Golf Digest Looks To Double Size Of Course Rating Panel By '20

Golf Digest Editor In Chief Jerry Tarde reveals in his February, 2017 column that the America's 100 Greatest Courses panel is looking to double by 2020 from its current size of 954 raters.

Tarde writes:

Dean Knuth, known as the Pope of Slope for his decades of work on the USGA's handicapping system and the chief statistician for Golf Digest's course rankings, advises us that we need to raise our minimum qualifying number of evaluations from 45 to at least 70 to make the 100 Greatest statistically above reproach. To reach that goal, we're dedicating our efforts to double the size of the panel by 2020.

Given that many courses will tell you they're tiring of the phone ringing from Golf Digest, Golfweek and Golf Magazine requests, this certainly won't cut down on the volume of requests!

The requirements?

We'll tell you upfront: It's a thankless though ultimately rewarding activity.

It's not cheap. Panelists pay a membership fee and are expected to cover their travel and lodging and arrange their tee times with the assistance of a great many clubs who are eager to have Golf Digest review their courses. We allow clubs to offer panelists complimentary green fees, but only that. Panelists are continually lectured by Senior Editor Ron Whitten on the seven criteria of judgment and reminded by Associate Editor Steve Hennessey to get their ballots in on time. Every score is scrutinized by Knuth for outliers, and every two years panelists get a letter grade on how they are doing.

There's also a code of conduct.

"Panelists are welcomed into a lot of great private courses," Whitten says, "but if they accept so much as a lunch or a logoed shirt, they'll get booted off the panel."

Whitten revealed on the Golf Digest podcast that the fee to become a panelist is $1000, with a $250 annual dues payment also required.

Besides the cash, Tarde writes that the Handicap Index requirement will remain.

If you'd like to be part of this exclusive club, hold a Handicap Index of 5.0 or less, and have enough time to play and evaluate at least two dozen courses a year, or know of a player who fits this description, contact us at 100GreatestPanel@golfdigest.com, and we'll start the process for membership. (The same panel also votes on our World's 100 Greatest, but a less-rigorous ballot is used because of the geography covered.)

The expansion news hits as the latest ranking received its bienniel dose of criticism for focusing on experience, conditioning and course difficulty over design. GolfClubAtlas.com's Ran Morrissett wrote:

A great playing experience, a great clubhouse and great architecture sometimes go hand in hand - but frequently don't.  It is a disservice to the game when a prominent magazine masquerades a list of large, expensive clubhouses under the banner of great courses.

Andy Johnson at The Fried Egg pointed out that 37.5% of the Golf Digest criteria has little to do with architectural character. Unless you think resistance to scoring is something to be celebrated.