10 greatest golf holes for PGA Tour 2025 season, ranked

January 3, 2025

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With the 2025 PGA Tour season kicking off at The Sentry in Maui this week, it’s time to take a look at the ten greatest holes PGA Tour execs will play. This listing contains holes at Oakmont Nation Membership and Royal Portrush, which is able to host the U.S. Open and The Open, respectively.

With out additional ado, right here is our listing:

10. 18th Gap — Muirfield Village

Par 4 — 484 Yards

The most effective closing holes in all of golf, the 18th at Muirfield Village not often yields any birdies, making par a strong rating. Discovering the golf green is crucial, with water down the left facet and deep bunkers on the appropriate. Then, the inexperienced sits perched above the golf green, with a pure amphitheater surrounding the placing floor. However better of all, a handshake with the Golden Bear awaits after ending your spherical at The Memorial.

Scottie Scheffler, PGA Tour, The Memorial — Scottie Scheffler hits his method throughout the remaining spherical of the 2024 Memorial Event.

9. third Gap — Oakmont Nation Membership

Par 4 — 467 Yards

When the title “Oakmont Nation Membership” involves thoughts, what’s the first thought that involves your head? For me — together with many different golfers — the “Church Pews” bunker is what I consider first.

This bunker, which sits between the third and 4th fairways, is 100 yards lengthy and practically 40 yards huge. It options 12 separate grassy knolls, which supplies the entice its well-known title.

On this third gap, the Church Pews are to the left of the golf green, whereas 5 extra traps are embedded right into a hill to the appropriate of the quick grass, placing a premium on driving accuracy. The inexperienced sits on a knoll, as a false entrance will repel any shot quick. Extra hassle lies past the inexperienced, as a group space sits beneath the floor. The inexperienced begins to slope away from you in its again third, leaving many flushed photographs lengthy.

It’s a superb golf gap and one of the underrated on the planet.

Oakmont, U.S. Open — The well-known “Church Pew” bunkers line the third gap at Oakmont.

8. sixteenth Gap — Royal Portrush (Dunluce)

Par 3 — 246 Yards

This beast of a par-3 will play as one of many hardest all yr, however it is usually one of many best. It allowed solely 24 birdies throughout the 2019 Open Championship, a testomony to how troublesome this gap can play, particularly in difficult situations. No marvel it was the third hardest gap that week.

As for the surroundings, a large ravine sits between the tee field and the inexperienced, extending down the opening’s proper facet. Unimaginable vistas of your complete course will be seen from right here, too, making this the most effective par-3s in all of golf.

Royal Portrush, The Open — The sixteenth gap at Royal Portrush is named “Calamity Nook.”

7. sixteenth Gap — TPC Scottsdale (Stadium)

Par 3 — 163 Yards

The opening itself is nothing particular, however the ambiance surrounding it definitely is. The WM Phoenix Open has change into fairly the get together whereas being the most-visited occasion yr in and yr out.

Why?

It’s the stadium that surrounds the sixteenth gap. Followers get there on the first light, hoping to safe a seat to cheer on — or heckle — the gamers as they make their approach by means of. The sixteenth has produced loads of unbelievable moments as effectively, with none extra particular than what occurred in 2019, when Gary Woodland and Amy Bockerstette went viral with Bockerstette’s “I Acquired This” putt.

PGA Tour, WM Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale — Nothing compares to the sixteenth at TPC Scottsdale throughout the WM Phoenix Open.

6. 18th Gap — Riviera Nation Membership

Par 4 — 475 Yards

Just like the 18th gap at Muirfield Village, the closing gap at Riviera Nation Membership is among the greatest in golf.

The uphill tee shot is blind, making the participant uncomfortable off the tee. However discovering the golf green is crucial for this difficult finisher. The inexperienced then options a rare pure amphitheater, an ideal place to look at golf, because the well-known clubhouse sits above.

Riviera can also be the favourite course of many high PGA Tour execs, so quite a few gamers would agree that the 18th ought to be included on this listing. However even when that weren’t the case, we might be silly to not embrace this unbelievable gap.

Hideki Matsuyama, PGA Tour, Genesis Invitational — Hideki Matsuyama hits his second shot on the 18th throughout the remaining spherical of the 2024 Genesis Invitational.

5. Last 3 Holes — TPC Sawgrass (Stadium)

sixteenth Gap — Par 5 — 523 Yards

seventeenth Gap — Par 3 — 137 Yards

18th Gap — Par 4 — 462 Yards

The island inexperienced on the seventeenth is probably essentially the most well-known golf gap on the planet. Nonetheless, as evidenced by final yr’s Gamers Championship end, the seventeenth is barely a chunk of the ultimate puzzle.

The sixteenth supplies loads of leisure and is a superb, quick par-5 with water surrounding the inexperienced.

The 18th is a terrific ending gap and barely produces birdies. It’s a stern problem that always leaves many gamers swearing at architect Pete Dye as they conclude their spherical.

So, as nice because the seventeenth gap is, I couldn’t assist but additionally embrace the sixteenth and 18th holes, which finally makes TPC Sawgrass and The Gamers so particular yr in and yr out.

PGA Tour, TPC Sawgrass, The Players — The 18th at TPC Sawgrass by no means disappoints.

4. seventh Gap — Pebble Seashore

Par 3 — 106 Yards

What’s the greatest par-3 on the planet? The quick seventh at Pebble Seashore definitely has a case to be made for that distinction. This little gap, which sits on the tip of the peninsula and extends into Stillwater Cove, could be essentially the most lovely spot in golf. The Pacific Ocean lies throughout, with solely a flip-wedge wanted between you and the opening. Simpler mentioned than carried out, nevertheless, because the wind can wreak havoc on a spherical quite rapidly right here.

Pebble Beach, PGA Tour — The most effective par 3s in all of golf.

3. 18th Gap — Oakmont

Par 4 — 505 Yards

This monstrous par-4 is a real problem that doesn’t usually permit sub-par scores. But, Dustin Johnson did simply that on the 2016 U.S. Open, as he capped off his first main victory in grand vogue by birdieing this gap.

You must discover the golf green right here, or else a bogey or worse rapidly comes into play. That’s not a simple accomplishment, both, as bunkers sit on both facet of the quick grass. The inexperienced is quite difficult, too, however so is each inexperienced at Oakmont, which is thought to have among the quickest placing surfaces on the planet.

U.S. Open, Oakmont — Maybe essentially the most iconic ending gap among the many U.S. Open rota.

2. Amen Nook — Augusta Nationwide

eleventh Gap — Par 4 — 520 Yards

twelfth Gap — Par 3 — 155 Yards

thirteenth Gap — Par 5 — 545 Yards

Do I have to say something about essentially the most revered place at Augusta Nationwide, not to mention your complete sport? I couldn’t choose certainly one of these three holes over the opposite, so I had no selection however to incorporate all of them. Every of those holes is magnificent for a lot of causes, however all of them share a standard similarity: they reside in one of the lovely locations on the planet.

The Masters, Amen Corner — The perfect three-hole stretch in all of golf.

1. fifth Gap — Royal Portrush (Dunluce)

Par 4 — 374 Yards

After the picturesque ninth gap at Royal County Down, I’d argue that the fifth gap on the Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush is the best par-4 on the planet. This downhill, dogleg proper not solely affords unbelievable aesthetics of the North Atlantic, however it additionally presents loads of alternative.

It’s not a difficult gap per se, because it yielded 111 birdies throughout The 2019 Open Championship. The fifth was simply certainly one of three holes to play below par throughout all 4 rounds that week too. But, it does present loads of leisure. This undulating inexperienced sits proper earlier than a steep drop-off that descends onto White Rocks Seashore, which performed as Out-of-Bounds six years in the past. It’s an actual increase or bust.

However the pure magnificence surrounding this unbelievable gap makes it so iconic. Oh, and the view of the Dunluce Fort, of which the course is called, solely provides to the luster and reminds you that, sure, you might be on the Emerald Isle, which is synonymous with a slice of heaven.

Honorable Mentions:

18th Gap — Pebble Seashore

18th Gap — Augusta Nationwide

sixteenth Gap — Augusta Nationwide

tenth Gap — Riviera

18th Gap — Kapalua (Plantation)

sixteenth Gap — Waialae Nation Membership

seventeenth Gap — TPC Scottsdale

18th Gap — Bay Hill

eighth Gap — East Lake

twelfth Gap — Muirfield Village

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.