Pat,
Quite frankly, I think that the first hole is as good an opening hole of a golf course for which one could wish. Someone mentioned earlier that many is the time that a long iron and fairway wood is required to cross the burn. I am sure that we have some friends here, who have hit a very short iron or even a wedge into the hole on a benign day. However, having played a lot of competitive rounds on the hole over many years I think it's architectural merits are often overlooked.
Bob