[Bob_Huntley]

My choices, Number one at The Old Course and the first at Princeville.

[Wayne Freeman]

  Having had the good fortune to play many of the courses mentioned I agree that there are a lot of great first holes.  I like to gradually get into a round and favor a fairly short par 4 or reasonable par 5 first.  Spyglass #1 is certainly one of the most dramatic opening holes in golf. When you finally get to see the first green, it looks like an island in the middle of the ocean.  What a view!  I also think Riviera's first is fantastic. For par 4 first holes my favorites are Pine Valley, with Friar's Head a close second.  

[Top100Guru]

Brad and Ran;

I have said for years, that #1 at Secession should be changed, it is a "very good hole" provided you have played a few holes and warmed up to it.......play should begin on #5, then go 6, 7, 8, 9, 1, 2, 3, 4.....then walk 30 yards to the 10th tee..........that may be how it is played in the US Open Qualifier there this year.........do you guys agree?

[Top100Guru]

I like the first hole at Mountain Lake.......shortish par 4, with a good green complex.

[RJ_Daley]

Here is proof that GCAtlas has evolved.  There were 23 posts from 5 years ago including T.Doak and D. Egger, and not one mention of #1 Sand Hills.  Now, I think you can add Sutton Bay #1 to the list of great first holes that get the juices up and flowing.  Of course, that is if you don't require the Rossonian easy openers philosophy.  

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Sometimes a tough opening hole that goes with the lay of the land equals absolute greatness--Bethpage Red, Wannamoisset, Glen Head, and Plainfield for example.  

[BCrosby]

Another indication of the dates of the original thread is that there was no mention of no. 1 at Cuscowilla. The best opener I have played. Short, verry wide fairway, verrry strategic. A perfect starter.

Bob

[Steve Lapper]

I like many of the ones mentioned...but I'm not sure any I know of could possibly top Sand Hills.

Others that might try:

Oakmont
Shinnecock
Quaker Ridge
WFW

[Kelly Blake Moran]

#1 at Royal Dornoch

[DTaylor18]

besides the ones mentioned, I like

Aronimink
The Orchards
Garden City

[ForkaB]

Kelly

I always knew you were a man of taste, as well as wit and wisdom.

#1 at RDGC is a hole that can only be appreciated by the true cogniscenti of the possibilities and beauties of golf.

[Nick_Ficorelli]

Love the short little walk up and around the corner that leaves you at the 1st at Crystal Downs. The vista is overwhelming...kind of like your 1st time seeing the field of a clasic major league ballpark when your 10 yrs. old

[THuckaby2]

Rich - isn't #1 at RDGC pretty damn similar to #1 at NGLA?

That thought occurred to me awhile back... both are on my list of the world's best openers, for similar reasons... that is they look inviting but can bite you, and more importantly, give a damn good slap in the face introduction of what is to be expected at the course.. that at the very least, the greens and approaches here are DIFFERENT and you better have your short game ready, laddie....

But both can be driven by the big boys also... but present the case for temptation right off the bat... both give an expectation to the stick of par or birdie, which likely doesn't happen and gets him thinking straight from the start....

I could go on and on but that's enough.  Damn I like both of them.

TH

[ForkaB]

Tom

Hard to compare 1 NGLA with 1 RDGC as I've played the latter hundreds of times and the former only once.  Somehow, I think that the next time I play the former it will not be 1-iron, 9-iron out of the far left bunker 40-yards short, 9-iron chip stiff, thanks you very much for my par.......

I LOVE short "par" 4 1st holes--IF they have character, like Prestwick, or Pebble, or Pacific Dunes--but not if they are relatively bland, e.g. Troon, Merion, Rye, etc.

As I have said in my course profile, one of the great things about Dornoch #1 is that it is THE best chance for a birdie on the course (usually excluding, although often including, the "par" 5's).  If that doesn't put pressure on you, I don't know what will!

[THuckaby2]

Rich:

That's what I was trying to get at re #1 RDGC (and I didn't even refer back to your very cool course profile)!  You stand on that tee knowing that here is your best chance to make a good score... so it adds big-time pressure to what really ought to be a simple drive and pitch... then on top of that, the green is such that it gives the "hello, this is gonna be different" feel right off the bat also... I'm sure that's gone for you after hundreds of playings, but it is a proper introduction in that vein, no?  Then it really slaps you in the face at #2...

At NGLA, there certainly are other birdie chances, but still #1 is among the best there also.  Even more than RDGC though, the green is so freakin' wild, it REALLY is an introduction/slap in the face as to what's to follow, very appropriately... I know this having skulled a shot to the back of the green and somehow managed to two-putt, much to the astonishment of our host.  

So I think both of these holes have both of these facets of a great opener - that is, subtle if not overt pressure to score / slap in the face introduction to something that's gonna be different from other courses - and that is why to me they are similar.

They're also similar length!

And I am SO with you re this:

"I LOVE short "par" 4 1st holes--IF they have character, like Prestwick, or Pebble, or Pacific Dunes--but not if they are relatively bland, e.g. Troon, Merion, Rye, etc."

Something must be in the water today - all of this agreement.  

[Brian_Gracely]

"I LOVE short "par" 4 1st holes--IF they have character, like Prestwick, or Pebble, or Pacific Dunes--but not if they are relatively bland, e.g. Troon, Merion, Rye, etc."

What defines "character"?  I've never played Merion, but I've heard that the tee-shot, with the dining area so close and then the sudden silence is a memorable experience.  Compare that to something like Pebble, where the hole is mediocre but the aspect of actually playing the course is pretty exciting.  So what's the difference?  Because if we're just talking about the "cool, I'm actually going to play factor" vs. the actual hole, I'd think your list could get REALLY long.  

[JSlonis]

Rich & Tom,

I agree with you in regard to the 1st hole at Dornoch, it's a wonderful starter.  When we played there this past August the course was very firm and fast, the first hole was slightly downwind and the hole location was on the very front right of the green.  It was near impossible to get the ball anywhere near that location.

What do you both find "bland" about Merion's first hole?  It's one of my favorites, and I'd describe it in many ways...but none of them bland.

[THuckaby2]

BG/JS:

Haven't played Merion, can't compare.  I meant I agreed with Rich's statement, even if I can't utilize all of the examples.  Haven't played Rye either...

Re PB, I find it to be a better golf hole than others might, though I think Rich does also.  The tee shot ain't easy - you have to get it out there far enough not to be blocked on the right, and not TOO far to be blocked on the left... and then there is also the very real possibility for the big hitter to curve one around and have a simple pitch into the green.  Lay too far back and it becomes a very tough approach... and the green is damn good also, with all sorts of subtle contour that you don't understand until you're right on top of it.  I think it's a damn fine golf hole with all sorts of character, for these reasons... Then add to it that it's just about the most ass-tightening opener in the US, for where you are and numbers of on-lookers, and well... it fits in this discussion!  It's counterpart overseas is #1 at The Old Course.

TH

[ForkaB]

Brian/Jamie

I just mentioned Merion to see if I could get some of the Main Liners choking on their turtle soup.  When I played there, the patio was empty, alas, so no extra butt-puckering feelings, alas.  That being said, I think it is a very average hole--possibly even the "worst" on that very great course.  As to what I mean by "character" it is architectural character--form, function, individuality, holism, placement in the routing, etc.  #1 Merion is pretty mediocre in those regards, IMVHO.  Of course, we all know what this means, don't we?

Jamie

Were you talking about getting the ball near that location in 1 or in 2?  A multiple club champion of mine considers 5-4 to be the "dream start" at Dornoch.

TomH

PB #1 has always been a little bit Hollywood with all the foofah in the vicinity, but it is a very solid golf hole which requires thought and precision, on every shot.   As for butt-puckeringness, I'll take the fear or heeling it into Mrs. Haversham's turle soup at Merion over laying sod over your driver in front of 50 Korean's in new Cutter and Buck windbreakers, any time!

[THuckaby2]

Rich:

Well said, but of course puckering is in the hole of the butt, if I might mangle a truism.  It's not the 50 Koreans that make one's sphincter tighten at Pebble as much as the sense of place, and the fact the tourists don't exactly keep quiet.  

But fear is also a great butt-tightener... well said.  I'll try to keep my eyes closed if I ever play Merion.

[Mike Benham]

PB #1 has always been a little bit Hollywood with all the foofah in the vicinity, but it is a very solid golf hole which requires thought and precision, on every shot.   As for butt-puckeringness, I'll take the fear or heeling it into Mrs. Haversham's turle soup at Merion over laying sod over your driver in front of 50 Korean's in new Cutter and Buck windbreakers, any time!

I like PB#1 as a golf hole although the surroundings of the hotel, etc. make it considerably out of place compared to the other 17 holes.  Teeing off in claustraphobic tunnel of hotel rooms isn't the image that is sold on the Sunday afternoon telecast of the AT&T.

For all the reasons that Tom and Rich state, the hole plays difficult, however, you don't get a feeling of Pebble until you walk down the 2nd fairway, you can see down to the 3rd green, the 15th and 16th fairways, and on a clear day, Carmel Bay.

Mike

[Tom]

#1 at Royal Dornoch

I think that's a great shout !!!  Also I would put in the first at Worplesdon if anybody knows it !!!

[Jim Franklin]

BCrosby -

The first at Cuscowilla is awesome starting hole. Generous fiarway with a challenging green. Good call!

[Keith Durrant]

Surely Hoylake wins?

It must be possible to shoot double-figures on this hole if the wind is against

http://www.royal-liverpool-golf.com/1st.htm

[Dan Kelly]

#1 Merion is pretty mediocre in those regards, IMVHO.  Of course, we all know what this means, don't we?

Sure. It means "In My Very Humble Opinion." Cut two letters, and you've nailed it!  

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