Best 18th hole in the USA- you have played-since we covered the first hole

[Matt Glore]

The more I play 18 at Ballyneal the more it moves up on my list of best holes on that course.

It allows you to swing away, but then grind hard on the second shot.  

Others Dismal Red
TPC of Louisiana
Fallen Oaks
Harbor Shores
River Course at Blackwolf Run

[Wade Whitehead]

Among many listed already, I really like the 18th at Caledonia.

WW

[Wade Whitehead]

Worst 18th compared to the rest of the course might be Pine Barrens.

WW

[Wade Whitehead]

...or Royal New Kent.

Sorry for the threadjack.

WW

[jonathan_becker]

Man, there are a lot of great closers but I'll go with the last at Oakmont

[Charlie Gallagher]

I will agree that the 18th at Ballyneal is superb closer and its cape exposure puts a premium on good driving if you want to shorten up the 2nd shot.
Other candidates I've played would include:
-Worcester  A superb short closer with abundant trouble around its two tiered green.
-Lehigh  A beast that can be tamed with a well placed drive that catches the kick slope in the fairway, giving you needed additional roll to shorten the approach.
- Huntingdon Valley  You have to hit two really good shots to have a chance at birdie and the green side bunker swallows approaches.
- Philadelphia Cricket Wisahickon  Already a superb finishing hole, it will be interesting to see what the new raised green's challenges are for the approach.
You also have the option of playing left off the tee towards the 1st fairway which used to produce a good angle into the green, it will be fun to see if that still holds true. It's a great closer any way you cut it.
Belgrade Lakes  The best angle for the approach changes depending on hole location; with the match on the line it is easy to get in the wrong area code and leave yourself with an imposible birdie putt. A hole where you can watch the ball roll 60 feet after it gets on the green, depending on the area it lands in.
Wolf Point  Two driving options to a double green with severe contour, an over the top fun hole to finish on, one short enough to keep all the players in the game until the ball is holed.

[J Sadowsky]

I haven't played nearly the great courses many of you had, so, in some general order:

Rustic Canyon
Ballyhack
Whiskey Creek (and yes, it is kitschy as hell, but fun).
Royal New Kent
Golden Horseshoe/Michigan (they're somewhat similar, too).

[jeffwarne]

For 99.9% of the golf world
18 at Southampton (post renovation)
played into prevailing wind off the ocean
DEEP left cross bunker protects ideal angle to pin.
If play right, left with poor angle to left to right shallow diagonally shaped green.

Ordinary piece of terrain, brilliant closer,
where a LOT usually happens

In my opinion, NOTHING worse than a closer where there's a significant chance someone will be in their pocket with a submerged/lost ball

[Ed Brzezowski]

Kingsbarns has a nice closer as does Royal Dornoch, in the Philly area Stonewall Old. Just a beautiful hole.

[Connor Dougherty]

I'm a fan of the 18 at Pebble, like Ran mention in his course review, it's a hole that has become better with technology, although technology getting better may render it useless. I do debate the merits of the left green side bunker though as it pushes the golfer away from flirting with the cliff.

I like most of the ones mentioned (Oakmont, Pine Valley, Stonewall Old, Dismal Red, Lawsonia, Ballyneal, etc.)

For starters, 18 at Winged Foot East, which, if I remember correctly, has an incredible green.

There's also 18 at Kiawah and 18 at Old Macdonald

But for fun I'll add two at lesser known courses, one which probably most will applaud here and another which may raise a few more eyebrows.

For starters, I'm a big fan of Claremont's 18th. The way that green is benched into the hillside next to the clubhouse and the slope of the fairway makes it one of the better finishing holes I've seen, but I'd be surprised if anyone mentioned it here. A few of the members play it back from the 17th tee, which makes it a brute of a hole.

The other is Bayonet. I like the way the hole descends and then ascends to the green and that it faces a demanding tee shot but then opens up, inviting you to go for it but making the task no easier by dotting the right side of the fairway and green with bunkers.

I'm not sure why, but I've always enjoyed playing Bayonet.

[Scott McWethy]

All time favorite is Sand Hills.  Visually, I think it is a spectacular hole and a real test.  I also love the 18th hole at Crystal Downs.  Great finishing hole that requires some good shot making.