Top 10 Hardest Courses in USA - why are majors not played at some of these courses?

[FakeClubPro]

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994)

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.   Augusta last year was #3 but dropped to #6.   Sand Hills is probably too new and is in Nebraska.   When was the last time a major was played at Merion?  What about Pine Valley, Fisher Island or National Golf?   Seems the PGA and USGA do not want the hardest tracks.

 

[Bad9]

3 minutes ago, FakeClubPro said:

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35-they don't want to

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14-see #1

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87-US Open in 2018

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47-don't know

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22-US Open 2016

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93-duh

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46-probably too far away from a population center

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44-US Open 2013

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09-probably don't want to

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64-US Open 2019

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.   Augusta last year was #3 but dropped to #6.   Sand Hills is probably too new and is in Nebraska.   When was the last time a major was played at Merion?  What about Pine Valley, Fisher Island or National Golf?   Seems the PGA and USGA do not want the hardest tracks.

 

Of your top 10 6 host majors on a regular basis, at least two are widely known to want to preserve their exclusivity and one is probably too far from an urban center. I really don't see what point you are trying to get at.

[ScottF]

I’m sure all of those and many more difficult courses have been approached about having major tournaments but the demands on the course and on the membership is often more than the course management is willing to allow. Some courses like Butler National near Chicago still do not allow female members which eliminates them from consideration.

[VNutz]

12 minutes ago, FakeClubPro said:

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994)

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.   Augusta last year was #3 but dropped to #6.   Sand Hills is probably too new and is in Nebraska.   When was the last time a major was played at Merion?  What about Pine Valley, Fisher Island or National Golf?   Seems the PGA and USGA do not want the hardest tracks.

 

 

Beyond some courses not wanting the attention, not all of these have the type of facility necessary to host the amount of people and spectators a major would come with. Where would spectators stand at Pine Valley? Where would the grandstands go at Fishers Island? It would be great to see pros play these courses in a major style event, but from a logistical standpoint it just wouldn't work well.

 

Ironically this year would have been the ideal time to do it.

[ThinkingPlus]

6 minutes ago, VNutz said:

 

Beyond some courses not wanting the attention, not all of these have the type of facility necessary to host the amount of people and spectators a major would come with. Where would spectators stand at Pine Valley? Where would the grandstands go at Fishers Island? It would be great to see pros play these courses in a major style event, but from a logistical standpoint it just wouldn't work well.

 

Ironically this year would have been the ideal time to do it.

Yes.  Some of those places exemplify the very essence of "social distancing". 😉

[bscinstnct]

Here you go, favorite courses from some of the best 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.golfdigest.com/gallery/photos-top-10-favorite-golf-courses/amp

 

 

Edited November 20, 2020 by bscinstnct

[mizuno player]

Some of these clubs have zero interest in hosting a professional tournament. Some courses do it for the notarity and to some extent extra revenue. Some of the courses on your list do not need or want that. Especially Pine Valley and Cypress. 

[FakeClubPro]

I wonder where they get these average scores in the golf magazine article.  #100 is Cherry Hills in Colorado with an average score of 42.5.   #1 Pine Valley in NJ is 97.35?  I guess the scores are from locals and only a few are scratch?   Is the avg score for 18 holes?  Golf magazine does not say.

 

Bethpage Black #30 at 59.33 avg score.

[MPAndreassi]

2 hours ago, FakeClubPro said:

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994)

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.   Augusta last year was #3 but dropped to #6.   Sand Hills is probably too new and is in Nebraska.   When was the last time a major was played at Merion?  What about Pine Valley, Fisher Island or National Golf?   Seems the PGA and USGA do not want the hardest tracks.

 

 

Justin Rose won at Merion in 2013 shooting +1 for the week at less than 7k yards. They’re on the schedule again for 2030. 

[dlygrisse]

2 hours ago, FakeClubPro said:

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994)

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.   Augusta last year was #3 but dropped to #6.   Sand Hills is probably too new and is in Nebraska.   When was the last time a major was played at Merion?  What about Pine Valley, Fisher Island or National Golf?   Seems the PGA and USGA do not want the hardest tracks.

 

Top 10 hardest, or just top 10?  Hardest doesnt always equal the best.  

 

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35  They don't want to have one, they are exclusive, poor logistics with the facility and location.  

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14  Exclusive, they took heat years ago when it was part of the AT&T for membership policies.  

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87 Have hosted several US opens

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47  See #1 

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22 Best US Open course ever IMO>  

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93 Masters

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994) It's the literal middle of nowhere.  And they don't want you trampling their rough.  

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44 Justin Rose, Lee Trevino etc.  

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09  See National Golf Links.

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64  How many do they need to host to make you happy?

Your premise is at best misguided, but probably more of a troll job than anything.  Please educate yourself before being so critical, you lose all credibility.  Your post would have been better if you would have stated: 

"The USGA and the PGA host their tournaments on some great tracks, do you all have any idea why 4 of the top 10 rated courses in the country, have not hosted one of their events?  It seems to me these venerable clubs would be waiting in line to hold a US Open.  What am I missing here?"  Thanks in advance to all the  wonderful and highly educated GolfWRXers, for your feedback."

 

Sincerely, 

FakeClubPro (not to be confused with Club Pro Guy)  

Edited November 20, 2020 by dlygrisse

[FakeClubPro]

I was thinking Pine Valley, Pine Valley.  Then I remember a course in NJ that had all this orangish sand all over in these huge waste areas.  It was on the Shell Golf 1962 video that was on you tube.   This program was one of the few times the course was on TV.

 

#3 is a par 3 175 yards and they both bogeyed the hole.  The greens look pretty tough too.

 

#10 par 3 135 yards and they are using 8 irons.  Bryson could have taken these rubes for all there dough back in the day (sarc).   #10 looks like absolute misery.  The green is insane.  ( go to 27:20 to see #10).

 

Bryson could drive all these greens.   Gene Littler had a nice swing and was really good with his irons.

 

 

[Bad9]

35 minutes ago, dlygrisse said:

Your premise is at best misguided, but probably more of a troll job than anything.  Please educate yourself before being so critical, you lose all credibility. 

This

[gvogel]

4 hours ago, FakeClubPro said:

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994)

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.   Augusta last year was #3 but dropped to #6.   Sand Hills is probably too new and is in Nebraska.   When was the last time a major was played at Merion?  What about Pine Valley, Fisher Island or National Golf?   Seems the PGA and USGA do not want the hardest tracks.

 

Your premise is wrong.  These are not the top 10 hardest golf courses.  These are the top 10 courses that the testers enjoyed playing, for various reasons.

[bladehunter]

3 hours ago, bscinstnct said:

Here you go, favorite courses from some of the best 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.golfdigest.com/gallery/photos-top-10-favorite-golf-courses/amp

 

 

I’m jealous of the penmanship!  Mine very much looks like Mr Palmers.  Or worse.  

[grm24]

4 hours ago, FakeClubPro said:

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994)

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.  

 

Not so. Koepka finished at +1 (281) at Shinnecock. Koepka "lit up" Erin Hills the year before Shinnecock.

[milesgiles]

Whilst op appears to have butchered this post, my pet hate with magazine writers top tens is including courses you can’t get on. We have enough of them in the uk.

[3whacker]

private courses like their PRIVACY, they dont want the USGA, the PGA or the LPGA to tell or make them change their membership or their courses.It also exposes the members to the public along with who the club may have denied membership to, and every once in awhile the members get stuck with the bill for any design changes along with having to give up access to their own club for a minimum of at least a month...the other underlying reason which no one will ever openly admit, the rank and file members dont feel they owe the game anything 

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Another flawed premise thread by the same OP. 

[dlygrisse]

52 minutes ago, milesgiles said:

Whilst op appears to have butchered this post, my pet hate with magazine writers top tens is including courses you can’t get on. We have enough of them in the uk.

https://www.golfdigest.com/gallery/americas-100-greatest-public-courses-ranking

 

They have multiple lists, nothing wrong with having a top 100 or top 10 with privates.  

[milesgiles]

10 minutes ago, dlygrisse said:

https://www.golfdigest.com/gallery/americas-100-greatest-public-courses-ranking

 

They have multiple lists, nothing wrong with having a top 100 or top 10 with privates.  

 

No, my specific issue is if you’re going to call your list ‘greatest golf courses’. (No qualifications). Including courses no one can get on is against the spirit of the game. 

[Hawkeye77]

5 hours ago, FakeClubPro said:

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994)

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.   Augusta last year was #3 but dropped to #6.   Sand Hills is probably too new and is in Nebraska.   When was the last time a major was played at Merion?  What about Pine Valley, Fisher Island or National Golf?   Seems the PGA and USGA do not want the hardest tracks.

 

Come on, it’s more than well known why and obvious - what’s the point in trolling this? 

[bscinstnct]

3 hours ago, bladehunter said:

I’m jealous of the penmanship!  Mine very much looks like Mr Palmers.  Or worse.  

Gary Player definitely spent a lot of time in penmanship class. He prolly learn with a fountain pen ✒️ and parchment 📜!

[CCTxGolf]

7 hours ago, bscinstnct said:

Here you go, favorite courses from some of the best 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.golfdigest.com/gallery/photos-top-10-favorite-golf-courses/amp

 

 

This is cool. Thanks for sharing.

[bladehunter]

35 minutes ago, bscinstnct said:

Gary Player definitely spent a lot of time in penmanship class. He prolly learn with a fountain pen ✒️ and parchment 📜!

More like iron gall ink and a feather to hear him tell it.  He flew more miles around the globe before 1850 than any golfer in history !!!! 

[bscinstnct]

19 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

More like iron gall ink and a feather to hear him tell it.  He flew more miles around the globe before 1850 than any golfer in history !!!! 

For his first Masters, GP swam to Georgia from South Africa and back.

 

Uphill

 

Both ways. 

 

[golfandfishing]

Do we think the OP was born this way or suffered a brain injury at some point?

[ebrasmus21]

4 hours ago, BlackDiamondPar5 said:

Another flawed premise thread by the same OP. 

We know what happens flying this close to the sun.  

[BNGL]

9 hours ago, FakeClubPro said:

 Course                                 Avg Score

1. Pine Valley (NJ)                 97.35

2. Cypress Point (Pebble)    97.14

3. Shinnecock Hills (LI, NY)  92.87

4. National Golf (LI,NY)         91.47

5. Oakmont (PA)                    86.22

6. Augusta (GA)                    84.93

7. Sand Hills (NE)                  84.46   (built 1994)

8. Merion E (PA)                    82.44

9. Fishers Island (NY)           81.09

10. Pebble Beach (CA)         79.64

 

Shinnecock and National Golf both in Southampton, NY.  Bruce destroyed Shinnecock but haters gonna hate.   Augusta last year was #3 but dropped to #6.   Sand Hills is probably too new and is in Nebraska.   When was the last time a major was played at Merion?  What about Pine Valley, Fisher Island or National Golf?   Seems the PGA and USGA do not want the hardest tracks.

 

It’s scary that you have the ability to post and share your thoughts with the world beyond this forum...5 of your 10 on that list regularly or have hosted a major championship since the start of 2000 some several times (Pebble 3x Oakmont 2x, Shinnecock 2x, obviously ANGC). Merion is slated to host in 2030 to commentate Bobby Jones 100 Anniversary winning the grand slam there. 
 

Pine Valley has no room for fans or grandstands, and no interest in hosting.

 

Cypress Point similar issues to Pine Valley also no interest in hosting.

NGLA has less interest in hosting than PV or CP. Also could provide some logistical issues as players would be crisscrossing Sebonac Road all day. But I don’t think closing that would be difficult? (Been there a bunch but not local to there).

 

Sand Hills no one is going to the middle of no where for a week to watch major championship golf although I bet they do have plenty of room for fans and grandstands.

 

Fishers Island is literally a f****** island...you realize the logistical nightmare it already is to host a major championship?! It doesn’t need to be further complicated by hosting on AN ISLAND! Also no room for grandstands. 

I am not sure why you continue to post utter BS if your doing it just to have a go or what but you titleist99 peoperturbo dropkicked 15th etc have a fleeting grasp of turf, courses, or just golf in general. And it seriously pisses me off...because I love golf I really do and everything I’ve posted stems from facts I’ve witnessed or learned, or was developed from talking to people in the know not random off the waist bs that gives people the wrong ideas. So just stop it think before you post...you’re not reinventing the wheel or posting anything Earth shattering that is going to make people think harder about something. You don’t matter, come contribute share stories etc but don’t be dumb.
 

 

[the bishop]

9 hours ago, bscinstnct said:

Here you go, favorite courses from some of the best 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.golfdigest.com/gallery/photos-top-10-favorite-golf-courses/amp

 

 

What do those fools know?

[dlygrisse]

I’m not sure which makes me feel more stupid. Reading this thread or watching the “news”