Nicklaus scores two of top five in Golf Digest's ranking of America's Best New Private Courses

Club at Carlton Woods comes in at No. 3, followed by Mayacama at No. 5

Jack Nicklaus, continuing his dominance as the country's premier course designer for private country clubs and golf clubs, had two of his recent designs finish among the top five in Golf Digest's ranking of America's Best New Private Courses 2002. The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, was honored as the third-best private course, while Mayacama, nestled in the heart of California's wine country in Santa Rosa, ranked fifth.

"We are proud of all the courses we opened over the last year or so, but we're obviously pleased that two of them were recognized by Golf Digest," said Jack Nicklaus. "These two courses, Carlton Woods and Mayacama, are spread across beautiful but vastly different pieces of property, and frankly, they can't be compared. They both have their own aesthetic value, as well as shot values. I think the common denominator is that both turned out to be excellent golf courses, and these are layouts of which both memberships and Nicklaus Design are very proud."

In the last two years, Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses have dominated the top-five spots in the Best New Private category, with the Golden Bear taking three of the top five in 2001 and two this year.

The Club at Carlton Woods, located in The Woodlands' golf-rich community, is a 7,385-yard, par-72 layout that opened in June of 2001. It has already been ranked as the top private course in the Greater Houston area by the Houston Chronicle.

"It is rewarding that after only 18 months in operation, The Club at Carlton Woods has been nationally recognized as the top private course in Houston and Texas," said Bill Langley, general manager of The Club at Carlton Woods. "This latest honor from Golf Digest is among the most prestigious awards any golf club can receive."

When Nicklaus played the Inaugural Round in 2001, he commented: "The course we have created in The Woodlands takes full advantage of the beautifully wooded terrain in this area of the country. The Club at Carlton Woods tests the purist, embraces those fortunate ones just beginning the game, and rewards all with a memorable golfing experience."

According to Langley, the course has been cited for having great variety, elevation changes, and one of the best par 4s in the state of Texas in Hole No. 15.

Mayacama has grabbed in share of accolades. Less than six months after opening in August 2001, Maycama was voted into Golfweek's 2002 ranking of America's Best 100 Modern Courses.

The club is cradled in the foothills of the Mayacama (pronounced Maya-CAH-muh) Mountains just south of Healdsburg, conveniently located in the heart of Sonoma County Wine Country and just over an hour's drive from San Francisco.

The 6,759-yard, par-72 course features five par 5s and five par 3s. Mayacama honors the traditions of the game and caters to the golf purists, from its walking-only policy to the caddie program to the wooden rakes for bunkers. The rolling property allowed Nicklaus to simply set the golf experience into the land, while moving only about 160,000 cubic yards of earth in the shaping process. Most new courses move well over 1 million cubic yards of dirt in construction.

"Mayacama is a very exciting golf course," Nicklaus said. "First of all, you start with a great piece of property, one that allowed us the opportunity to set a golf course in there, naturally, to create a wonderful golf experience. The whole experience is secluded and private. The club's location and its surroundings combine to make it very private and unique. If you weren't from there, you'd never know there was a golf course there."

Nicklaus Design, a family-based business founded by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and supported by all four of his sons and his son-in-law, is considered the world leader in golf course design. The firm currently has over 260 golf courses open for play in 27 countries and 35 states.

Jack Nicklaus, in a golf course design career that is now in its fourth decade, has been involved in close to 220 of the company's designs. Of those, 36 have appeared in various national and international Top-100 lists, and close to 70 Nicklaus Design courses have hosted a PGA Tour, Champions Tour (formerly the Senior PGA Tour), LPGA event, or national amateur championship.

Jack Nicklaus was named Golf World's Architect of the Year in 1993, and in 1999, Golf Digest said the Golden Bear was the world's leading active designer. In just the last two years, Jack Nicklaus has received no fewer than three awards related to his course design work, including the prestigious Donald Ross Award (presented by the American Society of Golf Course Architects) and the International Network of Golf's Achievement in Golf Course Design for 2000-01.

See Also: Carlton Woods | Mayacama