Trick or tee—this is golf that gives you goosebumps.

Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.
- Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer captured what every golfer knows deep down—that golf is a beautiful contradiction. It’s a game that can lift you up and humble you in the same swing. And that’s exactly what makes it so thrilling.

As the leaves turn and autumn settles across Dormie Network’s collection of world-class courses, something is captivating about this season of golf. The crisp air. The rustling leaves. The long, late-day shadows creep across the fairways. Even familiar holes take on an eerie new edge.

But some shots? They’ve always been downright frightening.

They make your heart race, your legs shake, and your brain question every decision. In the spirit of Spooktober, we’re spotlighting the most nerve-wracking, heart-pounding, downright spooky shots across the Network—the ones that make even the most confident golfers break a sweat.

And yes—we saved the best one for last.

The tee shot on hole #12 at GrayBull Club.

There’s a reason this daunting par-3 earned a single-digit stroke index—a rarity for a hole of its kind. At 213 yards from the tips with a crosswind, hole 12 demands precision. “There's no way of hiding from this one,” warns course designer David McLay Kidd. There’s a backstop if you’re bold enough to carry the green, but anything short—or left—will tumble into depressions.

The approach shot on hole #17 at Dormie Club.

Take aim carefully. The elevated green and expansive fairway bunker—Dormie Club’s tribute to “Hell’s Half Acre” dares you to take dead aim. Miss your line, and the shot becomes instantly punishing.

The tee shot on hole #5 at Victoria National.

There are intimidating par 3s, and then there’s Hole #5 at Victoria National—one of the most breathtaking and terrifying in golf. Nearly an island, the green is framed by shimmering water and the ghostly remains of an old strip mine. From the back tee, the landing area feels impossibly small. Miss your mark, and you’ll be haunted by it for the rest of your round.

The tee shot on hole #11 at ArborLinks.

At just a short wedge, this hole looks innocent enough—until you miss the green. “Aim small, miss small” is the only way to survive here. Miss long, short, or sideways, and you’ll be scrambling to save par from a grueling position. Few shots reveal your nerves quite like this one.

Putting on hole #18 at ArborLinks while everyone watches on the clubhouse heckle deck.

Your final putt at ArborLinks may come with an audience. So, you best bring your A game. The small green, guarded by bunkers on both sides, sits within full view of the “heckle deck” at the clubhouse—where spectators wait, ready to cheer (or chuckle) at your fate. Sink your par and walk off proud.

The second shot onto the elevated green on hole #14 at Ballyhack.

The second shot into Ballyhack’s elevated par-4 14th green is renowned for its treachery. Statistically, the hardest hole in the VA State Opens held at Ballyhack due to the severity of punishment for any shot that lacks yardage control. Short and the ball tumbles off the front of the green; long and you face a lightning-fast chip from the back tier.

The second shot on hole #4 at Briggs Ranch

If you hit your first shot long on hole #4, you are presented with a very difficult up and down. The green slopes severely from back to front, and with the amount of undulation, it is difficult to read. Come up short on the chip or pitch, and you have a quick downhill putt. Be overly aggressive, and you can just hold onto the same wedge for your next shot.

A layup shot on hole #13 at Briggs Ranch

Laying up should feel safe, but not here. Miss slightly left and you’ll find yourself staring at a tall bunker lip with 90 yards still to go. Go long and face a 70-foot putt up a steep ridge. Come up short, and the grainy pitch runs away from you. The green breaks viciously right-to-left but miss right, and another bunker awaits. There’s no “safe” side to this one.

Anything from 50 yards to the pin from a bunker.

Director of Membership Justin Hart shares anything from 50 yards to the pin from a bunker. You have to get up and down. Two things can go wrong. You either chunk it short and stay in the bunker, or you accidentally catch it clean and airmail the green. That’s what made Bryson DeChambeau’s famous 18th-hole shot at Pinehurst to win the U.S. Open so remarkable—he pulled off one of the toughest shots in the game when it mattered most. Justin offers these examples of this scary golf shot:

Hole #5 at ArborLinks, left-side bunker to a back pin.

Hole #9 at ArborLinks, front-right bunker to a back-left pin with water lurking close.

Fall golf at Dormie Network isn’t just about the scenery—it’s about the stories you’ll tell afterward around the firepit. The near misses. The miraculous saves. The moments that make you laugh, maybe curse, and fall in love with the game all over again. Just like Arnold Palmer described: maddening and magnificent, all at once.

And if you’re hungry for more chills and thrills, check out The Scariest Hole at Each of Dormie Network’s Seven Clubs — a deep dive into the toughest, most unforgettable tests across the Network.

Ready to face your fears? With a caddie at your side, we know you’ll have a good time. Dormie Network members can contact any Network concierge to book a tee time.