New research has revealed the toughest golf courses in America, with three being in Florida.
Premium golf apparel brand, Galvin Green, analyzed the number of keywords related to a difficult golf course, such as ‘advanced’ and ‘elevation change,’ in the TripAdvisor reviews written by average golfers for over 800 courses in the US. For those with at least 50 reviews, they looked at the average number of keywords indicating difficulty per review to determine which course Americans find the hardest.
At the top of the list is TPC Tampa Bay, located in Florida, with an average of 1.2 difficulty-related keywords in each review. Overall, it has a 4.5-star rating, with 105 reviews containing 126 keywords. The term ‘fast green’ appears the most, used in 22 reviews.
In second place is Bethpage Black, which has an average of 1.112 keywords per review. The New York course has 107 reviews in total, with 119 keywords included in them. The course is famous for its difficulty and has hosted several major tournaments, including the U.S. Open. The most common keyword used in its reviews is ‘tough.’
Next on the list is Wine Valley Golf Course in Washington, with 1.088 keywords used per review on average. It has 80 reviews on TripAdvisor, including 87 keywords, with the most used term being ‘challenging.’
Arizona’s Stone Ridge Golf Course ranks fourth, with an average of 1 keyword used in each review. The keyword ‘fast green’ appears six times, while ‘elevation change’ appears 11 times. Overall, it is rated 4 stars, with 74 reviews in total.
In fifth place is Cinnabar Hills Golf Club, California, which has an average of 0.984 difficulty-related keywords in each of its 61 reviews. The most common keyword among its reviews is ‘challenging,’ which appears 11 times.
With an average of 0.982 keywords per TripAdvisor review, Wentworth Golf Club in Florida ranks sixth. The course has 55 reviews, which contain 54 keywords, with an overall rating of 4 stars.
Next up is Shell Landing Golf Course in Mississippi, with an average of 0.963 keywords used in each review. The term ‘challenging’ appeared the most, included in 19 reviews. Overall, it has 52 keywords spread across 54 reviews, and a rating of 4.5 stars.
Tot Hill Farm Golf Club in North Carolina takes eighth place, with 0.956 keywords per review on average. The course has 68 TripAdvisor reviews, which include 65 difficulty-related keywords. The word ‘challenging’ appears 20 times among the reviews, with an overall rating of 4 stars.
In ninth place is PGA West Pete Dye Stadium Golf Course in California. It has an average of 0.944 keywords included in each of its 178 TripAdvisor reviews. The course is rated 4.5 stars overall, with the term ‘tough’ appearing 33 times, while the term ‘fast greens’ appears 17 times.
Tenth is The Champions Club at Summerfield, Florida, which has an average of 0.943 keywords per review. It has a total of 53 reviews, which include 50 keywords. Overall, it is rated 4 stars.
On the other hand, the golf course with the lowest number of difficulty-related keywords is Four Seasons Resort and Club at Colinas, Texas, which has an average of just 0.022 per review. Closely following are Glenview Golf Course and Orange Blossoms Hills Golf Country Club, both located in Florida, with averages of 0.025 and 0.026 keywords per review, respectively.
A spokesperson from Galvin Green has commented:
“It is fascinating to see which courses Americans find the toughest. Whether you’re looking to test your skills or simply enjoy the thrill of conquering a tough course, these ones offer experiences that will challenge even the most seasoned golfers.
“It is also great to see a mix of courses from different states, showcasing the diverse golfing challenges across the country. Hopefully, this research will inspire golf enthusiasts to push their limits and tackle one of the more difficult courses.
