Golf Digest: America's 50 toughest courses

[Bravo]

Two of these are on the Robert Trent Jones Trail....I played the Fighting Joe last year and Ross Bridge as well. (Posted Pix of both courses here).

The are both really tough. On the Fighting Joe I got into 10 bunkers in the first 8 holes.

http://www.golfdigest.com/courses/in...tcourses2.html

Interestingly, it only cost me $38 to play the Fighting Joe though. Not much money for the quality.

[demon]

Interesting, I have played 5 of them and I feel they totally were off. here are the courses i played on the list:

4. PGA West (Stadium)
14. TPC Sawgrass
24. Spyglass
33. La Purisma
35. Bayonet

Pga West, Sawgrass, and Spyglass are well taken care of and are in the best shape, but no way are they harder than La Purisma or Bayonet. It is of course based on personal preference but so is their list.

[Clugnut]

I've played only played one: Bethpage Black.

My best hole: Number ten: driver, seven iron, lob wedge, putt.......... for par!

[BStone]

I've played a few of them:
The Ocean Course is brutal, especially if the wind is blowing (it always is).
Oakmont, I had 39 putts that day.
Bethpage
Pine Valley so much sand it's ridiculous
Tobacco Road is short, but you have to be accurate
Pinehurst #2
Stone Harbor has moguls in front of almost every green, no even lies to chip from

[VtDivot]

Originally Posted by tmag

I've played a few of them:
The Ocean Course is brutal, especially if the wind is blowing (it always is).
Oakmont, I had 39 putts that day.
Bethpage
Pine Valley so much sand it's ridiculous
Tobacco Road is short, but you have to be accurate
Pinehurst #2
Stone Harbor has moguls in front of almost every green, no even lies to chip from

You've played some great courses... I bet you enjoyed every one of those 39 putts too.

How the hell did you get on Pine Valley????

[IrishGolfer]

I've played the International many years ago, I remember a par 5 of about 700 yards!! And that is when I was still playing persimmon!!!

I also had 2 very enjoyable games at Yale, one with Sling. I'm surprised they haven't included Shinne**** Hills, hardest MF course I have ever played anywhere. I'm talking brutal, not for length but for rough and glassy sloping greens!!

[Eracer]

8. Whistling Straights
14. TPC Sawgrass
17. Blackwolf Run
24. Spyglass

I think Sawgrass was the most difficult course I've ever played, mostly because there is no mercy once you're out of position on the tee.

Whistling Straights was a tough course, but just didn't indimidate me the way Sawgrass did.

I didn't think Blackwolf Run was very difficult. I don't know why it's on this list.

Spyglass was tough, but not too tough.

[clemsonhacker]

KIAWAH ISLAND #1 ...i think we are going to play it in may....its only like 1hr30min away

[Pa Jayhawk]

I have played zero. I live within a few hours of a half dozen. I will likely play Colbert Hills this summer.

Sadly enough, prior to playing golf I had an offer to go to Pine Valley which meant nothing to me at the time. I still haven't played any tougher than my home course that only plays 5900 from the tips with a 142 slope.

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by Pa Jayhawk

I still haven't played any tougher than my home course that only plays 5900 from the tips with a 142 slope.

That is a phenomenal combination of short length and high slope. I've never heard of something like that.

What is the name of the course?

[Bama Duffer]

Haven't played many:

22. SILVER LAKES (BACKBREAKER/HEARTBREAKER)
39. ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL AT ROSS BRIDGE

I've played the Florence RTJ Course, the Schoolmaster, but not the Fighting Joe.

I better get busy.

[HighTopFade]

Some of you guys are lucky to experience those courses. With a little driving, I can play Spyglass and Bayonet. But my skills aren't worthy, YET.

[chemboy2]

What the?! I can't believe San Jose Muni didn't make the last. I mean they just lengthened it a hundred yards to make it an even 6800; it now plays much tougher than the sub 130 slope...

The only course on that list that I've played is PGA West in La Quinta. In fact, my first ever 18 holes were played there. At the time I wasn't into golf at all and so I certainly didn't appreciate where I was.

I think I'll have to make the 90 minute drive to Bayonet/Black Horse someday when I start to feel good about my game.

[Clugnut]

Originally Posted by Bravo

That is a phenomenal combination of short length and high slope. I've never heard of something like that.

What is the name of the course?

I think that is the Country Club of the Poconos.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by Bravo

That is a phenomenal combination of short length and high slope. I've never heard of something like that.

What is the name of the course?

Country Club of the Poconos. They remeasured it and re-rated it last year and determined it was now a little longer based on added tees, and the slopes to be 5 higher than prior.
Blues - 5968 yards - Slope 142
Whites - 5638 yards - Slope 135
Golds - 4973 yards - Slope 126
Reds - 4517 yards - Slope 126

I rarely play off the Blues as it just usually makes for a miserable round. It is always funny that most people only look at distance, and as much as you warn them they usually want to play off the Blues. It is a combination of extremely narrow fairways, wetlands, and fairly small greens (although not much smaller than alot of the courses up here) that account for target golf on the course. There is only water on one hole, that would really only come into play if you have a long slice. Considering the back of the water is only about 70 yards out, you are likely using the wrong club. Actually the risk reward temptation may be the worst part. 3-4 of the par 4's are likely reachable for a very long hitter, actually one is easily reachable at 231 to 259 yards. Although if you go for any of these and miss it will likely result in a lost ball or unplayable and teeing 3. The short one I hit quite a bit, but have only tried going for the others in scrambles and outings and only managed to hit one of them. It is only a par 70 though. Because of the short distance on the4's, from the Blues all 5 of the par 3's range from 184 to 212 and if you miss the green anything but short you may likely lose your ball.

It is really a course you can expect to get killed on the first time. My first round I lost 9 golf balls. People we invite talk about how much they hate the course, as we did the first time, but can't wait to get back to it for the challenge. After almost 4 years I have worked my way down to only losing 1-2 balls on a decent round. It was designed by Jim Fazio, and I have heard from numerous members that when they opened the course they had a small event of PGA pros, where 13 did not hand in a scorecard. Not sure if it is true or not.

Actually alot of the courses up here are fairly tough, but not as tough. I believe all of the courses I regularly play from the whites do not play much over 6200 yards or shorter and have slopes around 130. Although as a result, when my wife and I and all of our friends that regularly play here travel, it usually makes for fun rounds where we score well because it is so wide open.

The course is beautiful, so I guess the only real downside is the price of golf balls, which I buy 10 dozen at a time because you have to drive about an hour to find anywhere that sells them at a reasonable price.