Augusta National Golf Club has risen above all the static about its course changes -- at least in one significant survey.

Despite all the clamor about the architectural merits of a decade of lengthening and tightening to the home of the Masters Tournament, Augusta National is ranked No. 1 in America for the first time in Golf Digest's latest Top 100 courses list.

"It was a surprise but not a shock to me only because Pine Valley has been No. 1 for almost forever," said Ron Whitten, the senior architecture editor for Golf Digest . "It was something of a surprise simply because of the criticism the course has taken over the last few years by some people in terms of tree plantings and new back tees and bunkers."

Golf Digest has been listing America's top courses since 1966, but it wasn't until 1985 that it started assigning numerical designations to each course. Before then, Augusta National was listed first alphabetically among the "First 10." Since then, Pine Valley had been No. 1 every year except in 2001 when Pebble Beach briefly assumed the top spot in the aftermath of Tiger Woods' U.S. Open win.

The only time Augusta National fell out of the top 10 was in 1981, when it slipped into the "second 10" because of what a cover story described as "shoddy conditioning" before making the switch to bentgrass greens that same year. It has been ranked No. 2 or 3 in every listing since 1985.

"It's America's course," Whitten said. "We all know that course and grew up with that course watching it every year on television."

The ranking is based on the scores provided by panelists on seven different elements of architecture -- shot values, design variety, resistance to scoring, memorability, aesthetics, conditioning and ambiance. The obvious categories where Augusta National improved enough to overtake Pine Valley were in shot values and resistance to scoring, elements that have been accentuated in two of the most testing Masters tournaments.

"I think a lot of our panelists will be surprised that Augusta is No. 1," Whitten said.

It's curious that the top billing in Golf Digest comes only two years after Golfweek dropped Augusta National to 10th among classic courses.

"The slide is what happens when a prominent course stretches and narrows itself contrary to its original design intent," wrote Brad Klein in his top 100 overview in Golfweek in 2007. "In an era when virtually every other championship course is removing trees to recapture interesting angles of play, Augusta National ... is that rare classic layout that's still planting them."

Considering that Augusta National is the only course to play host to a major championship every year, the course and its constant changes are a source of annual conversation. In the era of technological advances that have forced classic venues to undertake costly remodels, Augusta has been at the forefront of the debate.

Critics argue that the tightening of fairways with trees and a second cut, the deepening of several bunkers, and the lengthening of the short par-4 seventh, as well as the risk-reward par-5 13th and 15th holes, has diverted from the strategic intent of designers Alister Mackenzie and Bobby Jones.

The club counters that all the recent changes are required to restore shot selection to a game in which the best players are utilizing equipment that allows them to hit it longer and straighter than ever.

Finding a consensus has been impossible among players and fans, which is the attraction of these rankings.

Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville, S.C., moved up to No. 87 from 91st in 2007.

"I always tell people that's our swimsuit issue," Whitten said of the biennial listing. "It always generates a lot of talk and always generates a certain amount of controversy."

The listing has stirred up plenty of online debate among architecture aficionados, particularly on the popular GolfClubAtlas.com. The founder of the Web site, Ran Morrissett, last year listed the tinkering with Augusta National as the No. 1 "architectural crime of the 20th Century" in a story for The Golfer magazine.

Many of his Web patrons agree.

"For anyone to really believe that the 'new' Augusta merits a top ranking is surely drinking some serious kool-aid -- likely green in flavor," posted Matt Ward on a lengthy discussion thread.

Players also have given the course changes mixed reviews. Many, including Tiger Woods, have bemoaned the diminished scoring opportunities that have sapped some of the drama in recent Masters.

"I just hope the excitement comes back on the back nine; it's not what it used to be," Woods said in March.

But Ireland's Padraig Harrington -- who will arrive at the Masters next week carrying a two-major winning streak -- is among the strongest proponents of the direction Augusta National is taking.

"The golf course is far better now with the changes," Harrington said. "Not a shadow of doubt they've improved that golf course. It asks all the questions.

"What they've done is they've made a bigger, stronger golf course. And that way they can go easier on the pins. So there are much fairer pin positions than they had in 2001 or 2002. It's back to where it should be."

And in the mother of all course rankings, it's up to where it's never been.