Our list of the very best golf courses in GB&I was created by the following eight golfers. While they had differing views on the various courses we considered, what they do have in common is a genuine love of the game and a deep knowledge, honed over years and decades, of the game. Here’s some brief background information on who they are and what they bring to the panel.
Dan Murphy, chairman
Occupation: Editor of NCG
Handicap: 3
Home club: Alwoodley
About: Dan is the editor of NCG, the content director at Sports Publications and has played every course on this list multiple times.
Unluckiest courses not to make the Top 100: The obvious answer is Dundonald, at No 101. For me, Ferndown is my favourite in Dorset so that would be in. From left field, The Annesley, the second course at RCD, is very close.
Chris Bertram
Home club: –
Occupation: NCG Top 100s editor
Handicap: 11
About: Chris has been involved in golf course rankings for a decade and has played almost every course of significance across Europe.
Unluckiest courses not to make the Top 100: I’d rather play Royal Ashdown Forest, New Zealand and possibly Ferndown before some in the list. But the most unlucky is Broadstone, which sits on more interesting terrain than most heathlands.
Sean Arble
Home club(s): Burnham & Berrow & Tantallon (North Berwick)
Handicap: 12
Occupation: Local government
About: Sean describes himself as “an American ex-pat who enjoys playing the back alley courses of GB&I”.
Unluckiest courses not to make the Top 100: Kington, Castlerock, Goswick and Littlestone would all be in my personal list.
• What our panel really think of our list of the best golf courses in GB&I
Jim Banting
Home club: West Sussex
Occupation: Golf journalist and author
Handicap: 2
About: Jim describes himself as “a nomadic golfer who believes few courses can rest on their laurels”.
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Unluckiest courses not to make the Top 100: It was very nearly Hindhead, at No 100. Known for its sweeping valleys and swift greens, every time I have played it I leave with an immediate thirst to go back. So many memorable holes.
Ed Battye
Home club: Woodsome Hall
Occupation: Owner of golfempire.co.uk
Handicap: 3
About: Ed says he enjoys “visiting new courses and returning to the best ones which almost exclusively involve firm turf, natural movement in the land and lots of strategic options”.
Unluckiest courses not to make the Top 100: Askernish offers beautifully raw golf distilled to its origins; a mix of simplistic brilliance and crazy genius.
Nick Dungay
Home club: West Sussex
Occupation: Marketing director
Handicap: 11
About: Nick says he has played over 400 courses around the world and developed a strong interest in golf architecture.
Unluckiest courses not to make the Top 100: New Zealand is short, strategic and harder than the scorecard would suggest. Woburn (Dukes) is a design which sympathetically uses the natural contours of the site to create holes of lasting interest.
Dove Jones
Home clubs: Royal Liverpool, Crail Golf Society
Occupation: International Golf PR/Marketing/Communication
Handicap: 12ish
About: Dove describes herself as: “An American that adores golf in GB&I and until I figure out being an ex-pat I’ll keep being over here every chance I get”.
Unluckiest courses not to make the Top 100: St Andrews’ (Jubilee) is a better design than many on the list.
• What our panel really think of our list of the best golf courses in GB&I
Peter Rudd
Home clubs: Woodbridge, Thorpeness
Occupation: Company director
Handicap: 7
About: Peter describes himself as “a dedicated golfer with a special passion for links courses and agronomics”.
Unluckiest courses not to make the Top 100: Overall, Blairgowrie (Rosemount) is an excellent inland course. Look out for the JCB Club in future lists – it contains some seriously good holes and will only get better as it matures.
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- See the list: The Top 100 Golf Courses in GB&I
- See the list: England
- See the list: Scotland
- See the list: Ireland
- See the list: Wales
- See the list: Continental Europe
Do you agree with our list? Tweet us @NCGTop100s.
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