FROM STAFF REPORTS

JOHNSTON, Iowa —The treacherous but gorgeous ninth hole at Copper Hills Golf and Country Club in Oxford made the cut as one of the winners of the John Deere Credit search for the Most Beautifully Brutal Golf Holes in North America.

The winning holes, which serve up a lifetime memories of beautiful vistas and whiteknuckle play, were selected in each of six regions from entries submitted by golf course professionals, superintendents, owners and designers throughout the U.S. and Canada, excluding Quebec.

Each entry was judged on the basis of its playing difficulty and beauty by a panel that included Jeff Babineau, editor of Golfweek; Pat Roberts, publisher of Golfdom; Joe Passov, architecture editor for Golf magazine; and Gary Van Sickle, golf editor for Sports Illustrated.

The 453-yard ninth hole (par 4) at Copper Hills Golf and Country Club was selected from Region 5, which covers the Eastern United States.

“These 18 holes offer outstanding examples of how dedicated course owners, architects and superintendents create and maintain holes that golfers talk about the entire year,” says Steve Knutson, Director of golf leasing for John Deere Credit.

Photos and descriptions of the 18 winning holes, and all holes entered in the contest can be seen at www.JohnDeereCredit.com/brutalgolfholes.