Chocolate Drop: Golf.Com Releases Its 2025-26 World Top 100

Hear ye, hear ye! Golf.com has published its latest ranking of the top 100 golf courses in the world! And it's... remarkably similar to the 2023 edition!

Seriously, what's the point of going through this exercise every two years? The list has barely changed.

Oh, right. Golf media outlets need to sell magazines and drive website traffic in November.

Also: I need something to talk about, and here I am. I'm part of the problem.

Anyway, I spent about 10 minutes comparing the 2023 and 2025 lists, and here are the main differences I spotted (I may have missed a few):

New-course debuts:

• Childress Hall (Upper) at 73
• CapRock Ranch at 84
• Te Arai (North) at 98

Some of my colleagues have been to Tom Doak's Upper Course at Childress Hall, which opened last December, and they tell me that the hype is real. Amazing golf course. But I remain opposed to the idea of ranking a course ahead of Old Town Club and Machrihanish before it's even a year old. At least give the place time to grow in fully.

Double-digit risers:

• New South Wales from 64 to 26
• Royal Troon from 66 to 53
• The Lido from 68 to 48
• St. George's Hill from 71 to 57
• Lofoten Links from 88 to 66
• Bandon Trails from 90 to 76
• Royal Melbourne (East) from 92 to 82
• Shanqin Bay from 95 to 64

The Lido appears to be holding strong after a big debut on the 2023 list. It now out-ranks every Dream Golf course except for Pacific Dunes.

New South Wales recently underwent a renovation by Mackenzie & Ebert and seems to be reaping the benefits.

Double-digit droppers:

• Ballyneal from 51 to 63
• Cabot Cliffs from 52 to 78
• Cape Kidnappers from 55 to 65
• Woodhall Spa from 58 to 74
• Rye from 72 to 90
• Rock Creek Cattle Co. from 73 to 88
• Cabot Links from 79 to 96
• Winged Foot (East) from 80 to 91
• Ohoopee Match Club from 81 to 99
• Les Bordes (New) from 83 to off the list

I wouldn't read much into any of these declines (or into the rises I mentioned earlier, for that matter). A lot of the reshuffling from year to year is basically random. But I do think the new-car smell is starting to wear off of some of the modern courses listed above. The really good ones will bounce back in the panel's esteem.

Since I find this ranking somewhat boring, I'll try to spice things up: what do you think is the most overrated course on the list?

I'll stake my flag on No. 60, the East Course at Oak Hill Country Club.