straightenMost Yards from Back Tees

Longest Golf Courses in Kentucky

The 25 longest golf courses in Kentucky, ranked by total yardage from the back tees.

The longest golf course in Kentucky on Stymie is Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, designed by Jack Nicklaus, stretching 7,473 yards from the back tees and a slope rating of 151. Anything over 7,000 yards qualifies as "championship length" by modern standards, and the layouts below all clear that bar — most by a wide margin.

The average maximum yardage across Kentucky's golf courses on Stymie is 6,461 yards. 18 courses play to 7,000 yards or more — the threshold most tournament setups use to ensure long hitters can't simply drive their way around the layout. Long courses typically pair the extra distance with wider fairways and larger greens so the round stays playable.

If you're a long hitter looking for a course that will actually test your driving distance, or you want to play the same tees the pros would, work your way through this list. Just remember: yardage isn't the same as difficulty — a 7,400-yard course with wide fairways and minimal water can play easier than a 6,500-yard target-golf design with hazards on every hole.

Ranked

Longest

7,473 yds

Avg back tee

6,461 yds

Over 7,000 yds

Hardest Easiest Longest Oldest Newest

#	Course	City	Par	Yards
1	Valhalla Golf Club#94 GD Slope 151 · Par 72 · Jack Nicklaus · 1986Louisville	Louisville	72	7,473
2	Olde Stone Golf Course Slope 155 · Par 72Bowling Green	Bowling Green	72	7,333
3	Coldstream Country Club Slope 139 · Par 71Cincinnati	Cincinnati	71	7,279
4	Bardstown Country Club Slope 151 · Par 72 · 1991Bardstown	Bardstown	72	7,247
5	Maywood Golf Club Slope 151 · Par 72 · David Pfaff · 1995Bardstown	Bardstown	72	7,247
6	Perry Park Golf Resort Slope 140 · Par 72 · Buck Blankenship · 1970Perry Park	Perry Park	72	7,192
7	University of Louisville Golf Club Slope 152 · Par 72Simpsonville	Simpsonville	72	7,192
8	Triple Crown Country Club Slope 142 · Par 72 · Gene Bates · 1992 · PrivateUnion	Union	72	7,147
9	Lexington Country Club Slope 129 · Par 72 · Tom Bendelow · 1908Lexington	Lexington	72	7,103
10	Gibson Bay Golf Course Slope 141 · Par 72 · Dr. Michael Hurdzan · 1993Richmond	Richmond	72	7,102
11	Kearney Hill Golf Links Slope 136 · Par 72 · Pete · 1989Lexington	Lexington	72	7,100
12	Hunting Creek Golf Course Slope 150 · Par 72 · Ben Wihry · 1965Prospect	Prospect	72	7,057
13	Wasioto Winds Golf Course Slope 137 · Par 72London	London	72	7,037
14	Donald Ross Course Slope 149 · Par 70Owensboro	Owensboro	70	7,030
15	Keene Run Golf Course Slope 138 · Par 72Nicholasville	Nicholasville	72	7,027
16	Country Club of Paducah Slope 152 · Par 72 · Robert Trent Jones · 1980Paducah	Paducah	72	7,014
17	Heritage Hill Golf Course Slope 142 · Par 72Shepherdsville	Shepherdsville	72	7,013
18	Idle Hour Country Club Slope 137 · Par 70 · Donald Ross · 1924Lexington	Lexington	70	7,011
19	Big Spring Country Club Slope 144 · Par 72 · Rees Jones · 1926 · PrivateLouisville	Louisville	72	6,958
20	The Pearl Club Slope 130 · Par 72Owensboro	Owensboro	72	6,925
21	Houston Oaks Golf Course Slope 137 · Par 72 · Jack Ridge · 1996Paris	Paris	72	6,898
22	Eagle Trace Golf Course Slope 139 · Par 72 · David Pfaff · 1995Morehead	Morehead	72	6,889
23	Oxmoor Country Club Slope 140 · Par 72 · David Pfaff · 1988Louisville	Louisville	72	6,867
24	Cherry Blossom Golf Club Slope 144 · Par 72Georgetown	Georgetown	72	6,866
25	Long Run Golf Course Slope 132 · Par 72 · 1965Eastwood	Eastwood	72	6,853

Frequently asked questions

What is the longest golf course in Kentucky?

Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky is the longest ranked course at 7,473 yards from the back tees.

How many courses in Kentucky play over 7,000 yards?

18 courses in Kentucky play to 7,000 yards or more from the back tees. That threshold is the common yardstick for a "championship length" course.

What is the average yardage of a golf course in Kentucky?

The average maximum yardage for golf courses in Kentucky is 6,461 yards from the back tees. Most full-length 18-hole courses fall between 6,400 and 7,200 yards at the tips.

Why are some golf courses so long?

Modern championship designs stretch past 7,200 yards to challenge pros who routinely drive the ball 300+ yards. Longer courses typically have wider fairways, larger greens, and multiple tee sets so average players can still enjoy the course from shorter yardages.