Players' Picks: The 10 Worst Tour Courses

January 11, 2012

By Geoff Shackelford

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No. 10 (43 overall): The Plantation Course at Kapalua (Kapalua, Hawaii)Tournament: Hyundai Tournament of Champions; Designers: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw; Rating: 6.07No. 10 (43 overall): The Plantation Course at Kapalua (Kapalua, Hawaii)Anonymous pro comments: "Really well-designed on a horrific piece of land" by one player who also noted, "any other architects wouldn't have been able to pull it off." ... "Impossible to walk the place, so it fails on that point." ... "Love the finishing holes," and in particular the 15th-18th where "great risk-reward shots" present players with "fun options." ... "It's all about the wind."

Photo By: Donald Miralle

No. 9 (44 overall): PGA West - Jack Nicklaus Private (La Quinta, Calif.)Tournament: Humana Challenge; Designer: Jack Nicklaus; Rating: 5.94No. 9 (44 overall): PGA West - Jack Nicklaus Private (La Quinta, Calif.)Anonymous pro comments: "Classic early '90s Jack: too much going on, trying too hard to be interesting on flat site." ... "too much weird *&^% in front of the greens." ... "thrilled to be here instead of the wind-tunnel course" (Classic Club), all because "Jack's design keeps you on your toes, and it's not absurdly long."

Photo By: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

No. 8 (45 overall): TPC Louisiana (Avondale, La.)Tournament: Zurich New Orleans Classic; Designer: Pete Dye; Rating: 5.878No. 8 (45 overall): TPC Louisiana (Avondale, La.)Anonymous pro comments: "Underrated." ... One player has "kind of grown to like the place" with "some funky looks" that plays "great when its firm." ... "Pete does a nice job of angles here, there are some fun, strategic situations."

Photo By: Hunter Martin/Getty Images

No. 7 (46 overall): Cog Hill G&CC - Dubsdread (Lemont, Ill.)Tournament: BMW Championship; Designers: Dick Wilson and Joe Lee (Re-design: Rees Jones); Rating: 5.875No. 7 (46 overall): Cog Hill G&CC - Dubsdread (Lemont, Ill.)Anonymous pro comments: "Worst redesign in the history of the PGA Tour" ... "Just horrible what they did there. Was a 5 now a 1." ... "The redo wasn't great, but so many guys downgraded it because of Year 1 conditions. We have a lot of spoiled brats out here."

Photo By: Hunter Martin/Getty Images

No. 6 (47 overall): Walt Disney Resort - Palm (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)Tournament: Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic; Designer: Joe Lee; Rating: 5.79No. 6 (47 overall): Walt Disney Resort - Palm (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)Anonymous pro comments: The sister course to the Magnolia has "seen better days" according to players who've been coming to PGA Tour events here since 1971. ... "It's a little tired, but the thought of Arnold redoing it does not get me excited either. Leave it alone if that's the only option."

Photo By: Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company

No. 5 (48 overall): Torrey Pines GC - North (La Jolla, Calif.)Tournament: Farmers Insurance Open; Designer: Billy Bell; Rating: 5.6No. 5 (48 overall): Torrey Pines GC - North (La Jolla, Calif.)Anonymous pro comments: They don't need to add back tees," said one player, while another feared this "much more fun course to play [than the South Course]" will be ruined by changes in an "unnecessary effort" to keep up with the times. ... "[There are] some really nice holes like 2 and 3 … then there are dogs like 6 and 7. That trend gets repeated throughout."

Photo By: J.D. Cuban

No. 4 (49 overall): TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas (Irving, Tex.)Tournament: HP Byron Nelson Championship; Designer: Jay Morrish; Rating: 5.37No. 4 (49 overall): TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas (Irving, Tex.)Anonymous pro comments: "It was bad to begin with, and they still haven't got it right." ... The worst course we play on tour. It doesn't reward a good shot. Just terrible all around." ... "It's a 4 because I like D.A. Weibring (who did a re-design in 2008). And it's a good thing there's a Four Seasons there."

Photo By: Scott Halleran/Getty Images

No. 3 (50 overall): TPC San Antonio - AT&T Oaks (San Antonio)Tournament: Valero Texas Open; Designer: Greg Norman; Rating: 4.89No. 3 (50 overall): TPC San Antonio - AT&T Oaks (San Antonio)Anonymous pro comments: A "complete disaster," that "had a chance to be phenomenal with the property" but "pride and ego got in the Shark's way." ... "Shorten it for starters," said one while noting the "crazy" undulating putting surfaces. "The greens need to be blown up." ... "We couldn't get around in twosomes ... it's just too much golf."

Photo By: Courtesy of TPC San Antonio

No. 2 (51 overall): Ritz-Carlton GC - Dove Mountain (Marana, Ariz.)Tournament: WGC-Accenture Match Play; Designer: Jack Nicklaus; Rating: 4.6No. 2 (51 overall): Ritz-Carlton GC - Dove Mountain (Marana, Ariz.)Anonymous pro comments: "The greens were almost cool, but way off. Give Jack credit for trying to put in contours," said one of this "fine idea, just poor execution." ... "Hate to say it, but there is just nothing positive to say." ... "Building a course in the desert is hard to do. Can't say the setup has done much to help the architecture here either."

Photo By: J.D. Cuban

No. 1 (52 overall): Liberty National GC (Jersey City, N.J.)Tournament: The Barclays; Designers: Bob Cupp and Tom Kite; Rating: 4.58 (See above note)No. 1 (52 overall): Liberty National GC (Jersey City, N.J.)Anonymous pro comments: "Too crammed in. Have nothing good to say about it," said one, while another said of the landfill-turned-course, "They should have left it as a dump." ... "Stupid … the views are way better than the course." ... A "stunning" location that "is the only thing that keeps it from being a 0." When told the tour was returning in 2013, one player said, "I can't believe we're going back there."

Photo By: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

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