"A gentle handshake"

[Neil Johnston]

I was reading the non-photo tour of Beverly thread, and was struck by the use of this term (which I'm presuming is a Ross quote) to describe Ross'  approach to the first hole. It is certainly true at the Ross course I have played most often here in Chicago (Ravisloe).

Are there many courses beloved on this site where the opener is more of a punch in the gut than a handshake? Is that ever a preference? It is generally not mine.

[Kevin_D]

Streamsong Red

[Bill_McBride]

Pasatiempo as a long par 4 versus the original par 5.  Not a gentle handshake at all, more a cuff to the ear.  2 and 3 are no easier. 

[Nigel Islam]

Oakmont and its awesome!
Pasatiempo (Beat me to it Bill)
Crystal Downs

[Paul Gray]

I can think of a few good par 3s which start rounds off at come quality courses. Never exactly a gentle handshake having to rifle a two iron into the wind!

[Greg Taylor]

Prestwick... Tough tee shot with the wall.

[Mark McKeever]

1st hole at Jeffersonville (also a Ross) is a beastly par 4.  Also 1 at Bethpage red comes to mind.

Mark

[Jackson C]

I was reading the non-photo tour of Beverly thread, and was struck by the use of this term (which I'm presuming is a Ross quote) to describe Ross'  approach to the first hole. It is certainly true at the Ross course I have played most often here in Chicago (Ravisloe).

Are there many courses beloved on this site where the opener is more of a punch in the gut than a handshake? Is that ever a preference? It is generally not mine.

Neil,
Kingsley and Prairie Dunes.
Both start off with 2 difficult holes.

[Thomas Dai]

The 1st hole, par-5, at Royal Jersey.

Tee-off from the right side of the putting green (red flag) across the 18th green (yellow flag). The stunning beach is immediately on the right, the prevailing wind is from the left and you're tee shot needs to find the fairway between the old fort on left side of the fairway and two WWII gun emplacements on the right just above the beach.



See - http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,55239.msg1279934.html#msg1279934 - for more
and also the Royal Jersey GC website - http://www.royaljersey.com/

atb

[Jim_Coleman]

   Philly Cricket.  #3 handicap, I think.

[Tom_Doak]

Ross was not always gentle.  The first at Franklin Hills is a long, difficult par-4, and so is the first at Oakland Hills, though I don't know how much Mr. Jones changed the latter.  It's a rule of thumb, but sometimes you have to get to the next ridgeline, and it's more than 400 yards away.

[Jon Cavalier]

The first at  Oakmont (as someone mentioned) is a great one.

The first at Philly Cricket (as someone also mentioned) is very tough.

Merion's first is a gut check for a bit of a different reason, but still no slouch purely as a hole.

[Jaeger Kovich]

The 1st hole at Winged Foot West normally plays as the 2nd hardest on the course during the Open.

[Wade Whitehead]

Welcome to Ballyhack.

WW

[Terry Lavin]

Olympia Fields South. 460 par-4 into the prevailing breeze with a huge swale in front of the green. Better make par because #2 is even harder.

[Pete Balzer]

Royal Liverpool

Prairie Club Dunes

[J_ Crisham]

Played one today twice- The Dunes Club- great test out of the gate. FYI Terry- course looked and played really good - the boys were wowed.

[Mark Pearce]

The first at Muirfield may be the hardest hole on the course, especially if the prevailing West wind is blowing.

[Thomas Dai]

The first at Muirfield may be the hardest hole on the course, especially if the prevailing West wind is blowing.

Good call Mark.

I was mischieviously wondering if a certain Open Champion, a native of Australia, would pick the 1st at TOC as his call should he post against this thread!?

atb

[Steve Lapper]

Paramount qualifies

[Matt Bielawa]

Dye often opens with a gentle handshake as well.  I like the strategy as a way to get pace of play off to a good start in addition to the obvious benefits of giving the player a warmup.

[Ronald Montesano]

The first at CC Buffalo used to be a gentle handshake, as the bunkering up the right side was less conspicuous (the acreage doglegged right at the 150 from green/210 off the tee- point) and golfers typically went straight at the green. Now, a new back tee stretches the hole to 390, it's more difficult to go over the trees that separate hole from driving range on right and the bunkering up the right is much more plentiful and conspicuous. All of this conspires to force golfers left, with the wind, toward the adjacent road and its oob status. If that weren't enough, an expanded green (think Raynor-squared corners) offers a number of tempting yet deadly edge hole locations. It's the hole that you used to walk off disappointed with par and now, might go low to the gut with a nice 6 or 7 if not careful.

Ergo, play an iron to 150, punch an 8 to green center and take your chances from there.

[Ben Voelker]

1st at Bethpage Red is probably the most difficult on the course.

[Dean DiBerardino]

Ross was not always gentle.  The first at Franklin Hills is a long, difficult par-4, and so is the first at Oakland Hills, though I don't know how much Mr. Jones changed the latter.  It's a rule of thumb, but sometimes you have to get to the next ridgeline, and it's more than 400 yards away.

Tom:

The Donald Ross Web Library on the Tufts Archives website has drawings of both golf courses in the 1920’s with the “card” of the courses included(OHCC in 1922 and FHCC in 1926). While neither drawing includes the intended par for each hole, the length of the first hole at both courses is the third longest hole on each course. Is it possible Ross intended both of these holes to be built as a par five or even a “gentle handshake” opener par five?

[Dan Boerger]

To Tom Doak's point, the first hole at Ross' Aronimink is a firm handshake. #2 significantly more gentle.