Opening Tee Shot Nerves..

[James Edwards]

Here I am on my own thread struggling for good examples of courses with opening tee shot nerves and I forget to great examples

Wentworth West (anytime) and,
Sunningdale Old during the foursomes.

You feel it on those tees... also,

Gleneagles Kings, Scotland has a massive bowling green of a tee complex where you walk to your fate!  

[Marty Bonnar]

James,
rather coincidentally, today's quote on the Golf Page-a-day desk calendar is (by Norman Mailer):
"It is sometimes said that only when he stands at the altar on his wedding day does a man experience quite the same sensation of impending doom as he feels each week on the first tee on a sunday morning."

 
FBD.

[Brian Phillips]

So that's the excuse you keep using with Nancy...

[James Edwards]

Martin,

Nice link, maybe we can take Brian and Ronan on asap?  

[ed_getka]

Cypress Point the first time. The closest I ever came to passing out on the tee. The world was going white just before I hit the ball.

Teeing off at MPCC in front of Bob Huntley for the first time. I hit two consecutive pull tops. Great first impression I'm sure.

Plainfield in front of a bunch of GCA'ers I was meeting for the first time. Topped another one, hit the forward marker and the ball ricocheted back, fortunately not at us.

I am jealous of Tom watching the first tee from inside the R&A clubhouse. That would be a great treat, along with all the cool golf history and art they have in the clubhouse.

[Gerry B]

To: James S. Edwards

Re: Wentworth

The main problem is that nasty starter -after the old starter at Muirfieild passed away the Wentworth starter was crowned undisputed champion of the world in respect to belligerence, arrogance and rudeness. Plus there are other courses in London that are much better in my opinion - Sunningdale and Walton Heath to name 2. Do not need to feel that I am doing the starter a favour by setting foot on his course - which is a fraud in my opinion.

Let the flames begin!  

[Marc Haring]

There really should be a word for an irrational fear of the first tee because that is exactly what it is; totally irrational. Why is it we are so convinced that all are examining our every move when the reality is no one gives a monkeys.

Wentworth has TOC effect in that it is not the difficulty of the shot but more the theatre of the situation that is the problem. What with so many observers, stopping the god damn traffic as they do, all those people on the adjacent putting green and now they’ve put in a statue of Bernard Gallagher scrutinising your every twitch.

My personal antidote is to avoid the practice area like the plague and instead head for the bar where I partake of a couple of swift doubles. It doesn’t improve the performance but somehow allows a sense of reality that is all too absent in the cold light of sobriety.  

[hp@hc]

1st tee at Aronomink is pretty cool, with the clubhouse perring down on you as you navigate youw way between the talls trees.

Portrush is also cool, although since they moved the pro shop to the main building, it is not as intimidating.

Portmarnock would also merit inclusion on the list

Prestwick, as you can hop on board and hit your longest drive ever!

Agreed with all on here that Merion is right up there near the top of this list.

Good thread - I like this one!

[Steve Wilson]

The Old White at the Greenbrier has the potential to be sphincter tightener.  You walk out of the pro shop onto a terrace that is 1st tee.  

[nandoal]

Bel-Air's 1st tee shot is not as bad as the 10th.  More people are sitting outide and near by for this shot. I've never been so nervous as having a few choice Bel-Air celebs watchinbg my tee shot. But #10 is also one of the best par 3's in all the land.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

For me, it was Merion, the first and only time I played there. I could hardly bring the club back. Luckily my tee shot turned out ok and a 30' putt for par started the day.
Another daunting opening tee shot is the first at Juniata, a Philadelphia muni. This is a par3 150 yard severe downhill shot. The "fairway" is rock hard and as a teenager I remember hitting anything from a PW to an 8 iron with all the older regulars commenting and ribbing us kids- "Let's see you use your putter,kid"

Steve

[James Edwards]

Gerry,

I was an intermediate member at Wentworth for quite a time, and have been fortunate enough to play at Sunningdale and Walton Heath many times and like Marc Haring said, its the theatre of the tee that creates the nerves not the tee shot.  I did mention Sunningdale with Wentworth though.  Walton Heaths 1st tee is tucked away so its only the following groups that can observe.  Wentworth for me has to be high up especially when the cars stop, putting green players turn around, starter announces and people walking turn there heads...  Its a gooden!

Steve,

Merion would be the 2nd position behind TOC definately..  That is something else with members eating next to you whilst your contemplating the long fade...!

[Top100Guru]

Myopia Hunt Club's opening shot can lull you to sleep......274 yard, uphill Par 4....Tall, Tall Fescue and Native grasses to the left and O.B. up the left side as well....standing there, on the tee, thinking about the "old history" of the club and what lies before you, can be un-nerving, especially if you have a driver in your hand, and you havent been able to hit it yet that day because you can't warm up on the Range w/ it, because the range isn't long enough!!!