The newest course built on golf's holy land, St. Andrews, Scotland, has been named the "Best New Course of 2008" by Travel + Leisure Golf magazine.
David McLay Kidd's Castle Course, the seventh course at St. Andrews, has been controversial to be sure, but has certainly garnered its share of attention since opening on June 28, 2008.
The magazine's Thomas Dunne wrote of the Castle Course, "Tumbling, hazard-studded fairways make every tee shot an adventure. The greens have to be seen - make that played - to be believed."
As if you needed another reason to make that once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to St. Andrews. Surely, the Castle Course will remain a hot topic in golf for years to come.
Kidd is also the creator of Oregon's Bandon Dunes, another prime golf destination. Tetherow Golf Club, which occupies the No. 5 position on Travel + Leisure Golf's list, was also designed by Kidd.
Jack Nicklaus also has two courses in the top 10; The Chase at PGA Golf Club Coyote Springs, which is situated 50 miles north of Las Vegas, and the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Creighton Farms, located in Northern Virginia, less than an hour from Washington, D.C.
Of the seven U.S. courses on the list, five are located west of the Rocky Mountains.
Past recipients of the "Course of the Year Award" include Cape Kidnappers (2004), Bandon Trails (2005), Ballyneal (2006) and Chambers Bay (2007).
Here is the complete list:
1. The Castle Course (St. Andrews, Scotland)
2. The Chase at PGA Golf Club Coyote Springs (Coyote Springs, Nevada)
3. Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Creighton Farms (Aldie, Virginia)
4. The Club at Tower Ranch (Kelowna, British Columbia)
5. Tetherow Golf Club (Bend, Oregon)
6. Sugarloaf Mountain Golf and Town Club (Minneola, Florida)
7. The Legacy Golf Course at Roco Ki (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)
8. Four Mile Ranch Golf Club (Canyon City, Colorado)
9. Palouse Ridge Golf Club (Pullman, Washington)
10. Rock Creek Cattle Company (Deer Lodge, Montana)
at Friday, 16 January 2009 13:02by michael zapolnik