[Michael Whitaker]

The Old Course has to be to most intimidating opening shot in golf the first time you play there. Holy smokes... I could hardly take a breath!!!

[Jason Connor]

Of the courses I've played, it's definitely Bethpage Black.

But I haven't played TOC yet.

[Lester George]

WW,

Agree with the Old White.  Even though the fairway is wide (even wider now) most (80%) players just can't seem to hit it.  Very intimidating from that perspective.

Lester

[Ray Richard]

I'll go with Pebble- a few years ago I left a full-blown bilizzard in Boston and got up on the first tee with 2 hours of sleep, with about 100 coffee drinking golfers looking on. I managed to make contact but it was scary-I saw one guy whiff in the group ahead of me.

[Richard Choi]

It is hands down Bethpage Black.

There may be more difficult opening holes, but nothing as intimidating as hitting your first shot in front of bunch of New Yorkers cranky from staying up all night waiting for a spot.

Last time I was there, there was a group in front of me where a guy shanked his drive. There were many comments from the peanut gallery like "What the hell is this guy doing on Black?" and "Man, I have to follow THIS guy all day?".

I bet you will never hear those comments at Pebble.

I was never so happy to hit a fairway in my life...

[Jim Franklin]

Shiv -

I was expecting #1 at the Jans to be your choice.

[Kyle Harris]

First tee at Bethpage Black if you're the first group off in the morning and hitting in front of a bunch of people.

I think it was the warning sign as much as anything else. You top one off that tee and you look like one of the guys who does the mach 3 snow plow down a double diamond at Hunter Mountain. (NY Jets sideline jacket and jeans optional).   

I find the first tee on the Red course more intimidating. You can spray it off the Black's first and still make par. Bethpage Red starts with a 460 yard Par 4 with an uphill approach to the green.

[Mike Hendren]

Had to share this.  The 9-holer I grew up on had three trees, total.  Unfortunately, two of them were on either side at the very front of the first tee.  One day a gentleman hit one of the trees with his opening tee shot and it richocheted directly backward, coming to rest right in front of the large picture window of the bar.  He takes his medicine and addresses the ball while everyone watches a few feet away.  His back then goes out right in the middle of his backswing. 

This has been your Hilllbilly moment of the day.

[Tommy Williamsen]

For me it is TOC.  I generally do not mind the first tee.  I just make certain to hit it in a good direction. 
BUT at TOC I sliced my tee shot OB.  I had just handed my handicap card (4) to the starter.  It was my most embarrassing moment in golf.  It was a great moment for my wife, however.  She relaxed because she knew she couldn't do worse.  She striped it sown the middle.

[Phil McDade]

This sort of depends on your game.  For guys with a hook, the right-sliders are hard (ie, Bethpage).

For guys who cut it (not that I know any), it's reversed, but I can't think of a draw hole opener on a top tier public course -- probably because they're all set up as cut holes for the masses....

Machrihanish, on the western Scottish coast. A true cape-like, dogleg left drive where you bite off as much of the Atlantic Ocean as you choose. A bunch of little pot bunkers on the far side of the fairway guards against those who simply blast away with a straight drive. The best drive is a running draw that carries jusssstttt enough of the ocean, and scoots past the bunkers.

[J_ Crisham]

This sort of depends on your game.  For guys with a hook, the right-sliders are hard (ie, Bethpage).

For guys who cut it (not that I know any), it's reversed, but I can't think of a draw hole opener on a top tier public course -- probably because they're all set up as cut holes for the masses....

 The opener at Cog Hill 4 is definitely a draw unless you are good with a 1 iron into a well bunkered green.

[Dan Herrmann]

I'll choose a different NY State Parks golf course - The first tee at Beaver Island GC (designed by William Harries/Russ Tryon),  during the annual Moore Avenue Open.  A really cool neighborhood event I played till I moved to Oregon (and one or two years after that). Having all your buddies standing around was a real Caddyshack moment and we were all nervous.

When I worked at Nike, I had the opportunity to have lunch with Curtis Strange after his 2nd US Open victory.  He was nice enough to sign a card for me that said "To me, the Moore Ave Open is the event of the year!  Curtis Strange"...  I gave it to my friend's father that started the event.  The look on his face when I gave it to him was priceless and I'll never forget it.

The "Beav" is also cool because it's 1/10 mile from a great beach on the Niagara River.  Just watch out for that current heading north!

[Mike Golden]

It's funny, I've never felt intimidated by #1 at BB, even when I've topped my tee shot and barely gotten down the hill (I've actually had a couple of good scores after that).

The 1st tee at Pebble is certainly intimidating because of the number of people around, as is #1 at TOC.  It's not public but clearly the most intimidating opening shot in golf is #1 at Cypress Point, especially when a bunch of people are standing around watching and you haven't warmed up. 

[David Kelly]

The first tee (now the 10th or maybe it just played as the first for the tournament) on the British Course at Bobby Jones Golf Club in Sarasota, FL.  I played in the Sarasota City Championship there in the mid-90s and manged to hit it OB with an iron on both days of the tournament.

I could have hit a driver to about 50 yards in front of the green but I brought disaster in to play each day by playing "safe".

[mike_beene]

Tommy,I ob'd it left on the first tee on the Old Course a few years ago. But,Prestwick is the one that scares me:people milling,the train to the right,no range,cold and a 3 iron down the chute.

[CJ Carder]

Not the most intimidating I've ever played, but not easy either... the 446 yard par 4 1st at Mattaponi Springs just north of Richmond, VA:

[Bill Hagel]

Tobacco Road (but only the first time you play it)

[Jay Flemma]

Tobacco Road, Royal New Kent.

[Andrew Mitchell]

Definitely TOC for all the reasons mentioned so far -  the history and aura of the place, the R&A members watching from the clubhouse, members of the public milling around. Added to that the widest fairway in golf gives you the feeling you shouldn't miss it!

This Bateman cartoon always makes me smile


Another unnerving first tee is at Royal Aberdeen, which backs up to the members dining room window.  You look behind you after your not so convincing practice swing to find several pairs of eyes peering intently through the window at you

[Melvyn Morrow]

I have not played in North America, so can’t comment on your courses.
Have played in a few places around the world mainly in the Tropics.

But keep coming back to St Andrews, it must be TOC, yet as a young man I had no fear, why worry it was the course my dad played, all my family played. After the early death of my father
I stayed away for St Andrews for many years, but returned about 15 year ago.

I know St Andrews, the West Sands, the R&A, the courses (the older courses), so I had no fear, why should I. We waited our turn, I gave the Honour to my friends and was totally enjoying the experience as so happy to be back. Yet when I placed the ball on its tee, and looked around I suddenly felt scared, nearly froze, felt that all had stopped to watch me – people on the road in front of Old Tom’s shop, around the Tee and starters hut, walkers progressing towards the beach, I have never been as self-conscious as I was on that Tee. I was reminded by my friend to take my shot; I did, but just can’t remember it, afterwards as we walked away from the Tee
I just kept hearing very loud applause. I looked around at everybody to see them going about their normal business, totally ignoring me and my little party of friends. I scurried away as fast as I could, slowing realising it was all in my mind, but ever since my Tee shot at the first has always been the most difficult.

Yes, TOC gets my vote; It can be one of the most intimidating first tees you will ever play. Try and forget the people mulling around, don’t think of all those famous golfers that have played off this Tee before you, just concentrate hard on the task in hand and before you hit the ball the history of the place will hit you – you will feel like Superman, then doubts start to creep in, what if, then please don’t let me humiliate myself, what am I doing here and why is everybody looking at me. Well, then your shot joins the history of the place, be it good or bad and that enables you relax and start to enjoy the experience of TOC.

“There can be only one”  The Highlander.
     

[BigEdSC]

I've gone off the first at the Old course, Pebble and others, but to me, the toughest one is the first tee at the ole Charleston Municipal Golf Course.  OB left and right.  Usually around 30 people talking behind you and you keep hearing the door to the snack bar/clubhouse banging with people coming in and out.

When you stand over the ball, you hope that you can hit the fairway and try to block out that damn door.

[Andy Scanlon]

Agree with others that have mentioned TOC -- it does not get much more intimidating than that.

[Doug Siebert]

I think for me it has to do with the expectations I feel I'm putting into others' minds.  I mean, its not like the people standing around the tee at TOC or Pebble or Bethpage know me, so if I hit a drive I think is pretty bad they don't know how bad it is for me.  I'm no Tiger Woods but I'm certainly better than the average golfer so as long as I'm in a situation where I'm being compared to that standard I don't feel like it matters what I do -- the worst shot I can possibly hit is much less bad than the worst shot a 20 handicapper can hit off the first tee!

It gets in your nerves when you do something to stand out from the crowd, like going to the back tees, which raises people's expectations of you and therefore what you put on yourself.  If its a public course that's only got three tees, women's, men's and championship it doesn't really matter because many men will play the championship tees on such a course.  But when you get up to five teeboxes I find that the tips see very little use (which is nice, few divots on the par 3s!) but walking all the way back on the first tee makes you very aware that everyone's expectations of you are much much higher than if you just go along with the crowd and play the teebox the other guys are playing.

So I'm a lot more bothered on the tips on a five teebox course than I ever was at TOC.  At TOC everyone is playing the same tees and no matter what I do there will be several worse shots within a couple tee times of me in either direction.  I teed off with a 1 iron both times I was there, so I wasn't making it easy on myself (but that does pretty much take the "hook it OB left" out of play, I guess )  The first time I hit it very well, and wasn't really conscious of the people watching.  On my return visit I stubbed it several inches behind the ball and only hit it maybe 180 or 190, and was a bit conscious of it when I left the tee, but as I was walking to my ball I couldn't help thinking that most people watching probably didn't know what iron I hit or notice that I hit behind the ball.  They might have thought it was pretty well struck since it was straight and for most men 180 or 190 with an iron is pretty decent shot.  Its really only by comparison to my personal expectations that I hit a bad shot there, if I was able to offer that shot for 50 pounds to every golfer walking up to the 1st tee that day, I could have left with a small fortune!

[Jon Wiggett]

Not sure this is the most intimidating due to outside influences but it must be way up there on the difficulty rate. At Dunbar there is a muni called 'Winterfield'?? first hole is a 230 yards par 3 from the yellow (daily tees). Its 220 to carry to a green which is 24 yards deep and about half the width. In front is a deep ravine, left is the sea and right is a wall if memory serves me correctly. Playing long leaves a shot where you need to be careful not to go down the ravine at the front. Difficult isn't the word.

[rjsimper]

Doug -

That's a good point - I wouldn't say that I get nervous, but certainly I am more aware of my audience and the risks of humiliation with a poor shot on a course where the congregation is near the "regular" tees and in order to tee off, I have to walk back one, two, or even three tee boxes to play from the appropriate set.

Fortunately in the Southwest, it seems that most courses where people congregate (public) are ones that are too low-budget to have implemented the 5-6 tee boxes approach.  You don't see too many "Jade" or "Copper" tee boxes at the Los Angeles munis.

 

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