I love so many of the ones mentioned: Bethpage Black, Red, or Green for me. Very similar tee balls, and that's all that we are talking about here. Not how good the hole is, not how difficult the hole is.
I love the first at Yale. I love the first at Pastiempo. I love the first at Crystal Downs and the first at Pacific Dunes.
I love movement. I love a tee ball that drops you into an abyss, or climbs you toward a peak.
I don't think that Merion's first tee shot is that great. It's a wonderful atmospher, and you're fortunate beyond words to be playing there. I was at Walker Cup in 2009 (hadn't yet played East or West) and Curtis Cup in 2022. In between, I played East two times on consecutive days, and fell in love. Same for NGLA. I was at Walker Cup 2013, and got to play it a few years later. Walking and photographing a place gives you incredible insight. Same happened at Crystal Downs, where I walked and photographed while friends played. Absolute joy.
We don't have any great opening holes in the Buffalo-Niagara area. Much like the blue-collar heritage of the region, they are solid and reliable, good tests and predictors of what you'll find along the way.
The less likely you are to have one favorite opening hole, the more likely I am to want to play golf with you.