Golfweek recently unveiled its ranking of the 2010 Best Resort Courses, 2011 Best New Courses and 2011 Best Residential Courses, and Nicklaus Design made its presence known in all three surveys. Red Ledges in Heber City, Utah, made an appearance on both the Best New and Best Residential rankings, coming in at No. 7 among the 40 new courses and No. 17 among the 100 residential courses listed. Nicklaus Design was represented by 17 courses on the 2010 Best Residential Courses list, including two in the top 10, with Castles Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colo., at No. 7, and Mayacama Golf Club in Santa Rosa, Calif., at No. 8.
The other Nicklaus courses to make Golfweek’s Best New list were The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain (Saguaro and Tortolita) in Maranza, Ariz., at No. 16, and the Golf Club at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Mich.. at No.32.
The Champion course at PGA National Resort & Spa, the host venue for the Honda Classic, made one of the most dramatic leaps up the 2011 Best Resort Courses, moving from No. 96 in 2010 to No. 47 this year. Over the last few years, the Champion underwent renovations and changes led by Jack Nicklaus and Nicklaus Design to improve the course for the Honda Classic.
“This event has probably gone up several notches in status just because of this golf course,” said NBC analyst Johnny Miller.
Featuring the legendary “Bear Trap”—one of the most demanding, three-hole stretches (Nos. 15-17) on the PGA Tour— PGA National was just one of 12 Nicklaus Design courses to be on Golfweek’s 2010 Best Resort Courses. Cougar Canyon Golf Links in Trinidad, Colo., topped the entries at No. 20.
Nicklaus Design courses on the 2010 Best Resort Courses list include: Cougar Canyon (No. 20); May River Course at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton S.C. (No. 24); The Club at Pronghorn in Bend, Ore (No. 29); Challenge at Manele Bay in Lanai, Hawaii (No. 33); The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita) in Marana, Ariz. (No. 44); PGA National (The Champion) in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (No. 47); Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (No. 49); Great Waters at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga. (No. 51); Kauai Lagoons Golf Club (Kiele) in Kauai, Hawaii (No. 60); Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Fla. (No. 66); Grand Bear in Saucier, Miss. (No. 89); and The New Course at Grand Cypress Golf Resort in Orlando, Fla. (No. 95).
On the 2011 Best Residential Courses, Nicklaus Design courses include: Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colo. (No. 7); Mayacama Golf Club in Santa Rosa, Calif. (No. 8); The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla. (No. 18); Lake Las Vegas (SouthShore) in Henderson, Nev. (No. 45); The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla. (No. 47); Dalhousie in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (No. 49); Red Ledges in Heber City, Utah (No. 57); Desert Highlands in Scottsdale, Ariz. (No. 60); Promontory Club (Painted Valley) in Park City, Utah (No. 65); The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas (No. 69); The Chase at Coyote Springs in Coyote Springs, Nev. (No. 74); Creighton Farms in Aldie, Va. (No. 78); Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa in Jupiter, Fla. (No. 89); Colleton River Plantation (Nicklaus) in Bluffton, S.C. (No. 92); Desert Mountain (Chiricahua) in Scottsdale, Ariz. (No. 95); Cordillera Ranch in Boerne, Texas (No. 99); and Great Waters at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga. (No. 100).
