World’s 5 Toughest Golf Courses
The World’s 5 Toughest Golf Courses
For many of the world’s greatest golfers, the Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, offers one of the toughest challenges on the PGA tour. Famous holes like the 170 yard, par 3 Redbud are amongst the trickiest in the world, guaranteeing that any event held on this course will be a tense, competitive affair.
Despite it’s formidable reputation, and an unofficial course rating of 76.2, the Augusta National Golf course is by no means the most notorious golf course in the world. Players wishing to test their mettle need to look elsewhere for the ultimate golfing challenge, and to help them get started we’ve compiled a list of some of the world’s toughest golf courses.
La Paz Golf Course – Bolivia
At an altitude of 10,650 feet above sea level, La Paz golf course is the highest golf course inthe world. Playing on this barren Andean course has been compared to playing golf on Mars, to the extent that you may require a thermal space suit and an oxygen tank. At this altitude you can hit a tee shot into the valleys of neighbouring Chile using a putter, which makes restraint and pure precision a must.
North Star Golf Course – Alaska
If you’re looking to test your golfing skills against the elements, you need look no further than the North Star golf course in Alaska. The course is covered in a layer of permafrost, and features ball-stealing bears, crows and foxes amongst the course obstacles. To make play even more challenging, the course if covered in drifts of snow for much of the year. With year-round gale force winds this means you’ll never play over the same terrain twice.
Alice Springs Golf Club – Northern Australia
One of the most dangerous courses in the world, the Alice Springs Golf Club has been known to reach temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius in the shade. The course is laid over unusual, rough terrain which makes transiting the golf course a real chore. Throw in an eclectic mix of the most poisonous amphibians, reptiles and shrubs in the world and golf soon gives way to an earnest struggle for survival.
Ko’oalu Golf Course – Hawaii
Ko’oalu golf course is carved out of a piece of indigenous rainforest, and presents some spectacular views to golfers keen on admiring Hawaii’s natural beauty. The good news for golfers is that Ko’oalu will almost certainly give you many hours to enjoy the views as you rack up 1000+ scores on the 152 rated slope.
Kiawah Island Ocean Course – United States
Rated the toughest golf course in the United States, the Ocean Course was designed by famous course designer Pete Dye, more frequently referred to as the ‘Marquis de Sod’. With a slope rating of 155, a course rating of 79.6, roll resistant grass, endless bunkers and gale force winds the ‘Looney Dunes’ is tough enough to strike fear into the heart of even the most hardened professional golfer.
If you enjoyed this post you might also like these:
