Toughest Courses
Here’s Golf Digest’s “opinion” of the 25 toughest courses in the United States. The ones that are in italics are public courses, and the ones that are not, are private. Thus, “we” could actually play on 16 of these and see for ourselves. How many have you played? I have been on four of these, PGA West, TPC Sawgrass, Grand Traverse/Bear, and Spyglass Hill. All very tough tests, to be sure. The Bayonet Course in the Monterey area, made the top 50, at number 35. I’ll bet you’d get some arguments that it’s top 25 material.
25 Toughest Courses:
THE OCEAN COURSE | Kiawah Island, S.C.
THE INTERNATIONAL | Bolton, Mass.
KOOLAU | Kaneohe, Hawaii (Oahu)
PGA WEST/STADIUM | La Quinta, Calif.
OAKMONT | Oakmont, Pa.
BETHPAGE/BLACK | Farmingdale, N.Y.
TOT HILL FARM | Asheboro, N.C.
WHISTLING STRAITS | Haven, Wis.
PINE VALLEY | Pine Valley, N.J.
TOBACCO ROAD | Sanford, N.C.
WINGED FOOT/WEST | Mamaroneck, N.Y.
MEDALIST | Hobe Sound, Fla.
DESERT MOUNTAIN/RENEGADE | Scottsdale, Ariz.
TPC SAWGRASS | Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
HALLBROOK | Leawood, Kan.
ROYAL NEW KENT | Providence Forge, Va.
BLACKWOLF RUN/RIVER | Kohler, Wis.
GRAND TRAVERSE/BEAR | Acme, Mich.
OAK TREE | Edmond, Okla.
CONCORD/MOSTER | Kiamesha Lake, N.Y.
WOLF RUN | Zionsville, Ind.
SILVER LAKES | Glencoe, Ala.
BUTLER NATIONAL | Oak Brook, Ill.
SPYGLASS HILL | Pebble Beach, Calif.
PURGATORY | Noblesville, Ind.
Of course, this is a subjective argument because the tees that one plays from, and how the course is “set up” for play, will always have a great influence its toughness. I have seen some pundits suggest that Koolau on Oahu, Hawaii is “the toughest course in the WORLD.” When the 2002 U.S Open was played at Bethpage Black, on Long Island, New York, I recall Bob Estes saying something to the effect that “I am the 16th ranked player in the world, and I’m not good enough to play this course.” He may have been right. Only the winner of the Open in 2002, one Eldrick Woods, managed an under par finishing score.
A couple of weeks ago on the KNBR Hooked on Golf radio show, the subject of the toughest course that the listeners had ever played, came up. The show received a whole bunch of calls in very short order, and there were some great “candidates.” Unfortunately, not every caller got to voice their opinion. Let’s keep this discussion going. Please go to the Hookedongolf.com Forum and tell us and the world where you have faced your biggest golf challenge.
