THE CRITERIA
DESIGN ( 50%):
When ranking a course, judges were instructed to ask the following questions to themselves to determine where a course stands in the list.
• Is there a good balance of par-3s, 4s and 5s? Is there good variety?
• Is risk-and-reward a factor on many holes?
• How fair is the course for all players?
• Does the design offer a wide selection of shots bringing any variation of wind direction into play?
• How memorable are individual holes and the course as a whole?
CONDITION ( 40%):
Things to consider include:
• The overall condition of playing surfaces. Take into consideration elements out of control of course staff like drought, bushfire and flood.
• Are the fairways cut to be well-defined
from semi-rough and rough?
• Have the bunkers been well-presented?
VISUAL APPEAL ( 10%):
In relation to public access courses, visual appeal is an important factor in not only attracting golfers but also getting those same golfers to play the course again and again. Visual appeal makes up the remaining 10 percent. Things to consider include:
• How aesthetically pleasing is the
course to look at?
• Are there many holes that have the ‘wow’ factor?
• Does the course bIend well with its surrounds?