Nicklaus Design leads the way with six in Golfweek’s “Best New Courses 2007”

Sebonack, Concession make top seven of courses opened from 2005-07

NORTH PALM BEACH, FLORIDA—Led by a course that has already earned Top-100 status in one publication and a course already crowned by another magazine as Best New Course in America, Golfweek agreed on one thing: Nicklaus Design continues to set the pace. From Southampton to Southwest Florida, Jack Nicklaus and Nicklaus Design led all designers with six layouts featured in Golfweek’s ranking of the 50 “Best New Courses 2007.”

"The Concession Golf Club has earned numerous accolades including Golf Digest's recognition as "America's Best New Private Course" in 2006.

The list included courses that opened from 2005-07, and topping the Nicklaus entries at No. 3 was Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y. This collaboration between Nicklaus and Tom Doak has received rave reviews since a head-turning debut in the summer of 2006, and just months after opening appeared on GOLF Magazine’s list of the “Top 100 Courses in the U.S.”

Also in the Top 10 of Golfweek’s ranking, which was based on input from nearly 400 raters, was The Concession Golf Club in Sarasota, Fla. at No. 7. The Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, designed in association with Tony Jacklin, has earned numerous accolades, including Golf Digest’s recognition as “America’s Best New Private Course” in 2006.

Also making the list was Dismal River Club, a Nicklaus Signature Course in the Sandhills of Western Nebraska. At No. 42, Dismal River’s inclusion on Golfweek’s list, along with Sebonack Golf Club, brings recognition to Nicklaus’ recent involvement in designs that truly reflect his philosophy of working with nature to create a course that blends with the natural elements of an area. The windswept bunker style and native roughs Nicklaus utilized in these designs create courses that look as if they have been in existence for ages.

Also on the list for Nicklaus Design at No. 44 is The Cliffs at Walnut Cove near Asheville, N.C., the first of two Nicklaus Signature Courses at The Cliffs Communities.

Rounding out Golfweek’s list of the “Best New Courses 2007” are the first and only two Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses in Delaware: Bayside Resort Golf Club (Fenwick Island) and The Peninsula Golf & Country Club (Millsboro). The Peninsula (No. 48) was named Development of the Year in 2006 by Golf Inc. Magazine, and has also earned honors for their environmental protection efforts, taking home two awards presented by the Maryland National Capital Building Industry Association including “Best Environmental Land Development” and “Environmental Community of the Year” for 2006. Bayside was ranked last year by Golf Digest among the Top 10 Best New Upscale Public Courses in America. The club was also previously recognized by Golfweek as the top public-access course in Delaware.

Nicklaus Design is the global firm founded by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and privately owned by the Nicklaus family. Nicklaus Design is widely regarded as the world’s leading design firm with 322 courses open for play in 32 countries and 38 states. Close to 60 Nicklaus Design courses have been ranked in various national or international Top-100 lists, and by the end of 2007, at least 83 Nicklaus courses will have hosted a combined total of more than 587 professional tournaments worldwide or significant national amateur championships. Nicklaus Design currently has more than 55 courses under construction and projects under development in 40 different countries.