188 replies to this topic

[SilverBullets]

I think Spyglass is by far the hardest course I've played... could have been the day but that course straight shredded me.  The day before I shot 37 on the front at Pebble with a triple on the first hole, so  I had been swinging it well. Spyglass had it's way with me.

A close second is Muirfield Village.  I've played at Jack's course a bunch of times and can never manage to best an 84, even when swinging it well (I'm a 5 index and play a private club with a slope of 134)

[apprenti23]

Easy answer for me: Bull Valley, Woodstock, IL

7,325 yards Tip of The Horn 77.2 Rating 151 Slope

America's 50 Toughest Golf Course 2007 Golf Digest

[jdhallissey]

bull valley is a monster lol best I have mustered out there was a 73 a few years ago.

[10of14]

Tips at PGA West Stadium course; tips at Oak Valley GC near Beaumont, CA .

[scs1070]

Old memorial in Tampa. It's was just a bear

[db22]

Bandon Trails. i do not the exact length or slope cause it doesnt really matter. in the u.s. mid am for qualifying a kid shot the lowest tournament round out there in benign conditions he was in the second group off at 7:40...69. Harris English played very well and shot 73. toughest 6 hole finish ive ever seen

[apprenti23]

jdhallissey, on 22 December 2011 - 08:44 PM, said:

bull valley is a monster lol best I have mustered out there was a 73 a few years ago.

that must've felt like 65! i played it this past year, il open qual, windy and raining- 79 made it out!!! Normal quals you're looking at 70 might get you in a playoff!

[mac94]

Sawgrass Stadium or Muirfield Village.

[Donkazoid]

Either you guys are rich or VERY GOOD players or both, cause there are some courses listed that I can only dream about playing on. lol Thanks for the input!

I do remember US Pub qualifier at Los Serannos South from Jacks Blacks!! Jeez...can the USGA make a course difficult!! Greens 10-12 on the stimp depending on what time you went out. (36 in a day) The rough was about 6.5" supposedly. (I thought it was thicker!) I'm pretty sure even par made playoff. I think I shot 8 over...and felt good about it (after 36 holes) LOL...oh and it was like 105 degrees out there in the summer!!! *Brutal*

[CHRIS509]

I'm Uk based now, and have played these two courses many times having lived in Sunny Scotland (6yrs) and Spain (5yrs) so these are not one off beatings.

You need your game everytime you tee up on these 2

Carnoustie, even on a nice day it's a big test.

Valderrama, not that long but those greens can be like marble.

[Bodee]

Longest course I've ever played is Mark Twain GC in Elmira,NY. 6857 from the tips with a course rating of 73.6 and a slope of 130. Nasty fast greens. I really don't get out too much....lol

[xgolfx]

Bodee, on 25 December 2011 - 10:17 AM, said:

Longest course I've ever played is Mark Twain GC in Elmira,NY. 6857 from the tips with a course rating of 73.6 and a slope of 130. Nasty fast greens. I really don't get out too much....lol

PINE VALLEY

THERE IS A REASON IT ALWAYS COMES UP ON TOP OF ANYLIST

MUCH SAND BUT NOT A RAKE ON THE COURSE

ONLY TWO PAR FIVES, THE ONE OVER SIX HUNDRED YARDS HAS BEEN REACHED.  BECAUCE OF THE BOULDERS AT THREE HUNDRED YARDS, THE OTHER WOULD BE DIFFICULT WITH A PLATEUU GREEN.

WONDERFUL  PARTHREES

THE BEST FAIR FINE COURSE I HAVE EVER SEEN

CHARLEY PENNA

[db22]

Before i die i want to play p.v. Charley. I love the idea of no rakes in hazards

[mac94]

db22, on 22 December 2011 - 10:30 PM, said:

Bandon Trails. i do not the exact length or slope cause it doesnt really matter. in the u.s. mid am for qualifying a kid shot the lowest tournament round out there in benign conditions he was in the second group off at 7:40...69. Harris English played very well and shot 73. toughest 6 hole finish ive ever seen

True. #18 is 500+ yards of uphill, upwind pain.

[Body_Visions]

At the time Musgrove Mill in Clinton SC.  It had the second highest slope in the southeast behind Kiawah.  

I want to go back and see how it plays now.

[Drewmun]

Tiger Tees at The International in Bolton MA. 8325 yds (80.0 154). Stupid long.  Shot 74 at Taconic the day before and did not break 90 at the Int'l. PS they have been named the Tiger Tees since the 1970's.

http://www.theintern...G&APP=32&CID=27

Edited by Drewmun, 26 December 2011 - 08:31 AM.

[littlepingman]

The Ocean Course using the furthest tee box on each hole.  Some of those boxes aren't even listed on the scorecard.

I've heard the course is close to 7,800 from there.  It wasn't fun and I won't do it again.

[IU06]

Purgatory Golf Club- 7,800 yds from tips.  #13 is a 731 yard Par 5.  Tee to fairway is a 295 yard carry over tall grass.

[Oriole05]

All courses from the tips...
#1 - Winged Foot West - long, penal, green surrounds are ridiculous, and the greens are the tough, and when they are running - which is often - a 3 putt is more common than a one putt.

From the replies I've played;
Bethpage Black - several times with the rough up - exceeds Winged Foot in length but besides #1 & 2 you don't need to shape a shot off the tee and the greens are tame.  I've played the Black about 30 times and some of the holes are incredibly long:  #5, 9, 10, 12, 15 are almost unreachable in regulation.  Even when I'm not hitting it well, good but no my best, I would say the Black is a tough par but relatively easy bogey.  I cant say that for Winged Foot...

Whistling Straits - with the winds up, the day I played it, it is damn near impossible, but that's only for the holes directly on the lake.  Inland holes can be had, and if the wind is down...

Tobacco Road - I love this course, but I would never put it in the difficult category.  Play Strantz's other design - Tot Hill Farm - that course is hard...but doesn't compare to any of the above.

[archer32]

Pete Dye River Course at Virginia Tech is the toughest I have played.  It is 7685 yards 77.5 - 147 from the Black's.

[zonacats23]

Rich Harvest Farms 7700 yards, 78.5/153

[Dougsgolf]

My top 5 Long and tough....I travel a lot and seek out difficult courses.

1] PGA Sawgrass- Just a bear.
2] Kiawah Ocean- If wind blows...PGA winner will be over par.
3] Waterville Ireland- Unrelenting
4] Carnoustie- The members beg for ridiculous conditions of play.
5] Wingedfoot- Fairways all tilt and hitting them next to impossible.

There's a reason why they won't bring the pros to Pine Valley....They'll eat it up. Int'l Pines at 8325 Tiger Tees is a par 76 or was when I played the Tiger Tees.
Spyglass is a bear.  Wolf Creek is very tough and so totally unique.  Toughest short course....Shattuck in NH. Over 150 slope and 6600 yards. Tougher than Tobaco Road similar yardage.

[callawayjay]

The harvester-Rhodes, IA. 7400. 76.7/145
Spyglass Hill
The prince course at princeville, HI
Carnoustie

The harvester, number 15, par 5, uphill 100 feet from tee to green, 660 yards
The fun part is the next hole, 512 downhill par 4.
Greens always at 12-13

[ucdan5]

IU06, on 26 December 2011 - 03:41 PM, said:

Purgatory Golf Club- 7,800 yds from tips.  #13 is a 731 yard Par 5.  Tee to fairway is a 295 yard carry over tall grass.

Visited a buddy in Carmel and played there in the middle of summer. We were hung over and played from the Purgatory tips... it was a looooong day... I remember the long par 5. Driver, 3W, 5i, chip and a putt for a par.... I don't think I'll allow myself to play that hole again.

Somehow I wasn't in more than 1 or 2 traps... my buddy spent 70% of the day getting out of them it seemed.

[xgolfx]

Dougsgolf, on 27 December 2011 - 08:55 PM, said:

My top 5 Long and tough....I travel a lot and seek out difficult courses.

1] PGA Sawgrass- Just a bear.
2] Kiawah Ocean- If wind blows...PGA winner will be over par.
3] Waterville Ireland- Unrelenting
4] Carnoustie- The members beg for ridiculous conditions of play.
5] Wingedfoot- Fairways all tilt and hitting them next to impossible.

There's a reason why they won't bring the pros to Pine Valley....They'll eat it up. Int'l Pines at 8325 Tiger Tees is a par 76 or was when I played the Tiger Tees.
Spyglass is a bear.  Wolf Creek is very tough and so totally unique.  Toughest short course....Shattuck in NH. Over 150 slope and 6600 yards. Tougher than Tobaco Road similar yardage.

Don't know how u can say they wou
D eat up pine valley since nooneBROKE PAR FOR THE FIRST 45 YEARS YES YEARS THAT IT WAS IN EXSISTENCE. SLOPE. is 156 IF IREMBER CORRECTLY. THEYTELLTHE MEMBERS NOT TOBRING ANYON WHO HAS A HANDICAP OVER FIFTEEN AND CARTS ARE NOT ALLOWED. ALSOTHE CADDIEMASTER TELLS THE PLAYER HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIVOTS.

Charley penna

[Bumbershoot]

Ko'olau on Oahu is too hard, in my book.  Lots of forced carries, undergrowth and sloping fairways that I might miss with a deer rifle.  Eats golf balls like nobodies business.

Tees             Yards Rating   Slope                                             
Tournament 7310   75.7   152
Championship   6797      73.5   145
Resort                      6406      71.7   138
Forward   5102      73.5         129

Played it a few years ago, and I'm glad I got a price break.  T'was a long day...

[stuckntx]

Stonebridge Ranch Dye Course in McKinney, TX.  If the wind is blowing, the course is a monster.  I've seen many clubs being thrown at PGA tour qualifying because of players hitting what they thought were good shots turn out dead.

[Dougsgolf]

Don't know how u can say they wou
D eat up pine valley since nooneBROKE PAR FOR THE FIRST 45 YEARS YES YEARS THAT IT WAS IN EXSISTENCE. SLOPE. is 156 IF IREMBER CORRECTLY. THEYTELLTHE MEMBERS NOT TOBRING ANYON WHO HAS A HANDICAP OVER FIFTEEN AND CARTS ARE NOT ALLOWED. ALSOTHE CADDIEMASTER TELLS THE PLAYER HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIVOTS.

Charley penna


Don't know why guys play PV and then advertise it's so tough.  It's immaculate. It's exclusive. It's maybe the best in the US, although I believe Merion is nicer and just as tough.  The membership is not willing to allow the best to come.  Why?  They let the top Am's come for the Walker Cup.  It maintains its mystique of difficulty by not letting the pros come and eat it up.  I have played many places that restrict players based on handicap. The Valley restricts based on a multitude of fronts.  Different logos for members, no yardage markers, total trust in your caddie.  And many aren't that good.  Especially the one I had the day I played.  Only time I ever had a caddie get decked by another after he misclubbed me by three clubs and the other caddie womped him.  Philly is maybe the best area in the US for golf, although much of it is private.  The GAP is a great setup.  PV pulled out of it. Why? Maybe because they were getting whopped by Tavistock every year!  PV had always said they had the best group of golfers.  GAP proved that wrong.  Son in philly and plus cap and he'll tell you Aronimink is the toughest in his mind. But he hits it a mile.  So PV was a lot of 2 irons off tee for him. AND NOBODY BROKE PAR AT ST ANDREWS FOR  53 YEARS AND NOBODY WILL TELL YOU IT'S A TOUGH COURSE. Doug CT/FL

[robertpetry]

dgrelecki, on 21 December 2011 - 10:52 AM, said:

Longest:  Pete Dye Course at Frenchlick - 8,102 from the tips, and that's NOT at elevation.  Two par threes over 300 yards.  80/148
http://www.frenchlick.com/golf/petedye

Hardest:  Ocean Course Kiawah, no doubt.  When it's windy (364 days a year), it's brutal.  Long and difficult

I LOVE the new Dye course at French Lick. I got to play early and met Pete Dye and his wife.  I also LOVED the Ocean Course at Kiawah and would highly recommend it.

However I think the toughest for me was the length and tight fairways at Crooked Stick in Carmel Indiana. That was the first time I met mr. Dye - 1991 PGA Championship.

[noob]

So far I've only golfed in Hawaii, but the hardest courses that I've played are Mauna Kea, Koolau, and the Plantation Course at Kapalua.  

When Koolau is soggy, which it is most of the time will eat balls like crazy.  You know that you're somewhere in the fairway, but you're plugged and will have a very hard time finding your ball.  There are a lot forced carries and most of the sides of the fairways are lateral.  At least they didn't make that OB.  

Mauna Kea was windy when I played and with the blind shots, it was just a beast.

Platation was also windy when I played and that was rough also.