Hardest Public Golf Courses in Kansas
The hardest public golf course in Kansas is Ironhorse Golf Club in Leawood, with a slope of 144 and a course rating of 73.5 from the Black tees (6,799 yards). It is a public course, open to all golfers. Next are Colbert Hills Golf Course (slope 143) and Sycamore Ridge Golf Club (slope 143).
5 hardest public courses in Kansas, 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 | Ironhorse Golf Club | Leawood | Public | 144 | 73.5 | Black | 6,799 | Nov 2026 source |
| 2 | Colbert Hills Golf Course | Manhattan | Public | 143 | 77.6 | Black&Blue | 7,505 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Sycamore Ridge Golf Club | Spring Hill | Public | 143 | 76.0 | Black | 7,081 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Willowbend Golf Club | Wichita | Public | 143 | 74.9 | Gold | 7,041 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | Auburn Hills Golf Course | Wichita | Municipal | 141 | 76.4 | Black | 7,169 | 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 Kansas, 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. 165 golf courses in Kansas have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 11 of them so far.
Kansas public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Kansas?
Of the Kansas courses Stymie has checked for public access, Ironhorse Golf Club in Leawood has the highest slope rating: 144 from the Black tees, with a course rating of 73.5. Colbert Hills Golf Course is next at 143. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
What is the hardest municipal course in Kansas?
Auburn Hills Golf Course in Wichita, with a slope rating of 141 from the Black tees. It ranks No. 5 on this list of checked public courses.
Can anyone play Ironhorse Golf Club?
Yes. Ironhorse Golf Club is a public course, open to all golfers. Stymie checked its access in Nov 2026 against ironhorsegolf.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 Kansas golf
- Hardest golf courses in Kansas, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Kansas
- Every rated course in Kansas
- All Kansas golf courses