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

[Golf10]

10 hours ago, MPAndreassi said:

 

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. 

 

How firm is Merion for 2030 and do the members want it again?  Some people say it's too short but I thought it played great.  Would love to see it there again; would also love to play it.  I'm hearing Oakland Hills in 2028 after the Hanse restoration.  I love the old school courses.  No offense to Chambers or Erin Hills, which are both very nice tracks.

Edited November 21, 2020 by Golf10

[BlackDiamondPar5]

10 hours ago, dlygrisse said:

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)  

He's started multiple troll like threads in a short period of time. I think very Jones Scott like. 

Edited November 21, 2020 by BlackDiamondPar5

[MPAndreassi]

1 hour ago, Golf10 said:

 

How firm is Merion for 2030 and do the members want it again?  Some people say it's too short but I thought it played great.  Would love to see it there again; would also love to play it.  I'm hearing Oakland Hills in 2028 after the Hanse restoration.  I love the old school courses.  No offense to Chambers or Erin Hills, which are both very nice tracks.

 

2030 is the 100th anniversary of Bobby Jones US Am win at Merion which sealed his Grand Slam. Based on that I think that will seal the deal for them. 
 

I think the members enjoy having it, the other local neighbors maybe not so much. 😂

Edited November 21, 2020 by MPAndreassi

[Steele47]

Ernie Els signature is like Mayflower sails atop a dinghy.

[Golf10]

1 hour ago, MPAndreassi said:

 

2030 is the 100th anniversary of Bobby Jones US Am win at Merion which sealed his Grand Slam. Based on that I think that will seal the deal for them. 
 

I think the members enjoy having it, the other local neighbors maybe not so much. 😂

 

If the members will have it I think that seals the deal.  No brainer

[elwhippy]

Problem is with any of these lists is they rarely, if ever, come up with low profile courses. All are either well known, or designed by someone well known. Seminole opened it doors to the public and the public opinion was "errrrr is that it?". Some of these courses are beyond criticism in case the members top inviting journos for free games. Money talks. 

[milesgiles]

1 hour ago, elwhippy said:

Problem is with any of these lists is they rarely, if ever, come up with low profile courses. All are either well known, or designed by someone well known. Seminole opened it doors to the public and the public opinion was "errrrr is that it?". Some of these courses are beyond criticism in case the members top inviting journos for free games. Money talks. 

 

Very, very true

 

any lists I see in the uk, it’s the most expensive and inaccessible courses at the top. Many are laughably over rated. 

[Golf10]

8 hours ago, elwhippy said:

Problem is with any of these lists is they rarely, if ever, come up with low profile courses. All are either well known, or designed by someone well known. Seminole opened it doors to the public and the public opinion was "errrrr is that it?". Some of these courses are beyond criticism in case the members top inviting journos for free games. Money talks. 

I get 100% of what you're saying.  A lot of the courses listed are very private and I haven't played them.  What low profile courses would you recommend replacing them with?

[hammersia]

9 hours ago, milesgiles said:

 

Very, very true

 

any lists I see in the uk, it’s the most expensive and inaccessible courses at the top. Many are laughably over rated. 

How do you know they are over rated then?

[Shilgy]

On 11/20/2020 at 11:42 AM, gvogel said:

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.

Exactly....these “average scores” are NOT rounds of golf. They are a scoring system the course raters use to evaluate the course. 

[milesgiles]

1 hour ago, hammersia said:

How do you know they are over rated then?

 

Been to many of them and watched golf there multiple times. Are Troon and Lytham really worthy of the Open beyond their historical context?

[Shilgy]

33 minutes ago, milesgiles said:

 

Been to many of them and watched golf there multiple times. Are Troon and Lytham really worthy of the Open beyond their historical context?

Based on what I read in sooooo many posts that is the reason we need a rollback. To save those historically great courses.

[freowho]

There is a lot of group think and reputation among the "best of lists". The term "best" is also very subjective. Almost everyone would love a game at Augusta but most would fall out of love with golf if they played Augusta every week. Most would enjoy golf a lot more at an easier course.

[bscinstnct]

1 hour ago, freowho said:

There is a lot of group think and reputation among the "best of lists". The term "best" is also very subjective. Almost everyone would love a game at Augusta but most would fall out of love with golf if they played Augusta every week. Most would enjoy golf a lot more at an easier course.

 

Thats right, fw

 

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

 

The vistas, the sunlight through the trees  the smell of the grass, 

 

blah, blah, blah,

 

The moment of beauty is the strike!

 

That split instant of time when you unload on the ball and impart energy, purely transferred, head down 

 

Then, head up!

 

And there it goes, into a background of clouds and blue sky. Rising above the trees, your heartbeat following...

 

As beautiful as a bird in flight. 

 

 

[hammersia]

9 hours ago, bscinstnct said:

 

Thats right, fw

 

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

 

The vistas, the sunlight through the trees  the smell of the grass, 

 

blah, blah, blah,

 

The moment of beauty is the strike!

 

That split instant of time when you unload on the ball and impart energy, purely transferred, head down 

 

Then, head up!

 

And there it goes, into a background of clouds and blue sky. Rising above the trees, your heartbeat following...

 

As beautiful as a bird in flight. 

 

 

Never managed that sort of shot personally 

[the bishop]

9 hours ago, bscinstnct said:

 

Thats right, fw

 

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

 

The vistas, the sunlight through the trees  the smell of the grass, 

 

blah, blah, blah,

 

The moment of beauty is the strike!

 

That split instant of time when you unload on the ball and impart energy, purely transferred, head down 

 

Then, head up!

 

And there it goes, into a background of clouds and blue sky. Rising above the trees, your heartbeat following...

 

As beautiful as a bird in flight. 

 

 

channeling your inner Roy McAvoy

[elwhippy]

Troon and Lytham? Troon's front nine isn't that great but from the turn it is a superb test of skill. Lytham is off the Open list at the moment due to the lack of ability to lengthen the course any more. It has some stunning holes and some less so but still challenging. 15, 17 and 18 are masterpieces. 

[milesgiles]

1 hour ago, elwhippy said:

Troon and Lytham? Troon's front nine isn't that great but from the turn it is a superb test of skill. Lytham is off the Open list at the moment due to the lack of ability to lengthen the course any more. It has some stunning holes and some less so but still challenging. 15, 17 and 18 are masterpieces. 

 

I don’t think either tick too many boxes for an Open. Troon has a charming caravan park at one end, Lytham backs onto some ghastly council estate and has no room for spectators. I can think of 20 better suited british links easily 

[Shilgy]

2 hours ago, the bishop said:

channeling your inner Roy McAvoy

Roy: "What Is The Golf Swing," by Roy McAvoy? Well, I tend to think of the golf swing as a poem.

Romeo: Ooh, he's doing that poetry thing again.

Roy: The critical opening phrase of this poem will always be the grip. The hands unite to form a single unit by the simple overlap of the little finger.

Molly: Right.

Roy: Lowly and slowly, the clubhead is led back, pulled into position not by the hands, but by the body, which turns away from the target, shifting weight to the right side without shifting balance. Tempo is everything; perfection unobtainable as the body coils down at the top of the swing. There's a slight hesitation. A little nod to the gods...

Molly: A, a nod to the gods?

Roy: Yeah, to the gods. That he is fallible. That perfection is unobtainable. And now the weight begins shifting back to the left pulled by the powers inside the earth, it's alive, this swing! A living sculpture and down through contact, always down, striking the ball crisply, with character. A tuning fork goes off in your loins. Such a pure feeling is the well-struck golf shot. And then the follow through to finish. Always on line. The reverse C of the Golden Bear! The steel workers' power and brawn of Carl Sandburg's Arnold Palmer!

Romeo: Ohh, he's doing that Arnold Palmer thing.

Roy: And then the unfinished symphony of Roy McAvoy.

Molly: What's unfinished?

Roy: Well, I have a short follow-through. It has an unfinished look...

Molly: Why?

Roy: Well, some say it's the easiest way to play in the winds of west Texas...some say it's because I never finish anything in my life. You can decide. But the point is...every finishing position is unique. That's what the golf swing's about. It's about gaining control of your life and...letting go at the same time.

Molly: Jeez Louise.

Roy: There's only one other acceptable theory about how to hit the ball.

Molly: Oh, boy, well, I'm afraid to ask. What is it?

Roy: Grip it and rip it.

[bscinstnct]

4 hours ago, hammersia said:

Never managed that sort of shot personally 

 

Ha! Everyone, even a hack like me, has had some shots like that. 
 

The ones you fall asleep to and keep you coming back ; )

[hammersia]

3 hours ago, elwhippy said:

Troon and Lytham? Troon's front nine isn't that great but from the turn it is a superb test of skill. Lytham is off the Open list at the moment due to the lack of ability to lengthen the course any more. It has some stunning holes and some less so but still challenging. 15, 17 and 18 are masterpieces. 

And Troon is a surprisingly good spectator course, managed to walk round and see virtually every shot of Stenson vs Mickelson. 
Lytham is er, quirky, I’m guessing Merion would be the US equivalent. Not great viewing but a lot of history, most of it involving Gary Player over the course of one hour.