Hardest Public Golf Courses in South Dakota
The hardest public golf course in South Dakota is Golf Club at Red Rock in Rapid City, with a slope of 142 and a course rating of 73.0 from the Black tees (7,006 yards). It is a public course, open to all golfers. Next are Elkhorn Ridge Golf Club (slope 137) and Spearfish Canyon Golf Club (slope 137).
5 hardest public courses in South Dakota, 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 | Golf Club at Red Rock | Rapid City | Public | 142 | 73.0 | Black | 7,006 | Nov 2026 source |
| 2 | Elkhorn Ridge Golf Club | Spearfish | Resort | 137 | 74.6 | Black | 7,220 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Spearfish Canyon Golf Club | Spearfish | Semi-private | 137 | 73.4 | BLUE | 6,733 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Southern Hills Golf Course | Hot Springs | Public | 135 | 69.2 | Blue | 5,863 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | Prairie Green Golf Course | Sioux Falls | Municipal | 134 | 74.7 | Black | 7,179 | 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 South Dakota, 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. 74 golf courses in South Dakota 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. Semi-private courses limit public tee times. Call ahead before you plan a round.
South Dakota public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in South Dakota?
Of the South Dakota courses Stymie has checked for public access, Golf Club at Red Rock in Rapid City has the highest slope rating: 142 from the Black tees, with a course rating of 73.0. Elkhorn Ridge Golf Club is next at 137. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
What is the hardest municipal course in South Dakota?
Prairie Green Golf Course in Sioux Falls, with a slope rating of 134 from the Black tees. It ranks No. 5 on this list of checked public courses.
Can anyone play Golf Club at Red Rock?
Yes. Golf Club at Red Rock is a public course, open to all golfers. Stymie checked its access in Nov 2026 against golfclubatredrock.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 South Dakota golf
- Hardest golf courses in South Dakota, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in South Dakota
- Every rated course in South Dakota
- All South Dakota golf courses