Toughest Stretches on the PGA Tour?

Toughest Stretches on the PGA Tour?

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Golf Blog by the Mel Sole Golf School.

Are "The Bear Trap," "Amen Corner," and "The Green Mile" all just Media Hype? I think they started that way but have grown in the hearts of the fans to become places they can dream of one day playing!  I have played "The Bear Trap," "Amen Corner," "The Snake Pit," Colonial's "Horrible Horseshoe," Carnoustie's tough closing holes, Shinnecock's "Middle Stretch," and Pebble's 8 through 10. They all have great memories for me, each with its own special place in my heart.  

Thanks to Golf Digest's  Joel Beall and some great photography, we can visit them and dream all over again!

1. PGA National Golf Club: Bear Trap

Named for Jack Nicklaus, who redesigned the course, PGA National's 15th, 16th, and 17th holes are more than a marketing ploy: At the 2015 Honda Classic, there were 145 birdies at the Bear Trap against 299 bogeys or worse.

 

2. Augusta National: Amen Co

Amen Corner Coined by Herbert Warren Wind, Augusta's 11th, 12th, and 13th constitute the most famous three-hole stretch in golf. While the 11th (the hardest hole during the 2015 Masters at 4.326 strokes) and the 12th (3.125 strokes) live up to their tenacious reputation, the 13th has ranked the easiest hole in the past two years. Of course, the accuracy and distance required by Azalea's tee-ball perennially make the drive one of the most important -- and for viewers, exciting -- shots during the tournament.

 

3. TPC Sawgrass: Closing three holes

The par-3, island-green 17th, is one of the most famous holes in the world. But it's merely a part of TPC Sawgrass's closing puzzle; the 18th hole is actually tougher, boasting a +.397 scoring average during the 2015 Players, the highest number on the course. Likewise, the par-5 16th was once a true risk-reward endeavor, although advances in club technology have rendered the 16th defenseless (it conceded 17 eagles last season).

 

4. Innisbrook Copperhead: The Snake Pit

Like my man Indiana Jones, I battle ophidiophobia, so let's get through this quick. C

5. Quail Hollow Club: Green Mile

How about this for a finish: A 508-yard par 4 whose green is guarded by a lake on the left and bunker on the right; a 220-yard par 3 with a peninsula green and sand in the front; a 493-yard, uphill par 4 with a creek running up the left and bunkers scattered throughout. The numbers back the description up, as the 16th, 17th and 18th ranked second, third and first in scoring difficulty at the Wells Fargo Championship in 2015.

 

 

To see the rest of the toughest stretches in golf, go here!

Source: Golf Digest   Joel Beall   Mel Sole Golf School.

Pictures: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images  David Cannon/Getty Images   Chris Condon/PGA TOUR/MetLife Blimp   Michael Cohen/Getty Images

Thanks for reading - Toughest Stretches on the PGA Tour?  Have you played them all?

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