The Most Diabolical Links in the Country

Updated: July 22, 2009, 2:33 PM ET
Golf Digest

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To help you discover what you're really made of — and in honor of Golf Digest's first "toughest course" ranking from the 1960s — we've identified 50 of the most diabolical courses in the country.


They are courses meant for drag-out, high-stakes battles at high noon. Courses where they should sell "I survived a round at … " T-shirts in the golf shop. Fields of bad dreams.

This is not a scientific or even definitive ranking. It's our list of layouts that have battered and bruised us, ruined our scorecards and made us want to weep … and the first we've rated these most diabolical courses in 41 years.



So, without further adieu:
• America's 50 Toughest Golf Courses (Nos. 1 to 25)
• America's 50 Toughest Golf Courses (Nos. 26 to 50)


Golf Digest: America's 50 toughest courses
FIRST 25 (Key: Courses in boldface are public; the rest are private.)
THE OCEAN COURSE | Kiawah Island, S.C.
2. THE INTERNATIONAL | Bolton, Mass.
3. KOOLAU | Kaneohe, Hawaii (Oahu)
4. PGA WEST/STADIUM | La Quinta, Calif.
5. OAKMONT | Oakmont, Pa.
6. BETHPAGE/BLACK | Farmingdale, N.Y.
7. TOT HILL FARM | Asheboro, N.C.
9. PINE VALLEY | Pine Valley, N.J.
10. TOBACCO ROAD | Sanford, N.C.
11. WINGED FOOT/WEST | Mamaroneck, N.Y.
12. MEDALIST | Hobe Sound, Fla.
13. DESERT MOUNTAIN/RENEGADE | Scottsdale, Ariz.
14. TPC SAWGRASS | Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
15. HALLBROOK | Leawood, Kan.
16. ROYAL NEW KENT | Providence Forge, Va.
17. BLACKWOLF RUN/RIVER | Kohler, Wis.
19. OAK TREE | Edmond, Okla.
20. CONCORD/MOSTER | Kiamesha Lake, N.Y.
21. WOLF RUN | Zionsville, Ind.
22. SILVER LAKES | Glencoe, Ala.
23. BUTLER NATIONAL | Oak Brook, Ill.
24. SPYGLASS HILL | Pebble Beach, Calif.
25. PURGATORY | Noblesville, Ind.
26. P.B. DYE | Ijamsville, Md.
27. THE SHOALS/FIGHTING JOE | Muscle Shoals, Ala.
28. OLD MARSH | Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
29. ROCHELLE RANCH | Rawlins, Wyo.
30. BULL VALLEY | Woodstock, Ill.
31. WOLF CREEK | Mesquite, Nev.
32. PINEHURST/No. 2 | Pinehurst, N.C.
33. LA PURISIMA | Lompoc, Calif.
34. LOBLOLLY | Hobe Sound, Fla.
35. BAYONET | Seaside, Calif.
36. CRYSTAL SPRINGS | Hamburg, N.J.
37. LEGENDS/MOORLAND | Myrtle Beach, S.C.
38. DIAMANTE | Hot Springs Village, Ark.
39. ROSS BRIDGE | Hoover, Ala.
40. STONE HARBOR | Cape May Court House, N.J.
41. MEDINAH/No. 3 | Medinah, Ill.
42. COLBERT HILLS | Manhattan, Kan.
43. THE SHATTUCK | Jaffrey, N.H.
44. YALE | New Haven, Conn.
45. MONTOUR HEIGHTS | Coraopolis, Pa.
46. THUNDERHILL | Madison, Ohio
47. ORONOQUE | Stratford, Conn.
48. TEAL WING | Hayward, Wis.
49. MOOSE RUN/CREEK | Fort Richardson, Alaska
50. FURNACE CREEK | Death Valley, Calif.

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Text provided by Golf Digest.