EDITOR’S LETTER E Outrageous treatment of The Links at Fancourt
E very second year Golf Digest announces a ranking of the World’s Greatest 100 Courses outside the United States – an interesting lineup of historic and modern courses from 23 different countries on every continent other than South America. It emphasises the game’s global reach. If you had the inclination and wherewithal to try and play all 100, a good place to start would be Scotland. It has the most representatives, 19, including five in the top 10 – Royal Dornoch, The Old Course, Muirfield, Turnberry and North Berwick. In England you will find 14, Ireland (North and South) has the same number, while Wales has two. After that you will need to fly around the world to fulfil the task. Down Under, Australia and New Zealand have 17 between them, and Canada 10. Seven countries have a single course – Norway (Lofoten Links is the furthest north), France, Portugal, UAE, Thailand, Vietnam and Bermuda. Sadly missing from this ranking are green fees. I would estimate the cost of this venture in green fees alone, assuming you had to pay full visitor rate, as between R750 000 and a million. Turnberry and Kingsbarns are among the most expensive in Scotland at just under R10 000 apiece. But that pales in comparison to playing at No 7-ranked Tara Iti in New Zealand, where golfers have to book overnight
changes made by Golf Data, even though few raters can have played it in the short time since it reopened in March. At R1 800 for a visitor, it’s likely the best value green fee in the Top 100. The Golf Digest World 100 feature will be published in our July issue. Stuart McLean stuart@morecorp.co.za
accommodation costing in the region of R40 000. South Africa has regularly had three courses in the list over the past decade, but this year a shock omission is The Links at Fancourt. Its absence is bewildering because two years ago it was ranked No 28, the highest position any SA course has achieved. Granted, this World 100 can be erratic for modern courses because there are so many magnificent courses in contention, yet this demotion is breathtakingly inconsiderate. Whether The Links deserved as high a rating as 28 in 2022, it is bad manners to toss aside such a great course two years later, particularly due to the reference in Golf Digest that the latest rankings “reflect a reappraisal of the virtues of links golf.” Nine links are in the top 10, and 54 in total of the 100. Was The Links discarded because it doesn’t conform to being a natural links on a sand-based site, but is rather an artificial links creation by Gary Player Design on what used to be a wartime airfield in George? Leopard Creek retains its place in the World 100, although falling to No 65 from its previous best of No 47. And, surprisingly, Durban Country Club jumped up the rankings from No 97 to 80 despite having been closed for most of the past year for renovation work. DCC is a great favourite of international raters, and this was clearly a leap of faith based on the
VIDEOS
FIVE VIDEOS IN THIS ISSUE Page 36 US Open Preview
Defending champion Wyndham Clark recreates final-hole drive which clinched victory in Los Angeles. Plus, Michael Campbell reflects on 2005 US Open triumph at Pinehurst, and 10 Things you might have forgotten about 2014 US Open. Page 42 US Open Preview Every hole at Pinehurst No 2. Derek Duncan narrates a
hole-by-hole flyover. Page 48 Game Plan The hidden strategy tour pros use to make putts.
EDITOR STUART MCLEAN DESIGN ELINORE DE LISLE MEDIA SALES RICHARD ROWE
GOLF DIGEST USA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JERRY TARDE, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR MAX ADLER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR PETER MORRICE, INTERNATIONAL EDITOR JU KUANG TAN TEACHING PROFESSIONALS: TODD ANDERSON, MARK BLACKBURN, CHUCK COOK, HANK HANEY, BUTCH HARMON, ERIKA LARKIN, DAVID LEADBETTER, CAMERON MCCORMICK, JIM MCLEAN, RENEE POWELL, RANDY SMITH, RICK SMITH, DAVE STOCKTON, JOSH ZANDER PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS: AMY ALCOTT, RANDY MYERS, NICK PRICE, JUDY RANKIN, LUCIUS RICCIO, BOB ROTELLA, BEN SHEAR, RALPH SIMPSON, DR ARA SUPPIAH
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JUNE 2024
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