Golf Monthly's Top 100 Golf Courses Assessment Criteria: Condition and presentation

Golf Monthly editor Michael Harris gives an insight into the criteria used to asses the courses for inclusion in the UK & Ireland Top 100 Golf Course Rankings

Beautiful Palmetto
Mike Harris
By
published

CONDITION AND PRESENTATION Condition of the teeing grounds Condition of the fairways Condition of the approaches Condition of the greens including pace and trueness How well defined are the fairways from semi-rough and rough Presentation of bunkers Quality and consistency of sand in bunkers Quality of course furniture (tee markers, signage etc) Is wear and tear from golf traffic (walkers, carts, buggies) well managed around tees, to fairways and between greens and tees

How Golf Monthly assess the Top 100 Golf Courses: Visual Appeal

Where next? - Golf Monthly's Top 100 Golf Courses - An introduction to Golf Monthly's Top 100 Golf Courses by editor, Mike Harris - Who makes up The Top 100 Golf Courses panel?

Sign up to the Golf Monthly newsletter - instruction tips, gear reviews and the latest golf news direct to your inbox The perfect Christmas gift without the high street hassle - Save up to 35% on a Golf Monthly subscription

Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Content Director

Mike has been a journalist all his working life, starting out as a football writer with Goal magazine in the 1990s before moving into men’s and women’s lifestyle magazines including Men's Health, In 2003 he joined Golf Monthly and in 2006 he became only the eighth editor in Golf Monthly’s 100-plus year history leading the brand until July 2023. He is now Content Director overseeing Golf Monthly and two other iconic sports brands, FourFourTwo and Rugby World.

His three main passions in golf are courses (he's played over 500 worldwide), equipment (he's always in search of something shiny to give him an edge) and shoes (he owns more pairs than he cares to mention!).  

Mike’s handicap index hovers at around 10 and he is a member of six golf clubs: Hartley Wintney, Royal Liverpool, Royal North Devon, Prince's, Royal Norton and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

Mike's current What's In The Bag? 

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 10° - Fujikura Ventus Blue 5S - Golf Pride MCC Plus4 grip

Fairway woods: TaylorMade Sim Max 3/15° - Fujikura Ventus Blue 6S & TaylorMade Stealth 7/20° - Fujikura Ventus Red 6S - Golf Pride MCC Plus4 grips

Utility Iron: TaylorMade Stealth UDI 3/21° - Aldila Ascent 90HY - Golf Pride MCC Plus4 grip

Irons: TaylorMade P790 (5-PW)  - Fujikura Axiom 75R - Golf Pride MCC Plus4 grips

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 50°, 54° and 58° - KBS Tour Hi-Rev 2.0 shafts - Golf Pride MCC Plus4 grips

Putter: Evnroll ER2B - Gravity Grip 

Ball: TaylorMade - Tour Response (Yellow) 

Latest