Golf Digest 2013 Golf Course Rankings

Golf Digest have updated their top 100 American golf course rankings! Eight new courses have made it into the rankings. In 2013 their official golf course ranking list is as follows: 

1. (2) PINE VALLEY G.C.

Pine Valley, N.J. / George Crump & H.S. Colt (1918)

7,057 yards

2. (1) AUGUSTA NATIONAL G.C.

Augusta, Ga. / Alister Mackenzie & Bobby Jones (1933)

7,435 yards

3. (5) CYPRESS POINT CLUB

Pebble Beach / Alister Mackenzie (1928)

6,524 yards

4. (3) SHINNECOCK HILLS G.C.

Southampton, N.Y. / William Flynn (1931)

7,041 yards

5. (4) OAKMONT C.C.

Oakmont, Pa. / Henry Fownes (1903)

7,255 yards,

7. (6) PEBBLE BEACH G. LINKS

Pebble Beach / Jack Neville & Douglas Grant (1919)

6,828 yards

8. (8) WINGED FOOT G.C. (WEST)

Mamaroneck, N.Y. / A.W. Tillinghast (1923)

7,258 yards

9. (9) SAND HILLS G.C.

Mullen, Neb. / Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (1994)

7,089 yards

10. (11) FISHERS ISLAND CLUB

Fishers Island, N.Y. / Seth Raynor & Charles Banks (1926)

6,566 yards

The Pine Valley golf course.

As such, Pine Valley has eclipsed Augusta as Golf Digest's top U.S. golf course. This golf course, which is surrounded by virgin woodland, has climbed up from second spot. For a golf course that has hosted no notable championships, except perhaps the Walker Cup, it doesn't have huge championship pedigree compared to courses such as St Andrews, Pebble Beach etc. But as is stated on the Golf Digest site, "Pine Valley blends three schools of golf course design." 

Overall, there's not a notable shift in the top 10 of the rankings at least. Fishers Island Club, in New York, is one of the new entries at number 10. This is a supposed Cypress Point of the east, a coastal course which has a variety of holes located along Block Island Sound. 

Aside from that, the top 10 are pretty much the same. Cypress Point, at Pebble Beach, is another of the climbers, which is the shortest course in the top 10. That's the one with the terrific par-3 hole, which has green separated from the tee by its ocean coastline. Its neighboring course, Pebble Beach Links, has dropped a place, but remains the top ranked U.S. public course. 

I'm sure I've added posts about some of these courses in previous posts on AG. Check them out via the archives. For the full rankings check out the Golf Digest site.