although I’m not sure that it is official yet, SCORE has determined their new biennial list and I am sure it will cause many great conversations in club facilities across the country. We shouldn’t forget that the list is just something 100+ people came up with. my two cents….
1. The National: best test in Canada and should be top 10
2. Hamilton (Ancaster to most): also should be top 10 always
3. St Georges: survived the Cdn Open, always in my top 5
4. Jasper Park: remote but worthy of top 10
5. Banff Springs: too much nitrogen but always great
6. Highland Links (NS): always my #1 , could be better with TLC$
7. Capilano (BC): awesome, always top 10
8. Beacon Hall: way too high, should be around 90th
9. Muskoka Bay: no idea how it shot into top 10, another rocks and trees tract
10. Royal Montreal Blue: good spot for Dick Wilson’s only Cdn design
11. Devil’s Paintbrush: very playable, great use of fescues, top 25 for sure
12. Crowbush Cove (PEI): should be top 50 but not 12
13. Shaughnessy (BC): could be top 10 with a little love
14. Westmount: perfect location for a Canadian Open, great top 15 course
15. Coppinwood: never have been there, never will probably
16. Tobiano: spectacular golf, hope it can hang in there
17. Devils Pulpit: maybe top 50 material, not 17th in Canada
18. Oviinbyrd: new to me, never seen it (think I had it once)
19. Toronto Golf Club: top 15 before renovations, hope it goes to top 10
20. Rocky Crest: why so high? are people flocking to it?
21. Wolf Creek: my son likes it, needs to be in better condition
22. Eagle’s Nest: great test and design, top 25
23. Taboo: too much rock, another Group of Seven design for Muskoka
24. Bigwin Island: beauty, but not as good as the original Bigwin Inn course, top 25 though is good
25. Blackhawk: not been there yet, saw the movie Blackhawk Downs
26. Royal Colwood (BC): 2nd best tree lined course in BC, classic course
27. Victoria Golf Club (BC): great new reno work by Mingay, top 25 for sure
28. Sagebrush (BC): everyone’s favourite dream course, hope it has deep pockets
29. Glen Abbey: boringly tough, compared to Muirfild Village it sucks
30. Kananaskis Kidd (AB): beauty, I play it every chance I can, good value! good pedigree, nice staff, perfect #30 course.
31. Georgian Bay Club: not played it, good place for skiers to play if they can’t get on Mad River
32. Stewart Creek: have not played it, found it twice
33. Mississauga Golf: wonderful old historic club, top 25 for sure
34. Redtail: a critic’s favourite, too much testerone for me
35. LeMaitre (Q): nice Muskoka course in Quebec, top 75 maybe
36. Greywolf: don’t know it, is that David Clayton’s course
37. Dundarave (PEI): we loved this course, 17 good holes, better than Crowbush
38. Humber Valley (N&L): will it hang on? did KPMG do the feasibility study?
39. Osprey Valley: when F&F it is great, aging well
40. Weston: like many old private clubs Weston is superb, top 25 for sure
Sorry, I can’t go on at this time. Many courses did not make the top 100 (Kawartha, Whirlpool, London Highland, Islington, Donalda, Board of Trade, etc.) but many surprisingly did, and we have to remember, the list is just an opinion to guide our own thoughts.
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