12. 1939's 100 Finest: The First 100 List?

1939's 100 Finest: The First 100 List? 

The following article was posted on GolfClubAtlas.com about 12-13 years ago.  I saw it for the first time about 15 months ago (before my round the world journey in May 2014), and of course was curious how many of these 100 I had played.  The number was around 60.  Yes, the article below is “pure fiction”, but it is fascinating reading and generated dozens of responses on GCA.

After returning from Europe about 10 days ago, I ran across this list again and decided to really research this “fictional top 100”.  One of the issues with the list is that in many cases it names a town, rather than a club, and in some cases where a club has 36 holes (or more), it cannot be discerned which course is the one that Tom MacWood was referring to (e.g. Sunningdale, #19 on the list, is it Old or New?; Winged Foot, #32, could refer to either the West or East course, etc.  Although to be fair, in most of these cases, the answer is fairly obvious.

Having completed this research, attached to the email alerting you to this posting to my blog is an excel schedule which shows my best guess for the names of the clubs and courses.  The rows highlighted in yellow represent courses that I have played multiple times, the rows in green are courses I have played once, the rows in red are the five courses that no longer exist, and the 20 at the bottom (with no color highlight) are the still existing courses I have not played at all.  

Given that the 5 “no longer exist” courses disappeared at least 50 years ago (with the possible exception of #23 built on the Lasker estate in Lake Forest, IL) and the times involved with worldwide travel prior to the jet age, I am sure no one ever played all 100…and frankly I would be very surprised if anyone has played the 95 still remaining.  To summarize my current status and forward plans (and please note that my wonderful bride is a reader of this blog) I have played 75 to date and of the remaining:

—4 are in the USA…3 in the New York City area and one near Jacksonville, FL

—3 are in Canada (and we are scheduled to play two of these next month)

—6 are in England and comprise some of the highest regarded courses…in fact four of these had been on my radar previously, but not on my “top 100” driven bucket lists.

Playing the above would leave me with a mere 7 to go:

—2 in France (which unfortunately are geographically far apart)

—1 in Belgium

—2 in South Africa…and we were there in March of this year

—1 in Vietnam

—1 in Sri Lanka (no, never been there).

While 91 of the 95 might be possible for me…those last 4 are a big hurdle with some of my other bucket lists still “works in progress”.

In any case, if you have the time go to GCA and do a some simple searches (e.g. Tom MacWood 100 Finest) and look at the responses to this article, and the.. amazing collection of people who participated. And, go figure out where you stand on the 1939 100 Finest list…perhaps the first 100 list (and perhaps not)

The World’s Finest Tests
by Thomas MacWood

Editor’s Note:  Though the following is pure fiction, Tom’s research turns this enjoyable read into something that is also highly educational.

My research led me to this fascinating article and list. The National Golf Review was a short lived magazine (maybe 3 or 4 years) that was created shortly after The American Golfer and Golf Illustrated went under. It was founded by many of the same characters and absorbed talented contributors from both magazines – Rice, Richardson, Keeler, Martin, Hesse, Brown, Jones, Darwin, etc. It was a bi-monthly (actually monthly in the Summer and one issue each in the Winter, Spring and Fall) They also produced an Annual Review supplement. A look at the finest tests was a feature of the Annual Golf Review of 1939.

The World’s Finest Tests

An Expert Panel Surveys the World’s Best Golf Courses

Not so long ago naming the world’s outstanding golf courses was a fairly easy task–one would simply look toward the historic links of Scotland and England. Thankfully the Scots are a generous lot and Scotland’s gift has been graciously accepted worldwide. Stretching from St. Andrews to Ceylon to San Francisco to South Africa, far and near you will not only find wielders of driver, brassie and humble niblick but also an astonishing number of links of the first class.

Perhaps it is human nature, the desire to identify the best. The game has seen various attempts to list golf’s ideal holes–Horace Hutchinson, Charles B. Macdonald, Bernard Darwin, Bobby Jones and many other noted men have attempted this assignment. Far fewer have tried to rate the very best courses. Joshua Crane’s scientific approach of some years ago comes to mind and unfortunately the results were quite disappointing–his folly, too much science not enough art. Today this assignment is even more difficult. To begin it is nearly impossible for a single man to reach every corner of our expanding golf world. And if he were able to overcome this daunting requirement, we are still be left with just one golfer’s opinion, tainted by his own singular tastes and prejudices.

Last spring our editors presented an informal look at America’s toughest courses. Although a brave attempt, and it did create considerable interest, the exercise was not totally satisfactory. The over emphasis on toughness was ill advised. Mindful of the past and present dilemmas THE NATIONAL GOLF REVIEW tackles this most difficult but exciting problem–identifying the world’s finest tests.

Our initial task was to set forth a proper method. The editors-namely Mr. Grantland Rice and Mr. William D. Richardson–began by assembling an eminent jury of experts. The first requirement for these prospective jurors: an understanding of the elements that contribute to excellent golf. The test of a golf course doesn’t concern its difficulty or its hardness. That is only part of the story. Some of the hardest courses are also some of the most dull. ‘We have one of the hardest courses in the country’, is often the proud boast of a club member. This may be true. But has he also one of the most interesting courses to play? The true test of a golf course is the amount of interest it can stir in the breast.

The second qualification was international experience. The game’s great tests are now found on far off shores. Each juror must have had occasion to play and study golf courses from around the world. Finding these globe-trotting golfers was a most difficult chore. Fortunately, we are pleased to report the illustrious group assembled has played over 7000 golf courses on every continent–excepting the South Pole and one or two of these gents may soon give that a try.

The jury consists of two women and fifteen men: Lady Heathcoat-Amory (nee Miss Joyce Wethered); Mrs. E. H. Vare (nee Miss Glenna Collett); Edward, Duke of Windsor; Robert T. Jones, Jr.; Walter Hagen; Arnaud Massy; Joe Kirkwood; Gene Sarazen; Percy Alliss; T. Simpson; C. H. Alison; Robert Trent Jones; D. Scott Chisholm; Hans Samek; Bernard Darwin; Mr. Rice and Mr. Richardson.

Every juror presented a list of golf courses with their corresponding numeric grade reflecting golfing merit. An easy task in theory but not so in practice. The predicament facing these judges would stymie the best of us. It involves a lot of mental sorting and reassorting, considerable memory work recalling what features made one course stand above another. Once the scores were submitted it fell upon Mr. Richardson, Mr. Rice and Mr. Darwin to tabulate and arrange the final poll.

It is fascinating to review the individual ballots, you will find both a diversity of opinion but also a fair number of like-minds. To illustrate we have listed the panelists’ top courses. Lady Amory, considered by Bobby Jones as the greatest golfer–gentleman or lady–chose St. Andrews, Pebble Beach and Augusta National. Arguably the greatest American lady golfer, Mrs.Vare listed Cypress Point, Newcastle County Down and Merion. The well-traveled Duke of Windsor also likes St. Andrews as well as Banff Springs and Walton Heath. Bobby Jones again has the Old Course followed by Cypress Point and Augusta National.

The flamboyant and colorful Mr. Hagen named Sandwich, Foulpointe and Hirono; his world-touring pal and showman, Joe Kirkwood chose St. Andrews, Royal Melbourne and Royal York. French champion and private pro to the Pasha of Marrakech, Arnaud Massy favors North Berwick, Hoylake and St. Andrews. Another links wayfarer Gene Sarazen is fond of Oakmont and Sandwich. British professional Percy Alliss, formerly attached to the Wansee Club in Berlin, has Porthcawl and Knocke on top. The majordomo of the Pacific golf scene ‘Scotty’ Chisholm lists Cypress Point and Gleneagles.

British golf course architects Simpson and Alison both like St. Andrews followed by Pine Valley, after that Simpson goes with Portmarnock and Alison with Burnham. Talented American architect Robert Trent Jones lists Augusta National, Jasper Park and Banff Springs. Noted golf czar of the German Republic Hans Samek places Le Touquet, Havana and Bel-Air at the head of his list. And our final threesome, Mr. Darwin: St. Andrews and National Links of America; Mr. Rice: Cypress Point; Mr. Richardson: Pine Valley and Timber Point.

1. St.Andrews, Scotland	26. Seminole, Florida	51. Kawana, Japan	76. Carnoustie, Scotland
2. Cypress Point, California	27. Rye, England	52. Engineers, N.Y	77. Burnham, England
3. Pine Valley, N.J.	28. Knocke, Belgium	53. Swinley Forest, England	78. Scioto, Ohio
4. Pebble Beach, California	29. Yale, Conn	54. Brookline, Mass.	79. Capilano, Canada
5. Sandwich, England	30. Gleneagles, Scotland	55. Saunton, England	80. Hot Springs, Virginia
6. National Links, N.Y.	31. Le Touquet, France	56. Bethpage, N.Y.	81. Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon
7. Hirono, Japan	32. Winged Foot, N.Y.	57. Addington, England	82. Ballybunion, Ireland
8. Banff Springs, Canada	33. Pasatiempo, California	58. Lakeside, California	83. Porthcawl, Wales
9. Royal Melbourne, Australia	34. Muirfield, Scotland	59. Hollywood, N.J.	84. Liphook, England
10. Foulpointe, Madagascar	35. Walton Heath, England	60. Woking, England	85. Knoll, N.J.
11. Augusta Naional, Georgia	36. Jasper Park, Canada	61. Wildhoeve, Holland	86. Tokyo-Asaka, Japan
12. Timber Point, N.Y.	37. Portmarnock, Ireland	62. Royal York, Canada	87. Maccauvlei, S.Africa
13. Oakmont, Penn.	38. Pinehurst No.2, N.C.	63. Oakland Hills, Michigan	88. Kingston Heath, Australia
14. Hoylake, England	39. Prestwick, Scotland	64. Morfontaine, France	89. Chicago, Illinois
15. Newcastle Co. Down, Ire.	40. Birkdale, England	65. Brancaster, England	90. Sea Island, Georgia
16. Westward Ho!, England	41. Lido, N.Y.	66. Pulborough, England	91. Alwoodley, England
17. Merion, Penn	42. Ganton, England	67. Manoir Richelieu, Canada	92. Eastward Ho, Mass.
18. Riviera, California	43. Durban, S.Africa	68. Royal Adelaide, Australia	93. Mid Ocean, Bermuda
19. Sunningdale, England	44. Oyster Harbors, Mass.	69. Hamburg-Falkenstein, Germany	94. Ville de Delat, Indo China
20. Bel-Air, California	45. Ponte Vedra, Florida	70. Olympia Fields #4, Illinois	95. Zandvoort, Holland
21. Shinnecock Hills, N.Y	46. North Berwick, Scotland	71. Chiberta, France	96. Five Farms, Maryland
22. Portrush, Ireland	47. San Francisco, California	72. Lawsonia, Wisconsin	97. Turnberry, Scotland
23. Laksers, Illinois	48. St.Georges Hill, England	73. Los Angeles, California	98. Spa, Belgium
24. CC of Havana, Cuba	49. Garden City, N.Y.	74. Maidstone, N.Y.	99. Fishers Island, N.Y.
25. Humewood, S.Africa	50. Deal, England	75. East London, S.Africa	100a.Royal Worlington, Englandb.Prarie Dunes, Kansas

The final product of this distinguished group is most impressive. They have selected one hundred first-rate golf courses from eighteen nations. Actually one hundred and one–in the final position two nines have been combined to form a full sized course, Royal Worlington considered by many the world’s premier nine-holer and Prarie Dunes a fine new links featured on these pages last year.

With the splendid progress of modern golf architecture is it a little surprising which course stands above the rest? We can still say, as Mr. Hutchinson said nearly fifty years ago in the Badminton, that ‘there is one point which is happily and incontestably settled for us–namely, with which we should commence,’ St. Andrews still comes first. As Mr. Darwin explains, the Old Course is still ‘the most enchanting, exciting, interesting place in which to play golf.’

The runner-up to St. Andrews is the ethereal Cypress Point at Del Monte. Situated in a region of sand and pines, number three Pine Valley is regarded as the toughest course in the world. Playground to the Gods, Pebble Beach falls next and then the dramatic sand-hills of Sandwich. Charles B. Macdonald’s exemplar, the National Links of America, is number six. Seven is Japan’s tranquil Hirono. The majestic Banff Springs cradled in the Canadian Rockies and Royal Melbourne in the native heath and bush are eight and nine. The rugged seaside links at Foulpointe is ten followed by Bobby Jones and Dr. MacKenzie’s handiwork Augusta National–the very finest in modern golf architect. And rounding out the gilded dozen is Long Island’s brutal and beautiful Timber Point.

We suspect this exercise lays the ground for a heated argument. Agree or disagree, we’d like to hear from our readers.

The End