Hardest Public Golf Courses in Montana
The hardest public golf course in Montana is Old Works Golf Club in Anaconda, with a slope of 153 and a course rating of 76.4 from the Slag tees (7,705 yards). It is a public course, open to all golfers. Next are Canyon River Golf Club (slope 146) and Judith Shadows Golf Course (slope 135).
4 hardest public courses in Montana, 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 | Old Works Golf Club | Anaconda | Public | 153 | 76.4 | Slag | 7,705 | Nov 2026 source |
| 2 | Canyon River Golf Club | Missoula | Public | 146 | 73.8 | Black | 6,966 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Judith Shadows Golf Course | Fort Benton | Public | 135 | 73.1 | Blue | 6,496 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Big Sky Resort Golf Course | Big Sky | Resort | 133 | 71.7 | Blue | 6,800 | 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 Montana, 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. 70 golf courses in Montana have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 8 of them so far.
Resort courses may require a stay or hold tee times for guests. Call ahead before you plan a round.
Montana public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Montana?
Of the Montana courses Stymie has checked for public access, Old Works Golf Club in Anaconda has the highest slope rating: 153 from the Slag tees, with a course rating of 76.4. Canyon River Golf Club is next at 146. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
Can anyone play Old Works Golf Club?
Yes. Old Works Golf Club is a public course, open to all golfers. Stymie checked its access in Nov 2026 against visitmt.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 Montana golf
- Hardest golf courses in Montana, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Montana
- Every rated course in Montana
- All Montana golf courses