TPC Sawgrass - Friday the 13th
These 18 scariest holes across the U.S. will have you feeling the nerves on the tee.
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Pebble Beach Golf Links - No. 8
The eighth at Pebble Beach Golf Links, playing along cliffs the entire way, makes for an intimidating hole tee-to-green
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Bethpage Black golf course - 15th
Phil Mickelson hits his 2nd shot to the elevated 15th green of Bethpage Black at the 2009 U.S. Open.
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Mauna Kea Golf Course - 3rd
The signature par-3 third hole at Mauna Kea Golf Course in Kamuela, Hawaii, is demanding off the tee, particularly when the winds are swirling.
Mike Bailey/GolfAdvisor
Harbour Town Golf Links - 18th
There's little room for error on the approach shot to the 18th green at Harbour Town Golf Links.
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Blackwolf Run - River golf course - hole 16th
A giant Linden tree, as well as water, guard the par-5 16th hole at Blackwolf Run's River Course.
Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pasatiempo Golf Club - 16th
A long, severely sloped and well protected green is the main attraction of Pasatiempo Golf Club's famed 16th hole.
Courtesy of Rob Babcock/Pasatiempo G.C.
Wolf Creek G.C. in Mesquite - 8th
The par-3 eighth hole at Wolf Creek Golf Club plays more than 240 yards from the championship tees.
Courtesy of Wolf Creek G.C.
Ocean Course at Hokuala- 18th
The dramatic finishing hole at Jack Nicklaus-designed Ocean Course at Hokuala.
Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach
The famous, sharp, dogleg par-5 13th hole, "Waterloo," is a monster at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club.
Courtesy of the Dunes Golf & Beach Club
Champion at PGA National - No. 15
The 15th hole at PGA National's Champion Course kicks off the infamous "Bear Trap," which is one of the most challenging stretches of holes on the PGA Tour.
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Straits golf course - Whistling Straits
There isn't much room to miss on the 18th hole of the Straits Course at Whistling Straits, which is a fitting finishing hole for a major championship.
Courtesy of Getty Images
Bay Hill Club & Lodge - Championship Course - 6th
Tiger Woods hits his third shot at the boomerang par-5 6th hole at Bay Hill.
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Golf Club of Houston - Tournament Course - 18th
The tee shot on the 484-yard, par-4 18th hole of the Tournament Course at the Golf Club of Houston is one of the most difficult in golf.
Mike Bailey/GolfAdvisor
Ko'olau golf course - 18th
The 476-yard, par-4 18th hole at Ko'olau Golf Club ranks as the most difficult hole on one of the most difficult golf courses in the U.S.
Courtesy of Ko'olau Golf Club
Ocean Course at Kiawah Island - 17th
In case the Pete Dye design wasn't tough enough, alligators lurk off the 17th hole of the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.
Courtesy of Getty Images
TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - 17th green
For newcomers who play the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, a chance to hit the green on the 17th hole provides a scary thrill.
Chris Condon/Getty Images
Blue Monster - Trump National Doral Miami - 18th
Water lines the left side of the 18th hole of the Blue Monster at Trump National Doral Miami.
Matt Ginella/GolfAdvisor
Pete Dye Course at French Lick - 16th
Long with no room to bail out, the 16th hole on the Dye Course at French Lick is a monster.
Courtesy of French Lick
19 Images
In pictures, they look beautiful. In person, the 18 "scariest golf holes" in America project fear and intimidation.
We've created golf's version of Frankenstein's monster, borrowing holes from some of the most famous courses across the country to create a 7,346-yard, par-69 torture chamber where no bad shot goes unpunished. Many of these holes regularly torment tour pros: No. 17 on the PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass; no. 8 at Pebble Beach Golf Links; no. 6 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge; no. 15, the start of the "Bear Trap", on the Champion Course at PGA National; and the finishing holes at Harbour Town Golf Links, the Blue Monster at Trump National Doral Miami and the Tournament Course at the Golf Club of Houston.
Others lurk in the shadows -- no. 15 on Bethpage Black, no. 17 on the Ocean Course at Kiawah and no. 18 on the Straits Course at Whistling Straits -- until a major event rolls into town.
The rest pick on the amateurs in Myrtle Beach (no. 13 at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club); in Mesquite, Nev. (no. 8 at Wolf Creek Golf Club); in northern California (no. 16 at Pasatiempo Golf Club); in Wisconsin (no. 16 on the River Course at Blackwolf Run); in Indiana (no. 16 on the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort) and in Hawaii (no. 3 at Mauna Kea Golf Course, no. 18 on the Ocean Course at Hokuala and no. 18 at Ko'olau Golf Club).
Morning Drive: What makes a golf hole 'scary'?
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These 18 scariest holes across the U.S. will have you feeling the nerves on the tee. GolfAdvisor
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The eighth at Pebble Beach Golf Links, playing along cliffs the entire way, makes for an intimidating hole tee-to-green Courtesy of Getty Images
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Phil Mickelson hits his 2nd shot to the elevated 15th green of Bethpage Black at the 2009 U.S. Open. Getty Images
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The signature par-3 third hole at Mauna Kea Golf Course in Kamuela, Hawaii, is demanding off the tee, particularly when the winds are swirling. Mike Bailey/GolfAdvisor
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There's little room for error on the approach shot to the 18th green at Harbour Town Golf Links. Getty Images
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A giant Linden tree, as well as water, guard the par-5 16th hole at Blackwolf Run's River Course. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
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A long, severely sloped and well protected green is the main attraction of Pasatiempo Golf Club's famed 16th hole. Courtesy of Rob Babcock/Pasatiempo G.C.
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The par-3 eighth hole at Wolf Creek Golf Club plays more than 240 yards from the championship tees. Courtesy of Wolf Creek G.C.
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The dramatic finishing hole at Jack Nicklaus-designed Ocean Course at Hokuala. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
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The famous, sharp, dogleg par-5 13th hole, "Waterloo," is a monster at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club. Courtesy of the Dunes Golf & Beach Club
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The 15th hole at PGA National's Champion Course kicks off the infamous "Bear Trap," which is one of the most challenging stretches of holes on the PGA Tour. Courtesy of Getty Images
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There isn't much room to miss on the 18th hole of the Straits Course at Whistling Straits, which is a fitting finishing hole for a major championship. Courtesy of Getty Images
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Tiger Woods hits his third shot at the boomerang par-5 6th hole at Bay Hill. Getty Images
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The tee shot on the 484-yard, par-4 18th hole of the Tournament Course at the Golf Club of Houston is one of the most difficult in golf. Mike Bailey/GolfAdvisor
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The 476-yard, par-4 18th hole at Ko'olau Golf Club ranks as the most difficult hole on one of the most difficult golf courses in the U.S. Courtesy of Ko'olau Golf Club
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In case the Pete Dye design wasn't tough enough, alligators lurk off the 17th hole of the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. Courtesy of Getty Images
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For newcomers who play the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, a chance to hit the green on the 17th hole provides a scary thrill. Chris Condon/Getty Images
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Water lines the left side of the 18th hole of the Blue Monster at Trump National Doral Miami. Matt Ginella/GolfAdvisor
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Long with no room to bail out, the 16th hole on the Dye Course at French Lick is a monster. Courtesy of French Lick
Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
