[Anton]

Links Magazine put forward their 25 toughest finishing holes.  Left off the list are famous finishers like Sand Hills, Augusta national, and Kiawah.  Overall it is a good list.  Interesting choice in putting Seminole on the list.  Although I never played it....it never caught my eye as one of the toughest in golf in any other publications.  Here is the list.  Let me know what you think.

http://www.linksmagazine.com/best_of_golf/features/top_25_toughest_finishing_holes.aspx


Golf's 25 Toughest Finishing Holes 
Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands)
Bay Hill Club & Lodge
Butler National Golf Club
Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship)
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (Dubsdread)
Congressional Country Club (Blue)
Course at Yale
Doral Golf Resort & Spa (TPC Blue Monster)
Fallen Oak
Harbour Town Golf Links
Merion Golf Club (East)
Muirfield
Muirfield Village Golf Club
Oak Hill Country Club (East)
Oakland Hills Country Club (South)
Oakmont Country Club
Pine Valley Golf Club
Princeville at Hanalei (Prince)
Quail Hollow Club
Riviera Country Club
Seminole Golf Club
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium)
Whistling Straits (Straits)
Winged Foot Golf Club (West)


 

[Tom_Doak]

I am proud to have built none of the holes in this list.  I don't think a ridiculously hard finishing hole is a great thing, so I will only have a very hard finishing hole if it's the only way home that makes any sense.  [But, on second thought, the 18th at Stone Eagle is probably harder than a few of the holes listed.]

[Chris Johnston]

I am proud to have built none of the holes in this list.  I don't think a ridiculously hard finishing hole is a great thing, so I will only have a very hard finishing hole if it's the only way home that makes any sense.  [But, on second thought, the 18th at Stone Eagle is probably harder than a few of the holes listed.]

Tom - Couldn't agree more. 

[Peter Ferlicca]

Tom, 

I would agree on being suprised that Stone Eagle 18 was not on this list, probably didn't even have it for a recommendation.  At 500 yards, to a brutal green, it is a tough par.  I would also say that Tumble Creek #18 from the back tee is also a brute.  If the pin is anywhere other than the bowl it is just as tough of par as Stone Eagle #18.

[Kevin Pallier]

Only 2 courses listed outside the US ? Geez - the ROW must be easy :rolleyes:

[Ronald Montesano]

Seems like good feature topics are as hard to come by for Links Magazine as a Lower-48 course design contract...normally a fine magazine, this piece is aimed at a bit of a different demographic than the one found here.

If I were to codify my preferred adjective sequence for a finisher, it would begin with beautiful, progress to strategic and end with interesting. Mind you, that's not a ranking, just the order in which I assess the hole.

[Frank Pasquale]

I am proud to say that I have only played three of the courses on this list, once each (Whistling Straits, Yale, Shinnecock), and birdied 18 of two of them!  They can't be THAT hard ; )

[JR Potts]

I've played 6 on this list....and given the 6 I've played and the 10+ I've seen on TV, this seems to be a pretty good list.

And Tom, I can appreciate that you don't like championship courses and the term all that much - but, most of these are championship courses and a difficult 18th, for both drama and TV purposes during championships, has yielded some great suspense, results and enjoyment.

[JLahrman]

Harbour Town's 18th can be difficult for an amateur, with all the marsh and the OB right, but is it really that hard for a good player?

[Bill Ward]

...pacific dunes' 18th is a beast into the winter wind. 

[Steve_Lovett]

I am proud to have built none of the holes in this list.  I don't think a ridiculously hard finishing hole is a great thing, so I will only have a very hard finishing hole if it's the only way home that makes any sense.  [But, on second thought, the 18th at Stone Eagle is probably harder than a few of the holes listed.]

Tom,

What are your thoughts on #18 at Tumble Creek?  It is a very difficult par 4 - one of the most difficult I can think of with the uphill, dogleg, and a long uphill approach to a very severe green.

[Carl Nichols]

I've played 7 of these and based on those plays thought AAC was clearly the hardest. But then I watched the pros play Whistling Straits and I must've just caught it on an easy day.

[Sam Morrow]

I didn't find Bay Hill 18 as tough as many say it is. 17 On the other hand was a bia.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tony,

I"m shocked that # 18 at ANGC didn't make the cut.

[Mark Johnson]

not sure why princeville made the list.  I love the course, but that is one of the easier holes on it.  Usually Driver/ 7 or 8 and plays downwind..    Dont think i've ever made bogey there.

[Bill Seitz]

I am proud to have built none of the holes in this list.  I don't think a ridiculously hard finishing hole is a great thing, so I will only have a very hard finishing hole if it's the only way home that makes any sense.  [But, on second thought, the 18th at Stone Eagle is probably harder than a few of the holes listed.]

Ridiculous may be a bit extreme.  I've birdied, parred, bogeyed, and othered the 18th at Dubs enough times to think of it as a tough finisher that's not overdone.  I don't think a finisher needs to be ridiculously hard, but I don't mind seeing a finishing hole for tour players where a birdie and bogey are equally possible and par is a good score. 

Though I'm pretty sure I've parred the last at Lost Dunes the three times I've played it. For some reason I always get off the tee well there.  Of course Tom, the last time, that was probably because you had already closed us out on 17 and removed some of the pressure.

[Jim Hoak]

I'm glad that Tom Doak raised the right question--is it good or bad to be on this list?  I would say bad--in that a really difficult finishing hole is a negative to the course as a whole, in my opinion.  I would much rather have a very interesting hole, with the potential for both birdies or bogies being high on the list of ourcomes.

[Sean Leary]

I am proud to have built none of the holes in this list.  I don't think a ridiculously hard finishing hole is a great thing, so I will only have a very hard finishing hole if it's the only way home that makes any sense.  [But, on second thought, the 18th at Stone Eagle is probably harder than a few of the holes listed.]

Tom,

What are your thoughts on #18 at Tumble Creek?  It is a very difficult par 4 - one of the most difficult I can think of with the uphill, dogleg, and a long uphill approach to a very severe green.

Agreed. I also have found 18 at Stonewall Old and Ballyneal to be quite difficult as well..

[Dan Kelly]

I wonder if I'm correct in thinking that, speaking generally (very broad-brush here; there are obviously exceptions), architects and course owners have a bias toward a very difficult 18th hole.

He who laughs last, laughs best? Could it be that simple?

Perhaps the architects here present could relate some experiences in this regard -- with the names changed to protect themselves!

Rick Shefchik said to me, years ago -- the first time we played Troy Burne (John Fought and Tom Lehman; Hudson, Wis.) -- that he liked the 18th there because it was a hole that offered a reasonable chance at birdie ... unlike the many brutal, super-long par-4 18th holes where a guy would be much more likely to win with a par.

That struck me as right.

I don't mind slumping to the 18th tee -- but I'd prefer not to slump to the clubhouse, unless it's my own damned fault. Or, of course, unless the brutal 18th hole is a great hole. Too many of them aren't, in my opinion and (limited) experience.

My bias for 18th holes would be: par-5s and shortish par-4s.

[Tim Pitner]

I am proud to have built none of the holes in this list.  I don't think a ridiculously hard finishing hole is a great thing, so I will only have a very hard finishing hole if it's the only way home that makes any sense.  [But, on second thought, the 18th at Stone Eagle is probably harder than a few of the holes listed.]

Tom,

What are your thoughts on #18 at Tumble Creek?  It is a very difficult par 4 - one of the most difficult I can think of with the uphill, dogleg, and a long uphill approach to a very severe green.

Agreed. I also have found 18 at Stonewall Old and Ballyneal to be quite difficult as well..

#18 at Ballyneal does not strike me as a particularly difficult hole--not a piece of cake by any means but it's reasonably short, has a very wide fairway and has some, but not a lot of trouble. 

[Matt Waterbury]

I am proud to have built none of the holes in this list.  I don't think a ridiculously hard finishing hole is a great thing, so I will only have a very hard finishing hole if it's the only way home that makes any sense.  [But, on second thought, the 18th at Stone Eagle is probably harder than a few of the holes listed.]

So you are proud not to be on the list, purposely design in a way not to be on the list, but, come to think of it, should be on the list?



To each his own, I guess. I like a challenge at the end of the round.

My home course finishes with three par 4s that are moderately long (461, 422, and 483), exposed to the elements, and reasonably well defended with strategic bunkering and preferred angles. Against par, they are brutal. Against oneself, they are always an interesting challenge. Against a playing opponent, they are thrilling.

One of the best characteristics of the course, IMHO.

Cheerio,
mjw

[Mark McKeever]

I am proud to have built none of the holes in this list.  I don't think a ridiculously hard finishing hole is a great thing, so I will only have a very hard finishing hole if it's the only way home that makes any sense.  [But, on second thought, the 18th at Stone Eagle is probably harder than a few of the holes listed.]

18 at Stonewall Old is no walk in the park Tom!  I wouldnt call it ridiculous, but its a stern finishing hole for sure.

Mark

[Dan Kelly]

My home course finishes with three par 4s that are moderately long (461, 422, and 483) ...

Sigh.

What's a moderately long par-5 nowadays? 650?

[Tim Nugent]

I find it surprising that #18 at Ko'Olau on Oahu isn't listed.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

I'd put 18 at Olympia Fields North into the mix.  That hole is just plain hard.

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