Dr Gray,
A great question. One I wish we had discussed before. I have a few theories about the openings of golf courses. Namely that they shouldn't be too taxing, not blind, no forced carries, etc.
The three best openers I played this year included all three. I liked Pasa's opener, and I like the OC Lake's opener.
But Ballyneal's sets the tone for the golf course better than any opener I've seen yet. The tee shot is fairly open, but the forgiveness is deceiving. The second shot is a fairly challenging, and the green overlooks the course to let you know what's in store.