
Golf may not have ghosts or goblins, but it does have plenty of frights – plunging bunkers, menacing water carries, and knee-knocking downhill putts. This Halloween, we’re spotlighting the world’s scariest golf holes and shots, the ones that make even seasoned players’ spines tingle.
Scariest Golf Holes and Shots
1. Scariest Opening Hole
Golf Course: The Old Course at St. Andrews
Location: Scotland
The Hole: No. 1
The Stats: Par 4, 376 yards
The Scare: The first hole can set the tone for your entire round. Nail a birdie and begin with an immediate confidence boost. Or start with a double bogey, and you might be summoning the beverage cart sooner than planned. With a name like “Burn,” it’s easy to see why the opening hole at the Old Course is infamous among golfers.
The fairway may be wide and free of bunkers, so your opening tee shot isn’t the real test. The true challenge reveals itself at the green, guarded by a stone-walled creek and battered by fierce westerly winds, where even the slightest miscalculation can send your ball spiraling into trouble.
2. Scariest Tee Shot

Golf Course: Mauna Kea Golf Course
Location: Hawaii
The Hole: No. 3
The Stats: Par 3, 272 yards
The Scare: Don’t be fooled by the stunning lava rock formations and the turquoise waters of the Pacific – the third hole at Mauna Kea Golf Course is actually more beast than beauty. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., this daunting par 3 is among some of the most famous and most difficult holes in the state of Hawaii.
At a whopping 272 yards, the length alone leaves golfers of all levels struggling to find the putting surface. And on an especially blustery day, you may find yourself cracking open a new sleeve of golf balls…or two.
3. Scariest Approach Shot

Golf Course: Pebble Beach Golf Links
Location: California
The Hole: No. 8
The Stats: Par 4, 427 yards
The Scare: Jack Nicklaus once said the approach on the 8th at Pebble Beach is “the most magnificent second shot in golf” – for better or worse. With a 200+ yard carry over water from a 100+ foot cliff, you’ll be thanking your lucky stars if you find yourself walking up to this green with a putter in hand.
4. Scariest Carry Over Water

Golf Course: The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass
Location: Florida
The Hole: No. 17
The Stats: Par 3, 137 yards
The Scare: It’s estimated that somewhere between 100,000 and 120,000 golf balls are dunked in the water surrounding the infamous island green every year, which equates to roughly half a million dollars’ worth of balls. While a great statistic for those in the diving business, or anyone wielding a ball retriever, it also means that the 17th at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most difficult forced carries over water.
At just 137 yards, the par 3 is the shortest hole on the course. But it continues to challenge players of all levels – most notably Bob Tway, who carded a record-setting 12 during the 2005 Players Championship.
5. Scariest Bunker Shot

Golf Course: Stadium Course at PGA West
Location: California
The Hole: No. 16
The Stats: Par 5, 600 yards
The Scare: The Stadium Course at PGA West is widely regarded as one of the toughest in the game. And the 16th hole is no exception. Nicknamed the San Andreas, after the 750-mile potentially catastrophic fault line (just a bit dramatic), the 16th features intense bunkering along the left side of the fairway.
While the bunkers should be avoided at all costs, none are more daunting than the 19-foot-deep greenside trench. Yes, 19 feet. Missing short, long, or right is far preferable to a tumble into this behemoth bunker.
6. Scariest Putt
Golf Course: Augusta National Golf Club
Location: Georgia
The Hole: No. 15
The Stats: Par 5, 530 yards
The Scare: Traditionally considered one of the easier holes at Augusta National, if there is such a thing, the 15th offers multiple ways to play: go for it in two or lay up and play it safe. But no matter your choice, the real test is the putting green.
It all starts with your approach. Catch it a little too heavy or with a little too much backspin, and that pin-high shot you thought was perfect could end up wet. Suddenly, you’re aiming for the back of the green, which often means putting back toward the pond. And with the extreme back-to-front slope, a putt struck with just a little too much gusto might send your ball straight back into the drink.
7. Scariest Dogleg
Golf Course: Old Course St. Andrews
Location: Scotland
The Hole: No. 17
The Stats: Par 4, 455 yards
The Scare: Few holes in golf generate more dropped shots than the 17th at St. Andrews. Dubbed the “Road Hole,” this difficult dogleg begins with an intimidating tee shot over the Old Course Hotel. The second shot is equally as challenging with a narrow landing strip leading to a shallow green, only 16 yards in width.
But much of the drama on the 17th comes from the Road Hole pot bunker guarding the front of the green. Add the road and limestone wall lurking behind and to the right, and you’ve got a perfect recipe for a double bogey… or worse.
8. Scariest Par 3

Golf Course: Augusta National Golf Club
Location: Georgia
The Hole: No. 12
The Stats: Par 3, 155 yards
The Scare: Framed by the Hogan Bridge and Rae’s Creek, the 12th hole at Augusta is one of the most recognizable in the game. But at just 155 yards, this short par 3 certainly packs a punch.
The club selection alone can make or break your round, with players adjusting anywhere from a pitching wedge to a six iron depending on wind direction and strength. Add strategically placed bunkers and thousands of watchful fans, and movement on the leaderboard is practically guaranteed. Just ask Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau, and Francesco Molinari, whose water balls on Sunday in the 2019 Masters cleared the way for a Tiger Woods victory.
9. Scariest Par 4

Golf Course: Harbour Town Golf Links
Location: South Carolina
The Hole: No. 18
The Stats: Par 4, 472 yards
The Scare: The 18th at Harbour Town may be our pick for the scariest par-4, but it starts off deceptively friendly. Pete Dye carved a wide fairway with plenty of room to land your drive, and the iconic lighthouse serves as the perfect aiming point.
It’s after your tee shot when your feet may start shaking in your spikes. A demanding approach shot requires a roughly 200-yard carry over the Calibogue Sound. Thinking about bailing to the right? Be prepared to tackle intense mounding – tough enough to test even the best wedge game.
10. Scariest Par 5
Golf Course: TPC Colorado
Location: Colorado
The Hole: No. 13
The Stats: Par 5, 773 yards
The Scare: If the number 13 wasn’t ominous enough, the par-5 13th at TPC Colorado turns superstition into reality. At a jaw-dropping 773 yards, it’s the longest hole in PGA TOUR-sanctioned history, and a true test of endurance. Bunkers lurk along the fairway and guard the green, but distance is the real terror here.
11. Scariest Closing Hole
Golf Course: Quail Hollow
Location: North Carolina
The Hole: No. 18
The Stats: Par 4, 494 yards
The Scare: The final three holes at Quail Hollow, otherwise referred to as “The Green Mile,” come to a dramatic and difficult close at the 18th – a monster par 4. Complete with a meandering stream up the left side of an already narrow fairway, players surely have their work cut out for them. And any thoughts of bailing to the right are curbed by both fairway and greenside bunkers.
12. Scariest 19th Hole

Golf Course: Payne’s Valley
Location: Missouri
The Hole: No. 19
The Stats: Par 3, 202 yards
The Scare: At Payne’s Valley, the round doesn’t end at 18 – it ends with a showdown. The bonus 19th, nicknamed the “Big Rock,” is where bets are settled, hands are shaken, and nerves are tested. A narrow island green sits ringed by water and dramatic limestone walls, turning the hole into a natural amphitheater.
With the clubhouse perched high above and a waterfall cascading down the rock face, the stage is as stunning as it is intimidating
These may be the scariest golf holes, but your journey to experience them yourself should be anything but spooky! We make it easy to avoid the long lines and crowds at the airport with our golf club and luggage shipping services. Learn more about traveling bag-free or get a free quote today.