10 Hardest Golf Courses in the World: From Scotland to Hawaii

Carnoustie has earned its nickname: Carnasty. This links course along the North Sea torments players with coastal winds, narrow fairways and the notorious Barry Burn. Its course rating regularly climbs above 75 from the back tees.

During the 1999 Open Championship, French golfer Jean van de Velde lost a three-shot lead on the final hole. That single moment cemented Carnoustie as an extremely difficult course where even the most skilled golfers can unravel.

On Oahu, Ko’olau Golf Club offers more forced carries than most players see in a lifetime. You need pinpoint tee shots just to survive many holes. Rainforest terrain adds target golf demands, while steep elevation changes create blind shots and unpredictable lies.

It once received a Slope Rating of 162 (exceeding the USGA’s maximum of 155) from USGA raters, effectively making Ko’olau the toughest course in the U.S.

Perched above Lake Michigan, Whistling Straits blends wind-whipped dunes with Pete Dye’s signature design cruelty. The Straits Course features deep greenside bunkers, tricky undulating greens and hazards on nearly every hole.

The PGA Championship and Ryder Cup have both exposed pros to its punishment. With over 1,000 sand hazards, it's a tough day even for highly skilled golfers.

If paradise had a villain, it might be Le Touessrok. Located on an island in the Indian Ocean, this course forces players to carry water hazards on several holes.

Designed by Bernhard Langer, it's as beautiful as it is brutal. With island greens and sea breezes that toy with shot trajectories, breaking par here takes more than luck. It takes a near-perfect round.

Pine Valley isn’t just one of the best golf courses in the world; it’s one of the hardest.

The course’s combination of sand hazards, narrow landing areas and difficult approach shots make it nearly impossible for the average golfer to score well. Even the best golfers struggle to finish strong on a course that demands precision on every swing.

Nicknamed "The Cobra," the Palm Course at Saujana Golf Club punishes overconfident swings. Deep bunkers guard tight fairways, and undulating greens add drama to every putt.

It’s hosted the Malaysian Open multiple times, with winning scores sometimes barely under par. For example, an even-par total of 288 secured the Malaysian Open title at Saujana in 1988.

For those who play golf aggressively, it quickly teaches restraint.

This Pete Dye-designed exercise in psychological warfare runs alongside the Atlantic Ocean, with coastal winds turning tee shots into wild guesses.

The Ocean Course hosted the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championships, where even pros struggled to stay under par.

With several fairways running along the water and many holes demanding long carry distances, it ranks among the most difficult golf courses in the U.S.

A classic links course, Royal County Down challenges golfers with blind shots, gorse-covered dunes and greens that tilt like funhouse floors. The golden yellow gorse is pretty, but it gobbles up golf balls with no remorse.

The course rating and slope are sky-high, even from the regular tees. It's no surprise that even top-ranked players have acknowledged Royal County Down as one of the toughest courses they’ve played.

Bethpage Black doesn’t sugarcoat its challenge. A sign at the first tee warns that it’s "An extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers."

From the back tees, it stretches over 7,400 yards (6,767 meters) with narrow fairways and deep rough. It’s hosted the U.S. Open and proves every year that it’s not for the faint of heart.

With a par 72 stretching 8,548 yards, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club is the longest regulation course in the world. Set at an altitude over 10,000 ft (3,084 m), the thin air adds roughly 20 percent to shot distance.

But that doesn't mean it's easy. Fairways are lined with hazards, and the altitude messes with club selection—andet's not forget the risk of altitude sickness for golfers that high up.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.