The first hole

[T_MacWood]

Gib
I'm still not clear why Oakmont is the toughest opener -- its certainly not its length.

I'd vote for Winged Foot as the toughest -- not only does it play every inch of its length, it has one of the most confounding greens on the course. Oakland Hills, Chicago and NCR are also very difficult openers.

[Will E]

Tom,
I think that John Schlee and Ernie Els might not agree with you that the fairway on 1 at Oakmont is easy to hit. It has never been an easy par for me.

I've hit some shots that I thought were perfect that either came up short or ran off the back of the green.

I'm sure that you like that though, since a lucky bounce is required to get the ball close to the hole.

I agree that it may not be the "toughest" starting hole in the world. If you had to start on the back nine at Oakmont you may see that.

I'm not sure why you would say that I only like perfectly flat greens.

Do you think that luck should be secondary to skill?

What course do you think is the best "test" of golf?
I'll nominate TPC Sawgrass and Shinnecock.
I haven't seen Muirfield (not the one in Ohio), but think that would be a good one too.

[T_MacWood]

Shooter
I think you are the first to mention the name John Schlee on this site, congratulations. I think Ernie Els famous play at the first is an illustration of the holes difficulty, I don't recall what he scored on the hole, but I believe it was par? As long as you guard against the OB to the right, you have a better than even chance of making par due to the steep down slope and a green which is not severely bunkered. Is it true that a decent drive normally leaves a short iron approach to green sloping away but completely open in front and back? Els knocked his drive into the trees and I believe hit a 9-iron. Do you think that a good approach shot on this hole is a matter of luck? It may require a skill that many Americans are not familar with, but it is a skill none the less. What is the significance of the nick-name 'shooter', any particular reason why you choose to use a pseudo?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Gib,

I found Bodega Harbour by accident, and ended up renting a house there for Thanksgiving week about 12 years ago.
I had some neat golfing and non-golfing experiences there.

When I played there, the 16th tee I believe was down below.  I played from the tee up top and found it to be a neat hole from there.  Where is the tee on that hole these days ?

Tommy Naccarato,

I too, had a memorable experience at the first tee at TOC.

Our plane was delayed out of JFK, and we missed our tee time.  Despite one of my friends futile attempts to bribe the starter with rather substantial sums of money (his wife would have taken it), after several hours wait, I was selected, and my friends dismissed, for play on TOC.

One of my friends from California was touting my game to the starter and other members of my foursome.  He went on and on.
I got up, took a swing intended to blast the ball a good distance, and hit it OUT OF BOUNDS.  It was a little embarrasing.
But,I finished the day with a sub 70 round, and a few drinks with my new found playing mates.  One of my golf goals is to play the
course in its backwords configuration.

The opening hole at Oakmont is no pushover, but the opening hole at Winged Foot West may be a little stronger, by virtue of that green and the dogleg nature of the hole.
# 1 at Wannamoisett and Belmont aren't bad either, and neither is # 1 at Newport as a par 4, especially if the wind blows.  
I would also rank # 1 at Pine Tree right up there, especially if the prevailing wind from the southeast is UP.

Matt Ward,

# 1 at Green Brook
      Mountain Ridge
      Plainfield

et.al.

# 1 at Prestwick

[TEPaul]

Played Oakmont not more than two weeks ago and everything about the golf course was about as ideal as imaginable, ie, firm and fast through the greens and the usual lightening greens.

Both #1 and #10, although they don't really look the same, have somewhat similar playbilities. #1 at 467yds and #10 at 462yds don't really play to their yardages with the firm conditions and both have run-away greens where the ball can be landed well short and filtered on (more so on #1). These conditions might make both holes play 20-40yds shorter than they are.

However, particularly on #1 this can be a bit of a tricky play to get the distance control right and you'd have to see #1 to realize how slick it is and how quickly the ball can get off the green in the back or  even to the left.

The flanking bunkering on both holes is a bit of the "collecting" type as is most of the bunkering at Oakmont (which makes the fairways play smaller and narrower than they are. If you hit the ball too far left on #1 too there is a long strip of rough where you can easily lose your ball.

On #1, I'm not sure exactly at what yardage the green and approach goes from blind to visible but it's quite far out there. If you're back from the visibility line it appears harder to calculate correctly what the proper club would be for the distance (probably about two clubs less than you would normally use for the actual distance)! And of course you have to pick something in the tree back-drop to aim at.

But there is actually a lot for even a tour pro to think about on both these holes and probably a much larger spectrum of tee shot and approach shot options and choices.

For a variety of strategic reasons I could see a guy like Tiger bombing a driver on either of these holes and just as likely hitting a 2 iron (despite the apparent length of both holes) and some lower controlled running shot into either green.

Even a pro can mess up bigtime on either of these holes for a variety reasons but two well played (and well thought out shots) should do the job. Both these holes are unusual due to their real "run-away" characteristics and both are very cool--superb architecture!

[Will E]

Tom,
John Schlee made a double on #1 in 1973 and lost the Open to Miller's hot round by one shot.
Els and his drop will never be forgotten (esp. by Loren and Colin).
If you think I am touting the first at Oakmont to be the most difficult, you are wrong.
I like the hole because it sets up the day.
I use the pseudo Shooter because I thought the character in Happy Gilmore was a total moron. I thought the pseudo fit me well (and would help me hide the fact that I am actually a genius  .)

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Merion gets my vote.  

Standing on the first tee, virtually teeing off from the patio.  The sound of silverware as members stop eating momentarilly to watch your drive.  The look of the bunkers(?-pre fix) and your playing partners, caddies and 75 people having lunch sharing that intimate moment.....priceless.

Merion, to date has been my greatest golf experience.  I've played a few better courses but have never felt like I did at Merion.  And that drive on the first hole does nothing but reinforce the tradition of the place.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Crystal Downs has an unforgetable 1st hole. Although I think the hole can be a bit too difficult for a starter.

With today's green speed, a ball above the hole is absolutely dead. I've putted off the green there, and don't believe I've ever made better than a 6 on this par 4!

I subscribe to Donald Ross' philosophy, "It's best not to make the first two holes or so too difficult. Give the player a chance to warm up a bit and get the swing of his stroke well under control. Then give him some real nuts to crack."

Although, in the case of Crystal Downs, I'm sure The Good Doctor and Mr. Maxwell couldn't ignore the natural setting for the first hole; particularly the tee.

If they'd slow the green down to a reasonable speed, the hole probably wouldn't be as difficult as it is at present.  

Nonetheless, it's a very memorable opener.

[mikest]

I am a fan of the First Hole being a little easier then others but with a little difficulty.

The Essex County Club has on of the best first holes I believe.

[Paul_Daley]

Paul Turner:

If you were near, I would stick a "star" right on your forehead. Machrihanish is the obvious choice! Drive as you please, dependant upon state of mind, sheer arrogance, or responding to a group member's challenging "dare".

Nearly any hacker can make a five here, while top players are liable to make a
real mess of things. What an exciting way to begin.

[THuckaby2]

P. Mucci:

We obviously have the same taste in rental houses... my family just stayed in a house just to the left of #1 green a month or so ago.

And I can confirm that #1 is as Gib says - brutally contrived.  He's right also that after #4, Bodega is a pretty good course... it's ruined by the very thing the Muccis and Huckabys came for though:  very close-in houses.

PM = the tee on 16 is nearly always below these days.  I have only seen the tee up top once in my many trips there.  The pad does still exist, though...

TH

[Paul Perrella]

Three that I loved that have not been mentioned: Fenway
          Galloway National
          Myopia Hunt
Two that I did not love that have not been mentioned: Secession
          Stanwich
         

[JamieS]

I would agree with TEPaul & COS above and say #1 at Pine Valley and Merion.

Both are great golf holes, but they bring more to the table than just that. Both possess a setting and and aura that is unmatched, and both lay the foundation for the rest of the course... a truly memorable golfing experience.

It is hard to desribe the feeling of anticipation standing on the tee of those two first holes, as you look forward to the day ahead. In my mind's eye...I am already there.

[SPDB]

I have always had an affection for the frst at Piping Rock. It is not so much that the hole is particularly special, or terribly notable. But the view across the enormous wide open space that is now occupied partly by the range, formerly by a polo pitch, is quite breathtaking. You can almost make out every hole on the front nine, given that they basically frame this former polo field. Typically, such views are reserved for goat track where the routing is comprised of adjoining holes, split only by a row of trees (if split at all). The reverse of this view (back across the open space to the clubhouse) is afforded the player on the 8th tee, an equally impressive view.