Hole #9 - Royal County Down Golf Club, Newcastle, Northern Ireland - 486 yards Par 4

Remember when I said the 7th at Pebble Beach was one of the greatest five tees in golf... well this is one of the five.  There really is nothing quite like standing on this tee, with about eight other holes of one of the world's great courses in view, a blind tee shot over a huge dune in front of you, with the town of Newcastle behind that, and the Mountains of Mourne behind that.  If you haven't played Royal County Down yet, run, don't walk, to get there.  Not only is it one of the most unique courses in the world, but it is head and shoulders above any other course in the world that you don't need to know someone to get to play.  (Royal Portrush is in the mix of being second on that list and is nearby if you need some extra motivation.)  As for the 9th hole itself, it is an absolute brute.  Beauty and the beast, to be sure.  At 486 yards, it will take two well struck shots to reach the green, but both need to be straight as an arrow as there is heavy rough and gorse surrounding both the fairway and the green.  If you manage to hit a good drive, watching it sail over the dune than is about 175 yards in front of the tee is one of the great joys in golf.  Once over the dune, the fairway sits well below the tee box, with a long second shot to a semi-blind elevated green set just to the left and behind a large dune (there are two "spectacle" bunkers about 40 yards short of the green).  A mishit on either the drive or approach is likely to result in a bogey or worse, and a par at this hole feels like an eagle on most (trust me).  One of the truly great holes in golf and one that is very unlikely to be supplanted on this list.

Next best: Cypress Point, Turnberry, Merion (East), Pebble Beach
Most likely to take its place, but have not yet played: Maidstone, Muirfield

Hole #8 - Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Scotland - 126 yards Par 3

Where else other than in a "dream" 18 can you not only have back to back par 3s, but have back to back par 3s under 126 yards?  The postage stamp hole was a narrow winner over the 8th at Pebble Beach for my vote for the world's best 8th hole.  While the 8th at Pebble Beach has a great setting and a great second shot, the tee shot is a bit of a throw away and given that it follows the even more spectacular 7th, it was beat out by this one of a kind, yard-for-yard hardest hole in the world (my apologies to the 12th at Augusta, but the 8th at Royal Troon is 29 yards shorter...).  When I played this hole, I barely missed the green to the right and made bogey from one of the right hand greenside bunkers.  That was the low score in my foursome (eh, hem, I mean four ball), by 2 shots!  If you miss this green, which is likely because it is as tiny as a... postage stamp... and because the tee shot is slightly to the right of being dead at the coast, so the wind is going to be some version of slightly across and into your face on most days, a recovery for par is almost impossible.  Add to that the fact that the hole is actually on some inspiring land on an otherwise uninspiring course (in terms of topography), and it truly is a worldbeater.

Next Best: Prairie Dunes, Pebble Beach, Crystal Downs, Cypress Point, Pine Valley,

Most likely to take its place, but have not yet played: None

Hole #7 - Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA - 106 yards Par 3

The 7th hole at Pebble Beach is one of the great places in golf.  What it lacks for in strategic design (assuming the wind is down), it makes up for with one of the best tee shots in the game.  I must say, that the first time you play this hole you may actually be slightly disappointed in that we have all seen the photos of this hole a hundred times, but almost all of those photos are taken from a spot about 30 yards to the left of the tee box, just behind the 6th green.  The view from the tee box is slightly less exhilarating because it feels less like you are teeing off straight into the Pacific and the bunkering is less attractive from the tee box than the spot that you see on the post cards.  That being said, it is a great thrill to play this hole as it seems to have the perfect elevation above the ocean for maximum dramatic and scenic effect.  Low lying courses, like Royal County Down, Royal Troon, Kingsbarns and St. Andrews are too low to be truly spectacular, and in my opinion, courses like Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes and Old Head are too high.  Sure, it beats looking at cornfields, but it's no Pebble Beach.  The 7th at Pebble is one of the five best tees in golf (the other four being the 15th and 16th at nearby Cypress Point, 14th at Royal Portrush and 9th at Royal County Down), for pure beauty.  The hole itself plays considerably downhill, which makes it great fun on a windless day watching your ball fly against the ocean for several seconds before landing on the green (hopefully), and it is also makes for a greater challenge playing a 100 yard drop-shot into the wind.  Although I have a few courses still to play, this hole is probably about as cemented into my Dream 18 as any on this list.

Next best: Pine Valley, Pacific Dunes, San Francisco, Bay Harbor (Links), Royal County Down, Crystal Downs, Prairie Dunes, Shinnecock Hills
Most likely to take its place, but have not yet played: None

Hole #6 - The Camargo Club, Indian Hill, OH - 368 yards Par 4

The two holes that are most often mentioned as the "best" 6th hole in the world are either the 6th at Carnoustie or the 6th at Seminole.  I have played Carnoustie and can say that the 6th is a great golf hole, enhanced with some Ben Hogan lore, but it is not the best 6th hole I've played.  I have not played Seminole, so perhaps that is the hole that rightfully belongs here, but until I am invited to play at Seminole, the 6th at The Camargo Club will likely hold this spot, in spite of the fact that I have never read or heard anyone refer to this hole as great. Given the exclusivity and relative anonymity of The Camargo Club, as well as the fact that the par threes garner most of the attention, that is not entirely surprising-- nevertheless, this is easily the least heralded hole on this list.

I mentioned during my review of the 5th hole at Crystal Downs that short par 4s are my favorite type of golf hole, so it is no coincidence that when "searching" for a worthy entry into this slot, the 6th at Pacific Dunes came to mind.  However, when push came to shove, I had to go with another short par four, the 6th at The Camargo Club. This hole wins out over the 6th at Pacific Dunes because the tee shot is slightly more interesting (and more subtle) and its green is far more interesting.

The tee shot is hit into a semi-blind fairway with the landing area of the fairway offset to the right of the part of the fairway that is visible from the tee. There is a fairway bunker to the "right" of the fairway, in spite of the fact that the preferred angle into the green requires you to carry the left side of that bunker. In addition to the uncertainty of the proper line to play, the player is also faced with a decision with regard to distance as the fairway slopes severely downhill about 260 yards from the tee. As such, in order to have a level lie and a level approach into the green, a 3 wood or less needs to be hit off the tee, leaving a gap wedge to 9 iron into the green. However, the approach shot is extremely intimidating, even with a wedge in your hand, as the green slopes severely downhill in front of the green. As such,  any ball coming up short will likely roll 20-30 yards back down the fairway, and deep bunkers flank the right and rear of the green below steep slopes. On the left side, a 15 foot bunker guards the front left of the green with a near-vertical grass slope between the bunker and the green, and the pushed up green slopes sharply off the back as well. In spite of the green being fairly large, it looks like a sliver of a target from the fairway. Hitting driver will leave little more than a lob wedge into the green, but the shot will be blind and from a downslope to a green that is about 20 feet above the ball. Like most of the greens at The Camargo Club, the green is well contoured and interesting, making this a great short Par 4.

Next best: Pacific Dunes, Carnoustie, National Golf Links of America, Bandon Dunes, Riviera, Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Pine Valley, Shinnecock Hills, Shoreacres, Crystal Downs

Most likely to take its place, but have not played: Seminole

Hole #5 - Crystal Downs Country Club, Frankfort, MI - 353 yards Par 4

For full disclosure, I should point out that short par 4s are my favorite holes in golf.  With that being said, no course has a better collection or more varied number of short par fours than Crystal Downs.  The 5th, 7th, 15th and 17th are all under 350 yards (from the back tees!) except for the 5th, which is a whopping 353 yards from the tips.  The reason I love short par fours is that it gives options off the tee for all skill levels, and also allows the course architect a little more latitude in terms of fairness and norm than say, a 450 yard par four.  The 5th a Crystal Downs has every great element a short par four needs-- options off the tee, small and difficult green, and some quirkiness.  The option off the tee at the 5th at Crystal Downs requires the player to decide whether to play over a large specimen tree/bunkers to the far/right side of the fairway which bring the trees, bunkers and OB right into play, or play safely to the short/left side of the fairway which has virtually no trouble, but leaves a longer and blind approach to the green off of a "crumpled" fairway.  This hole also plays unusually along the spine of a dune/hill as opposed to next to or over it.  It is the use of that land feature that creates such a beautiful and unique hole.  Even from the preferred position on the right of the fairway, the green is angled away from the player and falls off sharply to the right and the approach shot is off of a rolling fairway that is unlikely to yield a level lie.  This hole strikes as much fear into a golfer as any that I am aware of that is devoid of water hazards, and yet it is only 353 yards.  Incredible.

Next Best: Royal Portrush, Pinehurst (No. 2), Bandon Dunes, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, Shinnecock Hills
Most likely to take its place, but have not played: Royal Melbourne (West).

Hole #4 - Merion Golf Club (East), Ardmore, PA - 600 yards Par 5

The best thing I can say about Merion is that I think the fourth hole at Merion is the best fourth hole in the world, yet it is probably not one of the best 5 holes at Merion!  The 16th, 18th, 11th, 5th and 17th (in that order), are probably all better.  That being said, the fourth hole at Merion is one of my all time favorite holes anywhere because it is one of the best uses of good, but not great, golf terrain I have ever seen.  This level of land is present, at least in part, in over a 1000 courses in the world, yet few, if any, manage to use the land as effectively, strategically, and aesthetically as the fourth at Merion.  First of all, it possesses a rarity in golf-- a three shot par five that holds interest for all three shots.  Secondly, it is beautifully bunkered.  And finally, it just flows with the land.  Tom Doak once said that the routing of a golf course should be close to how one would want to walk the property without a golf club in their hand.  If you were standing at the fourth tee at Merion without a golf club, you would absolutely want to walk right where the fairway flows all the way to the green.  With a golf club in your hand, the hole is magnificent.  The tee shot is semi-blind with two huge bunkers staring you down, neither of which should really be in play for the decent golfer.  If your drive finds the fairway, you are left with another semi-blind shot over a yawning bunker and down the slope.  Your third shot will be from a slightly downhill lie to a unique green that is surrounded by seven bunkers and lies just beyond one of Merion's infamous creeks.  Each shot requires thoughtful precision, and if executed, makes the next shot easier.  The green itself sits upon the land like it has been there forever.  With nothing behind the green for 50+ yards, there is nothing to aid in depth perception for the delicate third shot into the green.  In addition, where the architect really excelled is the cut lines of the fairway and the placement of the green, offset to the left of the landing area.  If this hole was built today, it would continue in a straight line past the crest of the hill, but this hole falls sharply to the left in a serpentine fashion giving interest and shot value to the second shot that would not exist otherwise.  This hole exemplifies what golf should be and how golf holes should be made.

Next best: Oakmont, Royal County Down, Riviera, Pacific Dunes, Spyglass Hill, Pine Valley, National Golf Links of America
Most likely to take its place, but have not played: Fishers Island

Hole #3 - Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, PA - 428 yards Par 4

Anyone who is reading this has most likely heard of the Church Pew bunker at Oakmont (there are actually two of them, but the famous one lies between the third and fourth holes).  But the third hole at Oakmont is not the best third hole in the world solely because of the Church Pew bunker.  When I first played this hole, I was blown away by the elevation changes and cant of the fairway.  From the tee, the hole plays straight away with the fairway rising and falling over hills like a piece of linguine draped over and across three baked potatoes.  The entire fairway cants to the left, toward the Church Pew bunker, which, in combination with the bunker, makes you aim right.  The problem is, if you go too far right, you will be in one of a series of extremely deep and penal bunkers in their own right.  As a result, missing this fairway leaves almost no chance at hitting the green in regulation.  If by chance you were lucky enough to hit a straight drive, you are still left with a mid to long iron off of a side-hill lie up to the green which sits at least 20-30 feet above the landing zone of the fairway.  If your approach is too short, it will roll back 30-40 yards in the fairway.  If it is too long, it will roll over the green by 20 yards into a chipping area.  Of course an up and down from either location is not likely given the severity of the Oakmont greens.  However, as an act of kindness, if you are able to find the green, the middle third of the green is relatively flat and will yield an opportunity for birdie or par.  Add to all of the above the fact that this hole includes one of the most famous man-made hazards in the game of golf and it is easy to see why it is the best third hole in the world... In my opinion.

Next Best: Royal County Down, Merion (East), Augusta National, Olympic, Pasatiempo, Fenway, Pine Valley, National Golf Links of America
Most likely to take its place, but have not played: None

Hole #2 - Pine Valley Golf Club, Clementon, NJ - 368 yards Par 4

There is no set criteria for what a second hole should be like.  Par 3 like Shinnecock Hills, Medinah and Garden City?  Par 5 like Cypress Point, Augusta, Merion, Oakland Hills and Peachtree?  Short Par 4 like Oakmont or Olympic.  Or a long Par 4 like the second hole at Pinehurst No. 2.  Although I don't prefer it to be a par 5 or a par 3 as I think it is too early in the round for either, I do not believe it "must" be a par 4.  That being said, if it is going to be a par 4, there is none better as a second hole, in my opinion, than Pine Valley.  The first hole at Pine Valley is a great start to the round, but the introduction to Pine Valley is uneqivocally on the second tee. This hole may be the best hole on a course with many great holes.  Although the 13th hole is more difficult than the 2nd, the second is more spectacular in that the entire hole is visible from the tee.  The tee shot is hit into a reasonably wide fairway that is completely surrounded by sand and scrub.  The green canno be reached if the fairway is missed as the bunkers and scrub are plentiful and it is very unlikely that the golfer will be left with a reasonable stance and lie.  However, if the fairway is found, the second shot is severely uphill to an elevated green that is the most difficult on the course.  Even if the green is reached in regulation, a par is not a sure thing.  It is a truly magnificent hole that is as beautiful to look at as it is to play.

Next best: Pinehurst No. 2, Royal County Down, Sebonack, Cypress Point, Oakmont, Atlantic, Peachtree, San Francisco, Prairie Dunes, National Golf Links of America, Shoreacres
Most likely to take its place, but have not yet played: None

Hole #1 - Sand Hills Golf Club, Mullen NE - 550 yards Par 5

First and foremost, the first hole should make you want to play golf.  No where in my travels has this been more the case than at Sand Hills.  It is a medium par five that tumbles across and between dunes and is in the center of the expanse of green ribbons through auburn fescue that is Sand Hills Golf Club.  Although some courses believe in a relatively easy first hole (Riviera, Merion, Sebonack) and others in a difficult first hole (Crystal Downs, Oakmont, Oakland Hills), my preference is actually for something in between.  The first at Sand Hills is that perfect mix of an easy par if played well, but a bogey or worse if not played well.  In addition, having a diagonal carry off of a tee is always a well conceived design as it forces the player to decide how well he is going to hit the ball prior to the shot, and then punishes him if his body can't keep up with his mind.  Having a diagonal carry on the first hole is even better as the player does not yet have a feel for how well he is hitting the ball that day.  At the first at Sand Hills, the further to the left the shot is played, the shorter the hole plays, but the longer the carry.  With a big drive on an aggressive line, the better player can reach the green in two; however, a big drive on a conservative line will run through the fairway and lead to a likely bogey or worse.  Another great aspect to this hole is that as much as I am found of blind or semi-blind shots (in moderation), there is something to be said for seeing an entire hole laid out before you with the flag stick waving 550 yards away between two huge dunes.  This fairway really follows the lay of the land, and even on a course that is remarkable for its expansiveness, huge blown out bunkers and unforced design, this hole stands out.  The green is set high between two dunes with a huge blown-out bunker sculpted into the front right of the green.  It is no coincidence that this is one of the first three holes "discovered" at Sand Hills by Coore and Crenshaw (the other two being the 17th and 18th).  Truly one of the world's great holes, and in my opinion, the best first hole in the game.

Next best:  Crystal Downs, Merion (East), Sebonack, Old Course, Oakmont, Pine Valley, Friar's Head, Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links of America
Most likely to take its place, but have not yet played: Macrihanish