Riggs and Trent are playing a game to guess which US states have the highest percentage of private golf courses. It's a fun challenge that tests their knowledge of golf and geography, leading to some surprising results and a few wrong guesses along the way.
Key Takeaways
- New Jersey leads the nation with 48% of its golf courses being private.
- Florida is a close second, with 46% of its courses being private.
- States like Texas, California, and Massachusetts surprisingly tie at 35% for private courses.
The Private Golf Course Challenge
The game starts with a simple premise: identify the states with the highest proportion of private golf courses. Riggs makes an initial guess of New York, but it turns out to be incorrect, not even making the top 10. Trent then throws out Massachusetts, which lands them on the board at seventh place with 35% of its courses being private.
Strategy and Surprises
Trent's strategy leans towards smaller states, leading him to guess Rhode Island, which is indeed on the list at fifth place. Florida is another guess that proves correct, coming in at second place with a whopping 46% of its golf courses being private. This means over 1,200 private golf clubs are in Florida alone, a number that surprises both players.
Other guesses like Maine and Arizona miss the mark. Pennsylvania and Minnesota also don't make the cut. Minnesota, in fact, has the most public golf courses, making it a particularly wrong guess in this context.
The List Unfolds
As the game progresses, more states are revealed:
- Georgia makes an appearance at fourth place with 41% of its courses being private.
- South Carolina is guessed but is incorrect.
- Texas lands at number 10 with 35% of its courses being private, a result that catches the players off guard.
- California ties with Texas and Massachusetts at number nine, also at 35% private.
- Massachusetts is confirmed as seventh at 35%.
- Maryland is at 37%.
- Virginia is at 38%.
- Mississippi is at 39%.
- Rhode Island is at 40%.
- Connecticut is at 43%.
The Top Contenders
It seems there might be a tie at the lower end of the list, which is a bit confusing. However, the top spots are quite clear:
- New Jersey: Comes in at number one, with 48% of its golf courses being private. This is a significant percentage, especially considering New Jersey isn't a massive state in terms of land area. It boasts 311 private golf courses.
- Florida: Holds the second spot with 46% of its courses being private, totaling 1,264 private clubs.
The game highlights how perceptions of where private golf courses might be concentrated don't always match reality, with some expected states missing the top spots and others making a strong showing.
