Around the world there are something like 40,000 golf courses of varying difficulty. Some are perfectly balanced with a few more gentle holes weaved into the magic, while others are unrelentingly tough from start to finish.
What creates the challenge can be length, the contours of the land, the wind, water close to or on the line of play, intrusive trees or narrow fairways, punishing bunkers, undulating greens, psychology… and very often a combination of all these.
Understandably, and quite rightly, all great courses have a hole or two that is designed to be particularly challenging, so here we take a look at some of the toughest holes in golf.
The Belfry (Brabazon) – Hole 18 – England
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Situated on the outskirts of Birmingham, The Belfry has hosted the Ryder Cup on a record four occasions. If ever there was a fitting finale for this great exhibition of golf, this hole is it. It’s a long par 4, so to shorten your approach the drive must carry trees and water on the left. The safer line is the wide bunker at the end of the fairway leaving a longer second. The approach has to fly Moxhull Pond to a massive three-tier green which, depending on pin position, can mean a four or even five club difference. This is a classic finishing hole where anything can happen, and frequently does.
Cypress Point – Hole 16 – USA
(Image credit: Getty Images)
This exclusive club is home to a sensational course designed by Alister MacKenzie, designer of Augusta National. It nestles on the shoreline of the beautiful Monterey Peninsula, and the par-3 sixteenth will be instantly recognisable to millions of golf enthusiasts who have never even been near the course. It is a brute of a one-shotter, well over 200 yards, and played over, but frequently into, the Pacific Ocean. If you had to design a spectacular and breathtaking par 3, this would be it. Thankfully, there is a bail-out area short and left which means you can play it as a dogleg!
Vale do Lobo (Royal) – Hole 16 – Portugal
(Image credit: Vale do Lobo)
One of continental Europe’s very first golfing destinations, Vale do Lobo was originally designed by Henry Cotton. His work has since been split to create two excellent resort courses, the Ocean and the Royal, where water is a regular feature and the rolling fairways are flanked by pine and wild flowers. The Royal’s sixteenth is as close as you get to the sea on any course in the Algarve. It is a thrilling and very photogenic hole played over the red…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Golf Monthly…