13 Scariest Golf Holes Across the Pond

Beware: The Nervous Golfer

Fear and trepidation are emotions that the golfer knows all too well. From clifftop terrors to revetted chasms of horror, join us as we explore 13 holes guaranteed to strike fear into the heart of every golfer - and possibly wreak havoc on the scorecard - while on a golf trip to Scotland, Ireland, or England.

Ballybunion - 1st Hole

Nothing builds confidence on the first tee like being reminded of your own fleeting mortality. If you happen to find the graveyard that borders the first fairway at Ballybunion Golf Club, re-tee and call that first ball a loss. The game is hard enough as it is, without the negative karma of playing with a ball that was retrieved from a cemetery. That is unless you happen to bounce off one of the gravestones and back into play… What the caddies refer to as a “Lazarus.”

The Old Course at St. Andrews - 17th Hole

Arguably the most daunting tee shot in all of golf, the Road Hole often strikes fear before the round even begins. The prospect of slicing one into the rooftop spa at the Old Course Hotel is very real. Should that unfortunate experience befall you, rest assured that, unlike the gravestones at Ballybunion, the hotel's rubber roof will not deflect your Pro-V back into play.

Royal Dornoch - 2nd Hole

There's an old saying that the most difficult shot at Royal Dornoch is the 2nd on the 2nd. A statement which might seem rather innocent, until one realizes that the 2nd is actually a par-3. The plateau green and chasm-like pot bunkers can turn this short hole into a card-wrecker early in the round. A word of advice not often heard on a par-3: lay-up off the tee.

Machrihanish - 1st Hole

The first hole at Machrihanish Golf Club has been labeled “the best opening tee shot in the world” and for good reason. Deciding how much of the Atlantic Ocean to take on is a daunting decision for the first swing of the day, but all is not lost if you’re too ambitious... So long as the tide is out.

Royal Portrush - 16th Hole

Perhaps the most appropriately named hole in golf, the 236 yard 16th at Royal Portrush will test the nerve of even the best of golfers. An enormous 75 foot deep chasm is positioned short of the plateau green, ready to capture any wayward slice. The common miss here is to the left, however a par from anywhere but the putting surface borders on the miraculous.

Old Head Golf Links - #12

If this clifftop tee box doesn't cause the heart rate to spike, it's safe to say that nothing will. From the tee, it's easy to wonder if there is a fairway out there at all. We can assure you that there is, although there's far more ocean in play than grass.

Royal Liverpool - 1st Hole

The prospect of hitting 3 (or even 5) off the first tee at Royal Liverpool is very real, thanks to the out of bounds flanking both sides of the fairway. The tendency here is to try and steer this one down the middle, but at 427 yards one needs every spare yard they can find. When The Open returns to Hoylake in 2022, the players are sure to resurrect an old debate about the – as they call it – “quirky” internal out of bounds found on this hole. None will be faced with re-teeing on the first swing of the day, however, as the hole plays as the 3rd during The Open.

Muirfield - 17th Hole

This par-5 is relatively benign on the scorecard, yet there's a tiny surprise waiting to turn it into a nightmare. The Coffin Bunker has wrecked plenty of rounds - including one in The Open for Tiger Woods. It also perfectly illustrates why nothing tests a friendship like foursomes at Muirfield.

Ardglass - 2nd Hole

After successfully navigating the round's intimidating opening tee shot, Ardglass delivers another knee-knocking experience on the par-3 2nd, known as Howd's Hole. The same advice from the 1st hole applies here: All of Ireland is to the right. Of course, a bail out still leaves the prospect of blading the following chip into the Atlantic.

Royal St. George's - 4th Hole

As far as bunkers go, they don't come much bigger than the Himalaya at Royal St. George's. At over 40 feet, many have claimed it to be the deepest in all of Britain. Be bold off the tee, especially if the wind blows, otherwise the weak slice may send you into this chasm for all of eternity.

Photo Credit: Royal St. George's Golf Club

Royal Troon - 11th Hole

The aptly named Railway is always the most difficult hole on the course when The Open is played at Royal Troon. A pull to the left is an understandable reaction as the Glasgow express train whizzes by on the right, but don't expect anything resembling par from there on in.

The Old Course at St. Andrews - 1st Hole

At 129 yards in width, finding the 1st fairway on The Old Course might seem like a foregone conclusion. Toss in the history of the venue, the looming R&A clubhouse, and the small gallery likely nearby, and suddenly that small par-3 worth of fairway begins to look awfully narrow.

Carnoustie - 18th Hole

No list chronicling the scariest holes across the pond would be complete without a mention of the 18th at Carnoustie. As Jean Van de Velde will surely attest... Keep clear of the Barry Burn at all costs.