trending_upHighest Slope Rating

Hardest Golf Courses in Indiana

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

The hardest golf course in Indiana on Stymie is Pfau Indiana University Golf Course in Bloomington, designed by Jim Soutar (opened in 1957). It carries a maximum slope rating of 155, stretching 7,908 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 Indiana is 131 — above the typical US state benchmark around 125. 38 courses in Indiana 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

155

Avg max slope

131

Slope 140+

Hardest Easiest Longest Oldest Newest

#	Course	City	Par	Slope
1	Pfau Indiana University Golf Course 7,908 yds · Par 71 · Jim Soutar · 1957Bloomington	Bloomington	71	155
2	Wolf Run Golf Club 7,215 yds · Par 71 · Steve Smyers · 1989 · PrivateZionsville	Zionsville	71	154
3	Victoria National Golf Club#60 GD 7,242 yds · Par 72 · Tom Fazio · 1998 · PrivateNewburgh	Newburgh	72	152
4	Pete Dye Course 8,102 yds · Par 72English	English	72	151
5	Crooked Stick Golf Club#99 GD 7,562 yds · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 1964Carmel	Carmel	72	149
6	Brickyard Crossing Golf Course 7,180 yds · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 1993Indianapolis	Indianapolis	72	149
7	The Fort Golf Course 7,148 yds · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 1997Indianapolis	Indianapolis	72	149
8	White Hawk Country Club 7,024 yds · Par 72 · Tim NugentCrown Point	Crown Point	72	148
9	Sand Creek Country Club 7,052 yds · Par 72 · Ken Killian · 1995Chesterton	Chesterton	72	148
10	Sycamore Hills Golf Club 7,319 yds · Par 72 · Jack Nicklaus · 1989Fort Wayne	Fort Wayne	72	148
11	Purgatory Golf Club 7,666 yds · Par 72 · Ron Kern · 2000Noblesville	Noblesville	72	148
12	Persimmon Ridge Golf Club 7,169 yds · Par 72Shelbyville	Shelbyville	72	147
13	Kampen Golf Course 7,465 yds · Par 72West Lafayette	West Lafayette	72	146
14	Hurstbourne Country Club 7,005 yds · Par 72Hurstbourne	Hurstbourne	72	145
15	Valley Links Course 7,063 yds · Par 72English	English	72	145
16	Round Barn Golf Club 6,762 yds · Par 72Rochester	Rochester	72	144
17	Mill Creek Golf Course 6,762 yds · Par 72 · Tom Zimmerman · 1991Rochester	Rochester	72	144
18	Chatham Hills Golf Course 7,334 yds · Par 72Westfield	Westfield	72	144
19	Blackthorn Golf Club 7,136 yds · Par 72 · Dr. Michael Hurdzan · 1994South Bend	South Bend	72	144
20	Chariot Run 7,246 yds · Par 72Laconia	Laconia	72	143
21	Heron Creek Golf Club 6,642 yds · Par 72 · Tim Dykstra · 1961Lagrange	Lagrange	72	143
22	The Golf Preserve 7,041 yds · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 1999Frankfort	Frankfort	72	142
23	Maple Creek Golf and Country Club 6,593 yds · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 1961Indianapolis	Indianapolis	72	141
24	Morningstar Golf Club 7,018 yds · Par 73 · 1991 · Semi_privateIndianapolis	Indianapolis	73	141
25	Christiana Creek Country Club 6,588 yds · Par 72 · 1917Elkhart	Elkhart	72	141

Frequently asked questions

What is the hardest golf course in Indiana?

Pfau Indiana University Golf Course in Bloomington, Indiana is the hardest ranked course with a maximum slope rating of 155. 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 Indiana have a slope rating of 140 or higher?

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

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

The average maximum slope rating across golf courses in Indiana 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."