The hardest holes in the world

We’ve all experienced holes on a course that just get the better of us, whether there are concealed bunkers, trees and roughage obscuring your view or a bitter wind that blows across a fairway. But one day, you will defeat it.

But what are the hardest holes in the world, regularly getting the better of recreational and professional players?

Entabeni Safari Reserve - 19th Hole

The golf course is set amongst a beautiful backdrop of a safari, and the 19th hole isn’t the club house. No, the 19th hole tee is only accessible via helicopter. It is placed high on the Hanglin Mountain, 400 metres high in fact, and is definitely not one for those that are scared of heights. It has the longest tee shot on a par three course, with the ball taking up to thirty seconds to land. There is a spotter on the ground to direct you in the direction your ball landed, and then you take it from there.

Cypress Point Club - 16th hole

This ultra plush, exclusive golf club near Pebble Beach in California has a gruesome 16th hole over the Pacific Ocean. You have to tee off and hit your ball 230 yards over the ocean to reach the fairway, but that isn’t all. The cross winds from the Pacific add to this monster of a hole, so your ball could end up anywhere!

Augusta National - 12th hole

This infamous course where the Masters are held every year has a very tricky hole to navigate. Possibly the hardest and most deceiving hole on the course, this par 3 hole is beautiful to look at but a nightmare to play. You have the water in front of the hole and the azaleas that line the back of the hole, plus don’t forget the swirling winds around the hole, which have caused many a Masters hopeful to fall.

Whistling Straits - 18th hole

The final 500 yard, par four hole is also aptly named ‘Dyeabolical”, thanks to its many sand dunes, creek and awkward bunkers. Throw in a downhill shot for you to approach the green with brutal winds attacking you and your shot, and you’re sure to find this a treacherous hole. Once you arrive at the green you have a huge area to cover too, so it can take many shots for you to putt your ball into the hole.

Royal Troon - 8th Hole

A little closer to home, this par three hole at the infamous Royal Troon is 123 yards long and nicknamed the ‘Postage Stamp’, thanks to it’s tiny green, nestled into a sandhill. Positioned close to the sea, finding the small green is hard thanks to you having to tee off from high ground, with gullies and deep bunkers cunningly positioned. Well it is the smallest hole of course, they couldn’t make it an easy one!

Cape Kidnappers - 15th hole

One of the most melodramatic and breathtaking course in the world, also comes as one of the most demanding. The fifteenth hole at the course on New Zealand’s North Island drops into the unknown on both sides of the fairway, alongside the sea. The thin fairway paired with gales from the sea that batter the course all make for an interesting game, with many players losing their nerve when playing this hole. These factors have helped the hole to gain a nickname of the ‘Pirates Plank’.

So next time you experience difficulty with a particular hole, remember it could be a whole lot worse!