Grand designs: the North Carolina Golf Panel's rankings might rankle some, but that's just par for these courses.

• Author: Brafford, Kevin
• Position: TOP 100 GOLF COURSES - Statistical data

Donald Trump is nothing if not opinionated. He thinks the Mooresviile course he bought last year is the best in the Charlotte region (page 48) and is not shy about saying so. The North Carolina Golf Panel doesn't agree--it included Trump National Golf Club in its list of the top 100 Tar Heel courses but behind a bevy of Charlotte ones. (The course's recent renovations aren't reflected in this year's rankings.)

There are few significant changes from last year--Pinehurst No. 2 is No. 1, the same since the panel was established in 1995--and no new courses were built in the state. But the subtle differences--for instance, Old North State Club jumped Quail Hollow Club to take third place--are sure to stir debate, as are the panel's specialty rankings. That's OK. Passion is polemic, even among our panel.

Courses that made the cut impressed the panel--about 135 journalists, golf pros, college coaches, noted amateurs arid business leaders--with their routing, design, strategy, memorability, fairness, variety conditioning and aesthetics. Rankings are calculated by averaging point totals based on the number of votes. This year, a minimum of 40 had to vote for a course for it to qualify. Panelists could only vote for those they have played.

13 '12 Par Yardage Course (back tees) rating/slope 1 1 Pinehurst No. 2 72 7,497 76.4/141 Pinehurst 2 2 Grandfather Golf & 72 7,085 74.3/145 Country Club Linville 3 4 Old North State 72 7,102 74.8/142 Club New London 4 3 Quail Hollow Country 72 7,396 75.0/140 Club Charlotte 5 6 The Country Club of 72 7,204 75.2/134 North Carolina (Dogwood) Pinehurst 6 5 Pine Needles Lodge & 71 7,015 73.5/135 Golf Club Southern Pines 7 8 Elk River Club Banner 72 6,826 73.4/141 Elk 8 7 Charlotte Country Club 71 7,335 75.9/146 Charlotte 9 10 Pinehurst No. 8 72 7,092 74.1/138 Pinehurst 10 9 Forest Creek Golf Club 72 7,067 74.6/143 (South) Pinehurst 11 12 Pinehurst No. 4 72 7,117 74.2/135 Pinehurst 12 11 Biltmore Forest Country 70 6,606 71.5/127 Club Asheville 13 14 Eagle Point Golf Club 72 7,170 74.5/137 Wilmington 14 13 Linville Golf Club 72 6,946 73.4/139 Linville 15 15 The Country Club of 72 7,212 75.0/141 North Carolina (Cardinal) Pinehurst 16 17 Forest Creek Golf 72 7,139 74.7/144 Club (North) Pinehurst 17 16 Cape Fear Country 72 6,856 73.4/135 Club Wilmington 18 18 Rock Barn Golf and 72 7,126 74.4/141 Spa (Jones) Conover 19 19 Wade Hampton Golf 72 7,154 74.0/144 Club Cashiers 20 21 Raleigh Country Club 71 6,816 73.7/135 Raleigh 21...