Hardest Golf Courses in Polk County, Iowa
The 16 most challenging golf courses in Polk County, Iowa, ranked by maximum slope rating. Tee-by-tee yardage, slope, and course rating for every course.
How this ranking is calculated
Each course is represented by the one published tee record with its highest valid slope rating. The tee name, course rating, par, and yardage shown with that slope all come from the same record; 113 is the USGA neutral slope baseline.
- Eligible
- 16 courses
- Missing metric
- 11 excluded
- Published list
- 16 ranked
Ranking data reviewed August 12, 2026. Courses without the required published metric stay out of this list rather than receiving an estimated value.
What this list tells you
The 16 listed catalog entries span 117 to 150 slope points. The order compares the recorded metric, not a golfer satisfaction score.
59% of candidate listings have the metric needed to enter this ranking. Missing data can change who appears here; this list is not a complete assessment of every course in the area.
Use the linked scorecards to compare the tees you would actually play. Slope describes difficulty for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch golfer; 113 is the neutral reference, not a measured national average. Course rating and yardage add context.
Top three at a glance
In Polk County, Iowa, Wakonda Club ranks first at slope 150 from the Black tees; Tournament Club of Iowa is second at slope 137 from the King tees; and Waveland Golf Course is third at slope 134 from the Blue tees. 16 slope points separate first and third.