Flint Hills National was named one of the top 200 modern golf courses in the U.S.
The Wichita Eagle
File photo
Two modern golf courses in Kansas — one in the Wichita area, and one in the Kansas City area — have been ranked among the nation’s best.
That’s according to Golfweek, a golf magazine part of USA Today, which sought to find the country’s top 200 modern golf courses. To make the list, the golf course had to have opened no earlier than 1960.
“Why 1960 as the breaking point between Modern and Classic?” Golfweek questioned. “The growth of golf in the modern era of design starts with its mass popularization, the appeal of the late Arnold Palmer and the result of bringing the game into the homes of television audiences. Courses were popping up everywhere. But it wasn’t just the market that changed … design and construction techniques for courses shifted fundamentally after 1960.”
Golfweek’s panel (made up of hundreds of members) evaluates the modern courses consistently, then their 10-point ratings from the past 10 years are averaged to come up with this annual list. The courses must also receive at least 25 votes to qualify for the list.
“The top handful of courses in the world have an average rating of above 9, while many excellent layouts fall into the high-6 to the 8 range,” Golfweek said.
Here’s how the two Kansas golf courses stacked up.
Top Kansas golf coursesTied at No. 105 is Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, down slightly from last year when it tied for No. 103. The private golf course, which opened in 1997, has an average rating of 7.08.Top 5 modern golf courses
The top five modern golf courses in the U.S., as ranked by Golfweek, are:
Sand Hills Golf Club, Nebraska — 9.2 average ratingFriar’s Head, New York — 8.72 average ratingBandon Dunes Golf Resort (Pacific Dunes), Oregon — 8.49 average ratingOhoopee Match Club, Georgia — 8.28 average ratingBallyneal, Colorado — 8.17 average rating
Related Stories from Wichita Eagle
McClatchy DC
Kaitlyn Alatidd is a service journalism reporter for The Wichita Eagle. She is a graduate of agricultural communications & journalism at Kansas State University.