- Sparrow
Top 5 Golf Courses on the Tour
Course: Augusta National Golf Club
Tournament: The Masters
Last Tournament Date: April 8-11 2021
Next Tournament Date: April 7-10 2022
Course Record: Nick Price and Greg Norman- 63
Location: Augusta, GA
Last Winner: Hideki Matsuyama
Green Fees: The public can only visit the course during the Masters Tournament with proper credentials, making the club very exclusive. If you are not a member of Augusta National or a guest of a member, you cannot play there.
As many golf advocates know, Augusta National is commonly known as one of the hardest courses on the PGA tour and in the world. What makes it so difficult is that you cannot reach the greens with the normal golfer’s trajectory. It continues to challenge the best players in the world, every April, at the Masters Tournament. This is known as one of the four “Major” tournaments on the tour, and represents history in the sport as well as a future.
Our Favorite Hole on Augusta:
Hole 12 is called Golden Bell at Augusta National and is commonly known as one of the most famous holes in all of golf. It is
the shortest par 3 on the course but has strong winds that make the player change their club selection. The creek and 3 bunkers leave little room for error due to hazards. The Ben Hogan bridge is one of the most iconic landmarks in golf. This hole has been tragic to many players on their way to major titles because of the wind, the narrow green, and the water in front.
Course: Pebble Beach Golf Links
Tournament: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Last Tournament Date: February 11-14 2021
Next Tournament Date: February 3-6 2022
Course Record: Patrick Cantlay- 62
Location: Pebble Beach, CA
Last Winner: Daniel Berger
Green Fees: In April 2020, the course was priced at 550$ a person in addition to 45$ for a cart and 95$ for a caddie, which is recommended due to difficulty.
Pebble Beach is one of the most well known courses in California because of its beautiful views on the water. However, the firmness and speed of the greens make them seem a lot smaller than they really are. Even professional golfers can get into trouble because of the long irons that play into the small greens. This can make the ball harder to stop when approaching the green. This course has the smallest green sizes on the PGA tour. For example, its average green size is nearly ¼ of the size of the Old Course at St. Andrews. With water on 118 bunkers in 18 holes, the difficulty provided by hazards is recognized by everyone who plays it.
Our Favorite Hole on Pebble Beach:
The 18th hole at Pebble Beach draws many eyes thanks to its coastal view into the clubhouse. Only long hitters can typically reach the green in 2 shots. However, there is danger in the trees to the right, causing golfers to aim closer to the water. On the approach shot, water is in play even more and any shot to the left will be in trouble. In addition, the green slopes towards the water and is tucked away.
Course: The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass
Tournament: The Players Championship
Last Tournament Date: March 11-14 2021
Next Tournament Date: March 10-13 2022
Course Record: Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Roberto Castro, Martin Kaymer, Jason Day, Colt Knost, Webb Simpson, Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama- 63
Location: Palm Valley, FL
Last Winner: Justin Thomas
Green Fees: In Ponte Vedra Beach FL, the stadium course at TPC sawgrass costs about 549$ to play during peak season.
This course is famously known for the 17th hole which has an “island green” with surrounding water. Rough and slicker greens force golfers to avoid hazards such as water or bunkers. Amateur golfers struggle much more at The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. The greens have a shallow depth, and severe slopes, hurting golfers that do not put the ball near the hole. The greens are also very quick and unforgiving, causing more 3 putts than normal. Lesser golfers will often struggle to give the ball enough flight and spin to get the ball on the greens correctly. In addition, fairways come into the green at angles that make the course harder for people with distance control and accuracy.
Our Favorite Hole on The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass:
The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most well-known holes on the tour due to its iconic island green. Amateurs tend to struggle on this hole because it requires accuracy and spin to keep the ball on the green. Pro golfers have achieved scores as high as 12 on this hole, putting four balls into the water. Some terrible blowups happen every tournament on the Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass.
Course: Harbour Town Golf Links
Tournament: RBC Heritage
Last Tournament Date: April 15- April 18 2021
Next Tournament Date: April 14-17 2022
Course Record: Troy Merritt- 61
Location: Hilton Head, SC
Last Winner: Stewart Cink
Green Fees: The Green fees typically range from $195 to $369.
Being one of the shortest golf courses on the PGA tour means finesse and execution through shot making is more important than power and strength. While the course tends to be kind of flat, the greens are small, slopey, fast and have subtle breaks. Hazards surrounding the greens and narrow fairways surrounded by trees make for a difficult Par 71 track.
Our Favorite Hole on Harbor Town Golf Links:
The 18th hole at Harbor town is one of the hardest and well-known holes on the course because of long standing grass and water on the left side. Typically the best play on the first shot is aiming for the lighthouse but players need to be careful of hitting the ball into the hazards. Hitting short and left on your approach shot will result in trouble, causing players to aim towards the right side of the green. Next there is a mounded area on the right side of the green, causing players to have rough wedge shots from that area. Many people will even consider using hybrids in this situation because of the trouble of an elevated green.
Course: Whistling Straits Golf Course
Tournament: PGA Championship, Ryder Cup
Last Tournament Date: September 24-26 2021
Next Tournament Date: Unknown (Next Year)
Course Record: Hiroshi Iwata- 63
Location: Sheboygan County, WI
Last Winner: United States in Ryder Cup 2021
Green Fees: The green fees start at 410$, with a caddie fee of 65$ and a recommended 50$ tip
Containing strong winds and distance makes Whistling Straits one of the most punishing courses on the PGA tour. Weird linings to the fairway, over 1,000 sand traps, and Irish-style rough also make players think more about their navigation of this course because of the difficult recovery shots that present themselves.
Our Favorite Hole on the Course:
The 17th hole at Whistling Straits is one of the most intimidating holes in all of golf. This is because of the approach to the green guarded by 20 feet sand dunes. If players end up here, they tend to be punished. About 40 yards short of the green, this obstacle starts drawing players to hit left into the area next to the Great Lake. On the other side is punishing sand traps and a high hillside which leave players no safety besides the green.