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David Ober

  • Karma: +0/-0
Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« on: July 19, 2011, 04:26:55 PM »
Another thing I've noticed about my new club (Bear Creek, in Murrieta, California) is that the opening six holes are so, so difficult -- especially during typical afternoon conditions when the wind averages 10 - 15 mph.

I plan on doing a hole-by-hole post on the course soon (with pics), but was wondering if anyone out there can think of a course that starts our with 5 or 6 really tough holes....
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Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2011, 04:39:55 PM »
Olympic Clubs first 6 are pretty tough especially if #1 plays as a par 4.
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Wade Whitehead

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2011, 04:48:14 PM »
The first five holes at Ballyhack present quite a challenge.

A player getting five a side strokes on each of them.  I don't know of another course where difficulty tilts toward the beginning of the round like that.  It's why many people think the course is so difficult (combined, of course, with the fact that they play the wrong tee).

WW
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Matt_Cohn

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2011, 05:48:50 PM »
If #1 is a par-4, Olympic. No question out of the courses I've seen. You basically have incredibly difficult par-4's and one incredibly difficult par-3.

None of the first six are even just difficult.
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Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2011, 05:55:27 PM »
The opening 5 holes at Winged Foot West are very tough with a breather finally coming on 6.
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Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2011, 05:56:56 PM »
The first five holes at Black Forest, my course in Michigan, are so hard that everyone thinks the course is impossible.  It's really only the first five holes, but that makes a profound impression on people.

I agree that the start at Olympic is very difficult.

I know there is another prominent candidate for this category, but can't think of where it is right now.
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Sean Leary

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2011, 06:00:24 PM »
Pasatiempo comes to mind..
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Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2011, 06:47:14 PM »
Royal St George's comes to mind!
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Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2011, 06:57:38 PM »
Idaho Club comes to mind....and it doesn't stop after 5 or 6...it just keeps right on going.

Your first break doesn't come until the 12th hole....but then on 14 it starts back up again to the finish!!  ;D
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Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2011, 06:59:41 PM »
Bill - RStG is a tough start but the first six holes were 8, 16, 6, 1, 12 & 9 in stroke averages over Open week. The prevailing wind on 3 and 4 clearly toughens the start.
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Carr Harris

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 2011, 07:03:15 PM »
The first 5 at Pine Valley are a pretty difficult quintet.

#1 is probably the easiest of the five and it's no picnic, especially when the pin is cut close to the edge of the green. The drop off there is no joke.
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Tim Leahy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2011, 07:47:11 PM »
Spyglass Hill is pretty unforgiving with all the sand, ice plant and wind off the ocean.
Torrey Pines South when they let the kikuyu rough grow and the ocean wind blows.
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Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2011, 07:48:37 PM »
Quote from: Mark Chaplin on July 19, 2011, 06:59:41 PM
Bill - RStG is a tough start but the first six holes were 8, 16, 6, 1, 12 & 9 in stroke averages over Open week. The prevailing wind on 3 and 4 clearly toughens the start.

Plus those guys are good!
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Will MacEwen

Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #13 on: July 19, 2011, 08:00:16 PM »
Chateau Whistler takes you up the mountain in about the first 7 holes.  If you don't blow your round there, you play downhill most of the way and can hold it together. 
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J_ Crisham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #14 on: July 19, 2011, 08:09:25 PM »
The opening 5 at Merion are pretty tough in my book. The opening teeshot with a group eating brunch is nervewracking. pretty simple hole if you moved the patio 100yds away ;)  2-5 are just challenging holes- especially 3 and 5. Honorable mention - Crystal Downs!
                                                                           Jack
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John_Conley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #15 on: July 19, 2011, 08:18:54 PM »
The five toughest holes at Old Memorial seem to be the first five.
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Mark Bourgeois

Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #16 on: July 19, 2011, 08:23:00 PM »
In my experience either Hoylake or Durban.

Summing the stroke index numbers, Durban's first five shoot out the gate in a collective 45...but Hoylake does it in just 41.

The 5th holes on both courses are #1 stroke, the respective 1st holes are #5 -- hey, antimetabole of design! -- and each has out-of-bound challenges. Then there's the wind.

Both courses win the Mike Singletary Award: we go out...and they hit us in the mouth.
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jonathan_becker

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #17 on: July 19, 2011, 08:27:54 PM »
Kingsley Club.  Great shots are required throughout those holes and missed shots can result in near impossible recoveries.
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Patrick_Mucci

Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #18 on: July 19, 2011, 08:58:26 PM »
Quaker Ridge, except you could make it the toughest opening 8 holes.

Fenway is no pushover either
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Chris DeNigris

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #19 on: July 19, 2011, 10:21:16 PM »
Jonathan- while I love the opening stretch at Kingsley I think 3 and 4 play easier than the rest on the front....but that's just me with only a few plays.

Royal New Kent has a tough first 6, especially if the pin is back left on #3.
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Matt Waterbury

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #20 on: July 20, 2011, 04:20:55 PM »
Limit it to the first 3 holes, and Chicago Golf Club has to be on the list...

Cheers,
Matt
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Jim Tang

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #21 on: July 20, 2011, 04:25:49 PM »
I will 2nd Merion. 

Royal County Down also comes to mind.  The first is friendly, but every single hole after that is brutal.
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Kevin Jackson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #22 on: July 20, 2011, 04:36:31 PM »
By no means is my nominee a Top 100 course like the rest, but it is brutal if you can't find your swing.

Lost Marsh in Hammond, IN.

1st- peninsula fairway/green
2nd- long par 3 over water
3rd- peninsula fairway/green
4th- OB left, water right, "lily pad" fairway landing zones
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John Foley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #23 on: July 20, 2011, 04:37:04 PM »
1-5 @ Kittansett is pretty tough - 6 isn't a push over either!
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jim_lewis

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Re: Most Challenging Opening 5 or 6 holes?
« Reply #24 on: July 20, 2011, 05:39:01 PM »
Wannamoisett gets my vote. Par 69, my ass!
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"Crusty"  Jim
Freelance Curmudgeon
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