worst par 3 on property behind 12 Trails

- Sixth hole....50ft bunker near the green to help slow up play

- Ninth hole...split fairway and you don't know which green to hit at

- Eleven is the most overhyped par 3 on the planet

 

Now none of this is to say that Pacific isn't a great course, although I'm bitching a lot, lol....17 is the second or third best par 3 on property and is absolutely stunning, and the back 9 has some wonderful holes, but to say it's the #2 course in the US is, I'm sorry, laughable, especially if every caddie I've talked to there feels the same. 

Literally all your gripes with those holes are things a lot of people find really cool about the course. 

 

5th hole: Really cool designed part 3 that a lot of people love because its a shorter hole with danger everywhere.

6th hole: Driveable par 4 with no easy way to play it (same as 14 at trails)

9th hole: split fairway because there's 2 separate greens that they use (also cool)

11th hole: par 3 with the pacific ocean up the whole left side.

 

If you find these holes junky we have different definitions of junky

[jlevitt9]

4 minutes ago, Drwoods2017 said:

Literally all your gripes with those holes are things a lot of people find really cool about the course. 

 

5th hole: Really cool designed part 3 that a lot of people love because its a shorter hole with danger everywhere.

6th hole: Driveable par 4 with no easy way to play it (same as 14 at trails)

9th hole: split fairway because there's 2 separate greens that they use (also cool)

11th hole: par 3 with the pacific ocean up the whole left side.

 

If you find these holes junky we have different definitions of junky

 

Agree to disagree. But that's the fantastic thing about Bandon. You can talk about it all day...what's your fav, what's not, and why, and at the end of the day, I'd be truly happy playing any of them....save for Old Mac or Sheep in high winds!

 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by jlevitt9

[Drwoods2017]

3 minutes ago, jlevitt9 said:

 

Agree to disagree. But that's the fantastic thing about Bandon. You can talk about it all day...what's your fav, what's not, and why, and at the end of the day, I'd be truly happy playing any of them....save for Old Mac or Sheep in high winds!

 

 

A little bit of something for everyone totally agree.

[eboettne]

2 hours ago, mci711 said:

I have a hot take. Sand Valley course is the best course at either property. 🤷‍♂️

 That is a hot take, I didn’t love SV. So I’m going back next May to see if I appreciate it more. Also for the lido and hopefully sedge

[StudentGolfer4]

2 hours ago, mci711 said:

I have a hot take. Sand Valley course is the best course at either property. 🤷‍♂️

At either property meaning SV or Bandon?!

 

I’m constantly debating if I think SV or Mammoth is a better course. I need to play them again and honestly SV is probably the better course but Mammoth is just more fun. Walking off every green I was excited to see the next hole. I still think of tee balls out there I want another crack at. I don’t have the same feeling when I look back at SV, excluding the 9th hole. 

Edited August 3, 2023 by StudentGolfer4

[knock it close]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:26 AM, jlevitt9 said:

I hear what you’re saying, but any course where the first hole is a 6 iron lay up off the tee…. 🤣

Just hit driver pin high left and get up and down for birdie, easy. 

[miss0033]

I think it is rather stupid that Shadow Creek is listed as a public course.  It really isn't.  You have to be invited, they let very few people play only a couple days of the week, and its a $1,000 tee time, plus a bunch you have to spend gambling in order to get invited.  That isn't a public course.