Hardest Public Golf Courses in Idaho
The hardest public golf course in Idaho is Circling Raven Golf Course in Worley, with a slope of 144 and a course rating of 74.1 from the Gold tees (7,189 yards). It is a resort course that is open to public play. Some resorts hold the best tee times for hotel guests, so call ahead. Next are Elkhorn Golf Course (slope 139) and Trail Creek Golf Course (slope 137).
4 hardest public courses in Idaho, 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 | Circling Raven Golf Course | Worley | Resort | 144 | 74.1 | Gold | 7,189 | Nov 2026 source |
| 2 | Elkhorn Golf Course | Sun Valley | Resort | 139 | 72.7 | Black | 7,089 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Trail Creek Golf Course | Sun Valley | Resort | 137 | 72.3 | Professional | 6,990 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Ridgecrest Golf Club | Nampa | Municipal | 135 | 72.2 | White | 6,824 | 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 Idaho, 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. 87 golf courses in Idaho have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 9 of them so far.
Resort courses may require a stay or hold tee times for guests. Call ahead before you plan a round.
Idaho public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Idaho?
Of the Idaho courses Stymie has checked for public access, Circling Raven Golf Course in Worley has the highest slope rating: 144 from the Gold tees, with a course rating of 74.1. Elkhorn Golf Course is next at 139. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
What is the hardest municipal course in Idaho?
Ridgecrest Golf Club in Nampa, with a slope rating of 135 from the White tees. It ranks No. 4 on this list of checked public courses.
Can anyone play Circling Raven Golf Course?
Yes. Circling Raven Golf Course is a resort course that is open to public play. Some resorts hold the best tee times for hotel guests, so call ahead. Stymie checked its access in Nov 2026 against firstcallgolf.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 Idaho golf
- Hardest golf courses in Idaho, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Idaho
- Every rated course in Idaho
- All Idaho golf courses