[Sean Leary]

# 4 PV

# 14 PV

Runner's up (# 2, 7, 13, 15) PV

I think you mean 5 here, not 4, correct Pat? Although 4 from the new back teebox might qualify as well.

[Jim Tang]

I'll second the 14th at Royal Portrush.  A crosswind there makes that tee shot very frightening.

The 17th at Whistling Straits - Straits is pretty brutal as well.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Sean Leary,

You're correct, I meant # 5.

JNC_Lyon,

# 1 at Prestwick may be the best due to its order in the round.

It is a very intimidating first hole, ESPECIALLY without the benefit of warming up on a nearby range, and the rather constant rail traffic that reminds you of the consequences of an errant drive.

Difficult first holes tend to be the most intimidating due to their order in the round.
For those that start on the 10th hole, Yale comes to mind

[Sean Leary]

1 at Princeville might be the most intimidating opening hole I have played.

[Matthew Rose]

Two holes from the muni course I grew up playing, Riverside GC in Janesville, Wisconsin. The pictures are taken from Phil McDade's thread on this course.

#12, par-3


#14, dogleg left par-5, from the tee.

[Simon Holt]

Pics people! 

Nice story Scott. What were you playing off when you got on that run?

BTW 11 ML does make me sweat a little, especially when it was playing downwind. I mean, you wanna stay below the hole for an uphill putt, but doing so is very tough because of the chasm/dam/water drain/whatever you wanna call it, and you don't want to play "too safe" and go over the back (death).

And whenever I've played there, the 11th has been my 2nd hole. And a 4-6i isn't something I want to be hitting for one of my first shots of the day.

Simon,

Is 15 BPB actually intimidating? With my limited knowledge of the course, there isn't really anything to grab your attention and make you think "fuck". 

If you disagree with me, then in your opinion, what makes it visually intimidating?

Pup

Yeah, you're right from the visual aspect but mentally it has the effect of- right, I have to bust a driver, to a narrow fairway, then smash a long second up onto a killer green complex and cross my fingers for a 2 putt!!  From a scoring point of view its one of those holes that actaully has the power to effect your play on the previous holes as you know you have to score there while you can!!

On a 'grab your balls' basis the others I mentioned tick that box! 

I still dont really get 17 at Sawgrass on the intimidation factor.  I think TV has a lot to do with that- the green is huge!  There are far harder shots all over that golf course.  It is consistantly named by the pros I have spoken to as the most demanding course in terms of shot play on tour.

[Patrick_Mucci]

# 15 at BPB isn't intimidating, it's just another hard hole amongst many.

[Matt Kardash]

Yeah, I second the 17th at Whistling Straits. It's like 230 yards of pure terror! I remember at the PGA many players talked about potentially taking an unplayable and going back to the tee if they missed left.

[Bill_McBride]

For truly intimidating, it is hard to ignore the second shot at #8 Pebble Beach, particularly the first time you play the hole and walk out to the edge of the cliff and realize you've still got 170 yards of carry over the Pacific Ocean.   

[Michael Taylor]

#5 Greywalls Course - Marquette Golf Club - 290 Yards

It's just a long iron to that 100 yard marker you see peaking back at you from the fairway, but it's terrifying.



That does look quite scary Brian. I saw the Greywalls thread before and it looks like an immensely fun course with all the rocks and elevation changes. Is there any bailout on that hole?

JNC_Lyon,

# 1 at Prestwick may be the best due to its order in the round. Do you have any pics of the tee shot Patrick?

It is a very intimidating first hole, ESPECIALLY without the benefit of warming up on a nearby range, and the rather constant rail traffic that reminds you of the consequences of an errant drive.

Difficult first holes tend to be the most intimidating due to their order in the round.

I agree with you there. Without a warmup you're not really trusting your swing, or have a good idea of where your going to hit it. And I'd imagine you'd have to really commit to a shot a Prestwick 1, because you don't want to not release or come out of it and leave it to the right.

One question, is the fairway at Prestwick 1 quite wide? And what is the trouble to the left?

Yeah, I second the 17th at Whistling Straits. It's like 230 yards of pure terror! I remember at the PGA many players talked about potentially taking an unplayable and going back to the tee if they missed left.



Oh come on that looks easy.  Honestly do many people play it from the 230y tee? And again, is there any bailout?

[Tim Martin]

Sean Leary,

You're correct, I meant # 5.

JNC_Lyon,

# 1 at Prestwick may be the best due to its order in the round.

It is a very intimidating first hole, ESPECIALLY without the benefit of warming up on a nearby range, and the rather constant rail traffic that reminds you of the consequences of an errant drive.

Difficult first holes tend to be the most intimidating due to their order in the round.
For those that start on the 10th hole, Yale comes to mind

Pat-What about the 9th and 10th in succession at Yale?  The 9th has to be one of scariest 3 pars around and in my mind 10 is a tougher hole than 4.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Sean Leary,

You're correct, I meant # 5.

JNC_Lyon,

# 1 at Prestwick may be the best due to its order in the round.

It is a very intimidating first hole, ESPECIALLY without the benefit of warming up on a nearby range, and the rather constant rail traffic that reminds you of the consequences of an errant drive.

Difficult first holes tend to be the most intimidating due to their order in the round.
For those that start on the 10th hole, Yale comes to mind

Pat-What about the 9th and 10th in succession at Yale?  The 9th has to be one of scariest 3 pars around and in my mind 10 is a tougher hole than 4.

Tim, while that's true, both holes come when you're well into your round.
I only cited # 10 for those teeing off on the back nine first.

Both # 9 and # 10 are intimidating, but, if they were the 1st and 2nd holes, you might consider taking up bowling before heading to the next tee.

There's no escaping # 1 at Prestwick.  You can't start on # 2 and the lack of a nearby practice area for warm up adds to the intimidation factor.

Interestingly enough, at my home course in NJ, the 6th hole is by far the most difficult and intimidating.
It's about a 240 yard par 3, with a creek and OB flanking the entire right side and woods flanking the entire left side, with a difficult green, bunkered left and disaster long (not than any/many go long)  When shotgun tournaments are held, I always request starting on that hole because I will have warmed up and be as prepared for the hole as possible.  Plus, I want to get it out of the way.  The last thing you want is to have a good to great round going, knowing that you have to play 6, 7, and 9, all with creeks and OB lining the right side of the entire hole and lots of trouble on the left.  By getting 6, 7, 8 and 9 out of the way, I'm more relaxed and will be more relaxed as the round plays out its course, knowing that I've left the really hard holes in my past.

[Michael Taylor]

Interesting way to look at it Patrick. Personally I like to be warmed up myself before I get to the hard hole, so I'm fully prepared to take them on.

I mean, I don't want to have to hit a super tough shot as my 1st of the day.

Pup

[Matthew Petersen]

Interesting way to look at it Patrick. Personally I like to be warmed up myself before I get to the hard hole, so I'm fully prepared to take them on.

I mean, I don't want to have to hit a super tough shot as my 1st of the day.

Pup

Where the hole falls certainly can have a big effect.

I grew up playing a course where the hardest hole was the first. It was a long par 4 with OB down the left and a slightly offset fairway. You knew you had to hit driver but doing so could so easily lead to a big number on the first hole of the day.

At any other point in the round, the hole would have been just as tough from a shot-making perspective, but not from a mental one.

[Tim Leahy]

# 15 at BPB isn't intimidating, it's just another hard hole amongst many.

I will second #8 at Pebble as the most intimidating approach shot I have hit. 
No. 16 at Cypress Pt. sure looks like a winner although I have never actually played it.

[Jed Rammell]

Par 3 8th hole at Wolf Creek

[Matthew Petersen]

Hands down, this is the most intimidating shot I have ever played



The back tee is not even in this picture. It's further to the left. Beautiful hole.

[Zack Molnar]

I would have to further the sentiment of the 8th at Pebble representing one of the most intimidating shots. The green is so narrow and there is really no good bailout.
I can imagine the 16th at cypress presenting a similar situation, but I have not played there(yet).

[Michael Taylor]

Matthew what course/hole is that? How far is it from that tee, and how far from the back tee?

Pup

[Matthew Petersen]

Matthew what course/hole is that? How far is it from that tee, and how far from the back tee?

Pup

That is #12 on the Challenge at Manele, on the rather isolated island of Lanai, Hawaii. The back tee plays just over 200 yards. A very long 200 yards. The day I played there was not much wind but this hole was into the wind. That seems to be the prevailing direction.

I'm not certain, but I'd guess the tee pictured with players on it is one up (gold) which plays about 185.

[Scott Warren]

The most intimidated I've ever been on a golf course was on the 4th tee at Rye.
[/quote

I assume we're talking Rye in East Sussex, England, and not a course by the same name elsewhere?

That is up there with the toughest I have seen, especially in summer when the ball runs forever and keeping it up top becomes even more difficult.

A case for its intimidation is that I am playing there on 10/4 and have been thinking about that drive for a week already, trying to work out how to get third time lucky and hit a decent one. That to me is the barometer: which holes are in your head when you tee off, or even moreso as in this instance, when you book the round?!

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

Just played Ojai Valley today, and stood on the 16th tee, one of the "Lost Holes", and said to myself "Holy Sh*t!"  210 yds.  OB Right.  Death left.  Minefield of bunkers short.  Wind howling right to left, and a little into the face. Talk about do-or-die. 

Whatever the discussion is about the renovation, restoration of this hole, it was pretty ballsy for sure. 

[Mac Plumart]

Well, did you hit the green?

[Pete_Pittock]

#1 at Prestwick is about 25m wide, right is wall +OB, left is heather.

[David Schofield]

I'd say #14 is really intimidating from the very back tees (the ones that are not open anymore).

Where were those tees?

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