Hardest course you've ever played

[MashieNiblick]

Following on from a post about tough and easy courses it got me thinking about the hardest course I'd played.

Far and away this was Royal St George's. It was only my second experience of links golf, having played Prince's a couple of days before but St George's was a different beast altogether. A real eye opener to what a true Championship links is like.

http://www.royalstgeorges.com/

The main thing that hit me at the time was the extent to which you had to think so hard on every shot. Very rarely was it a straight forward pick a club for the distance as the undulations and landing areas and pin locations were all huge factors. Rarely got a flat lie and if your drive was in the wrong spot on the fairway the route to the green could be treacherous requiring carries over deep bunkers and towering dunes. To say it was intimidating is an understatement. Around the green picking the right shot was a real challenge and the greens were slick as you like.

I was off 16 then and thought I played well that day. I shot 95 and felt happy to have broken 100. I was lucky the wind wasn't blowing.

So over to you. What's the hardest course you've played and why?

 

[chris661]

Following on from a post about tough and easy courses it got me thinking about the hardest course I'd played.

Far and away this was Royal St George's. It was only my second experience of links golf, having played Prince's a couple of days before but St George's was a different beast altogether. A real eye opener to what a true Championship links is like.

http://www.royalstgeorges.com/

The main thing that hit me at the time was the extent to which you had to think so hard on every shot. Very rarely was it a straight forward pick a club for the distance as the undulations and landing areas and pin locations were all huge factors. Rarely got a flat lie and if your drive was in the wrong spot on the fairway the route to the green could be treacherous requiring carries over deep bunkers and towering dunes. To say it was intimidating is an understatement. Around the green picking the right shot was a real challenge and the greens were slick as you like.

I was off 16 then and thought I played well that day. I shot 95 and felt happy to have broken 100. I was lucky the wind wasn't blowing.

So over to you. What's the hardest course you've played and why?

Enniscrone in Co Sligo. The week before the Irish amateur was played there, they had narrowed all the fairways speed up the greens and we played it from the championship tees AND the wind was blowing Same as yourself you had to plot your way around it.

 

[madandra]

Craigielaw near Haddington on a forum day out. It was 40 mph winds and I was playing with 2 old men who were suffering from hypothermia due to having thin blood and had to walk in.

 

[drawboy]

Roundhay in Leeds, really hard, you cannot be out of position from the tee on most holes or you can not get on the green for 2 with the putter

 

[Imurg]

Woburn Duke's Course.

For God's sake keep it straight.........

I did.
Sometimes

 

[m1975]

we played the jubilee at st andrews in 40mph winds, 18pts wind on back, 6 with wind in face !!!!!

 

[Adi2Dassler]

Mortonhall in Edinburgh messes with my head every time I play it, it just doesn't like me!

 

[Pull]

Castle course at st. andrews..
Now that is a toughie!

Granted we had played the old course the day before which is fairly straightforward in comparison.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Southerness in Dumfries and Galloway.

Birdied the first and got to the turn with 18 points. Then..... the wind got up and the rain came in. Found myself on the 16th tee having managed to progress to 21 points. It was a perfect illustration of links golf and how brutal it can be. Scored 3 points in 6 holes when I was effectively swinging well !!

 

[Up_Point_1]

Toughest course i've played has to be the Welsh National at the Vale Resort in Cardiff.

Great course but jeez is it long

UP1.

 

[DCB]

I'd say Carnoustie. Played it on a lovely spring day with just a hint of breeze and good overhead conditions. It's a course that can really punish you if you don't get the ball in the right place off the tee.

That being said, I'd go back tomorrow and do it all again, even the bad holes !

You come off there knowing your score is what you deserve.

By the way, did I ever tell you about my birdie putt on 18

 

[Dodger]

Royal Aberdeen...period.Tough as old boots but I can't wait to go back in April and shoot hundreds again.

 

[Qwerty]

Another one for Southerness

At times the course looked like fairways cut through a sea of gorse, which was in bloom at the time. There was a fair breeze on the day,and using the driver was a scary thought.

Plotted my way round and thought I played quite well. still shot 91 though.

I think southerness has got the highest standard scratch in the country last time I looked, along with Royal st Davids, K club, Royal St georges and 2 others that I cant remember.

Enjoyed the course, looking to get back there soon.

 

[John_Findlay]

Same as DCB. Carnoustie for me, too, but love every minute I'm on it. Have played it with Atticus in the most benign conditions ever, hitting the ball well and still had only a very slim chance of breaking 80. Those last 4 holes killed my round. So demanding. But brilliant.

Others I struggle with would be the Castle Course (4 putt city) and my old home course, Nairn Dunbar. Played it thousands of time and I know where all the trouble is. Never a good thing. And they've just added some mean bunkers to a course with was already sss 74 and gorse laden.

Never scored well around Whitekirk in East Lothian either and don't really know anyone who has. It's the lost ball course.

 

[DCB]

Whitekirk should just be bulldozed as far as I'm concerned. It's definitely high on my 'Don't Bother' list. It's a shame really as it's only half an hour away, but, I'm afraid I'd rather go to The Glen or Gullane for a day out than that one.


I thought the Merchants had some funny lies, Whitekirk can better some of them

 

[Pull]

True about Whitekirk.. i've played it twice maybe three times.. it's tough with alot of blind shots.

Considering we often get a week in Gullane i'd rather play The Glen or indeed Gullane courses than play Whitekirk again. Off our list i'm afraid.

 

[Owen_Thomas_14]

This is quite a hard one for me . Ill say the Braids only because it was very very windy when i played it and also you need to drive the ball straight... which i cant do

 

[IM01]

Montemayor.......shelled a few eggs round there.

 

[Adi2Dassler]

Montemayor.......shelled a few eggs round there.

Played it twice, dunno why I bothered the second time.I did eagle the muckle downhill dog-leg par 5 though (the 16th?)

 

[Dodger]

Motemayor...good call,great track tho.....Whitekirk on the other hand!!There is a guy on the Howdidledo forum jizzes himself about the place.....he can't of got out much obviously.