Sean:
OK. We're closer. Can you now also settle the issue of standards?
Some of those UK ones sure don't seem great to me in the way that you are requiring for the US ones. That is, Rustic counts compared to Dunbar but surely does not compared to Dornoch. Pebble/Cypress means two out of the best 10 courses on this planet. It is confusing what ought to count and what does not.
So is it one fantastic / must play + one maybe a little less so?
Your UK inclusions are what have thrown me for a loop, and were the basis for my first submissions.
Curious too.. would you really pay $500 to play Pebble? You struck me as more among the camp of that being no way, no golf course is worth that.
One more thing - the access issue is very very real. Are we to assume your mate can get on any private club here with zero issues?
If so we need a public near each of Pine Valley and Augusta....
And one gets added FOR SURE:
Sand Hills + Wildhorse
TH
Huckster
Yep, its more or less at least one course must be very, very special and the other must also be very good - a course you would recommend to someone traveling to the broader area. Others may not care so much for all of my choices and thats ok. But they are courses I would happily go back to.
So far as Pebble goes, I spose its a bit like Sunny and Swinley. These aren't really my favourites (hence the reason I went with Woking and Addington in London), but I like them and I have to come up 18 pairs! Its hard to do under these limitations. So just chalk Pebble up as a sacred cow in my case cuz I have to give such a world famous course the benefit of the doubt if I haven't played it. You are right though, I won't pay $500 or whatever it is to play Pebble. I can think of better ways to spend that sort of dosh. The harsh thing about this money deal is I was stung badly again (Pinehurst being the first real slap in the face green fee). I told my bro in law I would play The Ocean Course when we visit Kiawah. I had no idea it was $350 a pop! I was thinking $200ish and they should be grateful to get that. He sort of arranged things around this round so I couldn't back out - doh!
Yes, Wildhorse definitely interests me and I would certainly use it with Sand Hills as a great pairing.
Isn't there someway to get Augusta in? How far is Longshadow from Augusta?
UPDATE
Woking and Addington
Dornoch and Brora
Pennard and Southerndown
Ennsicrone and Carne
Sligo and Donegal
North Berwick and Dunbar
CPC and Pebble
Bethpage and NGLA (Are these within an hour?)
Crystal Downs and Arcadia (is Kingsley within striking distance?)
Pacific and Bandon Dunes (surprised this wasn't picked up earlier - Old Mac gonna replace one of these?)
Riviera and Rustic (can Rustic really stand on its own - is it really a player?)
Sandwich and Deal (not sure about Deal, but I will consider it because it seems a shame for Sandwich to be left out - is Rye within an hour?Huh??)
Sunny Old and Swinley
Sand Hills and Wildhorse
Ciao