Hardest Public Golf Courses in Nebraska
The hardest public golf course in Nebraska is Quarry Oaks Golf Course in Ashland, with a slope of 145 and a course rating of 74.6 from the Black tees (6,960 yards). It is a public course, open to all golfers. Next are Beatrice Country Club (slope 139) and Iron Horse Golf Club (slope 135).
5 hardest public courses in Nebraska, 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 | Quarry Oaks Golf Course | Ashland | Public | 145 | 74.6 | Black | 6,960 | Nov 2026 source |
| 2 | Beatrice Country Club | Beatrice | Semi-private | 139 | 75.4 | Black | 7,169 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Iron Horse Golf Club | Ashland | Public | 135 | 71.6 | Black | 6,504 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Tatanka Golf Club | Niobrara | Public | 134 | 75.7 | Black | 7,501 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | Woodland Hills Golf Course | Eagle | Public | 134 | 73.3 | Black | 6,670 | 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 Nebraska, 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. 127 golf courses in Nebraska have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 10 of them so far.
Semi-private courses limit public tee times. Call ahead before you plan a round.
Nebraska public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Nebraska?
Of the Nebraska courses Stymie has checked for public access, Quarry Oaks Golf Course in Ashland has the highest slope rating: 145 from the Black tees, with a course rating of 74.6. Beatrice Country Club is next at 139. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
Can anyone play Quarry Oaks Golf Course?
Yes. Quarry Oaks Golf Course is a public course, open to all golfers. Stymie checked its access in Nov 2026 against quarryoaks.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 Nebraska golf
- Hardest golf courses in Nebraska, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Nebraska
- Every rated course in Nebraska
- All Nebraska golf courses