Public golf will soon return to the national spotlight, with the 2017 U.S. Open making final preparations for its June tee time at the publicly accessible Erin Hills Golf Course in Wisconsin. Golf Digest's June issue includes its 2017-18 list of America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses, where Erin Hills falls in at #9, a one-notch drop from its #8 ranking in 2015-16.
Filling its spot in the #8 slot is Bethpage Black, which flip-flopped with Erin Hills from its previous #9 ranking. The Digest cites conditioning improvements for part of its rise in the ranks. The local golf behemoth looks up only at world-renowned courses like Pinehurst No. 2, the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island and Pebble Beach, which retains the top spot. Also ahead of the Black Course are the Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes courses at Oregon's Bandon Dunes Resort.
The only other local golf course to crack the top 100 is Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx, which makes its debut on the Public Courses list at #96.
A panel of nearly 1,000 golfers rates each golf course in seven categories to form the top 100. Categories are shot values, design variety, memorability, aesthetics, resistance to scoring, conditioning and ambience.
To see the full ranking and a feature on Erin Hills, site of the 2017 Open, visit the Golf Digest website.
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