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Hardest Golf Courses in Alabama

The 25 most challenging golf courses in Alabama, ranked by maximum slope rating.

The hardest golf course in Alabama on Stymie is Cambrian Ridge in Greenville, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (opened in 1994). It carries a maximum slope rating of 150, stretching 7,135 yards from the back tees, placing it well above the USGA's neutral 113 and into the territory where bogey golfers should expect to lose 8-12 strokes versus their handicap. These 25 courses below are ranked by maximum slope rating, the single best proxy for "how punishing this course is" for the average golfer.

Across the full Stymie directory, the average maximum slope in Alabama is 131 — above the typical US state benchmark around 125. 15 courses in Alabama carry a slope of 140 or higher; a slope of 140+ is considered very difficult and demands accurate driving, distance control on iron shots, and patience around the greens.

If you're testing yourself or planning a buddy trip built around difficulty, start at the top of this list and play from a tee one set forward of your normal handicap range. Course difficulty is not the same as course quality — many of the hardest courses below also rank among the most enjoyable in the state, but the slope rating tells you to bring your A-game.

Ranked

Peak slope

150

Avg max slope

131

Slope 140+

Hardest Easiest Longest Oldest Newest

#	Course	City	Par	Slope
1	Cambrian Ridge Purple tees · 7,135 yds · Rating 74.8 · Par 72 · Robert Trent Jones · 1994Greenville	Greenville	72	150
2	Legislator Black tees · 7,477 yds · Rating 76.9 · Par 72Prattville	Prattville	72	149
3	Silver Lakes White tees · 6,002 yds · Rating 76.3 · Par 72Anniston	Anniston	72	149
4	Judge Black tees · 7,813 yds · Rating 78.5 · Par 72Prattville	Prattville	72	147
5	Spring Creek Golf Course Blue tees · 6,471 yds · Rating 78.2 · Par 71Tuscumbia	Tuscumbia	71	146
6	Shoal Creek 5 Star tees · 7,394 yds · Rating 76.2 · Par 72 · Jack Nicklaus · 1976Shoal Creek	Shoal Creek	72	145
7	Lost Key Golf Club Black tees · 6,801 yds · Rating 73.9 · Par 71Brewton	Brewton	71	145
8	Canebrake Club Green tees · 7,237 yds · Rating 74.8 · Par 72 · Ron Garl · 1998Athens	Athens	72	142
9	Burningtree Country Club Inferno tees · 6,953 yds · Rating 73.7 · Par 72 · George Cobb · 1964 · PrivateDecatur	Decatur	72	142
10	Riverchase Country Club Blue tees · 6,777 yds · Rating 73.1 · Par 72 · Joe Lee · 1975Hoover	Hoover	72	142
11	Auburn Links Tournament tees · 7,546 yds · Rating 76.6 · Par 72Auburn	Auburn	72	141
12	Auburn University Club Tournament tees · 7,546 yds · Rating 76.6 · Par 72Auburn	Auburn	72	141
13	Limestone Springs Golf Club I tees · 6,987 yds · Rating 73.9 · Par 72 · Jerry Pate · 1999Oneonta	Oneonta	72	140
14	Cider Ridge Golf Club I tees · 6,946 yds · Rating 74.0 · Par 72 · Bill Bergen · 2002Oxford	Oxford	72	140
15	Moore's Mill Club II tees · 6,218 yds · Rating 76.4 · Par 72 · Day Blalock DesignAuburn	Auburn	72	140
16	Highland Oaks Golf Course Black tees · 7,287 yds · Rating 74.7 · Par 72 · Robert Trent Jones · 1993Dothan	Dothan	72	139
17	Hoover Country Club V tees · 6,908 yds · Rating 73.7 · Par 72Birmingham	Birmingham	72	139
18	Terrapin Hills Country Club Blue tees · 6,399 yds · Rating 76.6 · Par 71 · Harold Williams · 1970Fort Payne	Fort Payne	71	139
19	NorthRiver Yacht Club Blue tees · 6,318 yds · Rating 76.9 · Par 71 · Gary Player · 1978Tuscaloosa	Tuscaloosa	71	139
20	Ol' Colony Golf Complex Crimson tees · 7,546 yds · Rating 76.6 · Par 72 · Jerry Pate · 2000Tuscaloosa	Tuscaloosa	72	138
21	Inverness Country Club 1 tees · 6,821 yds · Rating 73.3 · Par 71 · George Cobb · 1973 · PrivateBirmingham	Birmingham	71	138
22	The Ledges I tees · 7,137 yds · Rating 74.9 · Par 71Huntsville	Huntsville	71	137
23	Saugahatchee Country Club Black tees · 7,040 yds · Rating 73.7 · Par 72 · Ward Northrup · 1977 · PrivateOpelika	Opelika	72	137
24	Pine Tree Country Club Blue tees · 7,036 yds · Rating 73.9 · Par 72 · George Cobb · 1969Irondale	Irondale	72	137
25	Lakewood Club Purple tees · 7,034 yds · Rating 73.7 · Par 72Fairhope	Fairhope	72	136

Frequently asked questions

What is the hardest golf course in Alabama?

Cambrian Ridge in Greenville, Alabama is the hardest ranked course with a maximum slope rating of 150. Slope rating measures the difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch player — 113 is average, 140+ is very difficult, and 155 is the maximum.

How many golf courses in Alabama have a slope rating of 140 or higher?

15 golf courses have a max slope rating of 140 or higher in Alabama based on the scorecards in the Stymie directory. A slope of 140 or above is considered very challenging for bogey golfers.

How does Alabama's average difficulty compare to the rest of the US?

The average maximum slope rating across golf courses in Alabama is 131, versus a US average around 125. A higher state average indicates courses that are, on the whole, tougher for mid-to-high handicap golfers.

What makes a golf course hard?

Course difficulty is driven primarily by slope rating (how much harder it plays for a bogey golfer than a scratch golfer), course rating (how a scratch golfer would score), total yardage, hazards (water, bunkers, forced carries), green speed, and rough length. Slope rating is the single best proxy for "how tough this course is."