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Panel Selects Tops Courses in North
Carolina
By BILL F. HENSLEY
Like Old Man River, Pinehurst No. 2 just keeps rolling
along. And this year the Donald Ross masterpiece, which will host its second
U.S. Open in 2005, is joined in North Carolina’s top 10 by two of its sister
courses, Nos. 4 and 8.
For the first time since members of the North Carolina
Magazine Golf Panel began rating the state’s more than 700 courses in 1995, the
Pinehurst resort has three layouts in the top echelon. One constant remains,
however: No. 2, for the ninth consecutive year, holds down the top spot. Moving
up two places to ninth is No. 4, a course originally designed by Ross around
1920 that three years ago underwent an extensive renovation at the hands of
noted course architect Tom Fazio. Another Fazio design -- and his original work
-- No. 8, drops two spots to 10th. The loser in this shift? Forest Creek, a
private club in Pinehurst designed by -- you guessed it -- Fazio.
A record 114 ballots were cast by the 133-member panel of
men and women across the state. Panelists for the first time were asked to rank
their top 50 courses (the previous number was 30) from the mountains to the
coast, with 50 points awarded for a first-place vote, 49 for a second, 48 for a
third and so on. All total, 249 courses received at least one vote.
Many believe that no other state can match the diverse
quality of excellent golf courses found in North Carolina, and at least one
result of the top 100 voting backs that up: Forest Oaks Country Club, long a
terrific venue for the PGA Tour’s Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, comes in only
42nd in our rankings.
In addition to Pinehurst No. 4’s foray into the top 10,
there was some other subtle shifting of positions in that elite group. Pine
Needles, another Ross classic that has successfully hosted two U.S. Women’s Open
championships and will do so again in 2007, moves up a notch from fourth to
third, switching places with the Country Club of North Carolina’s Dogwood
course. Elk River also rose one spot, from ninth to eighth.
The 10 elite courses, in order, are Pinehurst No. 2, Old
North State Club, Pine Needles, CCNC (Dogwood), Grandfather, Charlotte Country
Club, Linville, Elk River, Pinehurst No. 4 and Pinehurst No. 8.
Old North State Club, a perennial favorite, continues to
apply steady pressure on Pinehurst No. 2. The Fazio design, which sits on
picturesque Badin Lake, has held steadfast in second place for the past eight
years.
In the second 10, Charlotte’s Quail Hollow, the site of
this year’s inaugural Wachovia Championship, leaps from 19th to 12th, the
Cardinal course at CCNC, which underwent an extensive renovation in 2002,
improves from 21st to 19th, and River Landing in Wallace rises two places from
22nd to 20th. Dropping out of the second 10 were Landfall (Dye) in Wilmington,
and Governors Club in Chapel Hill.
“The balloting this year was close and enthusiastic, as
always,” said magazine editor Steve Tuttle, “and the record number of ballots
returned says that panelists take their responsibilities seriously. Although
many panelists have changed through the years, the selections are amazingly
consistent and prove that quality is recognized.”
Four new courses that opened last year cracked the top 100
with Old Chatham, near Durham, placing in the 32nd spot. Others were the
Heritage at Wake Forest (78), the Preserve at Jordan Lake (80) and Farmstead in
Calabash (88).
It took 212 points to make the top 100. Narrowly missing
were four courses that came within a few points of that total: Salem Glen in
Clemmons, Roaring Gap near Sparta, Mountain Air in Burnsville, and Carolina Golf
Club in Charlotte.
“In looking at the rankings,” said Reid Spencer, a golf
writer from Davidson, “it is obvious that there are a lot of great courses in
North Carolina. We are fortunate, indeed, to be blessed with such a variety of
outstanding architecture, scenery and challenges.”
(Reprinted with permission from North Carolina Magazine)
North Carolina’s
Top 10 Courses
Opened Par Back Tees Course/Slope Score
1.
Pinehurst No. 2 1907
72 7,020 74.1/131 5,351
By most
accounts, the signature work of famed designer Donald Ross was also his
favorite. Golf fans were mesmerized by No. 2’s diabolic greens in the 1999 U.S.
Open. An encore performance is set for 2005.
2. Old
North State 1992
72 7,102 74.4/132 4,932
Immaculate
grounds and 18 memorable holes highlight Tom Fazio’s best work in the state, a
gem set on Badin Lake in Montgomery County. Its finishing stretch will leave you
thirsting for more.
3. Pine
Needles Lodge and Golf Club 1927 71 6,708
72.2/131 4,693
The nation
has discovered what we already knew — that this Donald Ross classic is, as its
slogan says, “golf the way it was meant to be.” The U.S. Women’s Open has
visited twice and will return in 2007.
4. CCNC
Dogwood Course 1963 72 7,154
74.9/136 4,381
Undoubtedly
one of Ellis Maples’ finest designs, this is the more difficult of the legendary
Pinehurst country club’s two layouts. A shotmaker’s delight, count on pulling
out every club in your bag.
5.
Grandfather Golf and Country Club 1967
72 7,010 74.7/136 4,309
Ellis Maples
was fond of allowing the lay of the land to dictate his designs, and this
gorgeous setting no doubt brought him many smiles. The only thing better than
playing 18 here is the chance to play 36.
6.
Charlotte Country Club
1910 72 6,726 74.9/136 4,285
There aren’t
many more private courses than this one, which rests inside a chain-link fence
in a historic section of Charlotte. Once inside, golfers enjoy a Ross layout
that has been played for more than 90 years.
7.
Linville 1924
72 6,780 72.7/135 3,648
Ross didn’t
confine his North Carolina works to the Sandhills. This scenic track did require
a little more effort, however, as it reportedly was carved from the mountains
using mules and drag pans.
8. Elk
River 1984
72 7,008 72.8/131 3,463
Some Jack
Nicklaus course designs have been criticized for being too difficult — tracks
that only the Bear could tame. Panelists find this picturesque layout high up in
Banner Elk, however, to be just right.
9.
Pinehurst No. 4 1920
72 7,117 74.5/136 3,270
This Ross
design was renovated by Tom Fazio in 2000, changes significant enough to merit
it being named that year’s Best New Course by the panel. It improves from 11th in
last year’s rankings.
10.
Pinehurst No. 8 1996
72 7,092 74.0/135 3,260
This Fazio
design, the last course built at the famed club, is his tribute to Ross and was
honored as the state’s best new layout for 1996. Ranked ninth last year, a few
of our raters think it’s Pinehurst’s best.
The Mighty 90
Course,
Location Score
5 stars
11. Forest Creek,
Pinehurst
3,100
12. Quail Hollow Club,
Charlotte
3,094
13. Mid Pines, Southern
Pines
2,931
14. Wade Hampton,
Cashiers
2,767
|15. National, Pinehurst
2,501
16. Biltmore Forest,
Asheville
2,470
17. Treyburn, Durham
2,412
18. Tanglewood (Champ.),
Clemmons 2,355
19. CCNC (Cardinal),
Pinehurst
2,254
20. River Landing,
Wallace 2,119
21. CC of Landfall (Dye),
Wilmington 2,006
22. Finley, Chapel Hill
1,969
23. Governors Club,
Chapel Hill
1,795
24. Tiger’s Eye, Sunset
Beach
1,773
25. Duke University,
Durham
1,762
26. Sedgefield CC,
Greensboro
1,705
27. Tobacco Road,
Sanford
1,701
28. Pinehurst No. 7,
Pinehurst
1,517
29. Pinewild (Magnolia),
Pinehurst
1,463
30. Mid South Club,
Pinehurst
1,444
31. Linville Ridge,
Linville
1,412
32. Old Chatham, Durham
1,308
33. Anderson Creek,
Spring Lake
1,288
34. Willow Creek CC,
High Point
1,232
35. Grandover (East),
Greensboro
1,131
36. Mt. Mitchell,
Burnsville
1,032
37. The Point Lake & GC,
Mooresville 1,030
38. TPC at Piper Glen,
Charlotte
988
39. Ballantyne Resort,
Charlotte
950
40. Bald Head, Bald Head
Island
940
4 1/2 stars
41. Porter’s Neck,
Wilmington
933
42. River Run CC,
Davidson
923
43. Bermuda Run CC,
Advance
920
44. Old Town,
Winston-Salem
917
45. Rivers Edge,
Shallotte
887
46. Gaston CC, Gastonia
861
47. Legacy, Aberdeen
844
48. Crow Creek, Calabash
820
49. Cape Fear CC,
Wilmington
812
50. Brier Creek CC,
Raleigh
804
51. Myers Park CC,
Charlotte
779
52. Forest Oaks CC,
Greensboro
776
53. Mimosa Hills,
Morganton
775
54. MacGregor Downs CC,
Cary
759
55. Eagle Point,
Wilmington
754
56. Hope Valley CC,
Durham
742
57. Forsyth CC,
Winston-Salem
736
58. Champion Hills,
Hendersonville
715
59. Raleigh CC, Raleigh
709
60. Tot Hill Farm,
Asheboro
676
59. The Challenge,
Graham
675
62. CC of Landfall (Nicklaus), Wilmington 642
63. Peninsula Club, Lake
Norman
635
64. TPC at Wakefield
Plantation, Raleigh 629
65. Mill Creek, Mebane
622
66. Sea Trail (Jones),
Sunset Beach
572
67. Cardinal CC,
Greensboro
540
68. Carolina National,
Bolivia
528
69. Heritage Club, Wake
Forest
521
70. Pinewood CC,
Asheboro
505
4 stars
71. The Preserve, Chapel
Hill
504
72. Trillium Links,
Cashiers
491
73. Catawba CC, Newton
482
74. Bryan Park (Champions),
Browns Summit 480
75. Hound Ears, Blowing
Rock
478
76. Pinewild (Holly),
Pinehurst
474
77. The Pit, Pinehurst
471
78. Grandover (West),
Greensboro
423
79. Farmstead, Calabash
411
80. Carlson Farms,
Greensboro
402
81. Jefferson Landing,
Jefferson
395
82. Southern Pines Elks,
Southern Pines 381
83. Verdict Ridge,
Denver
374
84. The Thistle, Sunset
Beach
356
85. Magnolia Greens,
Leland
345
86. Starmount Forest,
Greensboro
336
87. Asheville CC,
Asheville
326
88. Birkdale,
Huntersville
317
89. Rocky River, Concord
315
90. Carmel CC (South),
Charlotte
312
91. Alamance CC,
Burlington
287
92. Marsh Harbour,
Calabash
283
93. Highlands Cove,
Highlands
280
94. Etowah Valley,
Hendersonville
274
95. Boone GC, Boone
259
96. Nags Head GL, Nags
Head
259
97. Currituck, Corolla
241
98. Blowing Rock GC,
Blowing Rock 231
99. Tillery Tradition,
Mt. Gilead
215
100. The Neuse, Clayton
212
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