Just about every major national golf publication does course rankings of one sort or another these days.

There are general course rankings — nationally, internationally and by state — as well as ones for modern courses, classic courses, residential courses, resort courses, “courses you can play”, military courses, casino courses, courses in Mexico and the Caribbean … The lists go on and on.

But it wasn’t always so.

It was Golf Digest that got things rolling in a big way on the course ranking front. Since 1966, the publication has compiled a biennial ranking of “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses”, which is the self-proclaimed “gold standard in the golf community.”

Golf Digest panelists play and evaluate courses based on seven criteria: shot values, resistance to scoring, design variety, memorability, aesthetics, conditioning and ambience.

With two years since its last rankings, Golf Digest last week published its 2019-20 edition of America’s 100 Greatest. And Colorado was well-represented, with two courses in the top 50 and three in the top 75.

Pine Valley in Pine Valley, N.J., checks in at No. 1 for the 14th time since 1985.

The rest of the top 10 are Augusta National in Augusta, Ga., home of the Masters (2), Cypress Point in Pebble Beach, Calif. (3), Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y. (4), Oakmont in Oakmont, Pa. (5), Merion (East) in Ardmore, Pa. (6), Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif. (7), National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y. (8), Sand Hills in Mullen, Neb. (9) and Fishers Island in Fishers Island, N.Y. (10).

As for Colorado-based courses, Ballyneal (above) in Holyoke checked in at No. 46, Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock at No. 48, and Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village at No. 72. Here a short rundown on each:

46. Ballyneal in Holyoke — The minimalist Tom Doak design, which opened in 2006, has reached its highest point in the Golf Digest rankings, having been 50th two years ago. It’s been included among the America’s 100 Greatest since 2011.

Here’s Golf Digest’s take on Ballyneal: “If No. 9 Sand Hills Golf Club stands for the notion that there’s nothing more glorious than a round of golf beyond the range of cell phone reception, then Ballyneal (Tom Doak’s northeast Colorado answer to Nebraska’s Sand Hills) proves that isolated golf is even better when Spartan in nature. With no carts and with dry, tan fescue turf on fairways and greens, Ballyneal is even more austere than Sand Hills. It provides absolutely firm and fast conditions, and with many greens perched on hilltops, the effect of wind on putts must be considered. Other than No. 15 Friar’s Head, Ballyneal is the only course to have constantly risen in our rankings over the past 10 years.”

48. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock — Designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1981, Castle Pines (left) hosted the PGA Tour’s International from 1986 through 2006. The course has been ranked continuously in the America’s 100 Greatest since 1987, peaking at No. 28 in 2009-10. It was in the No. 42 slot two years ago. Jack Vickers, the club’s founder, passed away in September.

Here’s Golf Digest’s take on Castle Pines: “When Golf Digest began its annual Best New Course awards in 1983, the review panel selected Castle Pines as the Private Course winner, but Bill Davis, co-founder of Golf Digest and founding father of all its course rankings, didn’t care for the course and vetoed its inclusion. So no private course was honored that year. Davis soon recognized his error, and in 1987 — its first year of eligibility — Castle Pines joined America’s 100 Greatest and has remained there ever since. Club founder Jack Vickers, a Midwest oilman, had urged architect Jack Nicklaus to produce a mountain-venue design worthy of a major championship. Jack did, but when a championship never resulted, Vickers established his own, The International, which for many years was the only PGA Tour event played under a unique Stableford format. It’s a pity that The International is no longer on the Tour’s schedule.”

72. Cherry Hills in Cherry Hills Village — The William Flynn-designed course, which opened in 1922, has hosted three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships, a U.S. Women’s Open, a U.S. Senior Open, two U.S. Amateurs, a BMW Championship and nine USGA championships overall. Cherry Hills (left) has been included almost continuously — aside from 1971-72 — in America’s 100 Greatest since its inception in 1966. Its highest ranking was 21st in 2003-04 and it was slotted at No. 73 two years ago.

Here’s Golf Digest’s take on Cherry Hills: “When Cherry Hills opened in the early 1920s, it was a ground-breaking design, with the nation’s first par-5 island green and closing back-to-back par-5s, although in championship play the 18th is played as a par-4. In the 1960 U.S. Open, winner Arnold Palmer popularized the idea of a drivable par 4 by going for the first green in every round. Curiously, when Palmer and partner Ed Seay remodeled Cherry Hills in 1976, they lengthened the first hole so no player could duplicate Arnie’s feat. Nearly 40 years later, modern equipment has once again made the first hole reachable from the tee.”

For the entire list of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, CLICK HERE.

Meanwhile, another ranking was also recently published, with Golf Advisor listing its top 50 golf courses in the U.S., determined by ratings and reviews received by Golf Advisor in 2018.

One Colorado course made the grade, with Pole Creek Golf Club in Tabernash slotted in at No. 44.

Golf Advisor’s top course for the rankings was the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y.

For the complete Golf Advisor list, CLICK HERE.

Just in the last week or so, there have been honors bestowed for golf courses, private clubs and club fitters. And Colorado-based organizations have been among those featured prominently.

For example:

— In Golfweek’s Top 200 Residential Courses in the U.S., published this week, the Wade Hampton Club in Cashiers, N.C., is No. 1 in the category, and seven courses in Colorado made the list, including two in the top 10:

No. 5: Colorado Golf Club (left) in Parker, which in 2019 will host the U.S. Mid-Amateur for players 25 and older. The Solheim Cup and the Senior PGA Championship have also been held at Colorado GC.

No. 10: Castle Pines Golf Club. Castle Pines, founded by the late Jack Vickers and designed by Jack Nicklaus, hosted The International PGA Tour event from 1986 through 2006.

No. 28: The Mountain Course at Glacier Club in Durango.

No. 42: The Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction.

No. 60: Golf Club at Ravenna in Littleton.

No. 132: Cherry Creek Country Club in Denver.

No. 179: Aspen Glen in Carbondale.

For Golfweek’s complete list, CLICK HERE.

— Four Colorado golf courses were included in Golfweek’s Top 200 Resort Courses in the U.S., a list also published this week.

In a category headed by Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, two courses each from The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and Red Sky in Wolcott were included:

No. 60: East Course at The Broadmoor, which hosted its second U.S. Senior Open this year and has been the site of six USGA championships overall, including two U.S. Women’s Opens.

No. 74: Fazio Course at Red Sky.

No. 125: West Course at The Broadmoor, host for the 1967 U.S. Amateur.

No. 155: Norman Course at Red Sky.

For Golfweek’s complete list, CLICK HERE.

— The top Platinum Clubs of the World for 2018-19 were likewise unveiled recently. The list recognizes the finest private golf and country clubs, 700 of which do the voting. That voting is based on universal recognition, excellence in amenities and facilities, caliber of staff and professional service levels, quality of membership, governance and prudent fiscal management, adapting to changing times and overall experience.

While Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, home of the Masters, earned the No. 1 spot on the list, Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado made honorable mention, which goes to clubs that were ranked in the 101-175 category.

For all the Platinum honorees, CLICK HERE.

— This week, Golf Digest published its list of America’s 100 Best Clubfitters after consulting the magazine’s course ratings panel, “industry sources” and reader recommendations. Included are 86 state/regional facilities and 14 national chains included.

Seven facilities in Colorado made the top 100.

Denver-based GolfTEC had three of its Colorado locations on Golf Digest’s list — Centennial, Colorado Springs (Chapel Hills) and Denver (DTC). Thirty-three GolfTEC facilities outside of Colorado are also included among the best.

Likewise in the top 100 are Club Champion Denver in Highlands Ranch, Gott Golf in Denver, D’Lance Golf Performance Center in Englewood, and the PGA Tour Superstore in Greenwood Village.

For Golf Digest’s complete list, CLICK HERE.
 

But earlier this week, Woods relayed a rather amazing story — and it did indeed have a big link to Colorado.

Considering all he’s accomplished — 80 PGA Tour victories, including 14 major championship titles — it was astonishing to hear Woods indicate that while he made 19 holes-in-one before age 23, he hadn’t had one for over two decades — at least until this month.

In a casual round last week with Fred Couples in La Quinta, Calif. — and with his son Charlie also on hand — Woods aced the 210-yard second hole at The Madison Club, using a 5-iron.

And here’s the Colorado part of the story: Woods’ last hole-in-one prior to this month came at The 1998 Sprint International — specifically, on Saturday, Aug. 22, 1998. I was fortunate to have covered all 21 Internationals ever held, so that prompted me to dig a little deeper regarding the one Tiger made at Castle Pines Golf Club.

Combing through some stories I wrote that year and since then — along with other material — this is what I pieced together regarding the third and last ace Woods has made in PGA Tour competition.

It came at the seventh hole at Castle Pines, which was playing 185 yards that day. He took an 8-iron and holed it on the fly. Years later, when writing a retrospective on The International, I referred to the subsequent fan reaction as “one of the biggest crowd roars in tournament history.”

One of the most amazing things about it was that the ace wasn’t caught on TV — live or on tape.

As Woods (pictured with Nick Price at the 1998 International) said three years ago when recalling some of his more notable holes-in-one: “TV crews here have to take a mandatory union break, and it was on No. 7 at Castle Pines. I hooped it. They showed me on the sixth green, take the union break. I hoop it on 7. They catch me up on the eighth fairway, par-5 up the hill. So that was probably one of the more funny ones, because it went in the hole on the fly and tore up the cup.”

That was one of two eagles Woods made in round 3 and one of four for the week — two each in rounds 1 and 3 — which tied for the tournament record. Tiger, whose eagles were worth 5 points apiece in The International’s modified Stableford scoring format, finished fourth that year at The International, behind winner Vijay Singh, Willie Wood and Phil Mickelson.

Woods returned to Castle Pines in 1999, and barely missed advancing to Sunday. He never came back to The International, which was last played in 2006. His absence was considered one of the reasons the tournament ended its run — along with the lack of a title sponsor.

Tiger himself certainly found it amazing that he went 20 years without an ace, until ending the drought last week.

“Some of the best years of my career and I never made one,” Woods told ESPN’s Bob Harig.

Woods’ only other holes-in-one during official PGA Tour events came at the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open in his pro debut and by far the most famous one — at the wild and crazy 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale in the 1997 Phoenix Open.
 

Jack Vickers, who founded both Castle Pines Golf Club and The International PGA Tour event that was held there for 21 years, passed away on Monday in Castle Pines. He was 93.

Vickers, who also made his mark on a variety of other sports in Colorado, was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 1995. As a Denver Post headline aptly called Vickers in a 2013 story, he was a “Colorado sports shaker and mover”.

“We lost a tremendous friend today in Jack Vickers — not only a friend to Barbara and me, but a great friend to the game of golf,” Castle Pines course designer Jack Nicklaus said on Facebook Monday. “I have known Jack Vickers since I was 18 years old, when I played in the 1958 Trans-Miss. at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas. It would be pretty hard not to remember the first time Jack and I played golf. It was at Muirfield Village Golf Club in the mid-70s — not long after it opened. Jack made a hole-in-one on the 16th that day. I think it was the first one made on the golf course.

“Jack was someone who cared deeply about the history and the traditions of the game of golf, and wanted to protect them for the future. Jack was always a huge supporter of the game — whether it was in Colorado or nationwide; whether it was the game played at the highest level or his support of grassroots programs. Simply put, Jack Vickers was very good for the game of golf. Jack was a good man, and very well-liked by all.
Jack always handled himself incredibly well, and always with integrity. He was a very good man, and I’m blessed to say he was my friend.

“When Jack got ready to do his own golf course at Castle Pines Golf Club, I was flattered and honored that he asked me to be his designer. The golf course at Castle Pines is a very good one — challenging, beautifully maintained, and located in a fantastic spot. People seem to love it and we’re proud of it. My hope is Castle Pines will forever stand as a tribute to Jack Vickers. I know that through Castle Pines, a wonderful relationship with Jack Vickers only grew. He was involved from day one and until his passing. Everyone at Castle Pines loved Jack Vickers.”

Vickers’ most visible contribution to golf in Colorado was, of course, The International at Castle Pines Golf Club, which opened in 1981. The event ran from 1986 through 2006. It featured a unique modified Stableford scoring system, which promoted aggressive play as a birdie and a bogey were worth more than two pars. The tournament produced quite a few big-name champions including including Greg Norman, Davis Love III (twice), Phil Mickelson (twice), Vijay Singh and Ernie Els.

In addition, among the competitors over the years were Tiger Woods (twice), Arnold Palmer, Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Hale Irwin, Nick Faldo, Ray Floyd, Ben Crenshaw, Payne Stewart, Bernhard Langer, Nick Price and John Daly. (Vickers and Nicklaus are pictured at left.)

“The words that come to mind (when reflecting on Vickers’ legacy) are ‘visionary’ and ‘innovation’,” said CGA executive director Ed Mate. “I have a much greater appreciation today than I did when The International started about how much courage it takes to do some of the things he did. He really pushed the envelope and tried to create something brand new and outside the box. That’s who he was.

“Those were arguably the best years in terms of the profile of golf in Colorado when we had a regular Tour stop here. Having just started working at the CGA in 1988, I just sort of assumed that that was normal. Now I’ve seen since The International has gone away that it was not normal.

“It’s a loss for sure. He was also smart enough to recognize at the end that (golf) can’t compete with football. He had very good instincts for sure.”

In an interview with the Denver Post in 2013, Vickers reflected fondly on The International. The event formally went into the history books in early February 2007, when PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and Vickers announced the event’s demise at a Denver-based news conference. The end came due in large part to the lack of a title sponsor, with Woods’ often bypassing the tournament being another significant issue.

“I miss it,” Vickers told the Post in 2013 regarding The International. “I still think about The International a lot. If I got involved and there were the right circumstances, I’d like to revive it. I belong to a lot of clubs around the country, and I’ll put (Castle Pines) up against any of them. If I did another tournament tomorrow, it would go right on and it would be first-class.” (Vickers is pictured at left, in a red tie, at a 90th birthday celebration for journalist Kaye Kessler, who’s sporting a beige pullover.)

Beyond the entertainment The International produced, over the years its non-profit arm donated about $14 million to charities in Colorado and elsewhere.

“The other thing The International did that I was always appreciative of was that they became a very big sponsor of the CGA,” Mate said. “The Boys & Girls Clubs were always talked about (as beneficiaries), but they also made annual contributions to the CGA that (Vickers) was responsible for which led to a nice junior golf endowment fund, which now has about $300,000 in it that we use for junior golf. A good chunk of that money came from The International. And when we started our newsletter, The International sponsored it. They did a lot of great things for us for sure.”

Vickers’ contributions to the PGA Tour were acknowledged in 2014 when he became the 11th recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award on Sept. 4 during the BMW Championship that Cherry Hills Country Club hosted that year.

The Tour’s Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals “who have made outstanding contributions to the PGA Tour over an extended period of time through their performances on the golf course as well as their actions off the course in serving as ambassadors of the game.”

Prior recipients had included some of golf’s biggest names: Gene Sarazen (1996), Byron Nelson (1997), Palmer (1998), Sam Snead (1998), Jack Burke (2003), Pete Dye (2005), Deane Beman (2007), Nicklaus (2008), President George H.W. Bush (2009), and Gary Player (2012).

“Jack Vickers was a gracious host of The International for 21 years and remains a great ambassador for golf with a strong commitment to charity,” Finchem said at the time. “Castle Pines’ spectacular mountain setting and the modified Stableford scoring system made The International one of the most unique tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule and a favorite among our players for its unmatched hospitality. Jack’s selection will be celebrated by everyone he touched, including the many hundreds of Tour players he befriended at his tournament.”

When the inaugural International was announced, it featured a $1 million purse, the largest in PGA Tour history at the time.

Even in its post-International days, Castle Pines Golf Club is considered one of the top courses in the U.S., currently checking it at No. 42 on Golf Digest’s list of America’s 100 greatest courses.

Golf was by no means Vickers’ only foray into sports in Colorado. He was a majority owner of the NHL’s Colorado Rockies; helped found the University of Colorado’s Flatirons Club, a major fundraiser for the school; and helped sponsor Irwin at the beginning of his professional career. He also was involved in early attempts to bring major league baseball to the Centennial State.

Besides the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, Vickers was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame and the Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame.

Vickers also was named the 2003 Ambassador of Golf by Northeast Ohio Charities as part of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.

(Updated Oct. 3: Memorial services for Vickers will be held Oct. 12 at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Englewood, 8035 S. Quebec St. Donations in Vickers’ honor can be made to Catholic Charities through the Archdiocese of Denver, 6240 Smith Road, Denver, Colorado 80216, or the Jack A. Vickers Boys & Girls Club, 3365 Holly Street, Denver, Colorado 80207.) 
 

PGA Tour players obviously relished the experience — whether it was the expansive views of the course and the Rocky Mountains, the fantastic service, the sumptuously comfortable atmosphere, or whatever the case.

So when Golf Digest recently unveiled its ranking of the 50 best golf locker rooms in America, it was no surprise that Castle Pines Golf Club was high on the list.

No. 2, in fact.

Only Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Fla., is higher in Golf Digest’s rankings.

Here’s the magazine’s brief comment that ran with Castle Pines’ No. 2 ranking: “Dressed in a suit and tie, locker-room manager Tom Horal — in his 34th year at the club — remembers your name and drink order after one visit.”

It should be noted that the golf course isn’t too shabby either. It’s No. 42 on Golf Digest’s list of America’s 100 greatest golf courses.

For Golf Digest’s entire list of the top locker rooms in America, CLICK HERE.
 

Most notably, Ballyneal (pictured), the Tom Doak-designed layout in Holyoke, was ranked fourth among the Best Modern courses, which Golfweek classifies as having opened since 1960.

Only Sand Hills in Mullen, Neb. (No. 1), Pacific Dunes in Bandon, Ore. (No. 2) and Friar’s Head in Baiting Hollow, N.Y., were ahead of Ballyneal in the rankings. And, for the record, Doak was the designer or co-designer of four of the top six on the list, with Coloradan Jim Urbina officially co-designing No. 5 Old Macdonald in Bandon and helping considerably with Pacific Dunes and No. 6 Sebonack in Southamption, N.Y., where Jack Nicklaus was the co-designer.

Also among Golfweek’s Best Modern courses are Colorado Golf Club in Parker, site of next year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. The Bill Coore-Ben Crenshaw layout checks in at No. 33.

And Castle Pines Golf Club, home to the PGA Tour’s International from 1986 through 2006, was No. 52. The Nicklaus-designed Castle Pines GC opened in 1981.

Meanwhile, in Golfweek’s Best Classic top 100 is Cherry Hills Country Club, host to three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships and a U.S. Women’s Open. Cherry Hills falls at No. 89, according to Golfweek.

Pine Valley in New Jersey is No. 1 on the Best Classic list, which is limited to courses which opened before 1960.

Golfweek also lists its take on the “Best Courses You Can Play” in each state. Here’s the magazine’s top 10 for Colorado:

1. Redlands Mesa, Grand Junction
Ҭ2. The Broadmoor (East), Colorado Springs Ҭ
3. Red Sky (Fazio), Wolcott Ҭ
4. Haymaker, Steamboat Springs
Ҭ5. CommonGround, AuroraӬ
6. The Broadmoor (West), Colorado Springs Ҭ
7. Bear Dance, Larkspur Ҭ
8. Red Sky (Norman), Wolcott Ҭ
9. The Ridge at Castle Pines NorthӬ
10. Lakota Canyon, New Castle

For the full Golfweek lists, click MODERN, CLASSIC, YOU CAN PLAY.
 

The East Course at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs will do the honors during the resort’s 100th anniversary year as the U.S. Senior Open pays a visit the week of June 25-July 1.

That East Course (pictured) — site of two U.S. Women’s Opens, two U.S. Senior Opens (including next year’s) and a U.S. Amateur — has long been a highly regarded layout, besides being a historic one.

That was reaffirmed this week when Golfweek magazine published a couple of its top courses in the country lists.

The Broadmoor’s East Course has been a fixture on Golfweek’s Top 100 Resort Courses in the U.S., and this month was no exception. The East was ranked 55th on this year’s list, which was headed by the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

All told, seven Colorado-based courses were among those recognized this week in Golfweek’s Top 100 lists. Five were among the Top 100 Residential Courses in the U.S., including two in the top 10: Colorado Golf Club in Parker, which moved up to No. 4 in the nation this year; and Castle Pines Golf Club (No. 9), which hosted the PGA Tour’s International for 21 years beginning in 1986.

Here’s the rundown of the Colorado courses recognized by Golfweek this week, plus the No. 1-ranked course nationally in each category:

Golfweek’s Top 100 Resort Courses in U.S.
1. Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.
55. Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course) in Colorado Springs (Donald Ross/Robert Trent Jones Sr. design)
76. Red Sky Golf Club (Fazio Course) in Wolcott (Tom Fazio design)

For the complete list, CLICK HERE.

Golfweek’s Top 100 Residential Courses in U.S. 
1. Wade Hampton Club in Cashiers, N.C.
4. Colorado Golf Club in Parker (Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design)
9. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Pines (Jack Nicklaus design)
23. The Glacier Club in Durango (Arthur Hills design)
54. The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction (Jim Engh design)
63. The Club at Ravenna in Littleton (Jay Morrish design)

For the complete list, CLICK HERE.

In addition, Golf.com selected its Best New Courses of 2017, and the 12-hole Mulligan Course — designed by Tom Doak — at Ballyneal in Holyoke received a “special citation” mention under the “Spectacular New Short Courses” section.

For the complete list, CLICK HERE.

Marsico, a Castle Pines member and the winner of the 2008 CGA Amateur, and Hayes shot a 5-under-par 67 Friday to post a one-stroke victory with a 10-under 206 total for three rounds.

Tripp Kuhlke and Jeff Knox bogeyed the final hole to give Marsico and Hayes their second straight title.

The senior division of the tournament went to a playoff that lasted five holes. Like in mid-am division, the defending champions prevailed, with Texans Hollis Sullivan and Jeff Dillard coming out on top. They defeated Ben Hargis and Bart Dornier of Alexandria, La., in the playoff after both teams checked in at 8-under-par 208.

This year marked the 28th anniversary of the Charlie Coe Invitational, named for the two-time U.S. Amateur champion.
 

Ballyneal in Holyoke again was among the very best modern courses as the Tom Doak design checked in at No. 4 among courses that were built after 1960, according to Golfweek raters. The only sites ahead of Ballyneal on the Golfweek modern list were Sand Hills in Mullen, Neb. (No. 1), Pacific Dunes in Bandon, Ore. (No. 2) and Friar’s Head in Baiting Hollow, N.Y.

In fact, four of the top seven in the modern category were at least co-designed by Doak, with Old Macdonald in Bandon (No. 5) and Sebonack in Southampton, N.Y. (No. 7) joining Pacific Dunes and Ballyneal (pictured).

Other Colorado courses among the top 100 modern layouts were Colorado Golf Club in Parker (No. 33), which will host the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur, and Castle Pines Golf Club (No. 48), home to the PGA Tour’s International from 1986-2006.

As for Golfweek’s top 100 classic courses — which opened before 1960 — in the country, Cherry Hills Country Club made the grade. The club — which has hosted three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships and a U.S. Women’s Open — checked in at No. 91. No. 1 in the classic category was Pine Valley in New Jersey.

For the complete Golfweek classic list, CLICK HERE. For the modern top 100, CLICK HERE.

(April 19 Update): Golfweek also published a list of the “best courses you can play” in each state”. Here’s its rundown for Colorado:

1. Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction
2. The Broadmoor (East) in Colorado Springs
3. Red Sky (Fazio) in Wolcott
4. CommonGround in Aurora
5. Haymaker in Steamboat Springs
6. The Broadmoor (West) in Colorado Springs
7. Lakota Canyon in New Castle
8. Red Sky (Norman) in Wolcott
9. Bear Dance in Larkspur
10. Ridge at Castle Pines North

Golfweek rated the states on the basis of their top five public-access golf courses, and Colorado placed 18th out of 50. For that ranking, CLICK HERE.
 

The golf course ranking business is ever-expanding — and apparently ever-popular — but every two years it returns to its roots. And that time is now.

The grandaddy of all the rankings — both the first and the most respected — was published this week as Golf Digest unveiled its biennial “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses”. America’s 100 Greatest has been a fixture since 1966.

As usual, Colorado figures prominently in the rankings. While no local course is in Golf Digest’s very top rung — Pine Valley in New Jersey, Augusta National in Georgia and Cypress Point in California are 1-2-3, respectively — the Centennial State has more than its share of the nation’s greatest courses.

Specifically, Colorado is home to three layouts in the top 100 — and in the top 75, for that matter. The only states with more than three courses in the top 75 are New York (11), California (8), Illinois (5), Ohio (4), New Jersey (4) and Oregon (4, all in Bandon). Three states besides Colorado put three courses in the top 75: Michigan, Wisconsin and Massachusetts.

The three Colorado courses that made the cut should come as no surprise to the followers of national/international golf rankings. Castle Pines Golf Club (pictured above), home of the PGA Tour’s International from 1986-2006, checks in at No. 42, according to Golf Digest. Ballyneal (left) — the minimalist Tom Doak design in a remote area of northeastern Colorado, in Holyoke — was placed No. 50, its highest mark ever. And Cherry Hills Country Club, host to three U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships, was ranked No. 73.

Castle Pines, the Jack Nicklaus design that opened in 1981, has been an America’s 100 Greatest fixture since ’87, and has reached as high as No. 28. Cherry Hills, nearing its 95th birthday, was ranked from 1966-70 and ever since ’73, reaching No. 21 at one point. Ballyneal has risen in Golf Digest’s list since making its debut in 2011.

Here are the top 10 courses on America’s Greatest 100 list this time around:

1. Pine Valley in Pine Valley, N.J.
2. Augusta National in Augusta, Ga.
3. Cypress Point in Pebble Beach, Calif.
4. Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y.
5. Oakmont in Oakmont, Pa.
6. Merion in Ardmore, Pa.
7. Pebble Beach in Pebble Beach, Calif.
8. National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y.
9. Sand Hills in Mullen, Neb.
10. Winged Foot (West) in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

For the entire Golf Digest list, CLICK HERE.

While America’s Greatest 100 is the most famous golf course ranking, there are many others done on a national and international basis by respected publications and raters. Here’s a sampling of how Colorado courses have fared in such rankings in recent months, along with the top-rated course in each case:

Golf Channel travel insider Matt Ginella’s
Top 50 Courses You Can Play in the U.S. (Dec. 8, 2016)

Ranked No. 1
Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Colorado Course
50. The Broadmoor GC’s East Course in Colorado Springs

Golfweek Best Resort Courses (Nov. 1, 2016)

Ranked No. 1
Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Colorado Courses
48. The Broadmoor East Course in Colorado Springs
66. Red Sky Fazio Course in Wolcott
123. The Broadmoor West Course in Colorado Springs
152. Telluride GC
153. Red Sky Norman Course in Wolcott
174. Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs

Golfweek Best Residential Courses (Nov. 1, 2016)

Ranked No. 1
Wade Hampton Club in Cashiers, N.C.

Colorado Courses
5. Colorado Golf Club in Parker
9. Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Pines
32. The Glacier Club at Tamarron in Durango
60. Golf Club at Ravenna in Littleton
66. Redlands Mesa Golf Club in Grand Junction
154. Cherry Creek Country Club in Denver
177. Aspen Glen in Carbondale

Golf.com’s Top 100 Courses You Can Play (2016/17)

Ranked No. 1
Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Colorado Courses
51. Red Sky Norman Course in Wolcott
67. The Broadmoor East Course in Colorado Springs
93. Golf Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction

Golfweek’s Best Campus Courses (Aug. 30, 2016)

Ranked No. 1
The Course at Yale in New Haven, Conn.

Colorado Course
24. Eisenhower Blue Course at Air Force Academy