Cougar Canyon, Old Works, Bear Trace at Ross Creek Landing and Bayside Resort take top spots in Golfweek’s Best in State ranking for 2009.
Cougar Canyon made its debut in Colorado for the first time in 2009
In the recent release of Golfweek’s Best State-by-State 2009 ranking, 20 Nicklaus Design golf courses were recognized in 15 states. Eleven of those courses made their way into their state’s top five, while one Nicklaus Design course, Cougar Canyon took the top spot in Colorado and two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses, Bayside Resort Golf Club (Fenwick Island, Del.) and Bear Trace at Ross Creek Landing (Clifton, Tenn.) took top honors in their respective states.
Cougar Canyon offers a unique combination of mountain and desert terrain with split fairways, pedestal greens, and black sand bunkers. The Sangre de Cristo mountain range provides the backdrop to this 7,789-yard track, setting the stage for an enjoyable golf experience that is open year-round for public play.
The Old Works features multiple tees, which allow players of all skill levels to play and enjoy this 18-hole course. Measuring from 5,300 yards to 7,700 yards the course is situated along Warm Springs Creek and the mining remnants against the hill sides. Among the mining relics that are predominant around the course none is more dramatic than the huge piles of black slag, a by-product of the copper smelting process. The slag is also utilized in the bunkers at Old Works, making for a dramatic contrast to the lush green of the course. The fairways are bordered by native grasses that have been reestablished to blend with the area's natural environment.
With stunning views across the bay of Ocean City, Md., Bayside Resort was an immediate hit upon opening in 2005 and was recognized by Golfweek as one of the nation's “Top 50 New Courses” in 2006. Bear Trace at Ross Creek is located in the countryside along the banks of the Tennessee River, and shortly after opening, in 2001, was the fourth of five Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses at Bear Trace to make, in 2002, GOLF Magazine's annual listing of the “Top 10 You Can Play.”
Also included in the 2009 state by state rankings were:
- La Paloma CC (Ridge/Canyon) at No. 17 in Arizona
- Ocean Course at Ginn Hammock Beach at No. 7 in Florida
- PGA National (Champion) at No. 18 in Florida
- Reunion Resort (The Tradition) at No. 19 in Florida
- Reynolds Plantation (Great Waters) at No. 3 in Georgia
- Challenge at Manele Bay at No. 4 in Hawaii
- Kauai Lagoon GC at No. 6 in Hawaii
- Pinehills Golf Club (Plymouth) at No. 5 in Massachusetts
- Grand Bear (Saucier) at No. 3 in Mississippi
- Old Works (Anaconda) at No. 1 in Montana
- Reflection Bay at Lake Las Vegas (Henderson) at No. 6 in Nevada
- Bear’s Best Las Vegas at No. 8 in Nevada
- Harbour Town Golf Links (Hilton Head Island) at No. 2 in South Carolina
- May River Course at Palmetto Bluff (Bluffton) at No. 5 in South Carolina
- Ross Creek Landing at No. 1 in Tennessee
- Bear Trace at Harrison Bay (Harrison Bay) at No. 3 in Tennessee
- The Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs) at No. 4 in West Virginia
- The Bull at Pinehurst Farms (Sheboygan Falls) at No. 6 in Wisconsin
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