The Hardest Golf You've Ever Played

[Grizzly]

Inspired by the...somewhat challenging conditions at West Surrey yesterday, I was wondering what the hardest round of golf you'd ever had to play was? It could be because of the weather conditions, the course or the circumstances...

Mine came when I went to the USA for work; the guy I was staying with suggested a social game on the weekend....thing being, he was a plus handicapper, so we ended up playing Bethpage Black. From some very remote tees. In January. Worse (because I am NOT a good golfer) I had to borrow his spare set of Titleist blades for the experience.

I shot a seriously stupid number!

 

[Imurg]

I'm tempted to say yesterday's round is the hardest I've endured.
A new course, having a poor swing day and the intense rain ..I think yesterday's conditions, to,play decent golf, was way above my pay grade.
I think if I'd had some semblance of a swing I'd have done OK but the 3 elements combined killed me.
I just found everything difficult

 

[Orikoru]

Going on recent memory, it's wind that kills me the most. Did our yearly golf trip at Belton Woods in July. The Lakes course there for our first round, it has foot-high rough just a few yards off the fairway, a large number of lakes (hence the name) and we had 30mph winds to deal with. It was ridiculous. I can only hit fades with my woods so if it was left-to-right wind, that ball was gone. Into wind, trying to carry it over a body of water, went up two clubs and struck it well - splash. No chance. I think I lost four balls, managed to break 100 by sinking a 20 foot putt on the 18th green for a 99, and was delighted as I'd played really well to get that. Normally I'd be gutted with 25 points but they were hard-earned.

I could never be a member at a links course.

 

[sjw]

I played in similar conditions to yesterday also in Surrey at Ashford Manor a few months back, can't remember exactly when. I can't recall it being better but also I can't imagine it could have been any worse. I was soaked through, though. I think it was probably windier than yesterday.

Speaking of wind, the other day I played 9 holes on the Suffolk coast at Felixstowe in some ridiculous wind, the kind where if you struck a shot well into it, the ball just climbed and climbed and then fell vertically, or even back towards you. Also at Kilworth Springs with Crow and Voyager. That was a battle, although I only shot a couple shots worse than average, somehow.

 

[patricks148]

Trump Aberdeen from the back tees. hit the ball well, but only just made the fairway on a few holes. i dont think i used an iron too many times for my 2nd shot. cant remember exactly but i think the SSS was 6 shots over par. i had to use driver an a couple of the par 3 too

 

[Imurg]

Going on recent memory, it's wind that kills me the most. Did our yearly golf trip at Belton Woods in July. The Lakes course there for our first round, it has foot-high rough just a few yards off the fairway, a large number of lakes (hence the name) and we had 30mph winds to deal with. It was ridiculous. I can only hit fades with my woods so if it was left-to-right wind, that ball was gone. Into wind, trying to carry it over a body of water, went up two clubs and struck it well - splash. No chance. I think I lost four balls, managed to break 100 by sinking a 20 foot putt on the 18th green for a 99, and was delighted as I'd played really well to get that. Normally I'd be gutted with 25 points but they were hard-earned.

I could never be a member at a links course.

Played Ashburnham links in South Wales during Storm Agnes about this time last year..
40 odd mph winds and a touch of frain....very probably the best fun I've ever had on a golf course

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Probably the Roxburghe with @Maninblack4612 a few years ago in an open. It's a cracking course but long off the whites and it was very windy. We genuinely stood discussing on the 1st tee whether to just play off the yellows and dq ourselves.

I took driver off all 18 tees, was thoroughly beaten up, MiB trolley battery gave up with 2-3 holes left. Every hole into wind was just brutal. We were all very quiet in the bar afterwards, tired and defeated.

Been back since off yellow tees, no wind. Fabulous, different place to play.

 

[spongebob59]

Society day at Princes (Shore and Dunes) , wind was off the sea and strong, was either in the rough on the left or right.
I thought 19 points was remarkably good

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Some people really enjoy a stiff challenge.
I'll be honest.
If a course completely overmatches me, I'm not going to have a good time.

Our club's course opened in 1906, back in the hickory shaft era..
While the course is laid out beautifully on the property,
the property didn't have any room to expand the length as time went by.
What extra space did exist off to the side was used to build a practice range.
[Today, it would have been sold for house lots.]

The, course stretches out to just over 6000 yards max,
it's very pretty,
and I never get tired of playing it.

Sadly, my game doesn't travel all that well.
I once got to play a one-time-tour-stop course in Florida, I forget the name,
and shot a bowling score. I can't putt Bermuda grass greens to save my own life.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Yesterday for rain without a doubt and even with towels under the umbrella, plenty of spare gloves etc it was still a losing battle and even wet gloves didn't deal with the amount of water. As for other conditions I think Tylney Park in a club match in 50mph+ winds was farcical where 440 yard par 4's were a drive and mid iron down wind and a 500 yard par 5 was driver 3 wood and a hybrid and even then only just getting there

 

[chrisd]

Possibly the "Kent links" meet which took place during the "Beast from he East " could be the worst. Absolutely freezing cold, rain and snow with up to 40 mph winds - a bit like yesterday but over 3 days and no respite.

 

[Billysboots]

Ours can get so windy that you literally struggle to stand, and I can’t really recall ever playing elsewhere when it’s been that difficult.

One of our par 3’s plays anywhere between gap wedge and 4-iron depending on the wind.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

One great thing about being retired and available to play every day:

if the conditions are horrid, I can always play tomorrow instead.

I can't imagine, at my age, playing in fierce, howling wind with rain slamming in sideways.
That's why the club has places to read or play cards.
It the better half is in decent spirits,
or going out herself,
I can even stay home with the dog!

 

[Bratty]

Yesterday at West Surrey was easily the worst weather I've played in and will never play in it again (unless it's the annual H4H event). Shoes are still wet and the bag has just about dried. I may still buy a new one at my place tomorrow if they have one. Feels a bit weird playing my place with a logo'd bag from Royal Blackheath anyway.
As for wind, that would be Cooden Beach a few years back with a 40mph wind. I foolishly set up a card and so had to enter a 91 after the round. Idiot. Although in that wind and the swing I had back then, I can't say I was massively unhappy.

 

[Pathetic Shark]

Stupid winter afternoon at my old club. No-one on the course and I had gone down just to do some committee work. GM ends up betting me a cup of tea I can't break 80 off the tips in the conditions. Cold, 30 mph wind and intermittent rain. I made a six foot putt on the last for a 79 with him giving me stick. We still laugh about it now some 10 years later - best cup of tea I ever had.

 

[IanM]

1997 Royal St George's in 30mph and driving rain. Started on 6th, and we stayed out. Madness

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Winter league late 1960's
Muirfield
40/50 mph freezing wind with 30 minute intervals of sleet, rain and hail.
Target score was to break 90 actual score was 86.
7 players returned scores out of a field of about 90.
I finished 3rd.
The HCEG captain said to me ' young doon you will probably remember that as one of the best rounds of your life' he was right.

 

[DeanoMK]

I think I've posted about this before, but this is without doubt the worst I've played in, and this was at the start of the third round on the longest golf day in 2016. It was a lot worse than yesterday, mainly because of the wind but also because I had cheap waterproofs and a bag that wasn't waterproof at all and we still had 33 holes to play

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[Crow]

I played in the Woodhall meet when the wind and rain blew, trolleys going over, brolleys flying down the fairway, everyone soaked.
Until now that's always been the benchmark for the forum as far as bad conditions go.

I didn't play yesterday but would be interested to hear from anyone who did play in both as to which was the worst for weather?

 

[KenL]

Once played Dunbar GC when it was so windy that my trolley was blowing away even with a brake on, it also blew over countless times.
We took to putting our trolleys in bunkers when we were on the green. It was farcical, but the wind was bearable when we first went out.