Must-play Courses: April Edition

Major season is here, so we’re spotlighting three virtual courses with championship DNA.

Because Trackman is always adding new venues to our virtual course library, it can be a challenge for even the most dedicated followers to keep up. That’s why we’re back with Must-play Courses — our monthly spotlight on new and notable courses to try out during your next visit to a Trackman-powered facility.

April marks the start of major championship season — a stretch of the calendar where history hangs in the balance and pressure hits its peak. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting three tournament-tested venues, all painstakingly rendered in Virtual Golf 3. Whether you’re channeling Sunday swagger, prepping for a PGA-style slugfest, or dreaming of a dramatic Sunday in the Alps, these tracks deliver the goods.

Farmingdale, New York, US 
Difficulty: 5/5

Welcome to one of the most punishing public layouts in the world — and a rite of passage for any serious golfer. Bethpage famously kicks your round off with a warning sign: “The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.” Gulp. 

• Relentless and raw: Long rough, narrow fairways, elevated greens — there’s no faking your way around Bethpage. This course demands everything you’ve got, and then some. 

• Major pedigree: Host of the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens and the 2019 PGA Championship, Bethpage Black is as legit as a New York-style slice.

• Brace for The Black Stretch: Holes 10 through 15 form a relentless gauntlet that tests every club in the bag. Survive it, and you’ll have a story worth telling. 

Louisville, Kentucky, US
Difficulty: 4/5

Few courses serve up drama like Valhalla. Designed with championship moments in mind, it’s hosted multiple PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup — and every time, it delivers fireworks.

• Bold, broad, and built for battle: Valhalla features wide corridors and muscular par 4s, plus a back nine that’s made for clutch shots and closing surges.

• Memorable moments: From Tiger’s pressure-packed playoff win in 2000 to Rory’s race against the sunset in 2014, this place has seen its share of iconic finishes. Now it’s your turn.

• Hey, good lookin’: With high-res textures, dynamic lighting, and uncanny realism, our VG3 Valhalla looks sweeter than a barrel-aged bourbon at happy hour.

Évian-les-Bains, France
Difficulty: 3/5

Perched on the shores of Lake Geneva with the French Alps looming in the background, Évian Resort Golf Club delivers one of the most visually stunning major venues in the world. It’s the longtime host of The Amundi Evian Championship — one of the five majors in women’s golf — and it’s now rendered in Virtual Golf 3 with jaw-dropping precision.

• Beauty with bite: Don’t let the scenery lull you into a false sense of security. Évian mixes tight landing areas, water hazards, and plenty of elevation changes to keep you honest.

• Par-3 scene-stealers: From the elevated 2nd to the water-lined 14th, Évian’s one-shotters pack more variety and suspense than most entire nines.

• Major season, Euro-style: Ready to channel your inner Céline Boutier or Minjee Lee? Grab your sim-league buddies and head for the mountains.