Nate's Top 100 Links Golf Courses (APCD designed) Updated 5/3/04 - See below for top Microsoft designs: F=Fictional course design R=Real course design E=Easy M=Moderate D=Difficult M/E=moderate-easy M/D=moderate-difficult Rank Course Designer Type Course Style Diff 2k1/2k3 P2P 1. Crystal Pines Mike Jones F Mountain M 2k3 yes 2. Tall Pines Estate Wayne Hewitt F Pine Forest M 2k3 yes 3. Burn's Old Links Mike Jones F Links M/D 2k3 yes 4. Merion East Dexter Gresh R Parkland M 2k3 5. Pacific Breaks Mike Jones F Ocean M 2k3 yes 6. The Brabyzon at the Belfry Dark Horse Team R Parkland M 2k3 7. Bull Run Eddie Schmidt F Woodland M 2k3 yes 8. Buck Creek Art Patscheck F Woodland M/D 2k3 yes 9. Royal Country Kilderry Mike Jones F Links M 2k3 yes 10. The Pinnacle Paul Woodbury F Desert M 2k3 11. TPC @ Sawgrass Anders Besserman R Pine Forest M/D 2k1 12. Medinah No. 3 John Pineda R Woodland M/D 2k3 13. Colonial Eric Dorsey R Woodland M 2k3 14. Wellington Point Gus Green F Tropical/Ocean M 2k3 15. Druid's Glen Anders Besserman R Parkland M 2k3 Lars Rudbeck 16. Country Club @ Brookline Eddie Schmidt R Parkland D 2k3 17. Driftwood Mike Jones F Woodland M 2k3 yes 18. Bethpage Black Dominique Bois R Woodland D 2k3 19. Spyglass Hill Eddie Schmidt R Ocean/Pine M 2k1 20. Shadowlands Mike Jones F Parkland M 2k3 yes 21. Owelstery Mitch Sirk F Parkland M/D 2k3 yes 22. Atlantic Point Mike Jones F Ocean M/D 2k3 yes 23. Prairie Dog Chuck Clark F Links M 2k3 yes 24. Pebble Beach Classic Les Wellard R Ocean M 2k3 David Russell Joel Geyson Ross Mackenzie 25. Babylon Ridge Mike Jones F Mountain M 2k3 yes 26. Te Lhi O Te Rangi Kristoffer Selberg F Tropical D 2k3 27. Stonebridge Dan Kilbank R Parkland M/E 2k3 28. Sorento Steve Pope F Desert M 2k3 yes 29. Royal Thoroughfare 2004 Kristoffer Selberg F Parkland M 2k3 yes 30. War Acres Steve Pope F Links/Parkland M/E 2k3 yes 31. Lost Lake Legend Bob Hankla F Woodland M/D 2k3 32. Talon @ Grayhawk John Andersen R Desert M 2k1 33. Arrow Canyon Resort Art Patscheck F Desert D 2k3 yes 34. Crandon Park John Andersen R Tropical M/D 2k1 35. Slainte Mhath Kjell Johansson F Ocean/Links M 2k1 36. Ayrshire Dunes Mike Jones F Ocean/Links D 2k1 37. Hunter's Wood Ken Boltz F Woodland M/D 2k1 38. Southern Hills Ross MacKenzie R Parkland D 2k1 39. Lagalochan Bay Alan Toft F Ocean M 2k3 40. Torrey Pines South 2002 Chuck Clark R Ocean M 2k1 41. Augusta National 2001 Andrew Jones R Pine Forest D 2k1 42. Doral Blue Monster John Andersen R Tropical M/D 2k3 43. El Escorpion Mike Jones F Heathland D 2k1 44. Munchen Nord Eichenreid Guenter Kajat R Parkland M/E 2k3 45. Burnt Pine @ Sandestin Lacy Gearheart R Pine Forest M/E 2k1 46. Southern Pines Eddie Schmidt F Pine Forest M/E 2k1 47. TPC @ the Woodlands Alan Price R Woodland M 2k3 48. Ardennes Dunes Andrew Jones F Ocean D 2k3 yes 49. Gut Kaden Guenter Kajat R Parkland E 2k3 50. Eagle Mountain Tourney Fredd Briggson F Mountain M/D 2k3 R. McMinn 51. Gut Larchenhof Guenter Kajat R Parkland M/E 2k3 52. TPC @ Scottsdale Jess Gagnon R Desert E 2k1 53. Oakland Hills North Steve Avery R Parkland E 2k3 54. Royal Lytham & St. Annes Bill Bunning R Links M 2k1 55. Le Golf National Max Deschamps R Parkland M 2k3 56. Black Valley CE Mat Leclair F Woodland D 2k3 57. Xilver Prairie Rick Weathers F Heathland M/E 2k1 58. Schloss Hohenfels Jorg Jobmann F Parkland D 2k3 59. Hawksmoor Heath Dave Meader F Heathland D 2k3 60. San Simeon Resort Paul Woodbury F Woodland M/D 2k1 61. Copperhead @ Old Works Lacy Gearheart F Heathland M/D 2k1 62. Glen Abbey (Fall) Len Kroese R Parkland M 2k1 63. Liberty South Roger Galloher F Ocean M/D 2k3 64. Aitch Heath Municipal Mitch Sirk R Municipal M/E 2k3 65. Firestone North Ed Balaun R Woodland M 2k1 66. Xilver Plaine Rick Weathers F Heathland M/E 2k1 67. Blacktooth Foothills Randall Queen F Parkland M 2k3 68. Los Lagos Gary Campbell F Woodland M/D 2k1 69. Brydestone Mitch Sirk F Links/Parkland D 2k1 70. Great White @ Doral John Andersen R Tropical M 2k1 71. TPC @ River Highlands Chas Dempster R Parkland M 2k1 72. Forest Legend @ Kiss Tours Bob Hankla F Woodland M/D 2k3 73. Flood Lands Chuck Clark F Parkland M 2k3 74. Woodbridge Matthew Woodbridge F Links M 2k1 75. Avocet @ Wild Wing Art Patscheck R Parkland M 2k3 76. Prestige Steve Pope F Mountain M/D 2k1 77. Autumn Valley Wayne Hewitt F Parkland M/D 2k1 78. Rivendell Eric Hruby F Fantasy D 2k1 79. Desert Canyon Jack Hartt R Desert M 2k1 80. FaircInnis Chuck Clark F Ocean/Links M/E 2k3 81. Apple Tree Jack Hartt R Parkland M 2k1 82. Alabama Jim & Delinda Wood F Parkland M/D 2k1 83. Dove Valley Ranch Art Patscheck R Desert M 2k1 84. Midnight Golf Course Lars Rudbeck F Fantasy M 2k1 85. Kanaal New Course Mitch Sirk F Links M/D 2k1 86. Golf Club of Oklahoma Keith Haney R Woodland M 2k1 87. Royal Wessex Lacy Gearheart F Parkland M 2k1 88. Myrtle Beach (South) Scott Osgood F Ocean/Bay M/E 2k3 89. Hills Course @ Palmetto K. Selberg & J. Sigler R Sub-tropical M 2k3 90. Arrowhead Art Patscheck R Woodland M 2k1 91. Mornington Peninsula Joel Geyson F Links/Ocean M 2k1 92. Lake Gallcholar Roger Galloher R Mountain M/D 2k1 93. The Bluffs @ Ocean Point John Andersen F Ocean M/D 2k1 94. Sherwood River Kristoffer Selberg F Parkland M/D 2k3 yes 95. Tillicum Island Jack Hartt F Ocean D 2k1 96. Brown Deer Park Chas Dempster R Woodland M/E 2k3 97. Muirfield Village Kevin Hill R Woodland M/D 2k1 98. Fireheads Course @ KISS John Pineda F Tropical M/D 2k1 99. Blackstone National Bob Fournier R Woodland M 2k1 100. Myrtle Beach (North) Scott Osgood F Ocean/Bay M 2k1 My Top-ranked Par-3 Course: Augusta National 2003 by Eddie Schmidt (real - pine forest - M/E) Top 10 Microsoft (2003) Courses (all real--difficulty in parentheses): 1. Oakmont - Parkland (M) 2. Troon North - Desert (E) 3. Gleneagles - Links/Parkland (M/D) 4. Chateau Whistler - Mountain (M) 5. Cabo Del Sol - Ocean/Desert (M) 6. Princeville - Tropical (M/D) 7. Stone Canyon - Desert (M) 8. Banff Springs - Mountain (E) 9. Barton Creek - Woodland/Heathland (M/E) 10. Westfields - Woodland (M) Top 10 Converted Microsoft Courses (2001 and earlier): 1. Bay Hill - Parkland (M) 2. Pinehurst #2 - Pine Forest (M/D) 3. St. Andrews Old - Links (E) 4. Harbour Town - Woodland/Coastal (E) 5. Valhalla - Parkland (M) 6. Congressional - Woodland (M) 7. Sea Island - Coastal/Ocean (E) 8. Innisbrook - Pine Forest (M/D) 9. Firestone South - Woodland/Parkland (D) 10. Castle Pines - Woodland/Pine Forest (D) Disclaimer: The above list is for entertainment purposes only and is solely based on my own opinion.