Want to put your golf dexterity to the test this Halloween? Here are 5 frightening golf course holes that will make you second guess your skills and leave you with the chills:
1. Pebble Beach Golf Links: 8th HoleThis course offers some of the most amazing views, but beware the 8th hole. This 427-yard, par-4 hole will require quite the strategic thinking and is not meant for the novice golfer. You’ll need to get your ball over what might possibly one of the largest water hazards onto a small green with plenty of tilt. You may want to have a few extra golf balls on hand for this one, and a camera for some unforgettable photo opportunities.
2. TPC Sawgrass, "Island Green": 17th Hol
Spanning 7,215 yards, The TPC Sawgrass is known to be one of the world’s most challenging golf courses. Nearly every hole proposes drawbacks for golfers, especially the 17th hole, known as the “Island Green”. The name itself gives golfers the chills, as the 4-foot water surrounding the “Island Green” swallows over 120,000 golf balls per year. But one man’s splash is another man’s cash! Diver’s go fishing for these lost balls every year to cash in on seven cents per ball.
Golfers even find themselves in precarious positions to play their ball. While you might get lucky and land your ball on the “Island Green”, we can’t guarantee you’ll have much room to play. You’ll have to get creative if you want to master this hole.
3. The St. Andrews Road Hole, Old Course: 17th Hole
The Road Hole has always been one of the most troublesome par-4 holes in golf. From the tee, you’ll notice The Old Course Hotel juts out into the fairway, so there’s a chance you are taking a few roof shingles with your shot. Deviant tee shots were costing as much as $2,000 per week in shingle repairs so a rubber roof was installed in 2017.
As if that isn’t scary enough, there is literally a road and out-of-bounds to the right, hence the name “Road Hole”. But there’s another hazard to the left: a treacherous bunker with an unusually steep grade. You’ll need to make a perfect shot to avoid these ominous hazards simultaneously.
4. The Augusta National Golf Club, Amen Corner: 12th Hole
The “Amen Corner” consists of the second half of the 11th, all of the 12th, and the first half of the 13th hole at the Augusta National Golf Club, home to The Master’s Tournament. The 12th hole “Golden Bell” is the most famous of the trio, with a narrow green surrounded by bunkers and Rae’s Creek guarding the front of the green. Despite the hazards that encompass the green, Pro golfers say the hole itself is easy. It is the swirling wind conditions that make it hit or miss and your club choice is imperative, ranging from a 4 to a 9 iron.
5. The Coeur d’ Alene Golf Course, Floating Green: 14th Hole
Designed along Lake Coeur d’ Alene, The Coeur d’ Alene Golf Course offers a remarkable lakefront experience. The most noteworthy hole on this course is the 14th hole, the famous Floating Green. The Floating Green is the world’s only moveable green, controlled by computers to move daily distances via underwater cable. Golfers are ferried to the island green by an electric boat, dubbed “Putter”. The green is a beautiful engineering marvel, but doesn’t necessarily provide the prettiest of golf ball landings. If you are lucky enough to land on the Floating Green, you’ll have a memory that will last a lifetime. Otherwise, your ball will join thousands of others in the watery grave surrounding it.
Do you have the guts to play these holes? Put your golf skills to the test this Halloween! Don't be frightened, enjoy the marvelous scenery and make unforgettable memories along the way.
