Most difficult course you have played?

[mctrees02]

Torrey Pines was a tough course...but not because it's a great layout. When fairway landings areas are consistently 16-20 yards wide and you have 1 yard of 1" rough before rolling into 3.5" rough...you're going to be in for a miserable day if you aren't precise off the tee. Then you have 15 of 18 greens that have multiple hazards (bunkers w/ the occasional cliff mixed in) right up against the edges so there is no room for error. Again...be accurate or you are dead.

Spyglass Hill might the fairest tough course I've ever played. I've only played it once, and shot 88 from the next to back tees as a 7 index. 1 double, 1 triple, 5 pars, and 11 bogies later...I was worn out. I putted pretty well (only 1 3 putt, 33 putts total) but had a lot of trouble putting together two good shots from tee to green on that course. Somebody else hit the nail on the head when they said there are parts of those greens that you simply do NOT want to land on. They either leave you with nasty putts or send your ball off into places that will make getting up and down an act of God. I can't wait to play it again in a few weeks...

[Cochese23]

I live in Wisconsin, so I have played Whistling Straights, The Irish Course, both Blackwolf Run courses and Erin Hills. I have played all the Pebble Peach courses. Have also played in Myrtle beach a couple times, Robert Trent Jones trail in AL, and some other nicer courses in southern Cali.

I have seen many others many others post that Spyglass was one of the thougher courses and I played probably the best round of my life there, shot 73 from the back tees.

My hardest in order would be:

1. Irish Course at Whitsling Straights - not even fun to play, just retarded. Don't waste your money, play the Meadows course instead (some of the best golf holes I have ever played)

2. River Course at Blackwolf - fair course, but always seems to kick my butt

3. Erin Hills - ranking this one third may be a bit unfair as I played it from the blue tees (7234 yards, 75.2/139) and it rained the night before, so the greens were pretty receptive. Yeah, it's pretty long, but the fairways are generous and if you drive it well, it doesn't actually play that long, at least from the blue tees. Plus the fescue grass isn't fully grown in yet, so it is still possible to play out of most of the time.

That being said, I think Erin hills has the potential to be the hardest. It can be stretched out to around 7800 yards and if the USGA firms it up, narrows the fairways and gets the rough up, that place will be brutal. Add any wind and over par winning score is almost certain for the '17 US Open

[gooner64]

The course that beat me was Carnoustie..An absolute beast.We played off the tee,s of the day which just happened to be the "Open Championship" tee,s..S.S.S. is 77,and it more than played to it !!!!

Other difficult courses that I,ve struggled to master are ..Wolf Creek, Mesquite..Visually a STUNNER....If you get the chance,try the tee shot on no-2 back tee...WOW
Lost Key.nr Pensacola in Florida...Miss the fairway and its a lost ball...!!!!
P.G.A. WEST..La Quinta...Just tough..

and Turnberry Scotland..Which we managed to get round in a 50-70 mph wind..Tha caddymaster said it must be "breezy",because the Seagulls were walking.. !!!!

[jparker390]

Myopia.

[rabbit111]

Royal Troon.
When you hit a 3 iron 140 metres then the next hit an 8 iron 180 metres you know you've had a tough day. Don't think it would be as tough though during calm conditions.

[Backspin9]

Played Cog Hill Dubsdread off the tips and in the rain a few years ago. It probably wasn't the hardest course I've played but it was without a doubt the most difficult round. It was so wet drives were backiing up in the fairways if they didn't plug and the course felt like it was playing 8000 yards. That was the best 88 I ever shot and I was happy with it. LOL.

I played Carnoustie last summer and actually didn't think it was as hard as everyone said it would be, but the conditions were fairly calm, a rarity over there. I had a good round and good caddy that for the most part helped keep me out of those enormous bunkers. I actually thought the Jubilee Course at St Andrews was every bit as tough as Carnoustie with its gorse and tall fescue rough. I've played the Jubilee twice and both times came away totally exhausted.

Honorable mention would go to the Kapalua Plantation Course on Maui if for no other reason than the greens. Those things were so fast you could hit the ball with your shadow, but the layout was no slouch either.

[usgaer]

[quote name='buckeyevalley' timestamp='1382468933' post='8041147']
What is the most difficult course you have played (slope, course rating, etc)? Played over the weekend at a course with a 152 slope. I believe 155 slope is the maximum, so it might be safe to say that was the most difficult I have ever played. And yes, the course did eat me up.
[/quote]

ERIN HILLS ,,,,us open will be won way over par. i have played all over the US and this is by far the hardest track I have ever played.

[Shemp]

Royal County Down is hands down the toughest course I've ever set foot on. They told us that Tiger shot an 83 his first visit.

http://youtu.be/U_IWBxhVkZo

[jumboross]

County Louth Golf Club (AKA Blatray) in a gale last spring. Very tight, lots of blind tee shots, undulating, fast greens. Just very, very tough. Can see why the played Walker Cup there.

[MyShortGameSucks]

I would say toughest I have played were

1) The Shatuck in NH. It's not long at all but it's so fricking tight and tricked up. Even hitting irons off the tee can get you into trouble . I think the best I ever scored there was 83 and was not that unhappy with it!!

2) PGA West Stadium is just miserable. It's tough, long and just not a good or enjoyable course. I am a big Pete Dye fan but this is one if his duds IMO.

3) Torrey Pines South -I just cannot play this course. It's a good layout with great views but for whatever reason it just eats my lunch every time and it doesn't help that I always seem to turn up with my E game

[Pete O'Tube]

Carnoustie - started 3, 8, followed by 13 pars and a 4, 6, 5 finish. Played out of my skin after a lost ball on 2. Couldn't keep it going though and got beaten up by the last 3 holes; so difficult.

[lumberman2462]

Ocean Course - 20 MPH winds that day.
TPC Sawgrass. Was hitting it crooked that day.
Olde Stone in Alvaton, KY. Just godawful hard.
Southern Hills. Windy AND greens out of control fast.
Carnoustie.

Really can't rank which was the worst.

[TheKrushh]

Played a college tournament in Iowa at a no name course that I don't even remember. It was 45 degrees with 30 and gusts up to 62 mph. One guy in my group 7-putted and walked off the first green. The temp dropped and it started snowing on the back nine. I hit a full lob wedge that came back at me and I had to move to not get hit. Shot an 82 and got 3rd in a 12 team event. Other than about 10 DQ's for quitting, the high score was in 130's.

[scottishpedro]

[quote name='bigblue' timestamp='1382475496' post='8041733']
I am not sure of the slope but the hardest I have played is Carnoustie. It is not only a hard course but it is visually intimidating as well. A lot of the other difficult courses seem to have a couple of holes where you can take a breath. I felt at Carnoustie that every hole made you play as well as you can play. On my trip I also played The Old Course and Turnberry as well as some others but I was never intimidated on any of them like I was at Carnoustie.
[/quote]

You should try playing it every week with a card in your hand! As a member, I totally agree. It is definately the hardest course I have played. Even the seemingly more straightforward holes can ruin your score. There's a lot of out of bounds, and the famous Barry burn which swallows any balls that go near it, but it's the bunkering that makes Carnoustie difficult. Find yourself in a fairway bunker (which you will, they are eveywhere!) and its a definate shot dropped. Having said that, I have have had many of my best scoring rounds there; it is so difficult off the back tees, and the wind is so strong that the competition standard scratch almost always goes up, so it offers opportunities to get your handicap cut.

I am lucky enough to be heading to Florida in 3 weeks time and we are playing Lake Nona, Isleworth, Pablo Creek, Long Cove and Secession. It's been a long time since I played in the states and I hear it is a very different type of golf to what i'm used to, I'm looking forward to the challenge!

Pete

[backtees]

[quote name='RJRJRJ' timestamp='1382482455' post='8042283']
I just looked up Kapalua, and at 71.7/130 from the regular tees that I played, apparently its not ranked too hard. But as a first time player, there are a ton of blind shots, crazy amounts of wind, lots of OB, huge elevation changes, and rock hard greens with confusing ocean breaks.
[/quote]


I fully agree - i had the chance to play the Plantation course in November this year. From the championstee it's 7'400, 142 slope. These blind shots and elevation changes are tough and as RJRJRJ already mentioned: those greens are crazy - fast as the marble floor of a hotel lobby with crazy pin positions. And the upcoming wind around noon makes this course really really long.
Another factor: the scenic is sooooooo fantastic - hard to keep the concentration up the entire 18 holes and get focused again after you shot some pictures.....and you shoot pictures all the time.

[SkyyDesigns]

I've played Kapalua Plantation about a dozen times now, and my low round is 68 which I shot in the skins game in about a 20 mph trade wind. The course in my opinion is very easy as the fairways are huge some being 40-75 yards wide. The number one thing at Plantation is the Bermuda greens. Yes the course plays firm and fast as it should, with no rough the course is guarded for high winds. My advice for all players playing their for the first time is to go a few days early and practice putting on the Bermuda greens. Grain can dictate a lot more especially after seeding, It was the only true thing that took me a few times playing to get comfortable with line and trusting my reads. Overall In time the course does get easier once you learn the greens as the fairways are so wide hitting FIR is the easy part.

I wanted to add a few courses to my previous list. PGA West Stadium and Koolau Golf Course on Oahu. I've scored well at the Stadium course but the lone time I played Koolau I shot 81 as a +2 handicap. Scorecard has it at 155 slope which is max rating, but in all my experience the course was way above that and with trouble everywhere I would have the course rating at over 77.0.

[The Pearl]

[quote name='Shemp' timestamp='1387550353' post='8327495']
Royal County Down is hands down the toughest course I've ever set foot on. They told us that Tiger shot an 83 his first visit.

[media=]http://youtu.be/U_IWBxhVkZo[/media]
[/quote]

It looks like that place would swallow you whole. What is with the ski slope in the middle of that one hole? It looks awesome.

[Shemp]

[quote name='The Pearl' timestamp='1388590321' post='8378667']
[quote name='Shemp' timestamp='1387550353' post='8327495']
Royal County Down is hands down the toughest course I've ever set foot on. They told us that Tiger shot an 83 his first visit.

[media=]http://youtu.be/U_IWBxhVkZo[/media]
[/quote]

It looks like that place would swallow you whole. What is with the ski slope in the middle of that one hole? It looks awesome.
[/quote]

It is beautiful, but brutally penal. Many blind shots, deep rough, narrow fairways, bunkers everywhere. What the flyover doesn't show are the "eyelashes" on the bunkers. They let the fescue grow up and over the top lips so you not only have to get over the lip, but over a couple of feet of grass. I'd like to play it again with the winds down a little bit and no hangover!

[nybluebird]

I've played at least 2 of the more popular chices on here, BP Black, and Ocean at Kiawah. But one of the courses in my semi-regular rotation plays WAY more difficult than what the scorecard may indicate, and anyone familiar with it will certainly agree. Crystal Springs in northern NJ is just a stupid hard course. It is extremely difficult, with senseless mounding in the fairways, blind shots, lay ups, forced carries, and the like. I only play here when I get it for nearly nothing, or if they have some silly tournament. When you finish with the round, you feel beat up, and like you're bringing a bad report card home to your parents, lol.

[drmlum]

[quote name='SkyyDesigns' timestamp='1388549349' post='8377493']
I've played Kapalua Plantation about a dozen times now, and my low round is 68 which I shot in the skins game in about a 20 mph trade wind. The course in my opinion is very easy as the fairways are huge some being 40-75 yards wide. The number one thing at Plantation is the Bermuda greens. Yes the course plays firm and fast as it should, with no rough the course is guarded for high winds. My advice for all players playing their for the first time is to go a few days early and practice putting on the Bermuda greens. Grain can dictate a lot more especially after seeding, It was the only true thing that took me a few times playing to get comfortable with line and trusting my reads. Overall In time the course does get easier once you learn the greens as the fairways are so wide hitting FIR is the easy part.

I wanted to add a few courses to my previous list. PGA West Stadium and Koolau Golf Course on Oahu. I've scored well at the Stadium course but the lone time I played Koolau I shot 81 as a +2 handicap. Scorecard has it at 155 slope which is max rating, but in all my experience the course was way above that and with trouble everywhere I would have the course rating at over 77.0.
[/quote]

I LOVE Koolau...probably played it 10 times. The 18th hole is a beast and I've only made par once...as a scratch golfer.
Gotta say Kiawah Ocean and Torrey Pines South are the toughest I played. The Ranch in SJ is not too tough once you play it a few times and it's only the front nine. Bayonet, Olympic Lake, Cal Club and PasaTiempo are tough in NorCal.

[jed6293]

I would say a course that needs wind to be a tough track is not the toughest track out there. Although a lot of courses are designed for that matter. However, I appreciate the tough course design more. IMO

Toughest Course I have played is Liberty National- 77.7/155 doesnt get harder then that...Pleasured to work there for The Barclays; they do not tip the course out all the way, and the course has inch & 1/4 rough...Just a flat out tough course to play, never was able to get a great score there. Also usually plays for a par 72 for Member play, but 71 for the tournament...almost 7 strokes over par..no thank you

[UW Alumni 94]

[quote name='Shemp' timestamp='1388603514' post='8379685']
[quote name='The Pearl' timestamp='1388590321' post='8378667']
[quote name='Shemp' timestamp='1387550353' post='8327495']
Royal County Down is hands down the toughest course I've ever set foot on. They told us that Tiger shot an 83 his first visit.

[media=]http://youtu.be/U_IWBxhVkZo[/media]
[/quote]

It looks like that place would swallow you whole. What is with the ski slope in the middle of that one hole? It looks awesome.
[/quote]

It is beautiful, but brutally penal. Many blind shots, deep rough, narrow fairways, bunkers everywhere. What the flyover doesn't show are the "eyelashes" on the bunkers. They let the fescue grow up and over the top lips so you not only have to get over the lip, but over a couple of feet of grass. I'd like to play it again with the winds down a little bit and no hangover!
[/quote][quote name='Shemp' timestamp='1388603514' post='8379685']
[quote name='The Pearl' timestamp='1388590321' post='8378667']
[quote name='Shemp' timestamp='1387550353' post='8327495']
Royal County Down is hands down the toughest course I've ever set foot on. They told us that Tiger shot an 83 his first visit.

[media=]http://youtu.be/U_IWBxhVkZo[/media]
[/quote]

It looks like that place would swallow you whole. What is with the ski slope in the middle of that one hole? It looks awesome.
[/quote]

It is beautiful, but brutally penal. Many blind shots, deep rough, narrow fairways, bunkers everywhere. What the flyover doesn't show are the "eyelashes" on the bunkers. They let the fescue grow up and over the top lips so you not only have to get over the lip, but over a couple of feet of grass. I'd like to play it again with the winds down a little bit and no hangover!
[/quote]

I agree completely.....Royal County Down is without question the most difficult course I have played to date and I played it in relatively calm conditions.

[jim rockford]

thx for the analysis of some tough san fran area courses (bridges, ranch, olympic etc)

what about the 9 hilly holes at stronetree in novoto ca (20 miles north of GGate bridge)?

one hole 16th i didn't want to drive. scared.... and i was 2nd hardest tees. there was another tee 25 yards further back...

[jim rockford]

gimmicky course but 18 pastures near vancouver is ridic... front 9 at northlands (north vancouver bc) too