There is a tremendous amount of diversity today in golf course design, with both old, "golden age" type courses and new, resort-style courses finding prominent spots on top 100 lists. These courses often look and play very differently. Consider, for example, Garden City GC or Skokie CC versus Erin Hills or Bandon Trails. What is the best way to compare/contrast these courses against each other? Is it just a matter of personal preference? Or are there design/strategy elements that are universal that should be analyzed that can help to achieve a more comprehensive view of whether a golf course is well-designed and conceived? Todd Smith

Just wanted to chime in and say what a great last-minute addition Elie was to a recent father-son golf trip to Scotland. We actually added it just last week after hearing Andy mention that if he could join any club in Scotland, it’d be Elie—and that endorsement didn’t miss.Spencer (my younger son) and I teed it up last Thursday afternoon in linksy conditions: sunny, windy, and playing firm and fast. We met guys from Rhode Island before the round and played a 4-ball match, which was perfect given Elie’s 16 par 4s / 2 par 3s setup. Honestly, it’s made for match play. Hole 3 was dead into the wind—driver all day.The stretch from 10 to 13 was absolute magic. Natural ground movement, coastal views, and challenging shots with windy conditions. #13 in particular was one of our favorite holes across the whole trip. Elie's compact but never cramped. And the way it plays with wind and terrain makes you play every club and shot.Glad we squeezed it in when we did—turns out there’s very limited visitor play at Elie in July and August. If you’re planning a Fife trip, I highly recommend getting a round at EGHC. Totally lived up to the hype.Oh, and the LA boys got the better of the New Englanders. We all celebrated with a few well-earned Guinness pints afterwards. Can’t wait to get back there someday.

A very thought provoking read, Brett. Change is truly the only constant in our lives.

I like this though process however, I believe you are right. There are simply too many to count!

Apologies for the golf trip brain bad english in the second question!

Going to guess either Dornoch or North Berwick here!

What would it take to bring a major championship (PGA tour) back to the mountain west states?

Thanks Garrett. I think Stiles and Van Kleek continue to be underrated. I’ve enjoyed every course of theirs that I have played. A few weeks ago I played Rutland CC. It was a fun course with challenging greens, a hospitable staff glad we were there, and a lot of land movement on the second nine.

What’s the best way to study a course virtually? Feel like being in-person is obviously such a rich, incomparable experience, whereas the written word without some visual accompaniment can be tricky.

Sounds like Winnapaug in Rhode Island. I loved it.