I spent an hour staring at the ball wall trying to figure out where to go next. Not which course — which region. Where would a trip do the most damage to the current rankings?
The answer became obvious once I mapped it out.
What's Already There
Looking at the current 50, certain regions dominate:
England (Northwest Coast): 4 courses — Royal Liverpool, Formby, Royal Lytham, Southport & Ainsdale. All top 15. I've played this stretch well.
Pinehurst Area: 5 courses — Pinehurst No. 2, Southern Pines, Mid Pines, Pine Needles, CC of North Carolina. The Sandhills are well covered.
Florida: 4 courses — Streamsong Red, Blue, Black, and Ponte Vedra Ocean. Heavy on Streamsong, light on everything else.
Michigan: 3 courses — The Loop, Forest Dunes, and they share a property. That's really just one trip represented twice.
Bermuda: 2 courses — Mid Ocean and Port Royal. Both earned their spots.
The Gaps
Now the interesting part. What's missing?
Gap #1
Zero Scottish courses on the wall. None. I've played the best of English links golf but haven't touched Scotland. This is the most glaring omission.
Gap #2
Nothing from Ireland either. The links courses there are supposed to rival Scotland, and some say they're better. Completely unrepresented.
Gap #3
No Oregon. No Washington. Bandon is the obvious target — four courses that could all crack the top 20.
Gap #4
I have slots reserved for Pebble and Spyglass, but I haven't played them yet. These are known quantities that will likely rank high.
Gap #5
Only Troon North Monument at #49. Arizona and the desert have more to offer. Underweighted for the quality available.
Impact Analysis
If I'm optimizing for how many balls move on a single trip, here's how I'd rank the destinations:
| Destination | Courses | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 5-7 courses | Very High |
| Bandon | 4-5 courses | Very High |
| Ireland | 5-7 courses | Very High |
| Monterey | 2-3 courses | High |
| Arizona | 4-5 courses | Medium |
| Australia/NZ | 4-6 courses | Medium |
The Plan
Scotland is the answer. A proper Scottish links trip would likely put 4-5 courses into the top 20 and completely reshape the wall. St Andrews alone might challenge Royal Liverpool for the top spot.
Second priority is Bandon. It's domestic, it's accessible, and Pacific Dunes is consistently ranked among the best courses in America. Four courses in one trip, all with legitimate top-25 potential.
Third is Pebble — just need to book it and fill those reserved slots.
The bottom line: A Scotland trip would cause the most disruption to the current rankings. It's the biggest gap in the wall and the highest concentration of world-class golf I haven't experienced. That's where the next serious trip should go.
What Gets Bumped
If Scotland delivers, here's what's at risk at the bottom of the wall:
- Reynolds Lake Oconee (#50) — Already on the edge
- Troon North Monument (#49) — Could survive but vulnerable
- Pound Ridge (#48) — Probably gone
- Baiting Hollow (#46) — Likely bumped
- Several TBD slots — Easy targets
The wall always changes. That's the point. Scotland would change it more than anything else I can do right now.
Time to start planning.