Their fall dominance carried over effortlessly into spring — unlike my houseplants — and they wasted no time reminding everyone who’s in charge, cruising to a win at the San Diego State Classic. At this rate, the season-long no-hitter might just last until May.

The numbers behind their dominance are equally as jaw-dropping as their results. After the fall, the Cardinal ranked second in my favorite stat — double bogeys or worse percentage (1.80%) — while also leading the nation in bogey rate (14.29%) and birdie rate (21.07%). 

Walker’s lineup is as deep as it is talented, with a freshman class that has made an immediate impact. Freshman Meja Ortengren (above) won the spring opener by a remarkable eight shots. Stanford went four-for-four in match play this fall and has now posted eleven straight under-par team rounds. At this point, the only question is: Who — if anyone — can slow them down?

A likely challenger is USC. The Trojans proved again they belong by picking up a strong spring-opening win at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge. Freshman Jasmine Koo (below) kicked off her collegiate golf career on a tear, winning three times in the fall, including the East Lake Cup.

Their lineup isn’t as deep as Stanford’s, but they’ve come closer than anyone to cracking the Cardinal’s perfect record, tying them at the Stanford Intercollegiate in October. If this turns into a match-play showdown at La Costa, USC has the ability to make things interesting.

South Carolina enters the mix as another top contender, led by Hannah Darling and Louise Rydqvist (above), with freshman Eila Galitsky (below) — one of the top-ranked recruits in the country — adding even more firepower.

The Gamecocks won the season opener in the fall at the Annika Intercollegiate. They haven’t quite hit their stride since, but they likely have the talent capable of pushing Stanford, as evidenced by Galitsky’s highly impressive individual win at the Moon Golf Invitational in only her second collegiate outing.

Meanwhile, Arkansas (above) continues to be a force, led by Maria Jose Marin and Kendall Todd. Their fall results prove they can win against top-tier competition, and their depth gives them a legitimate shot at making a deep postseason run. Following the powerhouse pattern here, the Razorbacks rolled to a win at their spring opener in Puerto Rico where Marin, the nation’s top-ranked individual, claimed the individual title.

Texas rounds out the group of familiar contenders, with Farah O’Keefe and Lauren Kim (above) leading the way. Their season will likely hinge on whether the supporting cast can step up in the biggest moments. Cindy Hsu has been steady so far, while Tiffany Cao delivered a strong performance in their spring opener, finishing in the top 10 in a deep field at the Therese Hession. Potentially a great balance emerging for the Longhorns.

According to the online scorecards, the 2024 National Championship set up of the North Course at Omni La Costa played at 6,297 yards for the women. It’s still early in the season, and sample sizes are thin, but why not play a game of course-length omens? Which teams have thrived on courses of similar length this season?

Filtering for tournaments played on courses between 6,250 and 6,500 yards, the lowest scoring average from the fall belongs to San Francisco. The 57th-ranked Dons lacked consistency throughout the fall but dismantled Boulder Creek GC in October, shooting 41-under par to win their final event of the semester. A flash in the pan? Or an early indicator of what’s to come?

Trailing San Francisco in scoring average for La Costa-length courses, we find some familiar powerhouses: South Carolina, USC, and Stanford. Stretching the filter to 6,500 to 6,750 yards, Texas tops the list, followed closely by UNLV, Clemson, and Baylor.

And then there’s the outlier. Only one tournament this season has been played on a course longer than 6,750 yards — the Red Raider Invitational at the Rawls Course in Lubbock. Texas Tech conquered the nearly four-mile long monster, defending home turf with UNLV finishing runner-up.

Texas Tech didn’t just thrive on long courses — they also led the nation in birdies this fall with 403 and added nine eagles for good measure. Yes, they played more events than most, but even with the volume factored in, that’s a seriously impressive combination. Their spring started with a middle-of-the-pack finish at FAU’s event, but don’t be surprised if they heat up again.

To stay consistent with my past columns, I have to highlight the team leading my favorite stat: double bogey or worse percentage. As a former college coach, I see this as a key indicator of strong team golf — one that tends to hold up under tougher postseason conditions.

Ole Miss (below) ranks first in double bogeys or worse percentage (1.75%) after the fall. Calling them a dark horse might be a stretch, as they are already ranked well inside the top 25, but given how dominant the top teams have been, they still feel like an under-the-radar pick.

The Rebels did make their share of bogeys, but their ability to avoid disastrous holes could make them a serious match-play threat in tough conditions. A team that keeps mistakes to a minimum and plays proper, disciplined team golf? Sounds like a sleeper worth keeping an eye on.

Stanford has set a new standard for dominance, and most teams are scrambling to keep up. But as my mentor, Coach Mike McGraw, always says: “Good golf travels.” Whether La Costa plays like a birdie-fest (unlikely) or a major championship test, the in-form teams who are built for the conditions will rise to the occasion.