Rank top 5 hardest PGA Tour courses accessible to public

ChipNRun · January 1, 2024

I won't say it's the hardest, but one to definitely play is TPC Deere Run in Silvis, IL. DR is home course for the John Deere Classic, and is open to the public.

It's located in the Quad Cities area of northwest Illinois and southwest Iowa. The Quads are a regional business hub, and hotels are decently priced.

I played it in early fall on an off-season special: $110 for round and cart and range balls, lunch included.

Great staff, and great course.

Edited January 3, 2024 by ChipNRun
Typo.

hammergolf · January 2, 2024

Courses that are played every year:

1 Copperhead Course Innisbrook

2 Spyglass Hill

3 PGA National

4 Bay Hill

5 Muirfield Village

Major courses

1 The Ocean Course

2 Bethpage Black

3 Shinnecock Hills

4 Oakmont

5 Marion

NCGolfDude · January 3

I have been playing golf for 50 years. I played Kiawah on a sunny day in the summer with steady 25-30 mph winds (my playing partner and I would be 20 feet apart from one another and we had to yell to hear one another. I have never played a course that was anywhere near as hard of a course as the Ocean course. There's hard, there's harder and then there's the Ocean Course. I think I was around a 7 or 8 when I played it and shot a 105. The course is very difficult when there's no substantial breeze but get winds in the high teens and higher and you'll have your hands full. It's also one of the most beautiful golf courses I've ever seen too, especially late on a summer evening when the shadows are long.

Archimedes65 · January 3

In terms of regular tour stops, I’d assume Spyglass would be near the top. From the tips it’s crazy hard, a challenge for even the pros, and from the second tees it crazy hard for a solid amateur. Most people I know who’ve shot good scores at Spyglass are playing the third or fourth tee boxes.

flognut · January 3

On 11/27/2023 at 1:46 PM, OnTheBag said:

Bethpage Black without a doubt is the hardest, IMHO. Next would be Erin Hills or Chambers Bay. I've caddied events at all 3 and played a few holes during scouting but haven't played a full round at all the public courses to host a US Open.

Harbour Town would be hard for a bomber. It is a shot maker's course in the best possible way.

Course difficulty varies from player to player. What sets up well to my eye, may bore you to death.

Bethpage Black is not hard at all if you go down there solo about 4:30am and wait on line after the tickets are given out from the car line. i have done this dozens of times and always have gotten a tee time by 9:30 to 10:30 the latest. then i would pay and go home and come back 20 mins before tee time. now if you have 2, 3 or 4 people you will never get a time together. for that the only way is to get on car line about dinner time the night prior.

OnTheBag · January 3

32 minutes ago, flognut said:

Bethpage Black is not hard at all if you go down there solo about 4:30am and wait on line after the tickets are given out from the car line. i have done this dozens of times and always have gotten a tee time by 9:30 to 10:30 the latest. then i would pay and go home and come back 20 mins before tee time. now if you have 2, 3 or 4 people you will never get a time together. for that the only way is to get on car line about dinner time the night prior.

Understood. My experience with Bethpage Black is as a Tour Caddy, so I was only speaking to the difficulty of the course and challenge walking it for 4 tournament rounds, plus 2 practice rounds.

flognut · January 3

2 hours ago, OnTheBag said:

Understood. My experience with Bethpage Black is as a Tour Caddy, so I was only speaking to the difficulty of the course and challenge walking it for 4 tournament rounds, plus 2 practice rounds.

oh, gotcha.

flognut · January 3

Just now, flognut said:

oh, gotcha.

and your correct, i have gone to at least 2 days of every pro Major and tourney they had there and its a very rough walk, especially as the beer consumption increases. lol