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 longest par three golf hole in the world is the ‘Extreme 19th’ at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa, where the tee is 400m above the green, which itself is 395 yards (360m) away. A par is quite an achievement on this hole, with a hefty drive required to get close to the green, even taking into account the elevated height of the tee box.
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.
The UK’s longest golf hole is the par six third hole at Westray Golf Club in the Orkney Islands, measuring a hefty 738 yards (675m), although this is not quite long enough to break into our top five.
5. 13th at TPC Colorado, USA – 773 Yards (707m)
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. 15th at Penati, Slovakia – 783 Yards (716m)
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. In actual fact, the longest golf hole in Europe is the par-six 15th hole at Penati in Slovakia, which measures an incredible 783 yards.
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. 12th at Meadow Farms Golf Course, USA – 841 Yards (769m)
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. 7th at Satsuki Golf Club, Japan – 964 Yards (881m)
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. 3rd at Gusan Country Club, South Korea – 1,097 Yards (1,003m)
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, a par 7 hole which measures an awesome 1,097 yards.
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.
