America's 75 Toughest Golf Courses

What is it about the difficult course that holds so much appeal for many golfers? Is it simply, to borrow George Mallory's overused line about Everest, "because it's there"? Or is there something deeper, maybe even a little darker at work? Do you want to suffer for some reason? Do you "deserve" to be punished?

These are questions probably better answered in the company of a professional therapist. But if it's a challenge you're looking for, you've come to the right place.

Presenting Golf Digest's list of America's 75 Toughest Golf Courses. Spend some time with our list. Read it, debate it, make plans to play some of these courses if you dare. Just don't come crying to us if they make you feel like quitting the game.

1. The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, S.C.
2. Pine Valley (N.J.) G.C.
3. Oakmont (Pa.) C.C.
4. Spyglass Hill G. Cse., Pebble Beach
5. Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale, N.Y. 
6. Whistling Straits (Straits), Haven, Wis.
7. TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
8. PGA West (TPC Stadium), La Quinta, Calif.
9. Winged Foot G.C. (West), Mamaroneck, N.Y.
10. Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort (No. 2)
11. Butler National G.C., Oak Brook, Ill.
12. Shinnecock Hills G.C., Southampton, N.Y.
13. The Olympic Club (Lake), San Francisco
14. Pebble Beach G. Links
15. Oakland Hills C.C. (South), Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
16 Medinah (Ill.) C.C. (No. 3)
17. Torrey Pines G. Cse. (South), La Jolla, Calif.
18. Pacific Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
19. Desert Mtn. Club (Renegade), Scottsdale
20. Merion G.C. (East), Ardmore, Pa.
21. Bayonet and Black Horse (Bayonet), Seaside, Calif.
22. Cog Hill G. & C.C. (No. 4), Lemont, Ill.
23. Oak Hill C.C. (East), Rochester, N.Y.
24. Congressional C.C. (Blue), Bethesda, Md.
25. Ko'olau G.C., Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii
26. Hazeltine National G.C., Chaska, Minn.
27. Wolf Creek G.C., Mesquite, Nev.
28. Victoria National G.C., Newburgh, Ind.
29 Baltusrol G.C. (Lower), Springfield, N.J.
30. Harbour Town G. Links, Hilton Head Island
31. Augusta (Ga.) National G.C.
32. Blackwolf Run (River), Kohler, Wis.
T33. Bandon Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
T33. Castle Pines G.C., Castle Rock, Colo.
35. Los Angeles C.C. (North)
36. Muirfield Village G.C., Dublin, Ohio
37. Prairie Dunes C.C., Hutchinson, Kan.
38. Winged Foot G.C. (East), Mamaroneck, N.Y.
T39. Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands), Johns Creek, Ga.
T39. The Honors Course, Ooltewah, Tenn.
41. Wolf Run G.C., Zionsville, Ind.
42. Crystal Downs C.C., Frankfort, Mich.
43. Firestone C.C. (South), Akron, Ohio
T44 Aronimink G.C., Newtown Square, Pa.
T44 Medalist G.C., Hobe Sound, Fla.
T46 Cypress Point Club, Pebble Beach
T46. The Prince Course, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
48. East Lake G.C., Atlanta
49. Arcadia (Mich.) Bluffs G.C.
50. Doral Golf Resort & Spa (McLean Course), Miami
51. Oak Tree National, Edmond, Okla.
52. Seminole G.C., Juno Beach, Fla.
53. Riviera C.C., Pacific Palisades, Calif.
54. Southern Hills C.C., Tulsa, Okla. 
55. The Stanwich Club, Greenwich, Conn.
56. Erin (Wis.) Hills
57. The Pete Dye Course at French Lick (Ind.) Resort
58 Pete Dye G.C., Bridgeport, W.Va.
59. Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio
60. Jupiter Hills Club (Hills), Tequesta, Fla.
61. Karsten Creek G.C., Stillwater, Okla.
62. The Country Club (Clyde/Squirrel), Brookline, Mass.
T63. Sahalee C.C. (South/North), Sammamish, Wash.
T63. Sebonack G.C., Southampton, N.Y.
T65. The Concession G.C., Bradenton, Fla.
T65. The Cse. at Yale, New Haven, Conn.
T67. Olympia Fields (Ill.) C.C. (North)
T67. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Capitol Hill (The Judge), Prattville, Ala.
T67. Tobacco Road G.C., Sanford, N.C.
T70. Bulle Rock, Havre de Grace, Md.
T70. Dallas National G.C.
T72. Crooked Stick G.C., Carmel, Ind.
T72. National G. Links of America, Southampton, N.Y.
T72. Old Marsh G.C., Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
75. Rich Harvest Links, Sugar Grove, Ill.