The most difficult golf courses on PGA Tour, 2018-19 season

One season ends, the next one starts up right behind it.

There’s almost been no time to digest all the amazing data spit out by Shotlink, which tracks pretty much everything on the PGA Tour.

One of the more interesting data sets is the list of most difficult golf courses, based on average score over par.

It’s probably no surprise that the most difficult course from the 2018-19 season was the Black Course at Bethpage State Park, site of the 2019 PGA Championship.

The top 14 on the list all produced an average score over par. The complete list shows all 49 courses used on Tour during the 2018-19 season.

1. Bethpage Black

The fourth hole at Bethpage State Park – Black Course in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 1. Yardage: 7,459 yards. Par: 70. Average score to par: 2.543.

Tournament: PGA Championship.

Notable: The only course on the list that produced an average score over par of more than two strokes. Also the runaway winner for most bogeys with 1,938.

2. Pebble Beach Golf Links

The cypress tree on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 2. Yardage: 7,075 yards. Par: 71. Average score to par: 1.353.

Tournament: U.S. Open.

Notable: Produced the most double bogeys – 218 – and the only course with more than 200.

3. Sheshan International GC

Xander Schauffele celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2018 WGC – HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai. (Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Rank: 3. Yardage: 7,261 yards. Par: 72. Average score to par: 1.256.

Tournament: World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.

Notable: Sheshan had the toughest par 3, the toughest par 4 and the toughest par 5.

4. Royal Portrush

A view of the 5th green during a practice round of the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club – Dunluce Course in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. (Photo: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 4. Yardage: 7,344 yards. Par: 71. Average score to par: 1.175.

Tournament: Open Championship.

Notable: Royal Portrush had the most (36) triple bogeys or worse.

5. PGA National (Champion)

A statue and plaque reading, “You are now entering The Bear Trap,” sits near the 15th tee at PGA National, Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo: Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 5. Yardage: 7,125 yards. Par: 70. Average score to par: 1.016.

Tournament: Honda Classic.

Notable: Had 199 double bogeys, second highest on Tour.

6. Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead)

The Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort – Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 6. Yardage: 7,340 yards. Par: 71. Average score to par: 0.981.

Tournament: Valspar Championship.

7. Colonial CC

A view of the course clock at Colonial Country Club in Ft. Worth, Texas. (Photo: Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 7. Yardage: 7,209 yards. Par: 70. Average score to par: 0.860.

Tournament: Charles Schwab Challenge.

8. Quail Hollow Club

A view looking over the lake towards the 17th green at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. (Photo: Jim Dedmon/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 8. Yardage: 7,554 yards. Par: 71. Average score to par: 0.762.

Tournament: Wells Fargo Championship.

Notable: Second-longest course and longest par-71 course on the schedule.

9. Bay Hill Club & Lodge

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is held every year at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando. (Photo: Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 9. Yardage: 7,454 yards. Par: 72. Average score to par: 0.378.

Tournament: Arnold Palmer Invitational.

10. Riviera CC

Fans at the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo: Stan Badz/PGA Tour)

Rank: 10. Yardage: 7,322 yards. Par: 71. Average score to par: 0.199.

Tournament: Genesis Open.

Notable: Checks in 10th on the list despite having the easiest hole on Tour. The par-5 No. 1 at Riviera is ranked 882nd out of 882 holes.

11. Harbour Town Golf Links

The iconic lighthouse near the 18th green at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 11. Yardage: 7,099 yards. Par: 71. Average score to par: 0.170.

Tournament: RBC Heritage.

Notable: Surrendered the fourth-fewest eagles.

12. Pebble Beach Golf Links

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo: Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 12. Yardage: 6,816 yards. Par: 72. Average score to par: 0.130.

Tournament: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Notable: Played 259 yards shorter for the pro-am than it did for the U.S. Open. Also played at par 72 vs. 71 for the U.S. Open. Played 1.223 strokes higher for the U.S. Open.

13. Muirfield Village Golf Club

The Memorial golf tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo: Joe Maiorana/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 13. Yardage: 7,392 yards. Par: 72. Average score to par: 0.081.

Tournament: The Memorial.

14. East Lake Golf Club

Shadows of fans fall on the 18th green at the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. (Photo: Butch Dill/USA TODAY Sports)

Rank: 14. Yardage: 7,346 yards. Par: 70. Average score to par: 0.033.

Tournament: Tour Championship.

Notable: The 14th and last course on the list to produce an average score of over par. East Lake surrendered just four eagles for the Tour Championship, the fewest on Tour. It also gave up just 401 birdies, also the fewest on Tour and 128 less than the next course in that category (Spyglass Hill GC).

The complete list of most difficult courses based on the PGA Tour’s Shotlink data from the 2018-19 season.

Rank	Course	Par	Yardage	Average score to par	Tournament
1	Bethpage State Park – Black Course	70	7459	2.543	PGA Championship
2	Pebble Beach Golf Links	71	7075	1.353	U.S. Open
3	Sheshan International GC	72	7261	1.256	World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions
4	Royal Portrush Golf Club	71	7344	1.175	The Open Championship
5	PGA National (Champion)	70	7125	1.016	The Honda Classic
6	Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead)	71	7340	0.981	Valspar Championship
7	Colonial CC	70	7209	0.860	Charles Schwab Challenge
8	Quail Hollow Club	71	7554	0.762	Wells Fargo Championship
9	Bay Hill Club & Lodge	72	7454	0.378	Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard
10	Riviera CC	71	7322	0.199	Genesis Open
11	Harbour Town GL	71	7099	0.170	RBC Heritage
12	Pebble Beach GL	72	6816	0.13	AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
13	Muirfield Village GC	72	7392	0.081	the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide
14	East Lake GC	70	7346	0.033	TOUR Championship
15	Coco Beach Golf & CC	72	7506	-0.034	Puerto Rico Open
16	Augusta National GC	72	7475	-0.135	Masters Tournament
17	Club de Golf Chapultepec	71	7345	-0.139	World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship
18	Torrey Pines GC (South)	72	7698	-0.271	Farmers Insurance Open
19	TPC River Highlands	70	6841	-0.276	Travelers Championship
20	Spyglass Hill GC	72	6960	-0.277	AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
21	Hamilton Golf & Country Club	70	6967	-0.337	RBC Canadian Open
22	Monterey Peninsula CC	71	6958	-0.348	AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
23	TPC Sawgrass	72	7189	-0.487	The Players Championship
24	TPC Scottsdale	71	7261	-0.489	Waste Management Phoenix Open
25	TPC Southwind	70	7237	-0.496	World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational
T-26	CC of Jackson	72	7440	-0.754	Sanderson Farms Championship
T-26	Liberty National GC	71	7370	-0.754	The Northern Trust
28	TPC San Antonio – AT&T Oaks	72	7435	-0.758	Valero Texas Open
29	Silverado Resort and Spa North	72	7166	-0.897	Safeway Open
30	Corales Golf Club	72	7670	-0.926	Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship
31	Nine Bridges	72	7196	-1.054	THE CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges
32	Waialae CC	70	7044	-1.08	Sony Open in Hawaii
33	Sea Island Resort (Seaside)	70	7005	-1.161	The RSM Classic
34	Trinity Forest Golf Club	71	7371	-1.348	AT&T Byron Nelson
35	TPC Deere Run	71	7268	-1.49	John Deere Classic
36	TPC Twin Cities	71	7468	-1.545	3M Open
37	Sea Island Resort (Plantation)	72	6907	-1.555	The RSM Classic
38	TPC Summerlin	71	7255	-1.631	Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
39	El Camaleon GC	71	6987	-1.753	Mayakoba Golf Classic
40	Stadium Course	72	7113	-1.762	Desert Classic
41	Sedgefield CC	70	7127	-1.825	Wyndham Championship
42	Detroit Golf Club	72	7340	-1.887	Rocket Mortgage Classic
43	Medinah CC (No. 3)	72	7613	-2.072	BMW Championship
44	lantation Course at Kapalua	73	7518	-2.076	Sentry Tournament of Champions
45	Torrey Pines (North)	72	7258	-2.16	Farmers Insurance Open
46	Keene Trace Golf Club	72	7328	-2.411	Barbasol Championship
47	TPC Kuala Lumpur	72	7005	-2.599	CIMB Classic
48	Nicklaus Tournament Course	72	7159	-2.942	Desert Classic
49	La Quinta CC	72	7060	-3.282	Desert Classic

RELATED: The easiest golf courses on the PGA Tour, 2018-19 season