What do the highest rated courses on Golfweek’s Best lists have in common? As a course designer I have spent the past 20 years trying to figure out the key ingredients of great courses. And in studying what goes into a great course, we found a few interesting tidbits.
One might think having a famous architect or famous tour pro design the course is essential. In fact, pro golfers are not a good bet for such, especially if rated by percentage of their portfolio. Also, many of the top courses were designed by architects before they became famous. And we found that the age of the designer was not a great indicator, as there are top courses designed by architects in their 20s up to their 70s.
You do notice that most of the Classic courses are located in urban or suburban areas, while most of the top Modern courses are in remote locations largely due to modern land costs, zoning, environmental restrictions and land availability. Most of the top Modern courses also feature on-site lodging.
And while each project is different and offers varying levels of potential, in my opinion and as evidenced by this year’s Golfweek’s Best lists, greatness often is a byproduct of three key factors: the site, the design and the culture.
The site
Sites vary. A layout on an inland parcel bordered by freeways and power plants would not garner the same love as the same layout on coastal duneland. So what are the components of a site that would provide the best chance for success?
Sand: Fifteen of the top 20 Classic (before 1960) courses are built on sandy soils. Even more noteworthy, nine of the 10 highest rated Modern courses sit on sand. Sandy soils provide an ideal growing medium, offer exceptional drainage, promote firm turf and are easier and less expensive on which to build. In golf, sand is gold.
Core golf: Sixteen of the top 20 Classic courses are core golf, meaning no public roads or houses bisect the course. Eighteen of the top 20 Modern courses are core layouts. Essentially, core golf means that golf is the focus – not tennis, swimming or weddings. Core golf provides the best opportunity to fully immerse yourself in nature.
Open site with long views: Thirteen of the top 15 Classic courses are open by nature, as are nine of the top 10 modern courses. Open sites may have trees but don’t isolate the holes, meaning there are long views across the property. Open sites allow the wind to play a role, and the designs often have more width and offer more strategic options.
Waterfront: Seven of the top 13 Classic courses reside on a major body of water, as do six of the top nine modern courses. Any property on a major body of water is valuable and alluring, and it’s especially so for golf. Not only is the water pretty to look at, water is often closely tied to the sandy soils and open sites mentioned before.
The design
A golf designer is tasked with meeting a client’s goals on a particular site. In some cases the mandate may be to create the best possible course, but other times it may be to construct a demanding championship layout or a fun and quirky track. Here are some elements that top courses have regardless of setting or client.
Sense of place: This refers to what is inherently special or unique in a setting. In golf it is often a landscape, but it also could include a site’s history. Each of the top 20 Classic and Modern courses captures the sense of place. Augusta National sits on a former nursery and does a great job showcasing the tall pines and azaleas. Bandon Dunes highlights the great linksland as opposed to importing lakes, waterfalls, trees and flowers. The top courses, even when the design is manufactured, try to capture a sense of place. Shadow Creek is 100 percent artificial, but the goal was to create an oasis in the desert, which its layout does perfectly – it screams Las Vegas.
Variety: The best courses maximize variety. They have short, medium and long holes. The holes move left to right, right to left, uphill, downhill and sidehill. The hazards (bunkers, water, hollows, etc.) are in different spots, sometimes in front, sometimes on the side and sometimes behind. And you don’t see many parallel fairways on these lists.
Walkability: The top courses are usually designed with walking in mind. This means the holes flow with the land, the tees are often near the previous green, and paths do not impact strategy or aesthetics. All 20 of the top Classic courses are easily walkable. The top nine, and 15 of the top 20, Modern courses are very walkable.
The culture
While a site is a product of mother nature and the design is crafted by an architect, the culture is often a byproduct of the owner-developer.
Golf first: Many clubs or resorts offer numerous amenities, but the top courses are found where golf is the priority. This means golf gets the best land and the other elements support the golf. None of the top five Classic courses (all private) have a pool or tennis. Seven of the top 20 Modern courses have water frontage, and in each case golf got that prime real estate as opposed to a clubhouse or lodging.
Championships: Many of the top courses host major championships. Hosting these events can bring prestige to a club or course, but it also means giving up your course for weeks or more, repairing any damage and often a financial loss to the facility. The top courses have a culture of giving back to the game by hosting these events. Sixteen of the top 20 Classic courses have hosted a top-tier event on the PGA Tour.
[lawrence-related id=778062306]