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You can’t help but take a few minutes to admire the views from the highest points at Pikewood National, which not only sits atop a mesa in the mountains near Morgantown, West Virginia, but has been continually climbing in national course rankings. The panoramic pit stops aren’t just because you’re treated to views of three states—Pennsylvania and Maryland as well as West Virginia—but also because you’ll probably need to take the occasional breather during your round.

Pikewood National is regarded as one of the most challenging courses in the U.S., with a 155 slope rating, a 79.3 USGA course rating and a brutal 109.4 bogey rating from its championship tees. It’s also one of the toughest walks in golf—a nine-mile hike up and down a mountain; and that’s if you’re hitting it straight. The course, which is spread over 650 acres and features elevation changes of hundreds of feet in just a few holes, is as taxing physically as it is on your scorecard.

But with all due respect to Mark Twain, Harry Leon Wilson, William Gladstone, or whoever it actually was who suggested golf is a good walk spoiled, Pikewood National is a phenomenal experience enhanced by the rigorous walk. It’s one you’ll appreciate every step of the way. And mind you, Pikewood is a cart-free property. It was also the course—as I traipsed up and down the side of the mountain—that got me thinking about the toughest walks in golf.

There are golf courses that would be a ridiculous challenge to walk, but aren’t designed for it. The Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort on Maui is one that springs to mind—with extensive distances between holes as it climbs up and down an old volcano, it simply isn’t made for walkers. Also not considered for these purposes is a curiosity like Nullarbor Links, which bills itself as the world’s longest golf course, spanning multiple towns across 850 miles (1,365 kilometers) across Australia.

The four other U.S. courses listed here are considered walking-only or meant to be walked most of the time.

BETHPAGE BLACK

There’s a sign just behind the first tee at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course warning that the layout, a two-time U.S. Open host and site of the 2019 PGA Championship, is an extremely difficult course for highly skilled golfers only. There should probably also be a disclaimer on the sign about how challenging it is to walk the A.W. Tillinghast-designed course that takes on the rough-and-tough personality befitting its New York location. There are plenty of golfers who won’t play the Black because of its walking-only nature. Fairly substantial elevation changes are found on almost half of the holes, including a handful of memorable climbs. Among them is the approach to the green at the 15th hole, one of the hardest par-fours in the game. Several years ago, I was playing the Black with a good friend who, winded (and humbled) after the hike up the hill at No. 15 and over to the 16th tee box, plopped down on a bench and said simply, “Never again will I play this (bleeping) course.” He would, of course… because it’s a taxing yet utterly intoxicating stroll in the park.

CHAMBERS BAY

The first thing you’ll notice on the drive into Chambers Bay, which was built in an old sand and gravel mine on the Puget Sound outside Seattle, is the sheer size and scale of the layout and its topography. Course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. has proudly boasted that the walking-only links-inspired layout is a 10-mile hike, with more than 600 feet of elevation change and significant distances between greens and the next tee. The views are spectacular—from the sparkling waterfront to the snow-capped Olympic Mountain range—and the steep climbs are equally impressive. When the U.S. Open was held at Chambers Bay in 2015, then USGA executive director Mike Davis described the course as an “endurance test,” and other tournament organizers said it would test both the physical and mental capabilities of competitors. If you go, bring comfortable shoes, and possibly a Sherpa.

WHISTLING STRAITS

Sculpted into two miles of uninterrupted shoreline of Lake Michigan in Kohler, Wisconsin, Whistling Straits can be an unforgiving brute. Designer Pete Dye isn’t known for his warm and fuzzy layouts, but if a golfer is errant on The Straits, which has roughly 1,000 sand bunkers, an already challenging walk can quickly become grueling. When looking at the bluffs and massive sand dunes, it’s hard to conceive that the site in the 1950s was flat farmland used by the U.S. Army as an anti-aircraft training facility. More than 7,000 truckloads of sand—approximately 105,000 cubic yards—were brought in to create the rugged, windswept terrain seen today that’s hosted three PGA Championships and the 2021 Ryder Cup. You may need to be as sure-footed as the Scottish Black Sheep that call Whistling Straits home.

The first time the USGA’s Mike Davis saw Erin Hills in Wisconsin, the site of the 2017 U.S. Open, he said it looked like Shinnecock Hills on steroids. The brawny course is routed over the kettle moraine areas left by receding glaciers that formed the property’s rolling and undulating terrain. A walking-only course on 652 acres, Erin Hills is immense in scale. While you don’t have to play the tees that made it the second-longest U.S. Open course in history, you’ll still have many substantial walks past those other teeing grounds. The website for Erin Hills says to plan on a 4 hour, 55 minute round, and when the wind is blowing—and it often is—the walk can feel even more exhausting.

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Can you think of any tougher walks than what we listed? Let us know in the comments below!

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What was the most difficult golf course on the pga tour's 2022-23 schedule, share this article.

The PGA Tour season is officially in the history books, with Viktor Hovland capturing the Tour Championship .

The 2022-23 season had 47 tournaments that were contested over 50 golf courses in eight different countries. Now that the season has concluded, the stats gurus at the PGA Tour have calculated the numbers to determine which ones were the most difficult.

Of those 50 courses, five had an average score of more than one stroke over par per round. Just one course was over par two strokes per round. Sixteen of the 49 had an over-par average. TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course, a par 71, had the average score closest to par at 70.98.

The golf courses which hosted the 2023 major championships check in at Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 6 on the list of most difficult venues.

What course proved to be the most difficult? What about the easiest golf courses? Check out this list below. Stats courtesy pgatour.com .

1 Oak Hill Country Club - East Course

Oak Hill Country Club’s East Course in Pittsford, New York. (Photo: Gabe Gudgel/Golfweek)

Oak Hill hosted the 2023 PGA Championship and was determined to be the most difficult, playing nearly three strokes over par.

Par: 70 Average score: 72.722 (+2.722)

2 Los Angeles Country Club - North Course

Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course. (Courtesy of LACC)

LACC hosted the 2023 U.S. Open.

Par: 70 Average score: 71.776 (+1.776)

3 Royal Liverpool

Jordan Spieth makes his way to the 18th green on Saturday of the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 22, 2023 in Hoylake, England. (Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images)

Royal Liverpool hosted the 2023 Open Championship.

Par: 71 Average score: 72.745 (+1.745)

4 Torrey Pines (South Course)

Hideki Matsuyama plays his shot from the third tee during the first round of the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines South Course. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)

Torrey Pines hosted the 2023 Farmers Insurance Championship.

Par: 72 Average score: 73.622 (+1.622)

5 Muirfield Village Golf Club

Denny McCarthy walks to the green on nine during the final round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club. (Photo: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Muirfield Village Golf Club hosted the 2023 Memorial Tournament.

Par: 72 Average score: 73.522 (+ 1.522 )

6 Augusta National Golf Club

Jon Rahm tees off on the third hole during the final round of the 2023 Masters Tournament. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Network)

Augusta National Golf Club hosted the 2023 Masters Tournament.

Par: 72 Average score: 72.960 (+0 .960 )

7 The rest of the courses on Tour

Rickie Fowler hits his tee shot on the 16th hole during the third round of the 2023 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports)

PGA Tour courses ranked most difficult to easiest, 2022-23 season

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The 5 toughest walk in golf world

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Golf was invented as a walking game. But in the modern age of course construction where layouts are longer and cover expansive areas across sometimes hilly topography, they can be a difficult slog. Here’s 5 of the toughest for walking golfers.

1.whistling straits (straits course) – wisconsin, usa.

Massive sand dunes and nearly 1,000 bunkers litter the walking-only layout that has hosted three PGA Championships and will hold the 2020 Ryder Cup. Like so many of the US courses used for championships in recent years, it covers an immense area (560 acres) and designer Pete Dye, in trying to extract the best golf holes from the rugged terrain, left some long treks between greens and tees. The Straits course is a beast and anyone venturing out to test their mental and physical golfing prowess had best be prepared for a long day.

2. KO’OLAU GOLF CLUB   – Hawaii, USA

Set at the base of the Ko’olau Mountain range in Hawaii, Ko’olau stretches to 7,310 yards (6,684 metres) across dramatic topography, which offers some of the most breathtaking views you will find on a golf course. The views won’t be the only thing taking your breath away as you climb across the natural folds in the landscape and traverse several ravines throughout the round.

 3.JADE DRAGON SNOW MOUNTAIN – Yunnan Province, China

Here is one course that would be absolute madness to play on foot. Here’s why

It’s not a memorable design, but it is the longest golf course on the planet at 8,548 yards (7,816 metres) and includes the longest par-5 in the world at 711 yards (650 metres).The thin air of its location, more than 3,000 metres above sea level in the Himalayas, does make the golf ball fly 15 to 20 percent further.

The thin air at this altitude can make breathing tough, which is why carts are compulsory and oxygen masks are in every cart.

4. KAPALUA RESORT (Plantation course) – Hawaii, USA

The Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort – home of the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions – (pictured above) was simply not designed to be a walking course. The layout is routed over hundreds of acres of old pineapple plantation and grazing land – up and down the side of the West Maui Mountains and there are several lengthy green to tee walks. Most players use a cart but if you want to walk the course, which is not encouraged by the resort, it is manageable.

5.CARNE GOLF LINKS – County Mayo, Ireland

Remote and spectacular, Carne is set among exposed rugged dunes on the Atlantic coast in north-west Ireland. Not only is the terrain often dramatic as it rises and falls over the dunes, it is rare to play here without it being windy.

Carne’s toughest cardio workout comes at the final hole. Having traversed dunes for hours the approach to the final green on the 495-metre par-5 is all uphill – the payoff is the view of Blacksod Bay once you reach the green.

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The 10 toughest courses on the pga tour in 2020-21, share this article, the 2021 u.s. open track already made its mark on tour this year, will it continue this week.

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

The South Course at Torrey Pines is one of the longest and most treacherous stretches of 18 holes in golf. And this week, it should be even more difficult as the best of the best tee it up for the U.S. Open.

While fans tune in to see who comes away with a major championship win—and the most significant chunk of the $12.5 million purse—let’s take a look at the 10 courses that have played the toughest in 2020-21 .

10. Spyglass Hill Golf Course: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Par/Yardage: 72/7041.

Avg. Score: 72.788.

9. Muirfield Village Golf Club: Memorial Tournament

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Par/Yardage: 72/7543.

Avg. Score: 72.973.

8. Bay Hill Club & Lodge: Arnold Palmer Invitational

Par/Yardage: 72/7466.

Avg. Score: 73.015.

7. Memorial Park Golf Course: Houston Open

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Par/Yardage: 70/7432.

Avg. Score: 71.025.

6. Augusta National Golf Club: Masters

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Par/Yardage: 72/7475.

Avg. Score: 73.063.

5. PGA National (Champion): The Honda Classic

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Par/Yardage: 70/7125.

Avg. Score: 71.102.

4. Quail Hollow Club: Wells Fargo Championship

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Par/Yardage: 71/7521.

Avg. Score: 72.257.

3. Torrey Pines (South): Farmers Insurance Open

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Par/Yardage: 72/7765.

Avg. Score: 73.340.

Check the yardage book: Torrey Pines South Course for the U.S. Open

2. Ocean Course at Kiawah Island: PGA Championship

Gary Kellner/The PGA of America via Getty Images

Par/Yardage: 72/7876.

Avg. Score: 74.359.

1. Winged Foot Golf Club: 2020 U.S. Open

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Will Torrey Pines overtake the top spot? Follow USA TODAY Golfweek for all the latest from the 2021 U.S. Open.

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Toughest/Most Demanding Course to Walk on the PGA Tour

By AzSuperHack76 November 30, 2023 in Tour Talk

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Azsuperhack76.

Just curious to hear everyone’s thoughts on the toughest/most demanding courses to walk on the PGA tour?   

I’m really interested to see what the biggest challenge would be for Tiger this upcoming season.   

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• Nov 30 AzSuperHack76 changed the title to Toughest/Most Demanding Course to Walk on the PGA Tour
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December 1, 2023

Back in the 80's, that's when the Marlboro's started burning more rapidly.     Sorry for the story, but I'm an old man and this is what we do.............Must have been '80 or '81, I was wor

November 30, 2023

Augusta is one of the toughest on the caddies.  I never worked an event at Kapalua, so I can't speak to that one, but any of the courses with constant rolling terrain or at high altitude are tough.  

I get it.  I spent 3+ decades as a caddy on the various tours.  You become immune to most of it, but changing conditions week over week and adding in changing elevation made it tough, especially after

I always heard Kapalua is the hardest walk but Tiger not in the field.   With the hills it could be Augusta for him.

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Augusta is one of the toughest on the caddies.  I never worked an event at Kapalua, so I can't speak to that one, but any of the courses with constant rolling terrain or at high altitude are tough.  

The killer at Augusta is that the entire course has slope, so your feet are never flat the entire round.  

There used to be an event at TPC Summerlin near Vegas that was tough due to elevation.  I believe it was 1988 or 89 where we went from Houston to the Panasonic in Vegas in back to back weeks.  The elevation change was hell on us carrying the bags.  The other was an old tour stop called Castle Pines near Denver where we used to play the International.  6,000 foot of elevation was devastating without acclimatizing.  I worked it once and then skipped that week in subsequent years.  

39 minutes ago, AzSuperHack76 said: I’m really interested to see what the biggest challenge would be for Tiger this upcoming season. 

Sorry, I missed this part of your post.  

Current worst tour stop would be Augusta.

DoughBack18

Have also heard Kapalua and Augusta are brutes. Played Spyglass earlier this year and i’d have to imagine that wouldn’t be lots of fun to walk either. 

To answer your question since Augusta isn’t a pga tour stop I’d say by just viewing it would have to be Wyndham championship due to heat and humidity. 

1 hour ago, DoughBack18 said: Played Spyglass earlier this year and i’d have to imagine that wouldn’t be lots of fun to walk either. 

At least it’s at sea level.  

6 hours ago, OnTheBag said: Augusta is one of the toughest on the caddies.  I never worked an event at Kapalua, so I can't speak to that one, but any of the courses with constant rolling terrain or at high altitude are tough.     The killer at Augusta is that the entire course has slope, so your feet are never flat the entire round.     There used to be an event at TPC Summerlin near Vegas that was tough due to elevation.  I believe it was 1988 or 89 where we went from Houston to the Panasonic in Vegas in back to back weeks.  The elevation change was hell on us carrying the bags.  The other was an old tour stop called Castle Pines near Denver where we used to play the International.  6,000 foot of elevation was devastating without acclimatizing.  I worked it once and then skipped that week in subsequent years.  

Pretty sure they’re going back to Castle Pines this year. Might be the BMW. 

Kapalua is the worst walk but they get shuttled in vans like 3/4 different times during tournament rounds 

John Deere is a tough walk, Hamilton CC where the Canadian Open is at this year is a tough walk too.

7 hours ago, DoughBack18 said: Played Spyglass earlier this year

I've walked Spyglass twice. I enjoyed how my caddy explained it to another guy in the group ...

"It's not called Spyglass Flats."

7 hours ago, OnTheBag said:   There used to be an event at TPC Summerlin near Vegas that was tough due to elevation. 

Surprised to read this one. I've walked Summerlin many, many times and I always found it to be a pretty easy stroll. Of course, my bag's far lighter than what you were carrying. 🙂

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1 hour ago, aenemated said: Surprised to read this one. I've walked Summerlin many, many times and I always found it to be a pretty easy stroll. Of course, my bag's far lighter than what you were carrying. 🙂

It was likely due to the elevation change.  We always seemed to play Summerlin after 2-3 weeks on the Gulf Coast at sea level.  

5 hours ago, Creedo77 said: Kapalua is the worst walk but they get shuttled in vans like 3/4 different times during tournament rounds    John Deere is a tough walk, Hamilton CC where the Canadian Open is at this year is a tough walk too.

Some friends still working the Senior Circuit complained about Fields Ranch East this year.  Said it was a ROUGH walk on a big property.  The 2026??? 2027??? PGA Championship will be held there.  

Pepperturbo

It depends on who you ask and their conditioning.  Walking golf courses is like hiking in the foothills...no biggie for those in condition.  Best ask the caddies, though; they carry the 50lb bag.  Best guess, either Augusta or Kapalua. 

I've walked Kapalua a few times in years past; it's like a day hike in the foothills, alongside a caddie carrying the bag.

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2 hours ago, Pepperturbo said: It depends on who you ask and their conditioning.  Walking golf courses is like hiking in the foothills...no biggie for those in condition.  Best ask the caddies, though; they carry the 50lb bag.  Best guess, either Augusta or Kapalua.    I've walked Kapalua a few times in years past; it's like a day hike in the foothills, alongside a caddie carrying the bag.

I see your point.  The only difference is doing that hike 4-6 days in a row (including practice rounds).  

2 minutes ago, OnTheBag said: I see your point.  The only difference is doing that hike 4-6 days in a row (including practice rounds).  

Once conditioned, daily 18 holes plus, is a day's work. 

Back in 20s & 30s, we used to train in the Sierra mountains during winter.  Each of us carried a 70lb ruck, 12-15lb rifle, snow shoes and Nordic skies, herringbone up the mountain, ski down, cover 8–10 miles, snow camp and get up to do it over again, for two-three weeks.  Walking 18 for 3–4 days during a regional event was easy. 

2 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said: Once conditioned, daily 18 holes plus, is a day's work.    Back in 20s & 30s, we used to train in the Sierra mountains during winter.  Each of us carried a 70lb ruck, 12-15lb rifle, snow shoes and Nordic skies, herringbone up the mountain, ski down, cover 8–10 miles, snow camp and get up to do it over again, for two-three weeks.  Walking 18 for 3–4 days during a regional event was easy. 

I get it.  I spent 3+ decades as a caddy on the various tours.  You become immune to most of it, but changing conditions week over week and adding in changing elevation made it tough, especially after I got into my 50's.  That daily grind for 35-40 weeks a year wears on the body after 30 years.  

9 hours ago, aenemated said:   I've walked Spyglass twice. I enjoyed how my caddy explained it to another guy in the group ...   “It’s not called Spyglass Flats.”     Surprised to read this one. I've walked Summerlin many, many times and I always found it to be a pretty easy stroll. Of course, my bag's far lighter than what you were carrying. 🙂  

By any chance was your caddy DMM?

16 minutes ago, OnTheBag said: I get it.  I spent 3+ decades as a caddy on the various tours.  You become immune to most of it, but changing conditions week over week and adding in changing elevation made it tough, especially after I got into my 50's.  That daily grind for 35-40 weeks a year wears on the body after 30 years.  

I hear you.  You're right, immune is a good word.   I hope your body is holding better these days... 🙂

12 minutes ago, TiScape said: By any chance was your caddy DMM?

Oh, he's not that clever 😂

20 minutes ago, aenemated said:   Oh, he's not that clever 😂

* I ♥️ U DMM 😊

Muifield Village for the Memorial is not a easy walk.

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the toughest one to walk when that staff bag gets real heavy, is when you stand on the 10th tee and you know you have no chance at the cut, then its the Green Mile

11 hours ago, 3whacker said: the toughest one to walk when that staff bag gets real heavy, is when you stand on the 10th tee and you know you have no chance at the cut, then its the Green Mile

Back in the 80's, that's when the Marlboro's started burning more rapidly.  

Sorry for the story, but I'm an old man and this is what we do.............Must have been '80 or '81, I was working for this guy.  He's a decent golfer but a total head case, so we hadn't made a cut in close to 2 months.  At some point mid-round on Friday, I decided I was quitting to find another gig.  We are on a Par 3 with an angular carry over a lake.  Maybe 160+/- to the landing spot.  We're something like 9 strokes beyond the cutline, so it doesn't matter at all.  He asked me the yardage, I gave it to him, he argues over a 2 or 3 yard difference between my calculations and his, and then I snapped.  I told him the way he was playing he'd be lucky to hit the green at all so don't worry about being that exact, then I handed him a club and said swing hard.  I kid you not.....that crazy rascal birdied 5 out of the next 6 and we ended up scaring the cut line.  I quit anyway, but was proud of him for waking up.

Sorry again.  When we get old, all we have left are memories and even those start to get fuzzy.  

When considering the chance of being sandblasted, Doha GC is no cakewalk. 

13 hours ago, 3whacker said: the toughest one to walk when that staff bag gets real heavy, is when you stand on the 10th tee and you know you have no chance at the cut, then its the Green Mile

or when you're in the clubhouse three sheets to the wind during a t-storm delay, instead of suspending play they announce play will resume in 30 minutes....and you know you ain't finishing the 6 holes you have left before it gets dark

I've played Kapalua and Spyglass and those are long and tough tracks to walk.  Lots of elevation change and slopes. 

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On 11/30/2023 at 1:20 PM, Pepperturbo said: Once conditioned, daily 18 holes plus, is a day's work.    Back in 20s & 30s, we used to train in the Sierra mountains during winter.  Each of us carried a 70lb ruck, 12-15lb rifle, snow shoes and Nordic skies, herringbone up the mountain, ski down, cover 8–10 miles, snow camp and get up to do it over again, for two-three weeks.  Walking 18 for 3–4 days during a regional event was easy. 

Hopefully that's your 20s, and not the 1920s.

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I'll second the comment regarding temperature and humidity in the scheduling.  For me, walking on a really hot and humid day on a flat course can be more exhausting than on a temperate day on a more hilly course. 

On 12/21/2023 at 9:23 AM, bazzle18 said: I'll second the comment regarding temperature and humidity in the scheduling.  For me, walking on a really hot and humid day on a flat course can be more exhausting than on a temperate day on a more hilly course. 

I was going to throw out East Lake for that reason. Of course anyone who is there is on a great bag that season which probably makes it seem easier, but Atlanta in August with those hills can't be easy. 

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Riviera is really easy, but the hill on 18 and walk to clubhouse can be tough after a long day...I know it was when I was a standard bearer at the US Am a few years back.   I was praying they didn't go to overtime!

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The 15 Toughest Walks in World Golf

Golf was invented as a walking game. but in the modern age of course construction where layouts are longer and cover expansive areas across sometimes hilly topography, they can be a difficult slog. here’s 15 of the toughest for walking golfers..

1 WHISTLING STRAITS (Straits course) – Wisconsin, USA

Massive sand dunes and nearly 1,000 bunkers litter the walking-only layout that has hosted three PGA Championships and will hold the 2020 Ryder Cup. Like so many of the US courses used for championships in recent years, it covers an immense area (560 acres) and designer Pete Dye, in trying to extract the best golf holes from the rugged terrain, left some long treks between greens and tees. The Straits course is a beast and anyone venturing out to test their mental and physical golfing prowess had best be prepared for a long day.

2 CHAMBERS BAY – Washington, USA

When the US Open was played at Chambers Bay in 2015, USGA chief executive Mike Davis described the Robert Trent Jones Jnr course as an “endurance test.”

Built on land previously used as an old sand and gravel mine, near Seattle, the walking-only links-inspired layout (pictured below) covers nearly 16 kilometres (when you include the long walks from green to tee). But the real physical challenge is the up and down trek you have to make during a round with nearly 200 metres of elevation change across the property.

3 KO’OLAU GOLF CLUB – Hawaii, USA

Set at the base of the Ko’olau Mountain range in Hawaii, Ko’olau stretches to 7,310 yards (6,684 metres) across dramatic topography, which offers some of the most breathtaking views you will find on a golf course. The views won’t be the only thing taking your breath away as you climb across the natural folds in the landscape and traverse several ravines throughout the round.

4 ERIN HILLS – Wisconsin, USA

The walk didn’t get much easier for the US Open field in 2017. Erin Hills covers a massive 652 acres (compare this, for example, with Kingston Heath in the Melbourne Sandbelt, which is contained within little more than 100 acres). The rugged walking-only layout measures 7,845 yards (7,173 metres) from the tips, making it the second longest course used in US Open history.

5 PIKEWOOD NATIONAL – West Virginia, USA

Since expanding to 18 holes in 2009, Pikewood National – in the hills of West Virginia – has embraced its growing reputation as one of the most challenging courses in North America.

Its 155 slope rating should sound alarm bells for anyone brazenly walking out to the 1st tee with the back markers in their sights – unless of course they have a PGA Tour card or scratch handicap. Pikewood is arguably the toughest walk of all the courses featured here – the walking-only course is contained within a massive 650 acres, while the routing from 1st tee to 18th green covers more than 14 kilometres with several steep climbs.

6 JADE DRAGON SNOW MOUNTAIN – Yunnan Province, China

Here is one course that would be absolute madness to play on foot. Here’s why

It’s not a memorable design, but it is the longest golf course on the planet at 8,548 yards (7,816 metres) and includes the longest par-5 in the world at 711 yards (650 metres).

The thin air of its location, more than 3,000 metres above sea level in the Himalayas, does make the golf ball fly 15 to 20 percent further.

The thin air at this altitude can make breathing tough, which is why carts are compulsory and oxygen masks are in every cart.

7 KAPALUA RESORT (Plantation course) – Hawaii, USA

The Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort – home of the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions – (pictured above) was simply not designed to be a walking course. The layout is routed over hundreds of acres of old pineapple plantation and grazing land – up and down the side of the West Maui Mountains and there are several lengthy green to tee walks. Most players use a cart but if you want to walk the course, which is not encouraged by the resort, it is manageable.

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American Express Just Got Tougher: Two PGA West Courses

By kathlene bissell | jan 21, 2021.

Without the La Quinta Country Club Course in the American Express, the tournament just got tougher. Much tougher.

La Quinta was the weak brother, the lone survivor from earlier days of the tournament, the 1960s,1970s, and so on when Bermuda Dunes, Indian Wells, Eldorado, and Tamarisk were also used. All the others were discarded due to a combination of lack of length and pros who hit it farther and farther.

The two PGA West Courses being used this week, PGA West Stadium and PGA West Nicklaus Resort, are all the golf anybody wants or can handle. They are very big-boy courses. Unfortunately, the PGA Tour is playing the courses at less than 7200 yards when the Stadium, at least, has back tees of 7700. That would be something to watch.

However, even at around 7200 yards, playing those two is like getting a slap on the face at every tee and a punch in the stomach when you walk off every green. They are mentally taxing, but fun at the same time. Particularly the obnoxious Stadium Course. Nicklaus Resort is more hard than fun. ( My opinion only! Played them both.)

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Here are some differences for the American Express.

The Nicklaus Resort has wider landing areas throughout, generous in a way. However, that’s a tendency in many Nicklaus designs. Perhaps that’s why Harrison Frazier once shot a 59 there at Q-School.

After making it to the fairway on any hole, you face a tough shot to any green because they are almost all angled and more shallow than deep. Think how it would be if you took the 12th green at Augusta National and put it at a slight angle to the fairway. It’s already hard to hit, and the angle changes what happens to your ball if you miss left or right of the target. Then put a sharp drop-off in front of it. Or sand. Or both, like Nicklaus did at the first hole.

There are plenty of rolling moguls and hidden bunkers that are nothing for the pros but are tough for amateurs. But if a pro happens to forget that the bunker is there, well, whoops! There is all manner of other wonky things, too. A split fairway. An island green to end a par five. Elephants buried in some of the greens.

If you play the PGA Tour, a few holes look very easy, like the 6th. The par three 8th is more scare tactics than a hard shot. It’s all carry with railroad ties in front of the green. The 15th is a beauty, a par five with a forced carry over water if golfers are brave enough to go for the green in two.

The Stadium Course is a different kind of animal. When it opened, it was the hardest golf course anywhere in the country, based on the slope rating. There are probably harder ones now, but at the time, it was the pinnacle. There are reasons. Most of them are visual frights created by Pete Dye in his prime.

The first four holes are not awful But at the 5th, precision really starts to matter. It’s a par five with two globs of water, one big one on the left at the tee that runs all the way up to the landing area, and then a jog in the fairway and another glob of water on the right. That runs a long way toward the green. It’s a lot of water. (In fact, the course has 22 acres of water and 22 acres of sand.)

At the 6th, they never play all the way back at 255 yards. When the course opened everyone thought that distance was crazy, but in the last decade or two, we saw par threes that long and longer at the U.S.Open. Oakmont had one that was 288 , which is probably a wedge for Bryson DeChambeau.

The 7th is a lot of fun to play because it’s designed as a short par four. For the pros today, a few are long enough to make the green, 346 yards away, with their tee shots. Lee Trevino eagled it in one Skins Game.

The finish at the Stadium Course is a blast. The par-five 16th has a bunker 19 feet deep, at least it was that deep when it opened. That’s the one where, in 1987, the late Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill used a hand mashie, a foot mashie, a wedge, and two hand tosses to extract himself.

It’s followed up by the island 17th, similar to the TPC Sawgrass but the distance is farther, the green is bigger and there are rocks around it instead of railroad ties. Didn’t bother

Lee Trevino

who made a hole-in-one during the Skins Game.

And finally, the 18th, is very much like the 18th at TPC Sawgrass except rocks line the water instead of wood.

Next. Tiger Woods: Spinal Surgeon on Woods’ Latest Back Surgery. dark

Both courses are difficult and visually intimidating. It will be interesting to see if the wind wrecks scores on Thursday or if someone shoots in the low 60s. It could easily happen. In 1992 Tom Kite shot a 62 in the Grand Slam of Golf on the Nicklaus Resort course on a cold, windy day in November. So low scores are possible at any time in any weather.

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‘tpc impossible': toughest composite course on the pga tour in 2021.

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If you think golf is hard enough, you may want to pass on checking this course off of your bucket list.

Of course, we’re talking about “TPC Impossible,” which, as you probably can gather, is not a real course. There are no tee times available. No course rating or slope. No membership. All probably for the best.

What “TPC Impossible” is, though, is it’s actually a composite course of the most difficult holes, by number, on the PGA Tour in 2021. A par-68 layout measuring at over 7,600 yards and featuring no par-5s, six par-4s over 500 yards and absolutely zero birdie holes.

With a scoring average of more than six shots over par, it makes the Green Mile look like the Green Millimeter, the Bear Trap like the Bear Claw and Tiger proofing like Barkley proofing (sorry, Chuck!).

Forget playing it, you may even need an aspirin after reading this:

Course snapshot

Par: 34-34–68 Length: 3,736-3,894–7,630 yards Scoring average: 36.58-37.502–74.082 (+6.082)

1 – TPC San Antonio (Oaks)

Par: 4 Length: 454 yards Scoring average: 4.364

There’s no easing into the round with this hole. Jordan Spieth managed to play it in 1 under and bogey-free en route to winning the Valero Texas Open here last April. However, the hole also forced 26 double bogeys and five triples during the week. Less than 37% greens in regulation and less than 48% scrambling doesn’t typically equate to low scores.

Next toughest: Bay Hill, Par 4, 461 yards, 4.265

2 – Quail Hollow Club

Par: 4 Length: 452 yards Scoring average: 4.233

Quail Hollow may be known for its difficult finishing holes, but it’s two of its early holes that make this scorecard, including the dogleg left, par-4 second, which boasted two triple bogeys and three times as many doubles (12) than the second toughest second hole, the par-3 second at Bay Hill. The green is this hole’s defense as it had the shortest average length of putt made (3'7") during the Wells Fargo.

Next toughest: Bay Hill, Par 3, 231 yards, 3.214

3 – Quail Hollow Club

Par: 4 Length: 483 yards Scoring average: 4.233

Staying in Charlotte, North Carolina, the par-4 third at Quail Hollow also saw 12 double bogeys this year while totaling 127 bogeys, 24 more than any other third hole in the past 12 months.

Next toughest: Ocean Course at Kiawah, Par 4, 390 yards, 4.204

4 – Accordia Golf Narashino CC

Par: 4 Length: 505 yards Scoring average: 4.345

The Zozo Championship host keeps Augusta National from having four holes on this composite layout. Narashino’s par-4 fourth actually yielded the same amount of birdies as double bogeys (15). Sepp Straka played the hole in 5 over over the four rounds, making a double and one of three triples on the week.

Next toughest: Augusta National, Par 3, 240 yards, 3.304

5 – Augusta National

Par: 4 Length: 495 yards Scoring average: 4.431

The recently lengthened par-4 fifth at Augusta National, “Magnolia,” is the hardest fifth hole, and it’s not close, as this year’s next hardest fifth hole, PGA National’s par-3 fifth, is nearly two-tenths of a shot over par easier. Xander Schauffele made double here, one of 14 scores of double or worse for the tournament, on Sunday as part of a 4-over, three-hole stretch. He lost by three shots to Hideki Matsuyama.

Next toughest: PGA National (Champions), Par 3, 217 yards, 3.276

6 – PGA West (Stadium)

Par: 3 Length: 223 yards Scoring average: 3.235

Considering players teed it up on the Stadium Course just once in the first two rounds before the layout hosted solo on the weekend, 15 doubles and two triples is scary. Twenty balls found the water in four days, including two off the clubface of Erik van Rooyen, who doubled the hole in both weekend rounds.

Next toughest: Muirfield Village, Par 4, 455 yards, 4.212

7 – Augusta National

Par: 4 Length: 450 yards Scoring average: 4.297

The third of four Augusta National holes on this course, “Pampas” yielded only 21 birdies last April, the lowest birdie total of any seventh hole this year.

Next toughest: Torrey Pines (South), Par 4, 462 yards, 4.228 (Farmers)

8 – PGA West (Nicklaus Tournament)

Par: 3 Length: 172 yards Scoring average: 3.256

The American Express had quite the duo of treacherous par-3s, with Stadium’s sixth and Nicklaus Tournament’s eighth. Though players saw the hole just once the entire week, the eighth forced 15 doubles, three triples and, gulp, two quads. Four of the five others were made during the second round, where the scoring average was almost a half-shot over par.

Next toughest: Pebble Beach, Par 4, 428 yards, 4.221

9 – TPC Twin Cities

Par: 4 Length: 502 yards Scoring average: 4.285

Almost to the turn, but not before playing a hole that saw 25 double bogeys, plus a triple by amateur Ryan Hall, at this year’s 3M Open. Eighteen balls went swimming, all on approach shots to this green guarded heavily by water. Winner Cameron Champ had little issue with the ninth, though, as he birdied it each of the first two days.

Next toughest: Congaree GC, Par 4, 510 yards, 4.273

10 – PGA National (Champion)

Par: 4 Length: 508 yards Scoring average: 4.304

Twenty-seven birdies were made on the Champion’s back-nine opener during this year’s Honda Classic, though just one of those came during the final round (congrats, Stewart Cink). Players hit this green in regulation just 37.77% of the time in 72 holes.

Next toughest: Muirfield Village, Par 4, 472 yards, 4.261

11 – Augusta National

Par: 4 Length: 505 yards Scoring average: 4.399

If Collin Morikawa was playing this composite layout, he’d likely skip this hole. He played “White Dogwood” in 5 over with two weekend doubles last April. Not that anyone had success there, as just 15 birdies were made in the most recent tournament.

Next toughest: Torrey Pines (South), Par 3, 222 yards, 3.393 (U.S. Open)

12 – Torrey Pines (South)

Par: 4 Length: 505 yards Scoring average: 4.401 (Farmers)

Torrey Pines’ South Course might’ve hosted a U.S. Open this summer, but it’s place in this course isn’t represented by that championship. The par-4 12th for the Farmers Insurance Open averaged nearly as many doubles or worse as birdies. It’s just tough to hit the ball close here, evidenced by the hole’s average proximity of 51 feet, 8 inches for the tournament.

Next toughest: Torrey Pines (South), Par 4, 501 yards, 4.389 (U.S. Open)

13 – Congaree GC

Par: 4 Length: 465 yards Scoring average: 4.361

With players trying to get the best angle into the green, which featured front pins on three of the four days, 23 tee balls were rinsed left of the fairway. In total, 25 double bogeys and six triples were made on the week. Chesson Hadley also bogeyed the 18th to finish a shot out of a potential playoff with winner Garrick Higgo.

Next toughest: Ocean Course at Kiawah, Par 4, 497 yards, 4.272

14 – Memorial Park GC

Par: 4 Length: 529 yards Scoring average: 4.353

For a municipal course, this sure is a lengthy par-4. Players were barely over 20% in hitting this green in regulation on the weekend, as they were coming into the green with mainly long-irons, and they combined for just seven birdies in the final 36 holes. For the week, there were 143 bogeys, 12 doubles and three triples made here, yet there was also a hole-out eagle, by Luke List from 179 yards out.

Next toughest: Ocean Course at Kiawah, Par 3, 238 yards, 3.348

15 – Ocean Course at Kiawah

Par: 4 Length: 466 yards Scoring average: 4.348

Kiawah’s back nine was the toughest of the year (+1.756) thanks to most holes playing into heavy winds. However, while scoring averages were also slightly skewed by the club professionals, it’s not like the club pros were the only ones responsible for the 24 doubles and four triples on the 15th hole. In fact, most of the biggest numbers were made by the Tour guys, including doubles by George Coetzee, Jason Scrivener and Peter Malnati. Tommy Fleetwood, Thomas Pieters and Victor Perez were responsible for one triple each.

Next toughest: Royal St. George’s, Par 4, 496 yards, 4.342

16 – Port Royal GC

Par: 3 Length: 235 yards Scoring average: 3.341

The Butterfield Bermuda Championship claims a plot of land on this composite course (and boy, is it a beautiful piece), partly due to brutal playing conditions in this fall’s first round, where severe winds and rain wreaked havoc. But even without the assist from Mother Nature, this hole was plenty tough. It actually played to the same scoring average (+0.410) in each of the first two rounds, and the third round’s four birdies were fewer than the first round’s six. There was one triple in every round, and the second round even had a quad from Andres Romero.

Next toughest: El Camaleon GC, Par 4, 515 yards, 4.298

17 – Ocean Course at Kiawah

Par: 3 Length: 223 yards Scoring average: 3.531

Featuring one of the most intimidating tee shots in golf thanks to Pete Dye digging an 8-acre lake right of this green and deep bunkers left, the Ocean Course’s 17th first earned its reputation at the 1991 Ryder Cup. “The hardest hole in the history of the universe,” David Feherty called it back then. Two decades later, it was the hardest at the PGA, yielding just three of 23 total birdies in the final round and causing 43 doubles, 12 triples, one quad and one smashed tee marker. Players found the green in regulation just 34.39% of the time and 40 balls were deposited in the manmade lake. Phil Mickelson bogeyed it twice, including on Sunday, during his record-breaking victory.

Next toughest: Quail Hollow, Par 3, 190 yards, 3.261

18 – Bay Hill

Par: 4 Length: 458 yards Scoring average: 4.464

Blustery conditions for much of this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational made this finishing hole even more demanding, especially on Sunday. Only 11 of 72 players in the final round hit the green in regulation, knocking the weekly average down almost below 30%. The scoring average for the 18th hole in that final round was slightly more than a shot over par. Harris English made the only birdie here on Sunday. For the tournament, the closing hole handed out 23 doubles (11 on Sunday), nine triples (five on Sunday) and one final-round quad by Luke List. Bryson DeChambeau played boldly to win that week, but he played safely at No. 18, making four straight pars.

Next toughest: Quail Hollow, Par 4, 494 yards, 4.456

Five Things to Know: Kapalua's Plantation Course

LAHAINA, HI - JANUARY 06: A course scenic view of the 18th hole during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 6, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)

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All-time shots from the Sentry Tournament of Champions

It’s that time of year again, when you turn on the TV for the Sentry Tournament of Champions and ask yourself, “Why did I go another year without booking a trip to Kapalua?”

The PGA TOUR’s 2022 winners and those who finished in the top 30 of the FedExCup will open the year in the first of the new designated events that will feature the game’s top players competing for elevated purses.

Kapalua has become known for its scenic vistas, low scores and wild finishes. A big reason for the theatrics? The uniqueness of the venue.

The Plantation Course is not your everyday TOUR layout. Severe elevation changes and dramatic slopes make for an unpredictable four days in paradise.

This course was the firstfruits of the famous design partnership between Bill Coore and two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, and it is celebrating its 25th time hosting the Sentry Tournament of Champions. To mark this milestone, and the debut of a new era for the PGA TOUR’s schedule, here are five things to know about the venue where the PGA TOUR annually celebrates the New Year.

1. SEVENTY-THREE’S COMPANY

Ernie Els won at 31 under in 2003, and Jordan Spieth nearly caught him with a winning score of 30 under in 2016. Last year saw the lowest score in relation to par in the TOUR’s history (34 under). These scores for a four-round event may seem crazy until you check the scorecard. Kapalua is the only par-73 course on the PGA TOUR schedule, as it comes with just three par 3s.

The long holes are long and the short holes are short. The course has seven holes that regularly play longer than 500 yards – four of those are par 5s – but also has four par 4s playing shorter than 400 yards (all on the back nine).

Weather, especially the wind, is often a factor in Maui, but players making the trip to the South Pacific better be ready to make some birdies.

2. EXCITING FINISH

From the tee box, the 18th hole provides one of the most beautiful vistas in golf, looking straight down into the Pacific Ocean with mountains in the distance. But the journey, more than one-third of a mile when played at its longest, brings danger into play.

The par 5 can stretch all the way to 667 yards, making it one of the TOUR’s longest holes. With a wide fairway, players can take a rip off the tee but need to catch some help from a ridge if they want to attack in two.

It is site of the first 400-yard drive in TOUR history. Jonathan Byrd hit it in first round of the 2003 tournament.

The fairway slants sharply from right to left, and players often use those contours to feed their second shots onto the green, as well. It’s the safer route, as the entire left side of the hole is lined by a penalty area full of thick vegetation. The green also is guarded on the left by bunkers that penalize any misses short or left, especially to the left-side hole locations.

Justin Thomas found the hazard in 2020 and made a bogey to fall into a playoff with Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele, which Thomas eventually won after playing No. 18 three more times.

A more conservative second shot is directed out to the right, where the contours will guide the ball back toward the green upon landing. However, if the ball does not get a kick, a downhill pitch shot awaits.

While having a par-5 as the 18th hole seems like an obvious birdie opportunity to finish each round, the 600-plus-yard gauntlet also provides a long strip of danger en route to the clubhouse. Birdie is manageable. Eagle is feasible, but risky.

3. RENOVATION PROJECT

When the Plantation Course opened in 1992, Coore and Crenshaw made sure to use the West Maui Mountains and Pacific Ocean for stunning views on every hole. Those features won’t change, at least for a few thousand years.

But the course’s firmness had decreased at a much faster rate and required a fix after almost three decades of existence.

“Years ago, you would hit a tee shot and it would chase and chase and chase unbelievable distances. But as the grass grew and grew for 30 years, a lot of that element was lost,” Coore said before the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions. “The course had gotten so soft that it was easy pickin’s for TOUR players and really long for resort players.”

In 2019, 100 acres of the Plantation Course’s fairways were stripped and regrassed with a new surface: Celebration Bermudagrass, a denser playing turf than the original Bermuda. This surface could be mowed tighter and controlled against year-round trampling.

“The idea at Kapalua always was to land a shot 60 yards short of a green and let it roll on,” Coore said in 2020. “In recent years, a ball landing 20 yards short of a green would just stop. It will play differently. … Players will be able to use side-slopes to feed shots to a flag. And drives will roll out farther, sometimes closer to trouble.”

The greens, which had shrunk over almost three decades, were expanded closer to their original sizes.

“There’s no question our greens needed a little more calming to offer some more pin positions,” Crenshaw said.

4. STEEP SLOPES

Most tourists may come to Maui for the beach. TOUR players come for the elevation.

The Plantation Course reaches a high point of 510 feet and spans 316 acres of property. The following week’s Sony Open at Waialae Country Club on Oahu will peak at roughly 10 feet of elevation change on a 120-acre property.

The Kapalua Golf website embraces the elevation change by noting, “This course offers plenty of downhill tee shots. You’ll feel like one of the pros when – with the aid of the aggressive slope of the 18th fairway – you will enjoy hitting one of the longest drives of your life.”

While most holes feature ocean views, there is no water on the course. However, various canyons, including the notorious penalty area on 18, provide potential trouble. Mountains, not water, define Kapalua.

The steep slopes mean the scorecard doesn’t tell the entire story. Holes can play much longer, or shorter, than advertised. Take, for example the 550-yard 17th and 541-yard 15th. The former is a par-4, while the latter is a par-5. The first and eighth holes are two more downhill par-4s that stretch longer than 500 yards.

5. QUARTER CENTURY

The 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions marks the 25th time Kapalua is hosting the Sentry Tournament of Champions. It saw some dramatic finishes right from the start.

David Duval won the first Sentry at Kapalua during a hot streak that saw him supplant Tiger Woods atop the world ranking. Duval won by nine – the largest winning margin at Kapalua – then shot a final-round 59 to win The American Express in his next start. He won THE PLAYERS two months later.

The next year, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els engaged in a memorable duel that set the stage for Woods’ greatest season. They matched eagles on the 72nd hole to go into a playoff, which Woods won with a 40-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole. He went on to win three majors that year and Els was runner-up in two, albeit 15 shots behind Woods at the U.S. Open and eight behind him at The Open.

Jordan Spieth followed up his incredible 2015 – in which he won two majors and the FedExCup – with an eight-shot win in the 2016 Sentry.

The next year, Justin Thomas swept the Hawaiian events, winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions and Sony Open. He won the Sentry by three before shooting a first-round 59 at the Sony en route to a seven-shot win. Thomas went on to win that year’s FedExCup and his first major at the PGA Championship.

Two years later, Xander Schauffele shot a final-round 62 to rally from five shots back and win his third PGA TOUR title. It is the lowest final-round score by a winner at Kapalua.

Thomas, who won the Sentry again in 2020, and Jon Rahm then became the first players to shoot 61 at the Plantation Course, doing so in the third round last year.

The 10 longest and 10 shortest courses on the PGA Tour in 2022-2023

The PGA Tour plays on anywhere from 48-50 courses most years, so the players see a variety of golf courses, architects, holes, grasses and styles. The lengths of these courses varies wildly, by 937 yards from the longest course on the PGA Tour (Torrey Pines' South Course, part of the Farmers Insurance Open) to the shortest course on the PGA Tour (Port Royal Golf Course, home of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship).

We wanted to share with you the 10 longest courses on the PGA Tour and the 10 shortest courses on the PGA Tour in the 2022-2023 season, which you can then compare to our list of the hardest courses on the PGA Tour and the easiest courses on the PGA Tour .

The longest courses on the PGA Tour

The longest course on the PGA Tour is Torrey Pines' South Course, which plays to a length of 7,765 yards. It can play that length, in part, because it was lengthened for the 2008 U.S. Open. That hasn't changed.

Next up is the 7,670-yard Corales Golf Club, which will host the Corales Puntacana Championship.

The renovated Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort, home to the Sentry Tournament of Champions, is just under 7,600 yards and the third-longest course on the PGA Tour. It plays as a par-73 course.

Three of the four majors will not be played on courses in the 10 longest this season.

The shortest courses on the PGA Tour

The shortest course on the PGA Tour is Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda, which hosts the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

Two of the four shortest courses on the PGA Tour by the scorecard are part of the three that host the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which makes sense given the format.

The Travelers Championship, which has given up the lowest score in PGA Tour history (58), is the second-shortest course.

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is currently a +2.6 USGA handicap, and he has covered dozens of major championships and professional golf tournaments. He likes writing about golf and making it more accessible by answering the complex questions fans have about the pro game or who want to understand how to play golf better.

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What Is The Hardest Golf Course In The World?

The most difficult golf course in the world is thought to be the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, with a course rating of 79.1

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Not all golf courses are created equal. Some courses can be more beginner friendly, while others are a true test of skill and strategy – even for the pros. 

Round two of the 2024 Masters showcased how difficult Augusta National can be, especially with strong winds, with only eight out of the 89-player field shooting under par.

According to golfing stats guru Justin Ray, the field had the highest scoring average in round two of the Masters since 2007. It was also just the fourth time in 30 years that the field average was higher than 75 in the second round. 

Despite being one of the biggest tests in professional golf, Augusta National doesn’t have an official course rating (playing difficulty of a course for the scratch golfer), which makes it hard to compare how tough it really is. 

So what is officially the hardest golf course in the world? Based on course rating, the most difficult is thought to be the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.

The 8th hole of the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island

Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course, designed by Pete Dye, is so challenging that it has earned the nickname ‘The Marquis de Sade’ after the French writer of torture whose name became synonymous with sadism.

It has a course rating of 79.6 and is capable of being played up to 7,900 yards from the back tees. The Ocean Course was even a brutal test to some of the best players in the world at the 1991 Ryder Cup, which saw holes won with scores as high as double bogey.

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The course also hosted the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2021, and is considered to be right up there with the best public courses in the US .

Eight-time Open venue Carnoustie Golf Links in Dundee, Scotland is also known as one of the toughest courses on the planet with a 75.2 course rating. It was labeled “Carnasty” after a particularly difficult Open Championship in 1999. While it officially measures 7,421 yards, it can play a lot longer due to wind from the North Sea.

Ko’olau Golf Club in Hawaii, Whistling Straits in Wisconsin and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club in China are others with high course ratings and have also been ranked as some of the most difficult courses on the planet by experts.

Joel Kulasingham is freelance writer for Golf Monthly. He has worked as a sports reporter and editor in New Zealand for more than five years, covering a wide range of sports including golf, rugby and football. He moved to London in 2023 and writes for several publications in the UK and abroad. He is a life-long sports nut and has been obsessed with golf since first swinging a club at the age of 13. These days he spends most of his time watching, reading and writing about sports, and playing mediocre golf at courses around London.

Billy Horschel suggested that LIV Golf supporters are partially to blame for the current state of men's professional golf

By Ben Fleming Published 27 April 24

The deal with LIV Golf is expected to go towards funding Golf Australia’s junior program

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Zurich Classic of New Orleans

TPC Louisiana

Course Reviews

Don't pass up an invite to any of these "second-best" courses

courtesy of Sea Island

Kiawah Island, located south of Charleston on the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the country’s great golf resorts with a menu of five different courses that each reveal aspects of the distinctive environment that makes golf in the Lowcountry so unique. But Kiawah Island wouldn’t be among the game’s most desirable destinations without its marquee attraction, The Ocean Course, ranked No. 24 on America’s 100 Greatest Courses and host venue of two PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup.

As fun and interesting as Kiawah Island’s other four courses are, everyone who visits wants to play The Ocean Course —if you went there and didn’t get a round in, you’d know you missed out on a rare experience.

Resorts like Bandon Dunes and Streamsong don’t have second and third courses—they are all 1A, 1B, 1C and so on (the five Bandon courses and three Streamsong layouts are all members of the America’s 100 Greatest and Second 100 Greatest Courses). Most resorts, however, have a main attraction that pulls golfers in, with one or more character actors around it playing supporting roles.

The same is true for some private clubs. Places like Baltusrol and Winged Foot each have 36 holes ranked among the 100 Greatest, but others like Medinah in Chicago, Los Angeles Country Club and Olympic Club in San Francisco built their reputations on singular architectural expressions that have historically overshadowed their secondary courses (Note: Medinah’s famed #3 course reopens this year after a major transformation by the Australian firm of Ogilvy, Cocking and Mead, and Olympic Club will soon embark on a reimagining of its Ocean Course by Jim Urbina).

Not all clubs and resorts suffer from lead/understudy syndrome. Some 1s and 2s are closer in quality and architectural intrigue than others. Though they rarely get the same level of publicity or ranking respect as their counterparts, these are our 10 favorite “little brothers” at multicourse public and resort properties, plus two bonus private clubs with underrated second options. If you skipped any of these off-Broadway productions, you’d be missing a show worth seeing.

Scroll through my selection of best "second courses," and be sure to click through to each individual course page for bonus photography and reviews from our course panelists. We also encourage you to leave your own ratings on the courses you’ve played … so you can make your case for why each course deserves, or doesn't deserve, more notoriety.

Arcadia Bluffs South Course

Arcadia, mi.

• 100 Greatest Public
• Best In State

Atlanta Athletic Club: Riverside

Johns creek, ga.

Omni Barton Creek Resort: Crenshaw Cliffside

Bethpage State Park: Red

Farmingdale, ny.

The Broadmoor Golf Club West Course

Colorado springs, co.

French Lick Resort: Donald Ross Course

French lick, in.

Oak Hill Country Club (West)

Rochester, ny.

PGA National Resort: Match Course

Palm beach gardens, fl.

PGA West: Pete Dye Mountain

La quinta, ca.

Pinehurst Resort: #3

Pinehurst, nc.

Sea Island: Plantation

Saint simons island, ga.

Torrey Pines Golf Course: North

La jolla, ca.

Explore  Golf Digest's new Course Reviews section  where you can submit a star rating and evaluation on all the courses you’ve played. We've collected tens of thousands of reviews from our course-ranking panelists to deliver a premium experience, which includes course rankings, experts' opinions, bonus course photography, videos and much more.  Check it out here !

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PGA Tour Event Disrupted by Alligator Casually Walking Across Tee Box

• Author: Madison Williams

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is used to having a special four-legged friend show up from time. to time on the course.

The guest, an alligator, halted play at the 17th hole during Thursday's first round. The groups of Bronson Burgoon and Jhonattan Vegas, along with Paul Barjon and Samuel Stevens, had to wait at the tee box for the alligator to cross in front of them before they could tee off. The animal didn't stop them from taking a few practice swings, though.

This isn't the first time an alligator has showed up at the Zurich Classic. The PGA Tour commentators reminded viewers that the tournament was used to a three-legged alligator gracing the course fittingly named "Tripod."

Now on the tee, from New Orleans, Louisiana ... A GATOR 🐊 pic.twitter.com/N8wEJh1pQ1 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 25, 2024

The alligator walked across the tee box without causing any issues with any golfers or fans. But it definitely took its sweet time to walk across.

Both golfing duos ended up paring the 17th hole despite the distraction.

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