Most Difficult Course You’ve Played

[HJJ003]

This last year I played Antler Creek GC in Peyton, CO. It has been voted in some Colorado publications as the toughest course in the state. It was very penal. It had what was marketed as the hardest 4 Hole stretch in the state known as “The Gauntlet”. Man those holes were tough! I made bogey on the first hole and thought this ain’t too bad! Three holes and many strokes later I survived “The Gauntlet”, alas my scorecard did not. It was fun to play once to say I did it, but wouldn’t play again. Just way too difficult and unrelenting for numerous plays. 

So what is the most difficult course you have played??

[Philosopher]

I think it definitely depends on the conditions the day you play but there's a course not far away from me here in Melbourne Australia.  The course is called Moonah Links and a few years ago they used to have the greens racing, thigh high rough and it can be set up very long. One time I played it the wind was really up (it's on a peninsula so coast is close on all sides) it was set up way too tough for me.

I've played it again in recent years and they've toned it down a bit and if the wind is gentle it's a great course.  When it blows hard though it's still very difficult. 

Cheers

Phil

[Ty_Webb]

For unrelenting trouble everywhere and really long I would say The Ocean Course at Kiawah. I played there a long time ago and I was not as good then, so maybe that has skewed my thinking. In its typical weather and from the back tees, Royal St Georges is ridiculously hard. Winged Foot West is very tough too, especially from that back tees, although remarkably playable from the more forward tees. 

[saevel25]

TPC Sawgrass on a chilly windy (15-20 mph) day, playing the course at 6700 yards.

On the 17th hole the flag was bending sideways about 20-30 degrees from the wind.

 

[klineka]

The hardest course I have played was also the best course I've played, and that was Punta Espada in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I played there earlier this year on my honeymoon. 

I did a mixture of the Blue and Yellow tees there at the recommendation of the caddie, on a few holes you have to hit from the Yellow or Black tees to get the best views.

The course is right on the ocean so there was a pretty constant 1-2 club wind coming in off the water, so some holes it was a cross wind, some holes you were hitting straight into the wind

This course would be a monster from the tips, 7396 yds, 77.0/137.

The yellow is 6883 and 75.3/134

[Wally Fairway]

Oakland Hills CC South Course - played it in the afternoon, they had some charity event that morning. For the charity event they had put the pin placements in the same locations as the Sunday round of the 2004 Ryder Cup. Although I didn't play well most of that round, I finished +1 over the last 4 holes which was great.

[HJJ003]

27 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

TPC Sawgrass on a chilly windy (15-20 mph) day, playing the course at 6700 yards.

On the 17th hole the flag was bending sideways about 20-30 degrees from the wind.

 

Yikes sounds tough! Well.....did you you hit the green???

Edited January 9, 2018 by HJJ003

[Patch]

For a course without, what I consider tricky, or gimicky holes, it's Spyglass. Even when I had a quality game, that course beat me up pretty well. I love playing there. I will be playing it again in a few weeks. 

[DaveP043]

On Oahu, Ko'olau.  From the "Resort" tees, 6400 yards, ratings 73.7/141.  If you're not in the fairway, you're hitting another ball.  The course is on the windward side of the mountain, so it gets a whole lot of rain, very little roll in the fairways.  The standard advice, expect to lose a number of balls equal to your handicap.

In Scotland, Championship Course at Carnoustie.  Of course we played here on a rainy windy day, which made it tougher, but it seemed as if I hit a dozen fairway bunkers, and had to go sideways every time.  Shots even a tiny bit offline rolled into the sand.  Same around the greens, a little offline meant a bunker, and many times the only way out was sideways.  Just a hard golf course, no gimmicks at all.  And as with most courses in Scotland, we wouldn't have been allowed to play longer tees.  Without special arrangements, guests play the regular men's tees, about 6600 yards..

[Kalnoky]

Elkhorn Valley Golf Course in Lyons, Oregon. It is an hour away from civilization in the Opal Creek Wilderness Area, the largest old growth stand in the Western Cascades (trees avg 500-1000 years old). If you miss the (very narrow) fairways you will not find your ball. If by luck you find your ball in the forest, it will take two strokes to punch out because of all the trees. Often times the only play was to punch out backwards. And, there is water everywhere. The clubhouse sells t-shirts that say "I lost my balls at Elkhorn".

I attempted 131/73.2 - 6300 and was severely humbled. I basically had no business being out there two years ago. Several guys from my home club warned me! I am curious to try it again this year, as I expect to improve again. Hopefully they are still in business, golf courses are taking a hit around here. 

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by Kalnoky

[Lihu]

http://www.missionhillschina.com/en-US/dongguan/golf/golf_courses/norman_course

Off the gold tees. Yuck. I don't know what we were thinking and the caddies just thought that we were not thinking. 

[DeadMan]

The hardest course I've played on is Torrey Pines South. The hardest tees I've played on is the blue tees at Pinehurst #2. Second is actually a set of tees at my home course that I play a couple times a year that are rated 73/137.

[phillyk]

My home course, Eaglemont, is 74.8/149 at 7000yds from the tips, but I've gotten used to it so it doesn't play as hard anymore.  Otherwise, I guess the hardest would be Tumble Creek at Suncadia, WA.  7100yds, 75.4/138.  The greens there, when sped up, are nearly impossible, and the wind can get bad.

[NCGolfer]

All Dye courses for me.  The Ocean Course at Kiawah was the most difficult I've played.  Wind was howling and you can't miss it in certain spots.

Locally, another Dye course...The Dye Course at Sedgefield (formerly called The Cardinal) is one of the toughest in our area.  It's harder than the Ross course that the pros play on (even though the ratings are slightly higher on the Ross) in my opinion.

Last, the Dye course at Barefoot Landing...played from the tips is really challenging.  Long and hard to get at pins....at least it was for me. 

[RussUK]

Bradley Hall in Halifax West Yorkshire. Front 9 are parkland, back 9 are heathland and hilly.

My dad used to caddie for his brother back in the 60's during my uncles amateur career and knows it well. He told me if a ball is lost in the heather to leave it as the course is also a protected habitat for the british Adder, our only venemous snake. Put it this way, its the only time i've seen my brother in law hit a Pro V1 into the rough and asy "you know what, i think i'll leave that one"

[phan52]

Oakmont. Not even close. But now that i have played it I would like another shot at it. 

[Golfingdad]

I guess I'd go with PGA West Stadium course.  If you hit the ball in the fairways and onto the greens, it isn't particularly hard, but don't and then it becomes interesting.  The thing that struck me, though, was on hole #2 (medium length par 5) I hit a horrendous duck hook drive that went 150 yards way left.  I'm going to be scrambling for a par/bogey as it is, but there was a bunker over there amongst huge grassy mounds complete with a huge lip and it helped turn it into a scramble for bogey/double.  I'm like "who the eff puts a pot bunker here?"  Well, Pete Dye, that's who.

[FLOG4]

For a while I use to seek out the toughest courses in the world. I don't step to the back tees often except when the moment seems right. Bethpage Black last day you could play prior to US Open at 7500 yards...Ha, A few 270 carries to get to fairway. Shot 96. Whistling Straits last day before PGA at 7000 yards. Not all way back. Kiawah Ocean is able to stretch to bring anyone to their knees. Carnoustie is just always trying to mess with you. Waterville in Ireland seems so nice until you look at your card and say WTH....But pound for pound the toughest course I have played is Tobacco Road. At 6500 yards it slopes at about 150. The little nuances just grab you. The diagonal greens which require precise distance for the direction the ball is going.  I have heard that Koolau in Oahu is the toughest by many. I have not been there. A crazy little place which is much like Tobacco Road as in short and huge slope rating is the Shattuck in Jaffrey, NH. Well worth a visit if in area. I did play The International in Bolton, MA from the Tiger tees. They were named before Tiger Woods...8325 Yards...and played those tees in 1997.....