Tuesday, February 28

Top 10 Hardest Golf Courses in United States

Mower races at Oakmont. Not really. (Courtesy of John E Kaminski)

IF YOU LIKE YOUR GOLF EXTREMELY TOUGH and have special connections, then here is a list of brutally difficult tracks for you to play. Keep score if you dare, and let us know how you do.

Golf.com senior editor Joe Passov published his list of “Top 10 Toughest Courses in the U.S.” on Monday. Passov writes, “Jack Nicklaus was once asked to rate a handful of classic courses on a scale of difficulty from 1 to 10. He rated Augusta National, Oak Hill, St. Andrews and Seminole all 8s. Baltusrol and Pebble Beach merited a 10. How about Winged Foot? ‘11,’ responded Nicklaus. ‘Maybe 12.’”

Of the above courses mentioned by Nicklaus, only Winged Foot made the following list. (Not sure how Jack overlooked Oakmont.)

1. Whistling Straits
Haven, Wisconsin

2. Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont, Pennsylvania
(See my “Oakmont Is Cage Fighting in Fashionable Clothing”)

3. Pine Valley Golf Club
Pine Valley, New Jersey

4. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean)
Kiawah Island, South Carolina

5. TPC Sawgrass (PLAYERS Stadium)
Ponte Vedra, Florida

6. Bethpage State Park (Black Course)
Farmingdale, New York

7. PGA West (TPC Stadium)
La Quinta, California

8. Winged Foot Golf Club (West)
Mamaroneck, New York

9. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Pebble Beach, California

10. Wolf Creek Golf Club
Mesquite, Nevada

Top 10 ‘Green’ Golf Courses in United States


Fixing Divots said...

How do you think wind comes into play on these? My guess is Oakmont is pretty steady up there, while Whistling Straits might be a bit easier on a soft day but virtually unplayable when it's howling.

The Armchair Golfer said...

Being a links-style course, the wind can definitely be a major factor at Whistling Straits. Oakmont doesn't need a breath of wind to be diabolical.

Anonymous said...

Whistling Straits,that's the one that seems most terrifying to me.

Anonymous said...

If Oakmont is playing fast and it usually is there are only 2 or 3 holes that will hold an average wedge players approach shot and your leaves are usually over the green in 4"-5" rough or a deep bunker. Plus which the landing areas for most drives will run out if your not able to shape your shots and turn the ball. Very hard course if you want to score. The par 3's give you about an 8' circle to hit otherwise your begging for a bogie. I quit counting at the turn. Not very fun. No one in my foursome broke 80, one guy broke his putter on a tree. If you like 70 footers with triple breaks your right at home here.