4 architects discuss course measurements. Their answers may surprise you

With each new ranking of the Top 100, the world’s leading course designers take a look to see where their work stands – even if they’re skeptical about the business of calling something “the best.” But push them a little (or a lot) and they’ll contribute their riffs to what makes a golf course list worthwhile, memorable and great. For a lengthy roundtable interview filmed for GOLF.com’s InsideGOLF, Senior Writer Josh Sens joined four course design virtuosos – Tom Doak (Pacific Dunes, No. 19; Ballyneal, No. 35); Bill Coore (Sand Hills, No. 7; Friar’s Head, No. 15); Andrew Green (Oak Hill, No. 36; Inverness, No. 41) and Rob Collins (Landmand, Sweetens Cove) — discussing all things Top 100. Here are excerpts from that conversation. You can also watch the full video interview on this page.

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GOLF: We just released our latest iteration of our list of the top 100 courses in the US, so we wanted to chat with the pros who created a number of the courses we love to play and debate. I know there is some disagreement among designers about course standards. Bill, later, expressed doubts, perhaps seeing these lists as a necessary evil. Where are some of your doubts when you think about standards?

Bill Coree: I totally understand their purpose, and certainly Ben too [Crenshaw, Coore’s design partner] and be their beneficiaries. From a business perspective, standards have been a very positive aspect of our business. I’m struggling a bit. How to choose the best golf courses? It is very subjective. To me, it’s like looking at any kind of art: One person looking at that work might think it’s very beautiful; someone with a different perspective might think it’s less than impressive. I really struggle when they try to put them in numerical order and say, “This it is the best golf course in the United States.” I just don’t know how to do that.

Andrew, I can see you nodding.

Andrew Green: Yeah, I’m just thinking about how much is coming in [the experience]: the weather on the day the panelist plays; how they play the golf course; what is the condition of the ground that day? There are many different things that can play on it that may not even be at the core of how a golf course presents itself throughout the year. But, at the same time, it’s obviously a fun thing to talk about.

Rob, you’re one of the younger guys on this panel. Since you were starting out in business, did you think much about positions? Do they influence the way you think about design or the work you intend to do?

Rob Collins: I was an art history major in college, so I think about golf structures and golf courses as a work of art — good or bad or indifferent or somewhere in between. [Laughs] And I think golf architecture criticism is like art criticism, and Bill alluded to this: It all comes down to how well the critic’s taste profile matches the art they’re looking at. But back to your question: I don’t think you really set out to design something that will rank. You do your best on any given site.

Rankings, I think, are a reflection of architectural preferences and trends. But also influence those things?

Tom Doak: Well, I think it’s full circle. When you put certain styles of golf and courses by certain designers in the rankings, the more people respect them – and enjoy what [your] next project [will be]. So it goes back and forth. That’s why if you look at the rankings of 30 years ago and look at today, there are a lot of different names. It’s not that this current generation of architects is turning away from what those guys did 30 years ago, it’s that tastes have changed. To me, this is all subjective. But when I’m trying to decide which courses I think are the best, one of the things is… there’s something very different about them than anything else. You couldn’t name three golf courses more different than Pine Valley, Augusta and the Old Course in St. Louis. Andrews. They are all one-of-a-kind places.

Andrew, I’ll put you on the spot. Pine Valley has held the top spot in the GOLF rankings for a long time. Is it the best course in the country? And if not, what is it?

Green: Oh, Lord. Yes, I would like to say that it is probably the best use of a piece of land. Obviously, there is also an experience component to the levels. The ambience, history, lore and aura of the place it plays. When you enter those humble gates of Pine Valley, there is something very different.

Rob, what about you? Is it number one?

Collins: [Laughs] Well, I guess, if I put myself in the critic’s seat. But for me – and I’m not saying this because Bill is here – I prefer Sand Hills to Pine Valley. Not that Pine Valley isn’t an amazing course, but, if I had to divide considering the number of rounds out of 10, I would choose more rounds at Sand Hills than at Pine Valley.

Inquiring minds will want to know: What is Tom Doak’s #1 lesson in the country?

Doak: Well, I wrote a book [The Confidential Guide to Courses] a few years ago and I stuck my neck out and gave my opinions on all these golf courses, and I rated about a dozen of them as 10s. And, to me, it’s silly to try to choose between those. Splitting hairs between Pinehurst and Shinnecock and National and Cypress Point – I don’t really see the point.

Bill, I’ve heard celebrity chefs say that if they’re going to listen to all the good things critics say about their work, they should listen to all the negative criticism. So they choose to ignore everything. Does that go into golf course design?

Coore: We can all sit here and say that we choose to ignore it [that] we don’t care. We are people. Of course, if someone says, “You put this wrong,” it’s not like you’re going to want to pick up every update. But you can’t ignore it. I would just say, try to maintain some sense of balance. It’s as if everyone here today said: “How do you choose number 1?” Pine Valley indeed better than Cypress Point or Royal County Down? Any person might say, “Well, that’s what I like.” My preference might be one of those others. That means, [the rankings]this is delicious.

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