Golf is a tricky sport. Apart from top-notch equipment, a player needs to have a splendid skillset to read the golf courses. The venue of a tournament is decided on how smoothly the four rounds of golf would go. If the conditions and course are tough, the golfer may face various difficulties in reading the greens and thus end up getting the lowest score possible.
Two of the professional golf’s leading golf circuits, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, have a pretty packed yearly schedule. They select several golf courses across the globe to test their golfers and their respective skill sets.
So, here are the top five most difficult golf courses that are a nightmare for professional golfers:
5) Augusta National Golf Club – Georgia, USA
The home of the Masters Tournament, one of the four golf major tournaments, has a sophisticated build. The club was established back in 1932 by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. It is spread over a 365-acre land and has an elevation range from 160 to 310 feet. The course length is 7,510 yards and has 27 holes. The 18 holes are used for championship matches while the other 9 holes are used to host the par-3 contest.
The lowest score of 63 at Augusta National Golf Club was shot by Nick Price (1986) and Greg Norman (1996). Despite many efforts, not many golfers have come closer to breaking the record at the home of the Masters Tournament. It has also hosted two editions of the PGA Seniors’ Championship in 1937 and 1938. Since 2019, the venue has also hosted the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
4) Bethpage Black – New York, USA
The next venue of the prestigious biennial event, the Ryder Cup, in 2025 is one tough course to name. The Bethpage Black course is so difficult to play in that Tiger Woods was the only golfer to break the par when he won the US Open in 2002. Later on, in the 2004 edition of the tournament, only three players managed to break the par score mark at the venue.
In 2019, the Bethpage Black hosted the PGA Championship. The winner of the tournament, Brooks Koepka, scored the record lowest round total of 63. However, in the subsequent three rounds, he could only score 65-70-74.
3) Whistling Straits – Wisconsin, USA
“Embarrassment” was the keyword when the last time the European team visited the Whistling Straits. In the 2021 Ryder Cup, the United States team overshadowed the visitors and won the prestigious biennial tournament by a 19-9 score. The course is spread on a length of 7,790 yards and has 36 holes with par to 72.
When Lee Westwood visited the Whistling Straits, he stated that he was told that there were around 10 difficult holes and eight holes were the impossible ones. However, he still couldn’t find the 10 difficult holes at the venue.
2) Carnoustie Golf Links – Carnoustie, Scotland
The first time the Open Championship in 1931 was played at the Carnoustie Golf Links, even the winner Tommy Armour couldn’t break the par mark. In the last edition of the tournament in 2018, the winner Francesco Molinari could only score 8 under par.
The course is 7,402 yards in length and has 54 holes. The Carnoustie Golf Links is quite a psychic experience for professional golfers. It has also hosted The Women’s British Open in 2011 and 2021 and The Senior Open in 2010 and 2016.
1) Kiawah Island Golf Resort – South Carolina, USA
Kiawah Island Golf Resort was designed by Pete and Alice Dye. It is considered a tormenting experience for professional golfers. It is spread on 7,876 yards and is par to 72. It has a mix of dunes, substantial slopes, thorny wetlands, and nightmarish pot bunkers which test the golfer’s skillset to the highest level.
It has held various tournaments such as the Ryder Cup in 1991, the PGA Professional Championship in 2005, the Senior PGA Championship in 2007, the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2021, and two editions of the World Cup in 1997 and 2003.
