The 17 experts tasked with ranking the best golf courses in England were…
Dan Murphy
Occupation: Editor of NCG Top 100s and chairman of the panel
Handicap: 1
Home club: Alwoodley
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
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: 8
Home clubs: York (Strensall), Sandburn Hall
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: Local Government
Handicap: 14
Home clubs: Burnham & Berrow and North Berwick.
Favourite GB&I course outside England: St Andrews New: Far better than the consolation prize to the Old
What makes a great course in four words: Routing, soil, turf and greens
Jim Banting
Occupation: Golf journalist and author
Handicap: 0
Home club(s): West Sussex
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
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-turfed, uniqueness, cadence
Dave Cannon
Occupation: Getty Images Photographer
Handicap: 9
Home club(s): Royal Liverpool, Old Head, The European
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
Niall Flanagan
Occupation: Golf Consultant/Business Owner
Handicap: 9
Home club: Sunningdale Heath
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 our England list was put together
- CLOSE CALLS: The courses that just missed out
Visit the NCG Top 100s homepage for all this and much, much more.
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Dan Murphy
