In the 2022-23 season, the Fortinet Threat Score enabled fans to once again to track the fortunes of the world’s best as they looked to navigate on-course challenges on the DP World Tour.
It also allowed us to build our own fantasy courses from the 864 holes in use at stroke play events across 48 different layouts on the schedule and the results make for interesting reading.
- A course made up of the 18 hardest holes would measure 8113 yards and be a par 70 featuring 16 par fours and two par threes. The average score on this course was over 78 (+8) and it includes four 18th holes and three 17th holes.
- A course made up of the 18 easiest holes would measure 9107 yards and be a par 89 featuring 16 par fives and two par fours. The average score over this course was under 77 (-11).
- A course made up of the easiest holes by number would measure 9264 yards and be a par 88 featuring 16 par fives and two par fours. The average score over this course was under 78 (-10).
Below, we have compiled a composite course of the toughest holes by number on the DP World Tour in the 2022-23 season.
The par-70 layout measuring 7988 yards features no par fives, 16 par fours and two par threes. It also consists of holes taken from venues across five continents.
Holes from the co-host venues of the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics in Northern Ireland feature prominently, while there are five holes from Major Championship, Rolex Series and Ryder Cup venues, including 2023 host Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.
With a scoring average of eight shots over par, this course would certainly push the professionals to the limit.
The Course
Par: 34-36-70
Length: 3607-4381-7988 yards
Scoring average to par: 78 (+8)
1 - Wentworth Club, West Course
Par 4 | 473 yards
+0.30
The BMW PGA Championship was the fourth of five Rolex Series events and the first at Wentworth Club’s West Course proved to be the most challenging opening hole on the 2022-23 DP World Tour schedule.
In a high-calibre field, including all 12 playing members of the European Ryder Cup team, only 20 birdies were made across the week.
By comparison there were 118 bogeys and 14 double bogeys or worse.
Event winner Ryan Fox played it in level par, while Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland were both under par as they finished in the top five.
2 - Mont Choisy Le Golf
Par 4 | 435 yards
+0.33
Our toughest composite course continues with our first of four visits to the continent of Africa.
The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open saw 11 holes play over par, including the second at Mont Choisy Le Golf.
Ranked the third hardest hole on the course that week, 38 birdies were posted but there were also some big scores with 20 double bogeys or worse made.
Antoine Rozner was one over par for his four rounds, while Ko Jeong Weon was the only player from the top five and ties to play it under par for the week.
3 - Galgorm Castle Golf Club
Par 4 | 466 yards
+0.39
Holes from the ISPS HANDA Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics in Northern Ireland accounted for six of the 30 hardest all season.
The third at Galgorm produced a mere 18 birdies, with the field tackling the course over three of the four rounds.
Tournament winner Daniel Brown was level par on that hole, birdieing it in the second round and bogeying it on the final day.
4 - Castlerock Golf Club
Par 3 | 200 yards
+0.37
We stay in Northern Ireland with the first of only two par threes that feature in our toughest composite course.
Despite it only being the sixth hardest hole of the week, no par three played tougher on the DP World Tour in the season.
However, it is worth noting the data accounts for each player only playing it once as each member of the field teed it up at Castlegate on one occasions over the opening two days, where a typical hole would be played more than 400 times.
Six birdies were registered, with none coming from the top ten on the final leaderboard.
5 - Castlerock Golf Club
Par 4 | 477 yards
+0.79
We remain at Castlerock for what was the hardest hole on the DP World Tour all season.
There was just one birdie registered, with that made by Gary Stal but despite that distinction the Frenchman was unable to make the cut.
Event winner Brown parred the hole on day one on his way to a five-shot victory.
6 - Oak Hill Country Club
Par 4 | 418 yards
+0.52
And so we arrive at our first Major venue. In fact, US PGA Championship venue Oak Hill boasts the two holes which feature in a toughest composite course.
Across the four days, 52 double bogeys were recorded on this hole – 31 more than the next highest. Brooks Koepka mixed one birdie with one bogey on his way to a third Wanamaker Trophy.
Justin Rose was the only player in the top ten to play the hole under par.
7 - Leopard Creek
Par 3 | 195 yards
+0.41
Playing more than four tenths over its par, the seventh at the revered Leopard Creek was the hardest hole at the Alfred Dunhill Championship all week.
There were 40 birdies across the four rounds, the lowest of any hole.
The 46 double bogeys or worse was the highest on the layout.
The highest score was made by Deon Germishuys in the third round, with the South African registering a sextuple-bogey nine.
8 - Marco Simone Golf & Country Club
Par 4 | 525 yards
+0.58
For the second consecutive year, the eighth at Marco Simone features in our toughest composite course after it was again the hardest examination for the field at last year's DS Automobiles Italian Open.
A mere 25 birdies were made all week at the Ryder Cup venue, four fewer than in 2022. Tournament winner Adrian Meronk parred the hole on all four days, while Jorge Campillo and Sebastian Söderberg were the only players in the top ten to be under par.
Despite recording a double bogey and two bogeys during the week, Victor Perez managed to finish in a tie for ninth.
9 - Oak Hill Country Club
Par 4 | 418 yards
+0.34
We return to Oak Hill in Rochester, New York, for the second time in our composite course of toughest holes in the 2022-23 season, with the par-four ninth under review.
Statistically the third hardest hole that week, 32 birdies were made.
Rory McIlroy and Rose were the only two players in the field to be under par for the week at that hole highlighting the challenge it posed.
10 - Castlerock Golf Club
Par 4 | 485 yards
+0.44
The challenge of Castlerock certainly wasn't for the faint hearted.
We return to the links venue for a third time. Brown registered a par at this hole as he carded a seven-under-par 64 in the first round on his way to landing his maiden DP World Tour title at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational.
There were just six birdies from the field as it finished the week as the third hardest hole of the event.
11 - St Francis Links
Par 4 | 457 yards
+0.43
Like with Castlerock, our next venue was hosting a DP World Tour event for the first time last season.
One of nine holes to play above its par at the SDC Championship, the ninth at St Francis Links gave up a week-low 30 birdies.
Despite romping to a seven-shot victory, Matt Baldwin bogeyed the hole twice as only two players in the top ten played it under par. No wonder it was the hardest hole that week.
12 - Al Hamra Golf Club
Par 4 | 486 yards
+0.34
Time to make our first stop to Asia in our toughest composite course.
There were 36 double bogeys at the par-four 12th, double the next highest amount that week.
Nicolai Højgaard made the only eagle as Daniel Gavins, who was one over par on the hole, claimed his second DP World Tour title.
13 - Galgorm Castle Golf Club
Par 4 | 430 yards
+0.44
We head back to Northern Ireland for the final time in our toughest composite course to analyse the 13th at Galgorm.
The 430-yard par four was the hardest hole all week at the parkland venue, with 20 birdies made 30 double bogeys or worse compiled.
Event winner Brown was two over for his rounds, while Eddie Pepperell impressively played the hole in two under as he finished third.
14 - DLF Golf and Country Club
Par 4 | 535 yards
+0.41
Regarded as one of the toughest assignments on the DP World Tour, DLF Golf and Country Club finds a place in our toughest composite course.
The hole saw a week-high 122 bogeys, 23 more than the next highest.
Marcel Siem bogeyed the hole in each of the first three rounds as he returned to the winner's circle for the first time in eight years.
Kazuki Higa was the only player in the top five to be under par on the hole.
15 - Houghton Golf Club
Par 4 | 536 yards
+0.47
Serving as host venue to the Joburg Open on the opening weekend of the season, Houghton Golf Club's par-four 15th was the eighth hardest hole all season.
A week-high 140 bogeys and 53 double bogeys were made by the field across the four tournament days.
Despite ending up three shots better than his nearest challenger at the top of the leaderboard, Dan Bradbury made a double bogey and a bogey at the 15th over his opening two rounds.
By comparison, runner-up Sami Välimäki played the hole in three under but that only emphasised just how good Bradbury’s play was elsewhere on the course in what was just third DP World Tour start.
16 - Kingston Heath Golf Club
Par 4 | 477 yards
+0.44
Alongside Victoria Golf Club, Kingston Heath played host to the leading men and women players from the DP World Tour, WPGA Tour of Australasia, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
In the one round played at Kingston Heath GC by the full male field across the four days, 62 bogeys or worse were made at the 16th.
Adrian Meronk made a par on his way to victory during the second round, while there were just 12 birdies recorded.
Only two players in the top ten and ties registered a birdie – both of whom were from Australia.
Despite the demonstrable challenge it posed, it wasn't the hardest hole that week.
17 - Victoria Golf Club
Par 4 | 504 yards
+0.54
As just alluded to, it was both co-host venues at Australia’s national Open that proved a stern challenge.
A meagre 11 birdies were made on the 17th at Victoria Golf Club, with only three of those coming from players who finished in the top ten and ties.
Tournament winner Meronk bogeyed the hole in both the third and fourth rounds, testament to its difficulty.
As well as offering little in terms of birdies, it also resulted in the 73 bogeys - the most across both venues.
18 - Le Golf National
Par 4 | 471 yards
+0.47
The 18th at Le Golf National has seen its fair share of drama over the years, with six matches at the 2018 Ryder Cup decided on its green.
With water all the way down the left and pot bunkers to the right of the fairway, strategy and accuracy off the tee is pivotal to ease the challenge of finding the island green.
On his tournament debut, Ryo Hisatsune proved experience isn't everything as he played the exciting final hole in one under par, birdieing it in the second round.
No other player in the top five was able to match that feat. A week-high 106 bogeys and 53 double bogeys or worse were also registered.
