Hardest Public Golf Courses in New York
The hardest public golf course in New York is Bethpage Black in Village of Muttontown, with a slope of 155 and a course rating of 77.5 from the Blue tees (7,465 yards). It is a municipal course, open to public play. Next are Hanah Country Club (slope 148) and Kaluhyat Golf Course (slope 145).
4 hardest public courses in New York, 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 | Bethpage Black | Village of Muttontown | Municipal | 155 | 77.5 | Blue | 7,465 | Aug 2026 source |
| 2 | Hanah Country Club | Margaretville | Resort | 148 | 74.7 | Black | 7,027 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Kaluhyat Golf Course | Town of Verona | Resort | 145 | 75.2 | Black | 7,105 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Golf Club at Mansion Ridge | Monroe | Public | 145 | 74.9 | Tour | 6,889 | 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 New York, 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. 511 golf courses in New York have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 31 of them so far.
Resort courses may require a stay or hold tee times for guests. Call ahead before you plan a round.
New York public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in New York?
Of the New York courses Stymie has checked for public access, Bethpage Black in Village of Muttontown has the highest slope rating: 155 from the Blue tees, with a course rating of 77.5. Hanah Country Club is next at 148. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
What is the hardest municipal course in New York?
Bethpage Black in Village of Muttontown, with a slope rating of 155 from the Blue tees. It ranks No. 1 on this list of checked public courses.
Can anyone play Bethpage Black?
Yes. Bethpage Black is a municipal course, open to public play. Stymie checked its access in Aug 2026 against parks.ny.gov. 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 New York golf
- Hardest golf courses in New York, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in New York
- Every rated course in New York
- All New York golf courses