Beauty and Beast

There is no shortage of lists when it comes to golf courses, and the latest entrant into the crowded marketplace is John Deere.

That's right, the famed tractor company has compiled a list: "The 18 Most Beautifully Brutal Golf Holes."

We know the suspense is overwhelming, so we won't keep you waiting.

The panel of judges, made up of golf journalists, picked three holes in each six regions in the U.S. and Canada (except Quebec, for some reason). The choices were made from entries submitted by golf industry professionals. Here is the list:

Region 1: South Central and Northwestern U.S.    
    Aspen Lakes Golf Course, Sisters, Ore., Hole 11, 450 yards, Par 4
    Cordillera Ranch, Boerne, Texas, Hole 16, 172 yards, Par 3
    Colbert Hills Golf Course, Manhattan, Kan.,  Hole 7, 600 yards, Par 5

Region 2: Southwest U.S.
    Classic Club, Palm Desert, Calif., Hole 18, 564 yards, Par 5.
    Oak Quarry Golf Club, Riverside, Calif., Hole 4, 214 yards
    Tucson National (Catalina), Tucson, Ariz., Hole 18, 469 yards, Par 4

Region 3: North Central U.S.
    Legends Club, Lakeville, Minn., Hole 13, 209  yards, Par 3
    Sutton Bay, Agar, S.D., Hole 1, 661 yards, Par 5
    TPC at Deere Run, Silvis, Ill., Hole 16, 165 yards, Par 3

Region 4: Northeast U.S. and Gulf Coast
    Butter Brook Golf Club, Westford, Mass., Hole 17, 416 yards, Par 4
    Grand Cypress, East Course, Orlando, Fla., Hole 5, 153 yards, Par 3
    Ocean Course, Palm Coast, Fla., Hole 9, 437 yards, Par 4

Region 5: Eastern U.S.
    Atlanta Athletic Club, Duluth, Ga., Hole 15, 257 yards, Par 3
    Copper Hills Golf & Country Club, Oxford, Mich.,  Hole 9, 453 yards, Par 4
    The Creek Club at Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, Ga., Hole 12, 569 yards, Par 5

Region 6: Canada (excluding Quebec)
    Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club, Banff, Alberta, Hole 4, 192 yards, Par 3
    Blackhawk Golf Club, Spruce Grove, Alberta, Hole 7, 575 yards, Par 5  
    Lethbridge Country Club, Lethbridge, Alberta, Hole 13, 397 yards, Par 4

What struck me about this list was how obscure most of the courses were. I'm a pretty well-traveled golfer, but I have only played two of these 18 courses, and haven't even heard of eight of them.

Now, I'm really not in position to judge these choices—how could I when I haven't even heard of them? I don't doubt that the 18th hole at Tucson National really is difficult. But so is the 4th at Torrey Pines South, a hole that definitely is both brutal and beautiful—and has the added benefit of being famous.

If John Deere's goal with this list is to promote discussion and generate publicity, it would really help if the choices were famous so that we, the reader, feel a connection to them and actually care about the list. After all, People's most beautiful woman is always an actress or model because they are famous and instantly recognizable. There are plenty of women who are more beautiful than Kate Hudson—my girlfriend, for example—but the editors of People know Kate will sell more magazines.

If we're looking for holes that are brutal, beautiful and well-known enough to elicit some discussion, I think we can do better. Please offer up your suggestions below. In addition to the 4th at Torrey Pines South, I nominate a hole at another muni Open course, the 15th at Bethpage Black.