A Golf Illustrated article written by Horace Hutchinson in 1901 is said in part to have inspired Macdonald to build NGLA.  

Hutchinson posed the following question to readers:  

Which do you consider the best and most difficult:   1.) one-shot hole; 2.) two-shot hole; and 3.) three-shot hole?

Everyone from Braid, Taylor, Fowler, Vardon, Low, and Park, Jr. chimed in.  From the responses, the top choices were...

For par 3:  Eden and Redan
For par 4: Alps and Sahara
For par 5: Long and Road

Over one hundred years have passed since Hutchinson's article.  In the meantime, golf architects have designed thousands of courses.  We've seen the likes of Tillinghast and Mackenzie, Colt and Alison, Ross, Wilson and Strong, Crump, Fowler, Fownes, Flynn and Travis and Thomas, Emmet and Tull, RTJ and the Jones Bros, Fazio and Dye, Cornish & Muirhead, Morrish and Weiskopf, Doak, Hanse, Strantz, Steel, C&C, Nicklaus, Brauer, Richardson, Hurzdan, Liddy, Young, Silva, Nuzzo, and Engh etc. -- in short, quite a few architects designing a lot of golf holes.  

How would you answer Hutchinson's question today?  

Which holes would you choose?

Would the holes you choose inspire you to build a great home of golf, whatever your geography?

Among many possibilities, here are some noteworthy holes:

Long Par 3:  3rd at Merion (new back tee)
honorable mention:  15th at Philadelphia Country Club

Short Par 3:  11th at Shinnecock Hills
honorable mention:  2nd at Royal Dornoch

Long Par 4:  18th at Merion (new back tee)
honorable mention:  12th at Swinley Forest

Short Par 4:  5th at Royal St. George's (if 420 is short these days)
honorable mention:  11th at Huntingdon Valley

Long Par 5:  12th at Oakmont CC
honorable mention:  3rd at Philadelphia Country Club

Short Par 5:  16th at Shinnecock Hills
honorable mention:  4th at Bethpage Black

Tom,

I'll wager you a bottle of your Chairman's Select versus the same one we had at dinner the other night (my last bottle) that Phila Country's 15th has been aced less than Pine Valley's 5th even prorated on the basis of the number of years open for play.

By the way, the new back tee on 14 at Rolling Green (230 y) is certainly making that hole a lot harder!

There are no more difficult holes. Only poor shots. Thanks to all the physicists.

As has been deleted before..."Anyone can build a hard golf course. Not just anyone can build a great one."--- Ben Crenshaw's paraphrased answer to the speculation that Sand Hills would be a very difficult course.

1-18 at The Ocean Course. And Adam, you can use whatever technology you can get your hands on...these holes are still difficult.  

Joe

Jim,

You know the course better than I do, but what is so supremely difficult about the 15th at Pine Valley?  I haven't played it from the new back tee as yet, but the first two shots are not difficult (you have to hit two good shots but there is plenty of width and the stances aren't demanding) though the approach needs to be excellent as the green can be extremely difficult.  Sure if you stray there is a big price to pay but you consider it the hardest par 5 you've ever played?  While it is long and hard, there are no diagonals and other than length, it isn't the hardest par 5 in our district.  I think there are a number of harder par 5s and shorter ones at that.

Par 3-#17 Whistling Straits

Par 4- #5 Pinehurst#2

Par 5-#16 Kiawah Island

Wayne,

There's actually a par 5 in Tampa at the University of South Florida's course that's by far more difficult tee-to-green, but I pick #15 PV for the total package. If you get down there for spring training at all, check out the course...not bad.

I played the hole three days in a row this fall in the Crump and hit three good (not great, but solid and straight) drives, three great iron's laying up and three great approach irons (3/4 nine iron, full smash 4 iron, full 8 iron) and still made a bogey and two pars.

The drive may not be all that demanding on its own, but think about what you must do to make par if you mess up the drive at all...

Kyle,

I believe it's the 14th...Is the 6th the one that sweeps around a lake the whole way? #14 is the one that gave the course the name The Claw.


By the way Wayne, the only par five in our district (that I have played) that compares to #15 PV in terms of difficulty is Merions 4th, but that's only because I can't find the fairway with the second shot...

#9 at Rolling Green is great, and difficult, but it ain't #15 at Pine Valley.

Wayne,

I could be convinced that the new tee makes the drive a bit easier. I used to be a bit cramped off that tee and would be wise to hit a 3 wood or even a hybrid since it's a three shot hole anyway...unless, that is, you really catch the drive...ah, temptation...

The new tee adds 30 or 40 yards, but does not make the tee shot more difficult, IMO.

Haven't played Oakmont, but I disagree with PCC. I think it is a very good hole, but not all that difficult.

Can't believe I haven't thought of it yet...Par 4 - #2 on the C nine at Huntingdon Valley...I'll take this hole toe-to-toe with any other suggestions...