Well, I guess I'm going to break the lovefest that has been the comparison of the first holes at Kingsley and Crystal Downs.
I think the 1st at Crystal Downs is an uninteresting opener. Calling it one of the great first holes in golf is something I simply don't understand. Now, the view over the front 9 from the first tee, and the epic excitement standing on the first tee I agree with, but neither of those things make the hole a great one. We have a straightaway 460 yard par-4 played to a fairway that has been remarkably and arbitrarily narrowed. I don't buy that there is any strategy from the first tee other than trying to find the fairway. Yes, the green is severe. Extremely so. That being said, I don't think the repeated comments about golfers putting off the green is a hallmark of greatness.
Is the 1st at Kingsley great? Nah, not really. But it's the clear winner in this battle. Despite the visual distraction of the split-fairway, I can't imagine a situation when I'd ever play to the left side. The varying fairway widths at 150 vs 75-100 yards from the green ensure that even those playing the hole as a three-shotter have to give thought on the second shot, and the open green front / false-front / ridge / bowled green edges mean that while the green is just as extreme as Crystal Downs' first green, approaches and recoveries need not always be defensive.
Kingsley 1UP