Golf has always been a sport built on skill, technique and precision, but increasingly over recent years it has also become one of strength and power.
Developments in technology in terms of the balls and clubs that players use is the main contributing factor in the shift towards more brute force, but so is the strength of the individuals playing the game, with weight training in the gym taking on almost as much significance for some as actual time spent on the golf course.
Bryson DeChambeau is perhaps the biggest exponent of this ‘power golf’, as he can easily strike the ball over 400 yards, but this is not a new phenomenon, with the likes of Tiger Woods and even Rory McIlroy having previously played a role in taking the sport in this direction.
The greater power of the individual players has also led to an increase in the size of the courses and holes that they play, and we have taken a look at the longest holes in the world, with the five listed below perhaps even being out of driving range for the likes of DeChambeau.
5. TPC Colorado – 13th – 773 Yards
TPC Colorado is seemingly like any other course until you reach the iconic 773-yard 13th that incredibly remains a par five despite being the longest hole on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Players on that tour will tee up at the hole when contesting the TPC Colorado Championship – a tournament that has been won in the past by world number 32 Will Zalatoris, who has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the PGA Tour in 2021.
Remarkably, this is not even the longest hole in the United States, but more on that later.
4. Penati – 15th – 783 Yards
You might expect the longest hole in Europe to be situated in Great Britain or Spain, or perhaps in Scandinavia – all places that have a rich golfing heritage. However, instead you will have to head to Slovakia if you want to experience the 783-yard par six at Penati Golf Club.
This is not just a long hole, it is also a beautiful location to play golf, as the course was built based on plans by Nicklaus Design – the company founded by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
3. Meadow Farms Golf Course – 12th – 841 Yards
The 12th at Meadow Farms Golf Course in Virginia takes the honour as the longest hole in the United States, with the monstrous par six totalling 841 yards.
If that wasn’t tough enough, once you get to within striking distance of the green, you will find it protected by a picturesque water hazard – not what you need when you’ve made your way down nearly half a mile’s worth of fairway.
2. Satsuki Golf Club – 7th – 964 Yards
It has been a good year for Japanese golf, with Hideki Matsuyama becoming the first player from the country to win a men’s major championship, triumphing as he did at the iconic Masters in April.
However, even Matsuyama may find the 7th at Satsuki Golf Club in his homeland a little testing, with this hole coming in at nearly 1,000 yards – it is so big it has been made a par seven to give players at least half a chance of taming it.
1. Gusan Country Club – 3rd – 1,097 Yards
We remain in Asia to find the longest golf hole in the world and the only one that totals above 1,000 yards – the iconic third at Gunsan Country Club in South Korea.
Unsurprisingly, the hole is a par seven and is also stroke index one, but if the length of the hole was not frightening enough, then you may want to bear in mind that it is also surrounded by water.