THE TOP 100 IN THE BRITISH ISLES 2002

The November issue of GOLF WORLD, UK is out with its semi-annual listing of the Top 100 Courses in the British Isles. Newcomers Kingsbarns debuted the highest at lucky No. 13 and Old Head of Kinsale just made the list at No. 99, while some of the Ryder Cup venues did not fare as well with The Belfry’s Brabazon (2002) falling out and neither Celtic Manor’s (2010) Wentwood Hills nor Gleneagles’ PGA Centenary (2014) making the current cut, but the K Club (2006) jumped 10 places into the No. 79 spot. In addition to providing hours of talking points about the various rankings of favorite courses, it is also an excellent tool when planning your next itinerary to play the great courses of the British Isles.

Muirfield, Scotland Royal County Down, N. Ireland Turnberry (Ailsa), Scotland St Andrews (Old), Scotland Royal Birkdale, England Loch Lomond, Scotland (Private) Ireland Portmarnock (Old), Ireland Royal Portrush (Dunluce), N. Ireland Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin), England Ballybunion (Old), Ireland Sunningdale (Old), England Carnoustie (Links), Scotland Kingsbarns, Scotland * Ganton, England Royal Dornoch, Scotland Royal St Georges, England Gleneagles (Kings), Scotland Walton Heath (Old) Wentworth (West), England Royal Troon, Scotland The European Club, Ireland Royal Lytham & St Annes, England Waterville, Ireland Royal Liverpool, England Notts (Hollinwell), England Swinley Forest, England County Louth, Ireland Sunningdale (New), England Saunton (East), England Lahinch, Ireland West Sussex, England Royal Porthcawl, Wales Royal St Davids, Wales Nairn, Scotland Royal West Norfolk, England Royal Aberdeen, Scotland Western Gailes, Scotland St Andrews (New), Scotland The Berkshire (Red), England St Georges Hill, England Wentworth (East), England Little Aston, England Gleneagles (Queens), Scotland County Sligo, Ireland Hunstanton, England Prestwick, Scotland Royal Cinque Ports, England The Berkshire (Blue) Silloth-on-Solway, England Rye, England

Mount Juliet, Ireland Blairgowrie (Rosemont), Scotland Royal Worlington, England Formby, England Alwoodley, England Ballyliffin (Glashedy), Ireland Cruden Bay, Scotland The Machrie, Scotland Woburn (Marquess), England * Killarney (Killeen), Ireland Hillside (White), England North Berwick, Scotland St Enodoc, England The Wisley, England * Machrihanish, Scotland Donegal, Ireland * Worplesdon, England Lindrick, England Saunton (West), England The Island, Ireland Killarney (Mahoney’s), Ireland Burnham & Berrow, England Woburn (Duchess), England Aberdovey, Wales Woburn (Dukes), England Tenby, Wales * Druids Glen, Ireland Gullane No. 1, Scotland K Club, Ireland Hankley Common, England Ferndown (Old), England Castletown, Isle of Man Nefyn, Wales * Southerness, Scotland Skibo Castle, Scotland Woking, England Moortown, England Portstewart (Strand), N. Ireland Luffness, Scotland * Aldeburgh, England Southport & Ainsdale, England * New Zealand, England The Roxburghe, Scotland Royal Ashdown, England West Hill, England * Tralee, Ireland * Enniscrone, Ireland * West Lancs, England Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland * Royal North Devon, England

* New Courses to the list

ONES TO WATCH FOR 2004

The next list won’t be out until the November 2004 issue and there are sure to again be some surprising change ups and newcomers to the list. The current issue also previewed five outstanding new layouts that should make the grade in 2004, great new ‘must plays’ to add to your itineraries now and be the first at your club with bragging rights.

Carton House (The O’Meara) – The first of two courses at the new Carton House Golf Resort & Hotel in Dublin, The O’Meara – by Open and Masters Champion, Mark O’Meara, opened in July to immediate rave reviews. The course traverses the magnificent estate grounds as it winds down the slopes to the River Rye. The next course, The Montgomerie debuts next season and should be among the best new contenders in the 2004 poll. Set on a vast estate the setting is perfect to relax for a weeks worth of Top 100 Courses in the Dublin area – Portmarnock (Old), The Island, The European, The K Club, Druids Glen, and Mount Juliet.

Doonbeg – The Advisor previewed this new ‘must play’ in depth in the September issue. Greg Norman has done an outstanding job in creating a Modern Classic amongst towering virgin dunes. It is close to some of the world’s favorites and Top 100 Courses on the Southwest coast of Ireland – Ballybunion(Old). Lahinch, Tralee, Killarney (Killeen & Mahoney’s) and Waterville.

Queenwood - Although ultra-private, don’t refuse an invitation if a member should call. David McLay Kidd, who gained fame for his original Bandon Dunes layout, has done an outstanding job giving fresh ideas to traditional design on this Surrey course that sits near Top 100 neighbors, Sunningdale and Wentworth. The bunkering is of particular note as the walls of the unusual shaped revetted bunkers are completely covered in heather versus traditional sod.

Turnberry (The Kintyre) – The old Arran course always played second fiddle to the championship Ailsa, but the completely redesigned Kintyre Course has quickly gained a reputation of its own. Veteran golf architect, Donald Steel, ingeniously wove new land together with redesigning holes of the old Arran course to create this new favorite on the Southwest of Scotland. Top 100’s in the area include Ailsa, Royal Troon, Western Gailes and Prestwick. You can even helicopter over to The Machrie and Machrihanish.. And if you’ve never made the pilgrimage, Southerness, a great overlooked links because of it location, is a breathtakingly scenic two-hour drive away.

St Andrews Bay (The Devlin) – Although it only officially opened in September, the routing of this bold course has been creating buzz since last summer. Set atop a dramatic cliffside site, with a 70 foot gorge running through the middle, the course features spectacular views across St Andrews Bay and back towards the ‘auld grey toon’ from every hole. A cross between an American and links layout it gives a unique golf experience and blends nicely with the more traditional links style of its sister course, the Torrance and Top 100 neighbor Kingsbarns. Just five minutes out of St Andrews the resort is the perfect place to base to play the other Top 100 Courses in the area – St Andrews (Old & New), Carnoustie, Blairgowrie (Rosemont) and Gleneagles (Kings & Queens) all within an hours drive.