Part 2: 10 More Famous Golf Holes and the Stories Behind Them

Golf history is full of places where the scorecard only tells part of the story.

A par 3 becomes a nightmare. A closing hole becomes a coronation. A short putt becomes a lifetime memory. That is the magic of famous golf holes: they are not just designed, they are remembered.

Here are 10 more famous holes and the moments that made them matter.

1. Royal Portrush No. 13 — Feather Bed and the Ace Chase

Photo: Russel Wills / Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0. Course view, not the exact hole.

Royal Portrush’s 13th hole, known as “Feather Bed,” is a downhill par 3 with all the ingredients for drama: elevation, wind, trouble, and just enough temptation to make players think they can attack.

It has also delivered Open Championship fireworks. Emiliano Grillo made a hole-in-one there during the 2019 Open, and John Parry added another ace on the same hole when the championship returned to Portrush in 2025.

Why it matters: Some holes become famous for wreckage. Feather Bed has built its story on perfection.

2. Harbour Town No. 18 — The Lighthouse Finish

Photo: Shep McAllister, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Aerial view of the Harbour Town marina, not the golf hole itself.

Harbour Town’s 18th is one of the most recognizable finishing holes on the PGA Tour. The fairway runs along Calibogue Sound, the wind can turn a safe shot into a problem, and the red-and-white lighthouse waits behind the green.

It is a hole built for television, but it is not just scenery. The narrow landing area, water, marsh, and exposed finish make it a true test when a tournament is on the line.

Why it matters: Great finishing holes give players a chance to win and a chance to lose. Harbour Town does both beautifully.

3. Quail Hollow No. 18 — Rory’s Arrival

Photo: Jbrubins / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Before Rory McIlroy became a four-time major champion, he announced himself at Quail Hollow.

In 2010, McIlroy closed with a stunning final-round 62 to win for the first time on the PGA Tour. The finish at Quail Hollow, especially the demanding 18th, became part of the arrival story for one of the game’s defining players.

Why it matters: Every superstar has a first big stage. For Rory, Quail Hollow was where everyone looked up and realized what was coming.

4. Valderrama No. 17 — Trouble in Spain

Photo: Andrew Hale, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Valderrama’s driving range, not the exact hole.

Valderrama’s 17th is one of those holes that seems to attract chaos.

It played a major role in the 1997 Ryder Cup and has caused trouble in other big events, including World Golf Championship play. The hole’s mix of water, strategy, and precision makes it one of Europe’s most memorable late-round tests.

Why it matters: The best risk-reward holes do not just ask, “Can you hit the shot?” They ask, “Should you?”

5. Bethpage Black No. 18 — The People’s Major Stage

Photo: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Bethpage Black made history in 2002 when it became the first publicly owned course to host the U.S. Open.

Tiger Woods won that championship, with Phil Mickelson chasing and New York crowds turning the event into something louder and more electric than a typical major. The 18th became the final stage for a landmark week in public golf.

Why it matters: Bethpage proved that a municipal course could feel every bit as major as the most exclusive clubs in the world.

6. Marco Simone No. 16 — Fleetwood Clinches the Cup

Photo: LittleWhites / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Marco Simone’s main entrance, not the exact hole.

At the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, Tommy Fleetwood stepped to the 16th hole with Europe on the edge of reclaiming the Cup.

Fleetwood won the hole against Rickie Fowler, securing the half point Europe needed. The celebration that followed turned Marco Simone’s 16th into an instant Ryder Cup memory.

Why it matters: Ryder Cup holes can become famous overnight. All it takes is the right player, the right match, and the right moment.

7. Narashino No. 18 — Tiger’s 82nd PGA Tour Win

Made based on National Land Image Information (Color Aerial Photographs), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

In 2019, Tiger Woods won the ZOZO Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Japan. It was his 82nd PGA Tour victory, tying Sam Snead’s all-time record.

Tiger finished the job on the par-5 18th, adding one more milestone to a career already overflowing with them.

Why it matters: Not every famous hole is famous because of the architecture. Sometimes it is famous because history happened there.

8. Evian Resort No. 18 — Lydia Ko Makes Major History

At the 2015 Evian Championship, Lydia Ko became the youngest winner of a women’s major championship at just 18 years old.

The 18th at Evian Resort became the finishing point for a performance that confirmed what golf fans already suspected: Ko was not just a young star. She was a generational player.

Why it matters: The biggest moments in golf are not limited to one tour or one tradition. Greatness shows up everywhere.

9. PGA West Stadium No. 17 — Alcatraz

Pete Dye knew how to make golfers uncomfortable, and the 17th at PGA West’s Stadium Course is a perfect example.

Nicknamed “Alcatraz,” the hole features an island green that makes even a short iron feel dangerous. It has produced memorable tournament moments, including a famous hole-in-one by Lee Trevino.

Why it matters: Island greens are simple to understand and hard to survive. That is why golfers love them and fear them.

10. Celtic Manor Twenty Ten No. 17 — McDowell Wins It for Europe

Photo: John Grayson / Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0. Celtic Manor’s practice facility beside the Twenty Ten Course, not the exact hole.

The 2010 Ryder Cup came down to Graeme McDowell against Hunter Mahan at Celtic Manor.

McDowell had already seized control late in the match, and when he won on the 17th green, Europe had the point it needed to take back the Ryder Cup. It was one of the great pressure performances in modern team golf.

Why it matters: Some holes become famous because they decide everything.

Final Thought

Golf’s most famous holes are not always the longest, hardest, or prettiest. They are the holes where something changed.

A lead disappeared. A champion arrived. A team erupted. A ball found the bottom of the cup when the whole world was watching.

That is why these places stay with us. They are not just holes on a course. They are chapters in the game’s story.