Nicklaus Design sets record With 70 courses in Golf Digest’s Ranking of “Best In State”
 When it comes to golf course design’s version of the American pie, Nicklaus Design continues to enjoy the industry’s largest slice.
In Golf Digest’s recent biennial survey of America’s Greatest Courses, which featured seven Nicklaus courses in the America's 100 Greatest as well as seven in the 100 Greatest Public Courses, the magazine included a listing of the “Best In State.” Nicklaus Design placed a record 70 courses in the by-state rankings—up five from the previous record count in 2007 and 16 more than in 2005. Even more impressive, Nicklaus Design had 26 courses place in the top five of their respective states—another company best—including six courses that finished No. 1 and another six at No. 2.
Those Best In State winners were: Shoal Creek (Alabama); Castle Pines (Colorado); Valhalla (Kentucky); Annandale Golf Club (Mississippi); Dalhousie Golf Club (Missouri); and Muirfield Village Golf Club (Ohio).
Dalhousie in Cape Girardeau, Mo., represents the solo design debut by Gary Nicklaus, and in only its seventh year, the course is enjoying its second run at No. 1. Annandale, a Jack Nicklaus design that opened in 1981, vaulted from No. 5 in the last survey to the top spot in 2009.
The courses that finished runner-up were: The Peninsula Golf & Country Club (Delaware); The Club at Hokuli’a (Hawaii); Sycamore Hills (Indiana); The Sunset Course at Las Campanas (New Mexico); Spring Creek Ranch (Tennessee); and the Painted Valley Course at Promontory (Utah), which opened in 2007 and was making its debut in the survey.
Golfweek magazine features a similar survey, but ranks only courses with public access. In its recent state-by-state release of the 2009 Best Courses You Can Play, 22 Nicklaus Design golf courses were recognized in 15 states. Twelve of those courses made their way into their state’s top five, while four of them were ranked No. 1 in their respective state: Cougar Canyon Golf Links (Colorado); Bayside Resort (Delaware); Old Works (Montana); and Ross Creek Landing (Tennessee).
Three of the layouts are Jack Nicklaus Signature Courses, while Cougar Canyon in the Southern Colorado town of Trinidad is a links-style Nicklaus Design course involving Senior Design Associate Chris Cochran. In its first 20 months since opening, Cougar Canyon has been named to GOLF Magazine’s “Top 10 You Can Play 2007;” No. 5 in Golfweek’s Top 50 “Best New Courses 2008;” and No. 3 spot in the Public Golf Course category in Golf Digest’s “Best New” ranking. |
