Chris’s Top 3 Golf Courses of 2025

Nish: 0:00

Every story has an ending. Does our quest to play the top 100 courses in 10 years have a good ending? I’m Nish, I’m Chris, and we’re here to guide you through this golfing journey. This is the top 100 in 10 golf podcast.

Chris: 0:12

That’s just the way I am. I’m very I’m I’m very black and white in my thinking, and all I’m thinking about is as golf courses. Because we just we just we just do things differently. We we uh we’ve prioritised different things I think in in our in our days. I just think it was so well done from start to finish.

Nish: 0:28

Episode 52, Chris’s top three courses of 2025. So in today’s episode, it’s a way to look back and review the frankly amazing golf we’ve been lucky enough to play this year. Yeah. We’ve travelled many a mile taken in some of the nation’s finest and not so finest services. We’ve seen the same one three times. Uh we’ve done seen hours in the morning that we really shouldn’t have been seeing, and we’ve probably slept in way too many Premier Innsans healthy for a for a human being. We have. But before we carry on and find out your top three, Chris, please could ask for a quick tap on the follow or subscribe button. There’s no cost at all for you, but the benefits to us are absolutely massive. Our reach expands, our clout gets a bit cloutier, and maybe even we can get some sponsorship in the future. The more we can do that, the better our product can be, and then you’re going to enjoy it more. So, all for a microsecond of your time. Now back to the episode. Chris, how was 2025 for you in terms of golf?

Chris: 1:34

It was pretty good. I mean, mostly I’ve just been working on making my clout cloutier. Um, that’s been the good new social media app, Cloutier. Yeah. Um no, it’s been do you know what? It’s actually been really enjoyable. So last night I just kind of did it. I did it some preparation this, you’d be pleased.

Nish: 1:53

Um things will it’s never cease to amaze me when you say stuff like that, Chris.

Chris: 1:59

It’s remarkable, isn’t it?

Nish: 2:00

Actual prep.

Chris: 2:01

Yeah.

Nish: 2:01

I’m turning into a real a real live adult at some point. Um you’re gonna start hating yourself soon, Chris. I know I think you should go back to just winging it.

Chris: 2:08

Yeah. Um but yeah, no, it was really nice to look back and just see what an at what a breadth of golf courses we’ve covered over the last 12 months. It’s been it’s remarkable, really, isn’t it? I mean, is it is it 15? Is that the total case?

Nish: 2:20

15 we’ve played this year, yeah. And like you think about where we’ve taken in, like we’ve gone to mid-Wales. Yeah, that was like a three-hour drive. Yeah. We’ve gone to to Surrey. Surrey, yeah. That was like four hours down south. Down south, yeah. We’ve been played East Coast, yeah, Woodhall Spa. Yeah, I know. We’ve been to right into the heart of the country, yeah, yeah. Or England, I should say. And then we’ve been three Scotland trips, right up to Scotland. I mean, I still find it phenomenal now that until this year, yeah, I had never set foot in Scotland to play golf. We’ve done it thrice now.

Chris: 2:54

Thrice indeed, yeah. Um, so yeah, no, it was a really enjoyable experience as just sitting down and looking back over Yadis charts and and just kind of reminiscing a little bit on uh on what’s what’s been this year.

Nish: 3:07

I’m getting a flashback to last year when we did our sort of review ish episode of the three courses we played. You know, we’re trying to like scrabble around for some answers and it doesn’t you know, but it it it’s yeah, I mean when you look back at it, uh last year we played three, so it’s difficult to say was this journey what you expected it to be. We’ve played 18 course in total, 15 this year. Yeah, how did this go versus because bear in mind you’re the architect of this mad?

Chris: 3:37

I mean that’s a big that’s a big word. Yeah, but yeah, I guess I am ultimately it is my responsibility, isn’t it?

Nish: 3:45

And I have that committed on media now as well.

Chris: 3:48

So um I don’t know. I mean it’s been it’s just been class, hasn’t it? It’s just been such a it’s been such a great thing to take on. I think when we first started it, I kind of I touted the idea was like, yeah, fuck it, we’ll play the top one of the golf courses. And then we started doing it, and I started I know there’s a little bit of trepidation going, Oh Crikey, this is gonna be pricey and this is gonna be time consuming and you know there’s gonna be a lot of organisation and management, and then we’ve got the podcast on top of it, but it’s just been I mean it yeah, it’s just joyous, isn’t it? It was such a you know, we’re so incredibly lucky to be going playing some of these some of these golf courses. I think that’s the overriding emotion, isn’t it?

Nish: 4:27

It’s just we’re just lucky, lucky to do it, lucky that we’ve encountered some of the people that we’ve encountered and like.

Chris: 4:34

And that’s been I I think I know we’ve made we’ve mentioned it before, but like a a big chunk of the journey, right, is those people that you’ve met on the way. Like how many how many connections, you know, friends have we made it on on the on the way this year? It’s been it’s been a pretty cool experience, hasn’t it?

Nish: 4:47

Just yeah, I think we’re doing it with other people as well as just just we’re extroverts as well, a little bit to a degree, like you know, we we like going out and socialising and stuff like that. So kind of but certainly just for me, but I’m I’m sure it does for your personality as well. It’s like going and chatting for four and a half hours to almost a complete stranger, yeah, yeah. Getting to know them a little bit better. Like that’s right up my street.

Chris: 5:05

Like, I love that. Yeah, yeah, no, it’s been it’s been far bad, and that’s been that’s the I think that’s the the bit that I didn’t really kind of foresee coming, like the just the actual journey and the people that you’d meet along it. You didn’t really think about that, it was just we’re gonna go and play some great golf courses, right? But yeah, but it’s been so much more than that, hasn’t it?

Nish: 5:22

Um it’s yeah, it’s uh we’ve said it previously, but it’s just all encompassing, isn’t it? Yeah, you know, and yeah, how exciting is it when you come to morning of a trip or playing a course or whatever it’s just like yes, yeah, we’re going off and doing this again. All right, let’s see what today brings. So today’s episode does bring you what your top three golf courses were in 2025, yeah, and we’re very much gonna do this in order. Okay. So let’s start with the third in your top three, and why, Christopher?

Chris: 5:55

I see the third was I think the most difficult because I think there’s probably one, two, three, probably four courses that could have easily third place. Oh, it just really, really tough decision, I think, to make. So do you want me to give you the four courses that could have meant could have gone in there? You could do, you could do if you want. Yeah. Because I think they all need I think they all need a need a mention. Okay, yeah. Because it was it’s real fine-marded between these.

Nish: 6:21

Before you tell us, yeah, I echo that to a degree. I found my first two were relatively straightforward. Yeah, I still had them nailed on, to be honest. And then the third one, I was like, I I could I could see the merits of any of them.

Chris: 6:35

Yeah, I think if I’d have done this in a week, it might be different. I could have had it, I could have had some different things. It was, it was, it was really such fine margins between those. Love those four courses. Just depends which way I go out the bed. Yeah, exactly.

Nish: 6:46

Just depending on my mood on the day. Now we have to say there are no awards going out to these golf courses, and if you are at a golf course and you’re a member of a golf course that we played with you, please don’t hate us. But we you know we’re trying to basically sift the best out of the best.

Chris: 7:02

Yeah, I mean, let’s face it, ridiculous. We’ve not played anything this year that’s been anything other than completely fabulous, have we like it’s just been Cruden Bay? Uh well we should have a little special mention for Cruden Bay for me. Yeah, do you know what though? It’s not at the bottom of my list. Which is which is interesting. Cruden Bay’s not bottom of your list. It’s not at the bottom of my list, no. It’s actually four from bottom.

Nish: 7:27

Interesting. Interesting. I should know this because you actually sent me a list, but I completely can’t remember now.

Chris: 7:32

I did, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Nish: 7:34

Right, go on then. Hit us with number three.

Chris: 7:37

You want number three, or do you want do you want the four? Oh, sorry, give us give us the four that were that were in contention. I’ll give you the three that were that were that just missed out first, then. Okay, so the the three that were just missed out on on third place were Dumbarnie. And I think that was a particularly difficult one to miss out because that was such a joyous experience, wasn’t it, your hand Dumbarnie? Like yeah, everything they did was just absolutely nailed on perfect. It’s top notch, isn’t it? It was just so it was brilliant. And I I think the only thing that maybe just pushed it out was maybe I think if you would go back in five or ten years when when it’s just a bit more mature, yeah, yeah, you know, the grass and the the greens and stuff, I think that would be I think it’d probably be going towards number one, to be quite honest.

Nish: 8:23

I sent him an email after we’d played, uh just thanking them for their time. And I did say that in our mind, like you’re only going one way in those rankings. Yeah, you know, because the course is going to get better, as you said. Yeah, absolutely. I didn’t think I’d sort of start nerding out and stuff like this, but you mentioned that and you said actually the once the course beds in and matures, yeah. You know, the the difference, and and it that got me thinking about because I had to do my top three, that got me thinking about when we were walking along the fairway and you were sort of telling me about how the fairway was versus somewhere like uh uh Gullane, yeah, or a Carnoustie, or Can you know, or Trump or whatever. Trump’s been a bit, you know, it’s probably in that 10-year, 11-year point now where Dumbarnie’s half of that. Yeah, and I thought, actually, there is a difference there, isn’t there? Yeah, and that quality of got like yeah, I’m geeking out on quality of the turf that I’m playing off. Like it this is just it’s mind-blowing to me, but go on, anyway.

Chris: 9:21

Sorry. Um, so yeah, so that yeah, like I say, that was a particularly difficult one, I think, to miss out on the top three. Yeah, um, also Gullane, which you’ve just you just mentioned again, that was just fabulous golf course, such an awesome experience. That that village of golf was just it was just mesmerizing, and I fell in love with it, and like I said, that’s my retirement, that’s my retirement home, right?

Nish: 9:39

That’s where we go in there.

Chris: 9:40

Still got that nailed on.

Nish: 9:42

But we need to work a bit harder, I think, don’t we? Because we’ll be able to afford a place in Gullane. But yeah, yeah. Oh well, once the podcast once the podcast takes off, uh Nish will be millionaires. If everyone follows and subscribes, as I’ve asked him to do, then we’re we’re on the way.

Chris: 9:54

Uh and the other one just to miss out was Hankley Common. And again, I think we we kind of went there when the greens had been kind of air rated. And I think if we’d been there in its full pomp, like I mean, yeah, what a golf course that is, and it’s not and it’s not in our top three for the year, which is which is mental. It’s not in mine anyway.

Nish: 10:11

You said that absolutely, and that’s an amazing thing to say there, that those greens had been air-rated and they were apologizing, and we got charged less for our green fee because of it. And in terms of value for the for the rounds we’ve had this year, would we pay for like 25 quid or something? We pay we might it might be 40, 44, 5, something like that for Hankley Common, which for that quality of that golf course. Yeah, I mean, I’d I’d take those air-rated greens everywhere with me, mate. They were brilliant. Anyway, I digress. So, yeah, so drumroll players. Those are the right, yeah.

Chris: 10:42

They were the near misses for for third place. This third is going to be pretty spectacular. I mean, it was pretty spectacular. You’re right. It was pretty impressive. And it’s again, maybe there’s a bit of recency bias because it’s the last one we played. Um, but yeah, my my number three for this year is Carn oustie. The big dog. The big dog, Carnoustie.

Nish: 11:00

Okay, so I mean, we probably ought to get an idea as to I mean, it’s the most recent we played, yes, of course, but but and the history and all that kind of thing, but but in your head, why was it what was it about that course that got you so you said this is the third best I’ve played this year?

Chris: 11:14

And it’s interesting actually, because I like I didn’t sit down with any preconceptions of how I was gonna kind of rank these. I just sat down and it was purely on a whim of what of what I, you know, what I felt on the day and what I experienced from the day. Um, but looking at my top three now, correct me if you think I’m at the end of it, you can correct me if I think I’m wrong. But I think it’s probably the three toughest courses we’ve played. Interesting. Maybe, maybe with one exception. Um okay, interesting. But I think probably but and I like I’ve not sat down and gone, well, which what which were the tough ones? Which were the really hard ones? But I think actually they are certainly three of the top the top four most difficult we’ve played.

Nish: 11:54

Carnoustie is tough, we’ve we’ve described that, and the episode has actually gone out today as it happens. Um but but it was still a thoroughly enjoyable experience, wasn’t it?

Chris: 12:04

But I think what I’ve enjoyed about and just try to kind of understand that when I had it down on paper then go, right, why why why have those three made it to the top? Yeah. And I think just when you stood there and you have to make the shot, I mean you don’t have to make it because I didn’t make any of the shots throughout any of the courses, yeah. But like you feel like you’ve got to hit that shot. For me, that is just almost like you’re being dictated to. When you stood on that tee, you’re being dictated to what you’ve got to do to get through that hole. Yeah, what strategy you’ve got to implement to get around that. That for me is is is what I come away and I’ve gone.

Nish: 12:39

The the famous brutal wind at Carnoustie’s whispering in your ear, going, Come on, then big boy, make it happen. Yeah. What are you gonna do? Exactly. And that’s you know, it didn’t happen.

Chris: 12:48

A couple of shots maybe out to none of us, but not many shots. Um interesting, yeah, that’s good, isn’t it? But I think that’s the only kind of explanation I can have for having those three at the top of my list. Um, but yeah, Carnoustie itself. I mean, like you say, I mean, the the history of Carnoustie, right? It’s the first open rotor course we played. Um, but yeah, it was just from start to finish for me, with the exception of maybe the first hole, is just they were just class holes, like just yeah, everything was in the exact right place. Everything, everything that’s on that course is making you think. Every bunker, every ditch, every dike, every mound, every bit of rough, like yeah, it’s all it’s all getting into your head and it’s all making you think about what kind of shot you’ve got to hit next.

Nish: 13:30

It f yeah, yeah. And I think that’s wonderful. That’s one I mean it’s amazing that that’s your take on that golf course, you know, because that sort of stuff is like there’s quite there’s there’s quite a lot of visceral stuff you’re mentioning there, and like you’re never gonna forget that.

Chris: 13:44

Yeah, absolutely.

Nish: 13:45

That’s the thing, isn’t it? Forget the name, yeah, yeah. But like the actual golf course.

Chris: 13:49

Yeah. I mean, some of those shots that I’ve stood over, I was like, I don’t actually I don’t think I can hit the shot. Like it’s too difficult for me it’s for me to hit the shot.

Nish: 13:58

16-year-old Chris Chris Gibbons would have would have been able to.

Chris: 14:01

Oh yeah, probably, but but also that just triggers a like a little challenge in me. Yeah, in my head and goes, like, come on then, come on then, you can do this. You’ve got this. Yeah. I mean, I didn’t have it on on most of the occasions.

Nish: 14:12

We we’ve proven that on multiple occasions that we haven’t got it at all. Absolutely.

Chris: 14:16

But then, but yeah, there’s just something in me that just that there’s that little challenge that’s kind of pushing me to do better and to and to make that shot. That I I uh yeah. Now we’ve played now. We’ve played a good you know what, 18 or whatever we’ve played in total. I’m realising that that’s what that’s what turns me on a little bit. About golf is just that challenge.

Nish: 14:36

Interesting. We’re gonna find out a whole load about you in this in these lists episodes, Chris. I think a whole load. Yeah, it’s more of just like uh Did did you factor in uh in this third choice particular, I’ll ask you now. Did you factor in the the stuff that’s around the golf course for for this third choice, or was it for this was purely the golf?

Chris: 14:58

I I think for all for all for all my choices, I think again, realising that I’ve gone pretty much all for the golf.

Nish: 15:04

What you mean like buying a gold chocolate bar with trump written on it didn’t sway you and do any decision making? Yeah, no, okay. That I think that’s that’s that’s fair, isn’t it? It’s good to know your kind of reasoning and how you’ve kind of learned it.

Chris: 15:16

Yeah, and I think that’s just the way I am. I’m very I’m I’m very black and white in my thinking, and all I’m thinking about is those golf courses. Like the the stuff that the the niceties around it, that’s just not really my thing, you know. I can get I can I can take it or leave it.

Nish: 15:30

But it it you know uh a part of what we’re doing here is that people we’ve got you know we’ve got characters and and whatever and and people are gonna some people will hopefully have an affinity with you, and some people will with me, and my sort of start of what I like and whatever. And and I I don’t I don’t think they do match actually. And I think that’s a great thing. The more we’ve done, we definitely have a different that’s a good thing because people are gonna hear different opinions and and whatever, and you know, the poor purists are probably gonna listen to you and go, Yeah, you’re right, and it should be just about the golf that you play, you shouldn’t be swayed by that other stuff. Yeah, you know, you’re you’re talking might be talking yourself into being a panelist, mate. Panelist for what exactly? I don’t know, I don’t know. We’ll make something up.

Chris: 16:14

Um but yeah, I mean Carnoustie is such a good test. Like, I like I did feel completely like mentally exhausted when I came off there, and for me, that’s that’s a good thing, right? Like you’re you’re completely zoned into that one shot that you’re hitting at that point. You’re not thinking about anything else that’s going on in your life or anything that’s going on outside of that one little moment and you’re hitting that shot for me. That’s what golf’s all about. And I think to get you in that state of focus for four and a half hours, whatever it took you to go around Carnoustie without any let up, like that’s that’s that’s something pretty special.

Nish: 16:46

Hold your attention for that amount of time.

Chris: 16:48

It did, of course, and you know, uh holding my attention for more than about 30 seconds is is quite difficult.

Nish: 16:53

It’s difficult, yeah, absolutely.

Chris: 16:55

The way my mind works. Yeah, I’ll go with that. Um right, wonderful. So Carnoustie goes in at number three for Carnoustie number three, just like and also like the the greens were just so perfect. I think the best the best greens that we’ve played on so far bar my number two, I think. Oh um, and yeah, just just so strategic. Yeah, bunkers were a real challenge when you go in then. Were they? Never never noticed, mate. Never noticed. I mean, also my highlight of the of the whole the whole the whole uh the whole challenge so far was you in the bunkers at Carnoustie. That’s that’s something that I’ll never ever forget. Yeah. Thanks, mate.

Nish: 17:31

I’m trying not to forget it. I’m trying to forget it, but you know. Um right, so that was third. So that was third. What’s what’s conquered carnoustie?

Chris: 17:40

So what’s conquered carnoustie? It’s almost like a bit of a mini carnoustie, but I something about it and something about the the way the kind of clubs set out and just the feel of driving down the little drive with little white picket fence down the side.

Nish: 17:57

Oh, I know what this what this is.

Chris: 17:59

Um and that got taken. Go for it. It starts with G. It does start with G. Yeah, right. You can tell us. Uh so yeah, and my number two is Ganton. I just loved Ganton. Classy place, wasn’t it? It was a really classy place, and just and again, it was it it’s similar to Carnoustie. It’s so strategic and it just sets you up to say, right, which shot are you gonna hit? Where are you gonna go? It’s not nearly as I think the reason it’s probably above Carnoustie is Carnoustie was was so penal when you did miss that shot that you could just you know it’s like seven, eight straight away. Yeah. Whereas Ganton, you could you needed to hit the shot, you could recover, couldn’t you? But you know you’re gonna make a bow me if you don’t hit the shot rather than a double or a triple straight away. Um so I think in that sense it’s a it was a bit more playable than than than Carnoustie, but similar in the in the kind of strategic nature of it that you’ve gotta you’ve got to plot your way around it. Um and you don’t have to be particularly long, you just gotta kind of keep it in play, irons off T’s and all and all that kind of stuff. And the greens and the bunkers, and yeah, they were just in such good. They were so quick that was green. Fabulous day that day as well, didn’t it?

Nish: 19:04

Yeah, it was a great day. I feel like we’re gonna say that for every course we’ve we’re gonna list it, but we just had a fabulous day everywhere, didn’t we? It was like yeah, I really enjoyed our day out of Ganton.

Chris: 19:13

Um, it was a great start to the day as well for me personally. Going, shit, are we actually even gonna get to Ganton? Nish, are you there? You were away.

Nish: 19:22

Yeah, I don’t remember the first seven holes at Ganton, mate. So, you know, yeah.

Chris: 19:26

So, yeah, watching you hanging out your ass trying to play a game.

Nish: 19:28

Oh my goodness, we also added to my enjoyment of the day. I I must I have to say, if there’s any chance that they’re listening, that’s a Wayne and Amburie. I’m so sorry, I was a terrible company, those first eight holes. Uh hopefully I’ll redeem myself afterwards. It was interesting, actually. Now you say about Ganton, I’m thinking about the the back stretch, and that certainly that 16, 17, 18 stretch was incredible, wasn’t it? Yeah. But you know, I remember actually I played all of that quite well. And like, you know, you walk off the court a course like that, and you’ve had a terrible front eight, nine, yeah, and then you just string a few holes together, and then you go, actually, now that and that course was great. Yeah, wonderful, isn’t it? What a wonderful feeling that is.

Chris: 20:08

I think I think Ganton for me is one of the few where we’ve been around and every single one of the 18 holes was almost as good as each other. Yeah, nothing stood out yet. We’ve been to some, you know, I won’t name any names, but it’s been to somewhere you’ve got some really, really great holes, and then you’ve got a handful of holes that are just very average, could be on any any golf course, and they just don’t excite you that much. But Ganton was just for me, I think it was the most perfect set of 18 holes that we played. They were all kind of in in tune with each other. It didn’t feel like you had these kind of big changes between holes, but it just nice flow. A nice flow, and it just yeah, each hole had its own little challenge that you had to kind of rise to.

Nish: 20:49

Yeah, there were some lovely unique features though. They had the pandees, yeah. So that was a lovely feature.

Chris: 20:54

Yeah, yeah. Clubhouse was fun, the clubhouse and I like little white picket fence. There’s just something about it, it was very kind of quintessentially English and just it was, wasn’t it? Really old school in there. So, like sometimes I don’t really like that about golf, but for some reason it just it feels right at Ganton. It feels I’m gonna put it out there, it’s just a shame it’s in Yorkshire.

Nish: 21:11

I mean, there is that, yeah. There is that. The wrong side of the pennines. But they’ve done a bloody good job at it. Sorry, Lancashire. I know, yeah. I know. Can we redraw the boundary or something and just include just bring Ganton in just a little pocket? Yeah. Just have it as our little Hawaii. Oh, Chris, you got me thinking about Ganton, yeah. It was it was a it was a fantastic day, wasn’t it? Yeah, it was. You’re not being swayed by the fact that we got invited up to St Andrews that day as well. That’s not swayed a decision. Possibly.

Chris: 21:39

I mean, yeah, it certainly was the cherry on the cake, wasn’t it, for that for that course for that day. Oh mate. Um, yeah, like you say, that finishing section around Ganton was was was one of the best we played. The last the last sort of three, four holes. I loved, I love them.

Nish: 21:54

I’m gonna be fascinated to see if those these three that we’re gonna list here are gonna stand the test of time over the next few years. You know, that’ll be fascinating to see, won’t it? Yeah, I think there’s definitely one that will. Do you think? And that’s number one. Okay, right. Well, so before you tell us you’re number one, yeah, yeah. Um you all you did mention, you were very kind to say that we had um had some special mentions that nearly made it into the top three. Yeah. Are there any other notable mentions? This could be good or bad, yeah. But are there any other notable mentions you wish to make and heap any praise on it? Could be a little section of holes, whatever, before we go, right, actually, this is the final one.

Chris: 22:37

Um I think the only the other one the other one that stands out that feels I feel a little bit like I’ve neglected it, neglected it a little bit, and it uh it feels unfair to to have done that a little bit, but um behindhead. Hindhead was such a special place to go and play golf. Um I think having played all the other courses, yeah, it kind of it kind of sits in that middle section for me. But it was like such a beautiful, beautiful place to play golf, wasn’t it? Like it was just the probably the most stunning course that we’ve played. I think it was.

Nish: 23:09

We were just out there around going like whispering to amongst us us so we didn’t let Andrew and Tony hear it. Yeah. We were just like, this is why people go on about golf down in Surrey, you know, this is why people like just go crazy for it. Yeah, it was, yeah, what I mean again, what a what a day. Yeah, what a day that was.

Chris: 23:27

And I think I’ve I’ve for the most part, I think I’ve been able to separate my poor golf from a poor golf course. But my my golf was so bad at hindhead that I probably don’t really feel like I took in some of the course as as a course. Do you know what I mean? Because I was thinking you got a bit too annoying. I just had the shanks all day, and I was I was that’s it’s the only it’s the only round that I’ve played this year where I’ve just been genuinely just angry going round and just couldn’t control my temper. Last angry man. Yeah, so I think that probably that probably did impact it a little bit. And I think if I went back and played it again, you know, I think it it would be it would probably be a little bit further up the list.

Nish: 24:02

If you I mean it it’s it’s quite good that out of 15 courses, and and by no means was Hindhead like, oh, that’s the only course I’ve not played well. Like, you know, there’s other been other courses as well where you’ve walked off and gone, didn’t really do myself any justice today. Yeah. But it’s nice actually that there’s only one. It’s a shame it was Hindhead, was the one, but it’s nice that there are there’s only one where you’ve gone, actually, yeah, I’m struggling to detach that performance from the course. With the others, you have you’ve kind of just gone, actually, no, no, I need to see this on its merits. That’s good.

Chris: 24:34

Yeah, and and as far as as far as a walk around for a few hours goes, I mean, there is no better place than Hindhead, because that is such a it’s a beauty, it’s a real beauty. And I think that’s probably the one that if you asked me to be a member of anywhere, yeah, I’d I’d quite happily just go and play that every day. Just even it almost yeah, it wouldn’t matter if you played terrible golf, good golf, average golf, just going for a walk around there, it’s good for the soul, right? Good for the soul.

Nish: 25:01

It was yeah, it was stunning. Yeah, stunning everywhere, wasn’t it? Yeah, there was, I think there was one hole, might have been the third, but might have been the second, actually. Is that when it’s really high down? Short path fire. And right at the back of the green, there were a couple of houses, right? Yeah, and I thought, yeah, I’ve always had this thing where I was like, you will never get me living next to a golf course because I know how poorly I aim at targets, right? But that house, that couple of houses there, you take that one. Looking down that valley, yeah. You can see three holes, I think, down that valley, and I was like, Oh, that’s the place to live. Yeah, if you’re gonna live by a golf course, yeah. And don’t let us come and play because you’re probably gonna get some broken windows.

Chris: 25:40

Yeah, you know, right. So yeah, I think that’s my honourable mention my top two and a few honourable mentions. I mean, like I say, there’s there’s not been there’s not been any bad courses we’ve played this year, has there?

Nish: 25:52

No, we’re we’re like, you know, yeah, we’re we’re we’re I mean it that’s what’s made it difficult, hasn’t it? You’re trying to pick out the best from the best, yeah. But go on then, let’s do it.

Chris: 26:01

So I think from the review episode, if you’ve listened to if you’ve listened to that, you’ll probably know already what my number one is. And I suspect it might be your number one as well. We so we haven’t just to let people know we’ve not we’ve not looked at the biggest. We haven’t equal on this actually, yeah. Actually, no, so we we’ve kind of done our own independent lists and we’re we’re just reviewing them as we go.

Nish: 26:22

Written down in permanent markers.

Chris: 26:23

And I think they’re gonna be very different lists because we just we just we just view things differently. We we uh we prioritise different things, I think, in in our in our days.

Nish: 26:34

I love a gift shop, I mean a club shop touche.

Chris: 26:41

Touche so yeah, yeah, you can you can come back for the next episode for for for Nish’s top three top three pro shops of the uh top 100 golf courses. It’s got nothing to do with a golf course, um but yeah, number one for me, and uh again, I think I said it in the episode, I think probably by a decent margin was was uh Mr. Trump’s course up in up in Aberdeen.

Nish: 27:02

I know you’ve got to sort of just say it with like it’s like barbed wire coming out of your mouth, isn’t it?

Chris: 27:07

But yeah, wow, yeah. It was just so breathtaking, but also it just surprised me with how good the golf was. I really wasn’t expecting that, I was just expecting big long Americanised, you know, bastardised version of a of a Links course, but it was just so epic.

Nish: 27:26

You you get that idea from looking at the scorecard, if I’m perfectly honest with you. Yeah, scorecard, and you just go. This is this is this is just yeah, nice. It’s not gonna be it’s not gonna be fun. It’s like they’re taking a piss, you know. It’s like, what can we do? That’s outrageous, yeah, and stick it on a golf course. And then you get there and you go, Oh no, oh no, no, no, no. Yeah, this is legit. Uh it was just it was just was it was it what what would you say was your did you have a stretch that was your favourite at Trump, or did you just feel like actually the whole 18? I can’t obviously do the whole 18 just hold your attention.

Chris: 27:59

I think so, yeah. There wasn’t a particular like yeah, there was maybe two holes in there that you could go, I don’t know, I’ll maybe take those out.

Nish: 28:07

I’m not that bothered about that, but the other sort of 15-16 holes just a course is now so I have actually found this out since we’ve done our Trump episode. Right. Um Juneland is a type of golf course. So Trump International in Aberdeen is very much a Duneland course. Okay. You’ve got in your list, you’ve got uh Ganton, which is inland links, if that’s possible. Yeah, and you’ve got um forgive me, I forgot any third course. Carnoustie. Carnoustie, sorry, classic, right? That’s links, right? Yeah, they’re quite different, those courses. Yeah, so you haven’t got a type as such, have you?

Chris: 28:49

Not really a type, no, but like I say, I think the only the only thing that really threads them together is that challenge. Because again, Trump was Trump was was brilliant and it was breathtaking and fabulous, and you get so many raised t’s and beautiful views, but also it’s a real challenge of your gun. Premium on your T shot. Premium on every shot again, man. You go into the rough there and you you just you knack it, it’s it’s ball gone. Big score coming.

Nish: 29:11

I think looking at all of those courses as well, we’ve kind of apart from Carnusti, where we got the Carnoustie experience of wind, like the other two, we got Sunny and we got very lucky with the we did, which has got to impact us a little bit, but then yeah, I mean even when it’s a little bit horrible the weather, but like that rugged beauty hits you, doesn’t it? For something like a Trump where you look at the water.

Chris: 29:34

I think probably Trump aside, but like I’m looking forward next year to playing some some links in wind. Like I really enjoyed the Carnoustie Wind next bit. Yeah, I just love it.

Nish: 29:43

Don’t say that.

Chris: 29:43

Let’s go for some some good old Irish gales, is what we’re looking for next year. I feel like it’s all gonna come crashing down next year, Chris. Yeah. Yeah, what but but yeah, Trump, I just think I just think it was just so well done from start to finish. Every blade of grass in that place was just impeccable it was just yeah like I said we like we said in the in the in the review just money’s no object they’ve just absolutely just nailed every single part of it you know from the design of the golf course to the to the the maintenance of the golf course you know the fact that they just keep changing it and improving it as as they’ve been going they’ve been for 10 years mental yeah it’s just that that you know that kind of continuous improvement and I just think yeah it’s just it’s just so good yeah so good and it was only what 20 something on our list yeah 23 four something like that I think which is mad yeah really you asked me earlier whether you whether you whether or not you think these these will stand up after the top 100 and now that’s the one I think that one will be that’s the one that’ll I think it’s gonna be very close I think it’ll be top five at least you you do you feel like that’s the one now that every other course you’re measuring against that’s my benchmark so far.

Nish: 30:55

Yeah yeah it’s my benchmark if you you know you bring the three that we played in last year yeah you know I think it’s would you think there’s anything uh this is a question I’m springing on you now is there anything from last year that would get into that top three no no so that top three stands as your top three rating isn’t it yeah this would be a more relevant question next year because we’ve we’ve potentially got 30 courses you know uh to talk about but yeah okay interesting really interesting yeah so yeah that’s my top three wow like it or lump it and I was gonna say if you’re really backed into a corner which one are you choosing but I think I know which one you’re choosing if you’re really somebody said you can play one more golf course we can play one more 18 holes before you die we’re gonna cart you off which one are you playing I think I know the answer but which one are you playing I don’t know actually that’s more difficult question is that a difficult question now is a more difficult question because I think as much as I love Trump I wouldn’t want to go and play around there like regularly if it was just one round yeah it would probably be Trump Trump yeah but if you were to ask me to go back and play there every week there’s no fucking way I’d play around there every week no you you’re getting one 18 hole again I would hate golf you’re getting no bookie you’re getting you can’t even go in the club out your clubhouse you can’t do anything you just get plunked on the first tee you play 18 holes and at the end of 18 yeah when you when you get your picture with the flag you’re gone yeah trump but yeah I could I could quite happily go and live at live at Glen eagles for for the rest for the rest of my years.

Chris: 32:18

I mean if someone was if someone was take picking up the tab I’d quite happily go and do that and play those two golf courses. I mean how fabulous was that yeah yeah we should oh yeah that’s yeah I mean in terms of special mentions in terms of the trips we’ve done Glen Eagles was by far and away like if you if you if you if you break this down into the trips we’ve done Glen eagles is just streets ahead of everything else and here like it was so good like the both course could golf courses were absolutely unbelievable and obviously the whole experience of being there.

Nish: 32:48

Yeah like everything they do everything so well yeah wonderful right basically I’ve just special mentioned every course every course we’ve got to apart from crude and bay there you go sorry cruden d bay look thanks Chris that was that was really interesting actually really interesting it’ll be uh next week we’re actually going to be talking about my top three and we’ll be I might have to think about these special mentions a bit more now so um because I because I’ve mentioned them all already because you’ve mentioned them all yeah I can’t like what to talk about now. But yeah thank you Chris next time on the Top 100 in 10 Golf Podcast I’ll be revealing my top three courses of 2025