Most difficult course you've ever played....

[NM Golf]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Thunderhill in Madison, Ohio (Northern Ohio - east of Cleveland)

http://golfthunderhill.com/

Par 72  7,504 yards  78.5  152

Par 72  6,866 yards  74.5  144

Par 72  6,436 yards  72.5  137

Par 72  5,754 yards  70.1  128

Par 72  4,769 yards  68.5  121

For an oddity course... That is very difficult - at one time was ranked the toughest course according to slope/rating in Ohio (not sure if this is still the case or not??).  Many years back (2001 or 2002), I played the course when I was visiting my best friend who was attending medical school in Cleveland.  He pulled together a four day trip where we would play several courses throughout the area.  And one was Thunderhill.

The starter at the first tee - he will ask for your USGA handicap card if you walk back to the championship tee box which is known as the 'Lightning' tees.  They don't let you play the tips unless you are a low single digit handicapper.  The course is long, tight and has a lot of water hazards as it used to be the home of a fish hatchery.  Pretty awesome course if you want to test yourself and play one of the more challenging courses out there.

http://golfthunderhill.com/course/course_tour/THThole1.html

http://www.examiner.com/article/thunder-hill-golf-club-madison-ohio-course-review

http://www.golfstyles.net/EnewsFolder_March10/OHPlayMar10.html

Originally Posted by iacas

We played it more recently in the Newport Cup.

It's not golf. It's a joke. I recommend you (reading this) just stay away. So many good courses in this area, don't waste your money on Thunder Hill.

The most difficult course I've ever played? Oakmont during regular conditions. I've played Oakland Hills, too, and that might be second, but it's not close.

I have to agree with Erik on this one. That was one of the worst courses I have ever played. It was hard yes but in a totally unfair and ridiculous way. I remember hitting a 70 yard lob wedge into the front portion of one of the greens and it bounced like 15 feet in the air then then bounded over the green into the water. The tour plays hard and fast courses but Thunder Hill is stupid.

[pixel5]

Lantana in Lantana, TX was recently a qualifying course for a PGA event. I played there in high school. When I played, there were 144 bunkers. Most of them were the size of an interstate.

I shot like a 109.

[newtogolf]

Bethpage Black, warning signs weren't joking.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by FuzzyB1

I love That Course! Not sure if it's the toughest, but is one of the best public courses I've ever played.

Have you played it from the tips?  I don't think it's the toughest course around, but it's the toughest I've played.

[BuckeyeNut]

75.1cr 141slope...........right in my backyard.

[wolfsburg2]

I played Currahee CLub a few weeks ago from the back tees. It was a C-hair short of 7600 yards. 76.X Cap and 150 slope.

Easily the toughest and least enjoyment I've had on a golf course. The course was beautiful and lush and well manicured etc etc etc. But it just wasn't fun from the back tees (played with a scratch and a PGA pro or I'd have moved up 2 boxes me thinks).

I don't know if I'd bother to play it again, if I did it would be from a forward set of tees and I'd be playing with some noodles or something worth losing in the mean rough that eats balls.

[Tuflehundon]

Magnolia Plantation in Lake Mary, FL. (near Orlando) Tight fairways, and from the blues there is water in play on 15 of the holes. Loved that course though, and I used to play it a lot. It taught me to look at course management differently. Sometimes it was better to hit a wood or even iron off of the tee to get a better layup shot that to use a driver and end up in trouble. I think I learned more playing there than anywhere else I have played.

When people would ask me were I played and I mentioned Magnolia Plantation, on more than one occasion they would ask me if I was a masochist.

[Bastid]

The Irish course at Whistling Straits.

Granted I played in 45 degree weather and 30 mph wind, but it would be brutal no matter the conditions. No really that long (7200 yards) but no where to miss and lightning greens.

75.6 / 146

I actually played well and shot 83. The brightest moment for me came at the end when I finished the course on the same ball I started with. Not losing a ball out there was an achievement in itself.

[Lefty-Golfer]

Kiawah Island when the wind is blowing is a tough brutal golf course…and occasionally painful golf course. I was 2 under thru 5 holes and walked out with a 95 last year. Epic meltdown – you must commit to the fairway and if you miss it you must commit to getting back to it on your next shot. If you play out of the waste area all day you will hate yourself!!

[1NatsFan]

This is a very difficult question to answer since the perceived difficulty of a course is directly related to how well I am playing on a given day.

I played very well on Carnoustie, but have been beat up mercilessly on a local muni.

Also, experience on a course can make what seemed to be a very difficult course play much easier.

That being said, and knowing full well that my two caveats play into this choice, I would have to pick The Prince in Princeville, Kauai.

While I enjoyed the round, I was exhausted by the end of it.  It really beat me up.

[sacm3bill]

I played the Prince once, and although I had a good day I still would've rated it as the most difficult course I've played... until last year when I played the Dragon at Nakoma Golf Resort, in the Sierra Nevada mountains of northern California. 71.7/144 from the tips, and that's *after* they redesigned the course to make it easier since they weren't getting any return business.

[ThominOH]

Mine is Firestone North here in Akron..  I have played the South too, but with all the water on the North course, it was more intimidating..

[123Putt]

King Edward Bay, Isle of Man.

[fredsco]

My most difficult is Crystal Springs in Northwest NJ. It is a decent course but way too many mounds and moguls for my preference. There is a par-3 there where you are way up on a gorge (pic below) and have to hit to a green that's almost like a fan blade. Nice scenery but less appealing from a gold perspective.

[rustyredcab]

Caroustie in a horizontal rain and unbelievable winds.

Worst weather I've ever played in through the first nine holes. As we walked off the ninth green, my very seasoned caddie said, "Now it is time for the hardening." and we played into the wind for the next nine holes. Truly like something out of a bad movie. The caddies kept asking if we wanted to go in. But we had just arrived from Chicago and were fools with a schedule. Only fools who had just arrived from the states were on the course. By the time we were playing 17, we were the only foursome on the course. Group after group had walked by us to call it quits.

The saddest part is that I don't recall anything about the course. It was simply survival. I do recall that I hit hit a good drive on 18. Followed by a solid 3-wood. Another solid 3-wood. and then some mid-iron into some water followed by a wedge onto the green. Seemed like the hole was 800 yards long.

[Lefty-Golfer]

Originally Posted by fredsco

My most difficult is Crystal Springs in Northwest NJ. It is a decent course but way too many mounds and moguls for my preference. There is a par-3 there where you are way up on a gorge (pic below) and have to hit to a green that's almost like a fan blade. Nice scenery but less appealing from a gold perspective.

i played this course once, it is a difficult course and that hole did suck. best you can hope if you don't have anyone who knows the course is to miss long and avoid the lake.

[Motown88]

St.Ives and Tullymore resort in Michigan.  Both very challenging courses.  St. Ives in my opinon was the tougher of the two because of the numerous blind shots, although I shot one of the best rounds of my life on this course.  It was back when I was in highschool and my dad and I were paired with a couple of older gentlemen that were disgusted to see they were playing with a kid.  They were rude the entire day and needless to say I went out there and showed them I was for real.  To bad that was several years ago and I've since gotten worse...somehow!!!

[Clubchucker]

I would have to say Old Corkscrew in Estero, FL (just north of Naples).  Jack Nicklaus design.  Played it a few times and it's not only tough but beautiful.  Heard that the reason the Senior Tour doesn't hold their event there is because it's too tough.  I always tell people you will not have a straight putt outside 3" on the entire course (slight exaggeration but not much) however I will say I enjoy the challenge.  Posted some good scores there and....not so good.