[Doug Ralston]

You folks go to all the old favorites, as expected. I can't help wonder if there isn't some lesser course that happens to have something special as a 1st shot.

If you ask about an intimidating 1st HOLE, you might consider #1 at Olde Stone. Ask John Mayhugh.

Doug

[Bill_McBride]

About six years ago I played TOC with a longtime friend from the North of England. We had an amazing 9am tee time, just behind a twosome from the US. Two blokes who dressed the part, but were lacking golf skills and nerves...apparently. The first was so nervous that he whiffed the first swing. Quickly re-loaded and hook-winked one that bounced off a car and ricocheted into the edge of the 18th fairway. He walked back to his caddie and held his head rather low. His friend tees the ball and took two very deliberate practice swings. Sort of PGA-ish swipes that made him look really cool. He proceeded to launch a toe-ed shot way off to the common grounds to the right, nearly missing a man and his dog and a family taking photos with he sea as the backdrop. He also reloaded and punched a driver about 135 yards, this time also a toe-ed shot but somehow managing to find the far right edge of the grass near the white fence.

They stormed off, hoping the webcam was not working. My friend and I stood stoic, knowing that we were next. The starter came over and placed his arm around both of us — "Lads, I might have to have you take them some Valium if they don't calm down..."

This story has been the subject of many recounts and, to date, accompanied by several bottles of good red wine.

Valium and red wine is a dangerous combination.

[Dan King]

I've always been partial to the first tee at Royal Aberdeen. Not a particularly tough shot, but they often put the tees hard up against the clubhouse, to where even if you don't typically take a practice swing you have to do it there to make sure you have clearance. You also can't see into the glass, so you have no way of knowing how many members are in there laughing at your swing -- not that mine gave them any reason to laugh.

Stateside here I always liked the first tee shot at Spyglass.

Cheers,
Dan King

I saw a course you'd really like Trent. On the first tee you take a penalty drop.
 --Jimmy Demaret (to Robert Trent Jones Sr.)

[Steve D]

Don't forget Bethpage Black.  There is the infamous sign, the ever present gallery and its a 430 yard par 4 that requires a well placed and long tee shot to get around the turn so you can have a shot a the green.  May not be the MOST intimidating, but there are certainly some things racing through your brain on that one.

Steve

[Andy Troeger]

For intimidation factor I'll go with Sanctuary. HUGE drop, narrowish fairway that looks tiny from the top.

Although I don't think I've ever been more nervous about a non-tournament shot than the 1st at Cypress.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Having played most of the great courses and many tough courses, the 1st at Riviera is the most intimidating.  Billy Casper once began the final round of the LA Open with a 3 stroke lead and had no lead by the time he reached the fairway--yes he began with 3 conesecutive OB's.   Anyone intimidated by the 1st at Merion has very little game--anyone with some game can hit a a 200 yard shot to a 35 yard wide fairway.  CPC and TOC have 100 yard wide fairways--while the 1st at Riviera has a 30 yard wide fairway with OB and trees right.

[Sean_A]

At Burnham one is on full display on the first and the opener requires a laser straight drive. Prestwick's has to be right up there.  ONce again, the player is on full display and there looks to be less than room than a hallway.  However, after nearly keeling over in agony this past Saturday climbing Painswick's 1st, I agree with Rihc. 

Somehow, somewhere, mention must go to Hoylake's in the off-season.  Its a blue knuckle deal in winter wind.  Also, we must not forget Birkdale's opener.  As tough as any in Golfdom. 

Ciao

[Tony_Muldoon]

Sean, Portrush?

[MHiserman]

I must agree with Mr. Deruntz.

The Championship tee at Riviera must seriously considered as one of the most intimidating first swings of a round, anywhere.
I do recall the story of Casper and the eagle opportunity described from Golf Architecture gone hay-wire.
From that elevation when it goes left, it can go left for a very long time.  when it goes right, what a joy to scream FORE from that spot so loud Deam Martin would hear it down the 18th.  Sorry to wake you sir.  
Add the bustle of the golf shop and traffic of a wonderfully busy club  and the camera is always on when it is your tee.  
Even if the people behind you could careless what you are about to do, your pride in a chance to show off can tighten you up.  

But for me, being a bit of an acrophobe, I take my two club lengths and swing from the back of the tee.  The drop-off edge of the tee is damn near terrifying  

Thanks for the advice Mr. Rhoads!  

P.S.
Don McGillvray giving a push to get off the tee always adds to the rush and never helped

[Mark Pearce]

I've played most of those mentioned in the UK and none are as intimidating as the opener on the Blue Course at The Berkshire.  It's a 200 yard par 3, right in front of the clubhouse, requiring a 180 yard carry with a long iron or utility club.  Failing to make th carry normally results in a lost ball in the gulley you are playing over.  That's intimidating enough but after a good lunch and a bottle of claret.....

[Andrew Brown]

TOC.

My heart was beating so hard I thought my eyes would pop.

Just to (ensure) I didn't go OOB on either side, I chose a 7 wood.

Striped it right down the middle.

Anytime one has to revert to a 7 wood, it's an intimidating tee shot....

Andrew

[Jay Flemma]

For intimidation factor I'll go with Sanctuary. HUGE drop, narrowish fairway that looks tiny from the top.

Although I don't think I've ever been more nervous about a non-tournament shot than the 1st at Cypress.

Interesting!  I always joke that it's "Minas Tirith Country Club" because it's 1,000 feet below to the Pelennor fields...or so it seems:)

[Jamie Barber]

how about the 1st at Ardglass? The entire island of Ireland to your right, but hardly any to your left.
http://www.ardglassgolfclub.com/pictures_hole_by_hole_pics.php?imageNumber=1

The second is probably even worse.
http://www.ardglassgolfclub.com/pictures_hole_by_hole_pics.php?imageNumber=2

[PThomas]

There's always a gallery at Pebble.  I've always thought that mentally, this one was the hardest.  JC 

Pebble was the first/one of the first "big name" courses i ever played 20 something years ago, a dream finally come true where my hero Jack had won the Open, etc., etc...

so of course i was just a tad nervous....then , to make things even more tense, one of my partners hits a near sh$%*k, the other hits a dribbler or something like that

despite making a swing that approached Mach 1 speed, i somehow managed a perfect 3wood fade...


Black Mesa is also VERY tough...i wasnt even sure where to aim my ball at

and CPC was also quite an experience...

[Dan Boerger]

Hands down Merion IMO. I've actually seen a guy whose legs were shaking, since you are about 3 yards from the lunch crowd which just clicked their glasses to alert everyone of a tee ball about to be struck.

[PThomas]

Hands down Merion IMO. I've actually seen a guy whose legs were shaking, since you are about 3 yards from the lunch crowd which just clicked their glasses to alert everyone of a tee ball about to be struck.

The dining patrons are directly behind you there, if i remember correctly....

which makes me think of a guy i saw who hit a tee shot - i swear this is true -between his legs  ...which if done at Merion might cause the ball to wind up on someone's plate!

[tlavin]

I'm afraid of heights, so the first hole at Riviera is a tough one for me, especially since the tee is so small and you're pretty close to the edge, so to speak.  Fortunately, that's the one and only elevated tee on the course!  I'll nominate a brand-new hole, the first at Dubsdread, for this thread, since you just can't see a place to place your drive from the tee and you know that the rest of the course is murder!

[Kalen Braley]

For intimidation factor I'll go with Sanctuary. HUGE drop, narrowish fairway that looks tiny from the top.

Although I don't think I've ever been more nervous about a non-tournament shot than the 1st at Cypress.

Here is a visual on #1 at Sanctuary...have to agree with Andy.

[John Moore II]

Kalen-Is that really taken from the tee or did you climb up in a tree to get that one? Thats a huge drop, wow.

As far as what I've played, I may put the 1st tee shot at Tot Hill Farm above that from Tobacco Road. At least at TR you can see something green to aim at. The first time I played there, I aimed down that shoot between the two mounds and figured if I hit a draw I'd be fine. When I stepped on the first tee at THF, I honestly had no idea where to hit the ball.



Thats the view from the tee. Its madness. Oh, and just so you don't think I'm being silly, that 'fairway' you can see in the distance there is about 350 yards away from the tee and the woods in the distance are about 450 yards. Unless your Jason Zuback or Jamie Sadlowsky, that fairway there is not in play.

Few teeshots are truly that difficult. But coupled with first tee nerves and in many cases playing a high-level club for the first time, it draws you up a bit. I know I felt some serious nerves the first time I played Forest Creek; I damn near topped my teeshot off the first, and its a very easy teeshot, exclusive of the fact you're at a somewhat big time private club, guest of a member you only somewhat know and that its the first shot of the day.

[Doug Wright]

For intimidation factor I'll go with Sanctuary. HUGE drop, narrowish fairway that looks tiny from the top.

Although I don't think I've ever been more nervous about a non-tournament shot than the 1st at Cypress.

Here is a visual on #1 at Sanctuary...have to agree with Andy.

Kalen/Andy,

I think the cart ride on #1 of Sanctuary is much more intimidating than the tee shot.

[Kalen Braley]

John,

It was indeed taken from the tee box even if the pic is all fuzzy because I had to compress it so much to get to under 300k.   

Although the drop in the pic you provided looks like a larger elevation differential.  I think these kind of opening tee shots are tough because while one can bust a big one for thier opening drive, it also means the ball is in the air longer and will go even further off-line with a hook or slice.

P.S. My game off the tee is getting much better with my "new to me" driver.  Only missed 4 of 14 fairways last time out, and 3 of those were just off the fairway by a couple of yards! 

[John Moore II]

John,

It was indeed taken from the tee box even if the pic is all fuzzy because I had to compress it so much to get to under 300k.   

Although the drop in the pic you provided looks like a larger elevation differential.  I think these kind of opening tee shots are tough because while one can bust a big one for thier opening drive, it also means the ball is in the air longer and will go even further off-line with a hook or slice.

P.S. My game off the tee is getting much better with my "new to me" driver.  Only missed 4 of 14 fairways last time out, and 3 of those were just off the fairway by a couple of yards! 

I doubt the shot from THF has a larger drop, but at least in yours you can see the fairway where you need to aim. At Tot Hill, the landing area is down in the bottom. I actually walked up about 150 yards to the most forward tees so that I could see where on earth I was trying to hit the ball (before the stupid comments start, I was playing alone, it was about 3pm in the afternoon, on a day where the temp was about 95. Oh, and I walked).

Thats good you're hitting the fairways. I am thinking of getting another driver myself, but won't do that until at least September when I get back to playing.

[Jason McNamara]

Columbia CC is another where you tee off from the back porch.  Much more intimidating for me than the thousand-foot drop.

[Chris_Blakely]

For me it was Bethpage Black, almost everytime I have teed off there, a large gallery of people have been watching.

Chris

[Kalen Braley]

Just in case the suspense is killing anyone, I found an old Callaway Hawkeye driver in a pawn shop a couple of months ago.  It was only $10 so figure I couldn't go wrong...and its been a life saver, my golf game is rejunivated and I'll be a single digit capper in no time.   (My 3w and 5w are both Hawkeyes too and I've always hit them well so that was the method behind the madness so to speak.)

P.S.  Taylor Made R7 for sale...  

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