If you’ve put in the range time and your game is razor sharp, take a spin through our Top 40 toughest courses open to public play. Tracks have been ranked on the basis of USGA course and slope rating from the tips with a GolfDay Rating of 90 or higher (Resort courses not included).
Jack Nicklaus designs are always a difficult test, and 7 of his toughest are among our Top 40 including Emerald Hills (#7) and Old Corkscrew (#8) in Florida, Bayside Resort Club (#10) in Delaware and Old Work (#12) in Montana.
In addition to renovations at Bethpage Black prior to the 2002 U.S. Open, assuring an even stiffer test on a course that Tillinghast built for maximum difficulty, Rees Jones also laid out Echelon (#15) in Georgia and updated already tough Robert Trent Jones, Sr. tracks at The Dunes (#19) in SC and Duke University (#38) in NC.
5 of our Top 40 are Pete Dye creations, including the Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech (#14), Pound Ridge (#20) in NY, and Bull Rock (#22) in Maryland.
Tom Fazio (with renovations by Andrew Green) contributed a brute with Karsten Creek at Oklahoma State, and the duo of Steve Smyers and Fuzzy Zoeller laid out The Pfau Course at Indiana University—hands down the toughest University course in the country.
While these difficult tracks are spread throughout 23 states, New York is home to the most with 5, including The Links at Greystone (#24), Saratoga National (#33) and Seven Oaks at Colgate University–in addition to Bethpage Black and Pound Ridge.
Check out the GolfDay Top 500 public courses, and when you want to find the best courses near you or where you plan to be, click the GolfDay Search Engine and save a lot of time and aggravation.
- Black Course
Bethpage State Park/Farmingdale, NY
- Holes: 90 (5-Eighteen Hole Courses)
- Course Architects: A. W. Tillinghast/Francis Duane/Devereux Emmet/Alfred Tull/Rees Jones/Desmond Muirhead
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Black: 77.5 Rating/155 Slope
Blue: 72.3 Rating/130 Slope
Green: 70.2 Rating/129 Slope
Red: 74.4 Rating/133 Slope
Yellow: 69.6 Rating/120 Slope - Practice Facilities: Driving Range and Putting Green.
- Course Descriptions
- Junior Golf
- GolfDay Rating: 100
- Location
- The Pfau Course/Bloomington, IN
Indiana University
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Steve Smyers/Fuzzy Zoeller
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 80.2 Rating/155 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 100
- Location
- RainDance National Golf Course/Windsor, CO
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Harrison Minchew/Fred Funk
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 79.9 Rating/155 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Double-sided Grass Driving Range with Targets (Funk Yard), Wedge Range, Expansive Putting and Chipping Green with Bunkers (G.O.A.T Ranch).
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 96.4
- Location
- Karsten Creek Golf Club/Stillwater, OK
Oklahoma State University
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Tom Fazio/Andrew Green
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.2 Rating/152 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- Accommodations
- GolfDay Rating: 100
- Location
- Royal New Kent Golf Club/Providence Forge, VA
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Mike Strantz
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.8 Rating/154 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- Accommodations
- GolfDay Rating: 99.2
- Location
- TPC Treviso Bay/Naples, FL
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Steve Smyers/Fuzzy Zoeller
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.3 Rating/153 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Grass Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker, Indoor Golf Simulator with TrackMan Technology.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 99.1
- Location
- South
Torrey Pines Golf Course/San Diego, CA
- Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses: North/South)
- Course Architects: William F. Bell/David Rainville/Stephen Halsey/Jack Daray, Jr./Rees Jones
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
North: 75.8 Rating/134 Slope
South: 78.8 Rating/148 Slope - Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 100
- Location
- The Club at Emerald Hills/Hollywood, FL
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Robert von Hagge/Bruce Devlin/Charles Ankrom/Jack Nicklaus
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 78.6 Rating/148 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 92.5
- Location
- Old Corkscrew Golf Club/Estero, FL
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Steve Smyers/Fuzzy Zoeller
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.6 Rating/151 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 95.6
- Location
- Dragonfly Golf Club/Madera, CA
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Gary Roger Baird
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 78.6 Rating/144 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Lighted and Covered Grass Driving Range with Target Greens, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 94.6
- Location
- Bayside Resort Golf Club/Selbyville, DE
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus/Rick Jacobson
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.0 Rating/149 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- Golf Academy
- GolfDay Rating: 90.6
- Location
- Purgatory Golf Club/Noblesville, IN
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Ron Kern
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 78.3 Rating/148 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (2).
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 93.3
- Location
- Old Works Golf Course/Anaconda, MT
- Holes: 21
- Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.4 Rating/153 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and 3 Hole “Little Bear” Practice Course.
- GolfDay Rating: 98.1
- Location
- Eagles Nest Golf Club/Little River, SC
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Gene Hamm
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 78.2 Rating/147 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 91.6
- Location
- Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech/Radford, VA
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Tom Clark/Dan Schlegel/Pete Dye
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.3 Rating/145 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 95
- Location
- Echelon Golf Club/Alpharetta, GA
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Rees Jones/Steve Weisser
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.2 Rating/149 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (2).
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 95.8
- Location
- Mystic Creek Golf Club/Eldorado, AR
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Ken Dye/Baxter Spann
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.6 Rating/145 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Two Tiered Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- Accommodations/Golf Packages
- GolfDay Rating: 95.9
- Location
- Coyote Springs Golf Club/Coyote Springs, NV
RedHawk Golf and Resort
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.8 Rating/149 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Accommodations
- GolfDay Rating: 97.5
- Location
- Tournament
Golf Club of Houston/Humble, TX
- Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses: Tournament/Member
- Course Architects: Rees Jones/David Toms/Greg Muirhead/Jim Hardy/Peter Jacobsen
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Tournament: 76.4 Rating/148 Slope
Member: 76.5 Rating/138 Slope - Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers, Wedge Range (Member Only)
- Course Description
- Junior Golf
- GolfDay Rating: 99.2
- Location
- The Dunes Golf & Beach Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Roger Rulewich/Rees Jones
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.3 Rating/149 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- Junior Golf/Golf Camps
- GolfDay Rating: 99.6
- Location
- Pound Ridge Golf Club/Pound Ridge, NY
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Pete Dye/Perry Dye
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.9 Rating/148 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets (weekends)/Mats (Weekdays), Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 94.1
- Location
- New Course
White Bluff Golf Club/Whitney, TX
- Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses: New/Old)
- Course Architects: Bruce Lietzke
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
New: 75.5 Rating/147 Slope
Old: 74.0 Rating/141 Slope - Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets Greens, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 97.0
- Location
- Bulle Rock Golf Club/Havre de Grace, MD
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Pete Dye
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.5 Rating/147 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- Junior Golf
- GolfDay Rating: 99.0
- Location
- Prestwick Country Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Pete Dye/P.B. Dye
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.3 Rating/150 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Golf Packages
- Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
- GolfDay Rating: 98.5
- Location
- The Links at Greystone/Walworth, NY
New York Golf Trail
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Craig Schreiner
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.6 Rating/144 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens.
- Course Description
- New York Golf Trail
- GolfDay Rating: 94.9
- Location
- American Dunes Golf Club/Grand Haven, MI
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Bruce Matthews/Jerry Matthews/Jack Nicklaus
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.4 Rating/148 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens.
- Course Description
- Accommodations
- GolfDay Rating: 92.3
- Location
- Jimmie Austin Golf Club/Norman, OK
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Perry Maxwell/Press Maxwell/Bob Cupp/Tripp Davis
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.9 Rating/142 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 99.5
- Location
- Crumpin-Fox Club/Bernardston, MA
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Roger Rulewich
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.1 Rating/147 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and TopTracer Technology, Putting and Chipping Greens.
- Course Description
- Junior Golf
- GolfDay Rating: 92.6
- Location
- Eagle Eye Golf Club/Bath, MI
- Holes: 36 (Eighteen Hole Championship Course and Eighteen Hole Putting Course (Little Hawk)
- Course Architects: Pete Dye/Chris Lutzke
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.5 Rating/146 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers. Range Balls included with full Greens Fee.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 97.6
- Location
- Beaufort Club/Beaufort, NC
- Holes: 18
- Course Architect: Bob Moore
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.4 Rating/146 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Putting Green. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
- GolfDay Rating: 90.4
- Location
- Stonewall Orchard Golf Club/Grayslake, IL
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.0 Rating/150 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- Junior Golf
- GolfDay Rating: 92.7
- Location
- Colbert Hills Golf Course/Manhattan, KS
Kansas State University
- Holes: 27 (Eighteen- Hole Course and Nine-Hole Par 3)
- Course Architects: Jeffrey Brauer/Jim Colbert
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.6 Rating/143 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range with Fairway Bunker, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 98.0
- Location
- Brickshire Golf Club/Providence Forge, VA
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Tom Clark/Curtis Strange
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.3 Rating/148 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 93.4
- Location
- Saratoga National Golf Club/Saratoga Springs, NY
New York Golf Trail
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Roger Rulewich
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.3 Rating/144 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Fairway Bunker, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- GolfDay Rating: 97.7
- Location
- Olympic
Gold Mountain Golf Club/Bremerton, WA
City of Bremerton
- Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen-Hole Courses)
- Course Architects: Ken Tyson/John Harbottle III
- USGA Course/Slope Rating:
Olympic: 74.9 Slope/148 Slope
Cascades: 73.4 Rating/134 Slope - Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 100
- Location
- Seven Oaks Golf Club/Hamilton, NY
Colgate University
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Ron Forse
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.5 Rating/145 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Putting Green.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 95.7
- Location
- Old Greenwood Golf Club/Truckee, CA
Tahoe Mountain Club
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.5 rating/144 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Extensive 5 Acre Facility including Two-Tiered Driving Range with Targets and Fairway Bunker, Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens and Keith Lyford Golf Academy.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 98.3
- Location
- Palouse Ridge Golf Club/Pullman, WA
Washington State University
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Robert Muir Graves/John Harbottle III
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.5 Rating/144 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 93.8
- Location
- Duke University Golf Club/Durham, NC
Duke University
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Rees Jones
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.2 Rating/145 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 96.7
- Location
- Great River Golf Club/Milford, CT
Sacred Heart University
- Holes: 18
- Course Architects: Tom Fazio
- USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.6 Rating/146 Slope
- Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets (Mats-Monday/Tuesday, Grass Irons only-Wednesday/Thursday, Full Grass Friday-Sunday), Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (3).
- Course Description
- GolfDay Rating: 92.1
- Location
The GolfDay Resort Rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect who did the original design, updates that have been done since the course was built, the variety of courses located at the property, USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek (as well as other authoritative sources), the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current course reviews, as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.