Obviously these lists really only exist to get clicks, sell magazines, and provoke discussion. On that front the Golfweek list does just fine.
But when you have classic courses moving 20 or more spots in one direction or another, even without a renovation being done or a total collapse in course conditions, it becomes really hard to take the list seriously. Irrespective of our personal feelings about the list, any process that produces that much variation in an essentially closed system - there aren't any new Classic courses getting built - is too flawed to fret too much over (unless you're in the industry and a few rating points might help your course secure a little more revenue, in which case it really stinks).
It's fun to argue about though. I'll give it that.