Golf Monthly's Top 100 Golf Courses Assessment Criteria: Quality of test and design

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

Mike Harris
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QUALITY OF TEST AND DESIGN Is there a good balance of par 3s 4s and 5 Is there a good balance of longer and shorter par 4s How varied are the par 3s Is risk and reward a factor How well is the course defended by hazards and nature How well placed are the hazards How fair is the course Are there any weak holes on the course How well do the holes flow together from 1 – 18 Are a wide variety of shots tested and are you required to use most of the clubs in your bag How difficult is the course for your handicap category Looking back on your visit how memorable are the individual holes and the course as a whole

How Golf Monthly assess the Top 100 Golf Courses: Condition and Presentation

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?

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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) 

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