The (Top) 25 Golf Courses of Christmas – Henry Shimp
MY Top 25 in The United States
If you have been around for a while here at The Tie Podcast, you know that we are rather infatuated with the rankings. The different outlets that try to put forth golf course rankings, the simple pursuit of comparing courses that are so different, and most importantly, trying to pretend as if this can be taken for gospel regardless of whether someone is a scratch or 25 handicap. It’s like telling everyone that a steakhouse or pizza place is the best restaurant out there. “But I’m vegan/lactose intolerant?!?!” So, still the best! That’s what ranking golf courses often feels like to me.
When I “rate” or “rank” courses, it is always my goal to view it through a plethora of lenses. A great golfer, a shitty golfer, a new golfer, a junior golfer, a strong golfer, a weak golfer, an architecture junkie, an architecture novice, etc. etc. The true greats can be enjoyed and appreciated by the largest number of people, in my opinion. If a golf course can stand up to the top player, be appreciated by those who really understand architecture, doesn’t beat up a lesser player, and appeals to someone who is just beginning to learn about architecture and the game at large, that is an extremely rare and brilliant golf course. When compiling rankings for the masses, this, to me, is how it should be approached. That being said, there is also a place in the world for ranking something based purely upon your own set of preferences, so long as you know that’s what you’re up to.
SO… with all that said, I’m going to tell you MY (capitalized like in the title for emphasis on this being from my shoes) top 25 courses I have played in the United States. A couple pieces of context:
I am ranking only courses I have played, so when you see that Augusta, Pebble Beach, and Fisher’s Island are nowhere to be found, help me change that rather than call me for being crazy…
I am an ex-college golfer, competitor, and about a +4 handicap (and trending upward). I have an affinity for courses that are challenging in the right ways (not a shit ton of rough and trees. Looking at you, Rees) and well suited for competition. So, you will see that come out in my platitudes here.
I will be giving context for each golf course through the scope of our 3 tenets, Culture, Competition, and Architecture. Furthermore, I will report where each course came out on my (highly confidential) ratings system where I have an algorithm that ranks every course I have played based on 3 variables (weighted in a proprietary manner). I evaluate courses based on their ceiling, rating, and trend over time. A course’s ceiling is simply how good it could be out of 100. Not every course can be a 99/100. A given course may only be on a good enough piece of land, had an amount of money that went into it, or have an architectural pedigree that is good enough for an 80. But, if a course’s ceiling is 80 and it’s rating is a 78 or 79, that’s a damn good course because it’s about as good as it could be. The trend over time is how enjoyable a course is to play on return. If a course is the best it will ever be the first time through, that course loses points in my rankings system to a course that gets better (trends) over time. Things that commonly help a course out in this category are firm playing conditions that allow for different shot choices, interesting greens that allow for many hole locations and putts (accentuated by speed and firmness), and wind that makes holes play strategically different day to day.
I get asked a lot what I think of certain courses and where I place them in my personal ranking. Typically, because I am not a big fan of ranking golf courses I just talk around the question and focus on the course specifically rather than attempt to place it in context of other courses. Well, I’m going to put them out there one by one, in descending order, leading up to Christmas. Hope you all enjoy!
Cheers,
HS
A Teaser:
1. Site of the most famous amateur triumph at a US Open.
2. A lowkey Tilly in rural NJ.
3. A Herbert Leeds/Alister Mackenzie mashup masterpiece.
4. Michigan’s finest that sits only 8 miles from, well, “8-mile.”
5. An LA gem that has become a less than stellar golf club but remains to be an immaculate golf course.
6. A course I talk about ad nauseum that has become one of the USGA’s US Open anchor sites.
7. Easily Mackenzie’s finest work that is nowhere near Augusta, Georgia.
8. Often considered one of the finest new builds, we have to make a trip to the Oregon coast.
9. Back to LA, this time for another fascinating golf club. Don’t ask, don’t tell.
10. Pete Dye has also created more than one modern masterpiece, this one right long the Atlantic.
11. To Illinois we go, Chitown more specifically… depending on how far out that extends.
12. I consider this highly rated PA gem to be rather over rated frankly. That said, still a gem.
13. I consider THIS PA gem to be rather UNDER rated. May be a hot take for a consummate top 10er…
14. Back to Oregon for another one of my favorites. This time C&C have entered the chat.
15. More C&C action. Landlocked this time around.
16. Not many have seen this one in New York. They like it that way. For your sake, I don’t.
17. Ball. Go. Far. Rough. Be. Long. You like fruit pies?
18. Goat. Just goat. 18 total bangers. The architect’s name rhymes with 45.
19. More Tilly. Not near New Jersey though. In fact, not even close.
20. My most recent top course visit. Loved the hell out of it. Raved about it on MBM. Hardos will know.
21. My favorite place to get your ass handed to you. A southside after helps ease the pain.
22. “Another southside please!” This time rather than beat down, you’ll be just plain smitten from 1 to 18.
23. Get the wedge out and keep it out. And when you put it away, the caddy won’t. Thanks, Donald.
24. Oh Alister, so much greatness. Currently under the knife, this place will be obscenely good post resto.
25. Back to the lengthy island. Newer one here. Not quite on pace with the other 2, but damn, damn good.