The Worst Golf Holes You’ve Ever Played

This past week, the Honda Classic had me thinking about bad golf holes. Trouble on both sides, non-stop forced carries, cookie-cutter houses everywhere—the Champion course at PGA National really has it all.

So why don’t we have ourselves a Club TFE discussion of the worst holes we’ve played?

I’ll go first.

I’ve spent hundreds of hours at Sanctuary Golf Course in New Lenox, Illinois. It was my high school’s home course, I’ve played numerous charity scrambles there, and I used its range for summer practice. It’s also home to a few of the worst golf holes on the planet.

Two of these come in a three-hole stretch. They’re narrow, devoid of strategy, and abusive to less-skilled players.

No. 3, par 4, 344 yards

The third hole at Sanctuary

With out of bounds down the entire left side of the hole, water on the right, and thick fescue past the water, the third hole at Sanctuary is a nightmare. A boring one, if that’s possible. Any drive that lands left of the narrow fariway bounds across the cart path and toward the train tracks. The widest part of the landing zone requires a driver. Since most people who play here are weekend hackers, lost balls and a sluggish pace of play are common. Off the tee, a short iron is legitimately the best option for anyone with less-than-excellent control.

No. 5, par 5, 527 yards

The fifth hole at Sanctuary

Nowhere to go. Photo courtesy of enjoyillinois.com

Two holes later, No. 5 squeezes players through what can only be described as a chute. The trees on the left make it nearly impossible to reach the green in two with a wood, and the layup zone is absurdly small. Anything left or right of dead center and you’re blocked out by overhanging limbs. If you don’t hit two booming shots or the most precise long-iron or fairway-wood layup of your life, you’ll be left with a 150-yard hook approach or a punch-out from the trees. Sound like fun? Oh, and there’s a farm in the woods with a rooster that yells all day long.

Here’s where we turn it over to you. What are the worst holes you’ve ever played? What makes a bad hole truly bad?