World’s Toughest Golf Courses

Bethpage Black  (New York) World’s Toughest Golf Courses

There are five courses at Bethpage—each named for a different color—but only the Black merits a sign that warns “The Black Course is a tough course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.”

If you still dare to proceed, the only advice you need is to stay out of the rough. After that, leave your ego behind and just accept what this immaculate municipal course has to offer: narrow fairways, massive bunkers, plateau greens, tangly rough, and the fact that you can’t use a golf cart. Playing from the back tees equals 7,426 yards of play. Unless you are a consistently winning professional golfer, don’t feel the need to be a hero by playing the back tees.

Pine Valley (New Jersey)

A private golf course in Southern New Jersey, Pine Valley is the most challenging course out there. Golfers have said this course, with modest 7,057 yards from the championship tees, is a huge mental test with every shot. The slope rating is 155, and it doesn’t get much tougher than that. Each shot has to be well-thought-out from tee to green. One mistake can be deadly, and you will make mistakes. It’s golf, after all. If you do make a mistake, just worry about minimizing the damage and get back on the fairway ASAP.

Royal County Down (Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland)

Now, we’re getting into some hardcore, old-fashioned links courses. Royal County Down, located in Northern Ireland, opened in 1889. There are two links-style courses, but we’ll talk about the championship course that spans more than 7,200 yards. What this course demands is hitting the ball straight and carrying it long, which is bad news for anyone who doesn’t have a low handicap. There are some nasty hazards to deal with. The hole everyone talks about is the fourth hole, a 217-yard par-3, where you have to carry 200 yards over dense gorse. Don’t hit it short, or it’s bye-bye ball.

Le Touesserok Golf Course (ILE AUX CERFS, MAURITIUS)

Designer, Bernard Langer, dreamed up this challenging course located on 38 hectares (94 acres) on the southern half of picturesque Ile aux Cerfs in Mauritius, an island nation strung in an archipelago 1200 miles off the southeastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.

Every hole on this course gives you a view of the sparkling blue Indian Ocean—either through the trees or as you play alongside the water. You’ll need that tranquility as you battle white sand bunkers, nine lakes, undulating topography, volcanic rock outcrops, gullies (lest the lakes get lonely), and three holes that require tee shots across inlets to the fairways. The tropical climate supports a jungle of foliage (including mangrove swamps), but the Salam Seashore Paspalum grass used on the course allows for meticulous conditioning. Plan to lose plenty of balls on this course, but be happy that you’ll get some good practice in course management.

Carnoustie Golf Links (Dundee, Scotland)

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club (LIJIANG, YUNNAN, CHINA)

Asia has not only fully embraced golf, but you’ll find one of the toughest courses in the world in China. The second highest golf club in the world, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was built in a valley of the Himalayan Mountains at 10,000 feet above sea level in Yunnan Province, which is located along China’s southwest border with Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Mountain views dominate the course, and the nearby city of Lijiang offers tourists a quaint old-time adventure in its old town sector.

Thin air means balls fly much farther, and you’ll need that advantage on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain’s 8,548 yards—the longest par 72 in the world—with one of the par 3s measuring more than 260 yards and a par 5 that is over 800 yards. If you’re not used to the altitude, take it slow as you go to find your ball. Part of the challenge on this fantastic course is not fainting due to lack of oxygen.

Augusta National (Augusta, Ga.)

The crown jewel of American golf is rich in history as annual host of The Masters, and definitely not easy to tame. Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie designed the course, but Augusta has gone through many changes over the years. Some wonder if it’s even fair to put MacKenzie’s name on it. Still, from the members tees, there are four killer par-4 holes of 395 yards and over to navigate.

Augusta could be described as very private, and has had its share of controversies. Not only is it almost impossible for anyone outside of members to get on, there was a time not long ago when African-Americans and women were banned from playing, but that has changed.

If, by some stroke of luck, you are able to play Augusta, you will be greeted with magnificent conditions. The fairways look like green carpet, the greens are typically lightning fast, and the tradition this place holds can be overwhelming.

Royal Melbourne (Blackrock, Victoria, Australia) Last on the list of World’s Toughest Golf Courses

The best Australia has to offer is two courses, the West and East, that were established in 1926 and 1931, respectively. They are combined for tournament play, known as the Composite Course, but for our purposes of going out and having a great time (assuming you’re doing well), the West course is the better of the two, and that’s where our focus lies.

The West course is on anyone’s top 10 list. It brings some unique challenges that differ from hole to hole. This course plays a little more than 6,600 yards with a good collection of doglegs. You have to be on it for distance control, so prepare yourself to do some extra managing.

What really looks wicked are the greenside bunkers and how you have to deal with different types of slopes. In many cases, the greens are elevated, and you will not have much green to work with.

Bent Tree Golf Course Omaha & Council Bluffs | Best Golf Course in Omaha | Not Part of The World’s Toughest Golf Courses