Blessings Golf Club, Fayetteville, AR

The Blessings Golf Course is arguably one of the toughest courses in the world, but the creative design and immaculate setting will have you wanting to play it again and again.

The numbers tell the story on just how difficult Blessings is to play. Six tees are offered, but from the back tees, the par-72 course extends an astounding 7,572 yards. The course rating is 79.50 with a 149 slope rating. The length is intimidating but the design of the course also contributes to the challenge. The land is rolling on every hole so even a shot onto the fairway will likely have an uphill, downhill or side sloping lie. You will be challenged to think through every shot on the course, nothing is automatic.

While the fairways wrap over ravines and creeks with bunkers to avoid everywhere, it's the greens that really test your golfing ability. The greens are some of the best maintained you will ever see, but they are lightening fast and sloped. A good putt that just misses the mark could easily end up off the green.

The Blessings Golf Course was funded by Tyson Foods chairman John Tyson in 2004 and no expenses were spared. Every aspect of the course was thought out and planned to perfection from the course to the modern wood and stone clubhouse. The course was redesigned in 2017 after a creek flooded several of the holes, adding the finishing touch on an already amazing design.

One unique feature of the course is the use of zoysai grass in the fairways. The newer type of grass is thick and lush so it stands up straight even after wear and tear. Hit in the fairways and your ball should be sitting pretty. The premium grass also requires less water so it looks great year round.

The course has a traditional up-and-back format where the first nine holes are played walking away from the clubhouse and the final nine holes walking back towards the clubhouse. You'll be challenged right out of the gate on the first hole, a 435-yard par-4 where a creek affects your drive and second shot.

The two longest holes on the course are the second and twelfth holes, both 635-yard par-5s. Four other holes are over 500 yards. The long holes are balanced by five par-3s.

The Blessings Golf Course is ranked among the top 100 courses in the world in many publications. The University of Arkansas men's and women's golf teams practice and play at the course and the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Golf Championships were hosted by Blessings. The course is certainly worthy of the accolades it has received.

Playing Blessings was the ultimate golf course experience for me. The Ozark terrain provides the golfer with an almost limitless variety of hole layouts. Shotmaking is severely tested with uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies. There are several dramatic elevation changes and many tee shots require long carries over severe ravines. Choose the set of tees you will use with this in mind. (There is a minimum of 6 sets on each hole.)The greens are undulating and lightning fast being cut at 12 on the Stimpfmeter. The scenery is gorgeous and the course maintenance was top-rate. I give it a 5 star rating!