Hardest Public Golf Courses in Arkansas
The hardest public golf course in Arkansas is Big Sugar Golf Club in Pea Ridge, with a slope of 150 and a course rating of 76.9 from the Championship/Black tees (7,227 yards). It is a semi-private course that sells public tee times. Semi-private clubs limit public tee times to certain days or hours, so call ahead. Next are Diamante Country Club (slope 145) and Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club (slope 143).
5 hardest public courses in Arkansas, by slope
Every course here has had its public access checked against a named source.
| Rank | Course | City | Access | Slope | Course rating | Tee | Yards | Access checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Sugar Golf Club | Pea Ridge | Semi-private | 150 | 76.9 | Championship/Black | 7,227 | Aug 2026 source |
| 2 | Diamante Country Club | Hot Springs Village | Semi-private | 145 | 76.9 | Gold | 7,432 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club | Fayetteville | Public | 143 | 74.3 | Black | 7,142 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Ponce de Leon Golf Course | Hot Springs Village | Public | 141 | 74.9 | BLACK | 6,912 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | Scotsdale Golf Course | Bella Vista | Public | 141 | 73.6 | Black | 6,773 | Nov 2026 source |
How this list is built
Each course is ranked by the highest slope rating from its men's tees. Women's ratings are used only where a course publishes no men's rating. Only regulation 18-hole courses are included; nine-hole courses are left out.
Only courses whose public access Stymie has checked against the club's own site or another named source are listed, and private clubs are left out. That is why this list differs from the hardest golf courses in Arkansas, which ranks every rated course.
Courses are checked in order from the highest slope down, and the list stops at the first course whose public access has not been checked yet, so nothing here skips over an unchecked course. Courses that were checked and could not be confirmed as open to the public are left out. 91 golf courses in Arkansas have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 9 of them so far.
Semi-private courses limit public tee times. Call ahead before you plan a round.
Arkansas public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Arkansas?
Of the Arkansas courses Stymie has checked for public access, Big Sugar Golf Club in Pea Ridge has the highest slope rating: 150 from the Championship/Black tees, with a course rating of 76.9. Diamante Country Club is next at 145. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
Can anyone play Big Sugar Golf Club?
Yes. Big Sugar Golf Club is a semi-private course that sells public tee times. Semi-private clubs limit public tee times to certain days or hours, so call ahead. Stymie checked its access in Aug 2026 against bigsugargolf.com. Tee-time policies change, so confirm with the course before you go.
How is difficulty measured?
By slope rating, which measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer. It runs from 55 to 155, and 113 is standard difficulty. Each course is ranked by the highest slope from its men's tees, and only regulation 18-hole courses are included. Course rating, the score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot, is shown alongside.
More Arkansas golf
- Hardest golf courses in Arkansas, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Arkansas
- Every rated course in Arkansas
- All Arkansas golf courses