Which is the hardest hole?

[Martin B]

I always assumed that the #1 handicap hole was the hardest, but I'm not sure. It seems one nine always gets the odd numbers and the other the even. My guess is that the harder nine, taken as a whole, get the odd numbers. If this is true, you could have a back nine that has several easy holes (so it gets the even numbers) and one killer hole. In that case, the killer hole could be the hardest on the course and still only be #2. Does anybody know if it works this way?

[Kilroy]

Usually the front is numbered odd and the back even. Not all 18 hole courses do it this way but the vast majority do. Number 2 hcp (on the back) could be the hardest hole on the course.

When mixing nines on a 27 hole course, each nine will usually have the holes numbered 1-9 so you play the front as odd and the back as even. If I get 7 strokes, I get 1-4 on the front and 1-3 on the back.

[jvincent]

The handicapping / rating guidelines also have some suggestions for how to rate holes.

For example, I believe that assigning 1 or 2 ratings to the first and tenth holes is generally not recommended.

[AAA]

For example, I believe that assigning 1 or 2 ratings to the first and tenth holes is generally not recommended.

or the 9th or 18th.

It is all about matchplay

[jvincent]

Yep, forgot about those guidelines as well.

[John]

Damn that 1st hole at Loch March, i think it's the #1 handicap hole on the course and it's a very tough start.

[BC MIST]

One of the assumptions made when rating holes is that #1 and #2 are the HARDEST holes. But the question "Hardest for whom?" should be asked. A hole may be easy for a good player, but because of water, bunkers or other factors, it may be extremely difficult for the "bogey golfer." As a rating affects the giving of strokes, a hole like this MUST be rated as difficult, considering it is a hole on which the bogey golfer is likely to take more strokes.

Par 3's are the most difficult holes as they normally require mid to long irons/hybrids off the tee. However, they usually have very "easy" ratings, because the high handicapper will not likely take an excessive number of strokes. Therefore, hardest for "A" class players should not always be the criteria for rating a hole even though there is a correlation between the two.