We've tasked 18 golf course enthusiasts with creating our England's top 100 rankings. Let's meet them
The 18 experts tasked with ranking the best golf courses in England are…
Dan Murphy
Occupation: Editor of NCG Top 100s and chairman of the panel
Handicap: 1
Home club: Alwoodley
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 146
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Royal County Down – it’s in a class of its own to me and ticks every box
What makes a great course in four words? Design, turf, consistency, options
Tom Irwin
Occupation: Director, Sports Publications (publishers of NCG Top 100s)
Handicap: 0
Home club: Alwoodley
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: TBC
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Skibo Castle – the high life in the Highlands, perfection
What makes a great course in four words: Firm, flat, fun, fiendish
Steve Carroll
Occupation: NCG’s club golf editor
Handicap: 9
Home clubs: Sandburn Hall, Close House
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 32
Favourite GB&I course outside England: North Berwick West Links – Disneyland for golfers with iconic holes and sensational views
What makes a great course in four words: Fun, firm, variety, challenge
Sean Arble
Occupation: Automotive Manufacturing
Handicap: 14.7
Home clubs: Burnham & Berrow, Tantallon (North Berwick)
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 97
Favourite GB&I course outside England: North Berwick West Links – perfect balance of quirk, challenge, beauty and brains
What makes a great course in four words: Variety, terrain and greens
Jim Banting
Occupation: Golf journalist and author
Handicap: 0
Home club(s): West Sussex
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 123
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Royal County Down – visually spectacular, tough, unyielding but pure genius
What makes a great course? Elegant, sophisticated, utterly unforgettable
Ed Battye
Occupation: Owner and manager of Golf Empire
Handicap: 3
Home club: Woodsome Hall
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 143
Favourite GB&I course outside England: The Old Course – ground zero for golf, strategically superior
What makes a great course in four words: Options, firm, uniqueness, cadence
Phil Bedford
Occupation: T-shirt printer
Handicap: 3
Home clubs: Wharton Park
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 110
Favourite GB&I course outside England: The Old Course – the atmosphere of the place encapsulated by the walk up 18
What makes a great course in four words? Wanting to return immediately
Dave Cannon
Occupation: Getty Images Photographer
Handicap: 9
Home club(s): Royal Liverpool, Old Head, The European
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: TBC
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Turnberry – views, beauty, challenge, tests every club, magnificent, fair
What makes a great course in four words? Landscape, fairness, greens, variety
Anything else? How good they are aesthetically from the perspective of a photographer.
Niall Flanagan
Occupation: Golf Consultant/Business Owner
Handicap: 9
Home club: Sunningdale Heath
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 69
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Loch Lomond – when the sun comes out Weiskopf’s work is pure magic
What makes a great course in four words? Landscape, definition, design, playability.
Neil Gray
Occupation: Marketing Consultant
Handicap: 7
Home club: Centurion
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 84
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Loch Lomond – just a great layout and the most beautiful landscape anywhere
What makes a great course in four words? Setting, turf, design, greens
Ben Hunter
Occupation: Golf club management
Handicap: 8.6
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 35
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Royal Porthcawl – a challenging course with mesmerising views on every hole.
What makes a great course in four words? Fair, strategic, maintained, fun
Dove Jones
Occupation: International golf communications specialist
Handicap: 12
Home clubs: Royal Liverpool, Crail
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: TBC
Favourite GB&I course outside England: New Ailsa shot for shot; North Berwick for quirky challenging fun
What makes a great course in four words? Strategy, fairness, condition, variety
John McLoughlin
Occupation: Course manager at Wallasey
Handicap: 0
Home club: West Lancs
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: TBC
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Royal County Down – fits into the landscape flawlessly
What makes a great course in four words? Design compliments natural surroundings
George Oldham
Occupation: Writer
Handicap: 17
Home club: Troon Welbeck
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 88
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Turnberry – incomparable setting and challenge of great historic holes
What makes a great course in four words? Setting, challenge, condition, history
Josh Poysden
Occupation: Cricketer
Handicap: 6
Home clubs: Seaton Carew
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 52
Favourite GB&I course outside England: North Berwick – quirky, playable, beautiful and, most of all, fun
What makes a great course in four words? Fun, interesting, memorable shots
Peter Rudd
Occupation: Telecom company owner and director
Handicap: 6
Home clubs: Woodbridge
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 101
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Kingsbarns – setting, design, fairness
What makes a great course in four words? Setting, design, fairness, turf
Steve Watton
Occupation: Company director
Handicap: 0
Home club: Churchill & Blakedown, Enville
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 100
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Royal Dornoch – simply spellbinding and wonderfully varied with a unique and special aura
What makes a great course in four words? Beautiful, natural & thought-provoking
Greg Webber
Occupation: Pharmacist
Handicap: 6
Home club: Muswell Hill
Courses played in 2022 shortlist (out of 164) as at start of 2021: 133
Favourite GB&I course outside England: Carnoustie – brutal but brilliant
What makes a great course in four words? Interesting, fair, memorable, accessible
NCG Top 100s: The best golf courses in England
- THE RANKING: View our current England Top 100 list
- METHODOLOGY: How the NCG Top 100s lists are decided
- CLOSE CALLS: The courses that just missed out
Visit the NCG Top 100s homepage for all this and much, much more.
