Shane

Data guy. Golf rankings nerd. ⛳️
5 hcp. Zero troll energy — just here to share ideas & insight.

[Shane @ParAndRank]

In 2017, @fried_egg_golf posted https://t.co/hKoiicQLMa.

This inspired me to dive into @GolfDigest, @GOLF_com, and @golfweek course rankings.

Follow along with me as I uncover trends, insights, and fun facts about the greatest golf courses in 🇺🇸

#GolfRankings

[Shane @ParAndRank]

Adding @golfweek to a graphic I've created before. Reminder:
- GW: max score = 10
- GD: 80
- Links: 50

Calculating each course's score out of the possible max points... pretty revealing 👀
❌@LINKSMagazine really drops off in the by the 100th course, with lower percents than GD or GW at their 200th or 400th ranked course.
✅GD has the most minimal drop-off
❌ I don't love that all three have very few courses that are above 80% of max possible points. Really makes you wonder what a normal, standard, every day quality public course would be scored as... Is there population in consideration really all courses, or just the subset of 🇺🇸 courses with some degree of notoriety?

@feedtheball @JLuGolfweek

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@AugustaGolfGirl As someone who's list of possible courses to choose from doesn't include exclusive country clubs, it's the prestige for me... the feeling of being someone special and experiencing those aspects that have given it the prestige.

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@19holesgolf @BryanTweed16 Tracking - they were my 5th option but I could only add 4 in the X poll ��

[Shane @ParAndRank]

Which is your go-to, trusted source for golf course rankings?

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@randysm64909662 I did read that. Some good info. I'm not sure I really walked away from that read though with a legit pros and cons list of the popular outlets.

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@GodBlesGolf I think every outlet could be critiqued for the population of raters. Only architects. Or only those with Low handicaps. Or only those that can actually travel and afford to pay their way. Not one is unbiased.

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@XMoralHazardX @BryanTweed16 I've continuously complemented GD on their transparency. The trouble is with transparency means more to critique so I've naturally critiqued GD the most as well 🤦‍♂️

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@SlimJackPrescot @BryanTweed16 I was going to make that the 5th option but X wouldn't let me add more than 4

[Shane @ParAndRank]

Kudos to the scoring outlets provide not only a rank, but a score as well. I'm tracking @GolfDigest (max score: 80), @golfweek (10), and @LINKSMagazine (50).

Anyone tracking any other outlets that provide scores as well?

I'm tracking @GOLF_com and @top100golf do not.

[Shane @ParAndRank]

🇺🇸 U.S. Open at #Inverness in 2045.
Based on current @GolfDigest rankings, Inverness (#62) would be the lowest-ranked U.S. Open venue since 2015 outside of Chambers Bay and Torrey Pines (South).
Other outlets show a split: more love from @GOLF_com and @top100golf, while @golfweek and @LINKSMagazine track closer to GD.
Still comfortably Top 100—and a clear U.S. Open fit—but depending on the list, it lands anywhere from Top 30–40 to 60–80.
Regardless, I enjoy the injection of from the norm 👍

[Shane @ParAndRank]

The modern (1960+) vs classic (<1960) divide isn’t just architectural — it’s geographic.
After mapping @golfweek, @GolfDigest, @LINKSMagazine, @GOLF_com, and @top100golf:
• Classics dominate the Northeast
• The West Coast is light on pre-1960 representation
• The Mountain West is almost all modern
Is this about history, land development timing, or how rankings reward design eras?
Curious where people think the bias lies.

@JLuGolfweek @feedtheball

[Shane @ParAndRank]

Mapping the @golfweek Top 400. Nothing really shocking but the NJ to Mass corridor doesn't disappoint... mostly though the exclusive private clubs.

Any other unexpected insights?

#Golfcourses #GolfRankings #golfweek

[Shane @ParAndRank]

Pulled 450+ courses from the Top lists at @GolfDigest , @top100golf , @GOLF_com , @golfweek & @LINKSMagazine.
The timeline is wild:
🟢 1910–1930: Golden Age dominance
🟢 1990–2010: Modern explosion
🔴 1935–1950: Basically erased
And here’s the kicker… the “young guns” are already flooding the rankings. As they age (and accumulate more panel visits), that 2010 and on spike might get even bigger.

Any architects out there know why such a dip in the 1940s?

@feedtheball @JLuGolfweek @GrayCarlton @SHistorians

[Shane @ParAndRank]

⛳️ @golfweek Top 200: Modern vs. Classic
The public/private split is striking:
• Modern: 57 public (28.5%)
• Classic: 19 public (9.5%)
Classics also trend toward higher average scores.
Translation? There’s a concentrated cluster of historic private clubs that still define the very top tier.
#GolfRankings #Golf

@JLuGolfweek

[Shane @ParAndRank]

By combining @Golfweek’s Modern + Classic lists, GW now has 400 published ⛳️course ratings — the most of any outlet.
Next closest: #GolfDigest.
So which highly ranked GD courses didn’t make Golfweek’s ratings?
• The Alotian Club (GD: 37)
• Ladera (possibly too new for enough GW ratings)
• Cantata (86)
• The Big Easy Ranch (111)
• Rich Harvest Farms (113)
• The Preserve Club (115)
• The Madison Club (123)
• Clear Creek Tahoe (137)

Any surprises here?

#GolfRankings #GolfCourses

[Shane @ParAndRank]

Each year @golfweek ranks the Top 200 Modern (1960–present) and Top 200 Classic (pre-1960) courses, each scored on a 10-point scale.
Comparing the two reveals something interesting: the top 60 Classics outperform the top 60 Moderns.
The game’s historic heavyweights still set the standard—proof that the very best courses truly stand the test of time. ⛳️

@JLuGolfweek

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@GOLF_com Any guesses on whether this course ever lands in the Top100?

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@golfweek Any chance these can be compared to the top 200 modern courses? Meaning does a score of say 7.76 in modern and classic mean those two courses would be tied in an aggregated rank?

[Shane @ParAndRank]

😳 @golfweek produces a Top200 Modern and Top200 classic so combined 400 course ratings reported.

Is this the most depth of any outlet that reports rankings?

Anyone know if the two lists can be combined... same rating criteria?

@JLuGolfweek

[Shane @ParAndRank]

@GrayCarlton @GolfDigest @GolfMagazine @top100golf @LINKSMagazine @golfweek I'm tracking they have a T200 modern and T200 classic on the same 1-10 scale. So actually 400 courses in total which is nice. I don't agree with the divide of modern and classic but they are on the same scale so comparable.