[John Kavanaugh]

The first at Tabacco Road may be my favorite first hole that I have ever played but it is easier to think about then play.  My first attempt was the classic driver, sand wedge, 6 iron, 7 iron, sand wedge, putt, putt.   I would guess that as a 6 handicap I should average par.2 on an easy par 5 hole if I play it 100 times...no way I average par.2 on that hole.

[Brian_Marion]

Another vote for Tobacco Road. Visually intimidating, yet a fairly easy fairway to hit for your first shot of the day. Being a par 5, you have the chance too get off to a good start on your round if you play the hole sensibly.

I always watch the faces of playing partners when they step to the tee for the first time and look at those mounds. They tend to get wide eyed and remain so until after they reach the fairway. They always look back and say "wow, the hole looked so much harder from the tee".

[BCrosby]

John K -

If you think #1 at Cuscowilla is one of the easiest holding greens on the course, you are a much better player than I am. It is a tiny green, it is crowned, it is very fast and your angle of approach matters enormously. Approaching from the right over the greenside bunker is a hit and pray shot.

Bob

[Jim Franklin]

Greenbrier (Old White)

[RDecker]

NGLA's opener is great but the one that sticks out in my head is Newport.  The tee is tucked up against the clubhouse and is very unassuming and quite small if my memory is correct.  A very subtle start to a great golf experience.  I can't recall who said this, I think either Ross or Tillie but they suggested the opener be " A Firm Handshake".   Which I take to mean not too difficult but not to easy either, sort of let you get into the round but let you know alittle bit about whats coming up.

[jeffwarne]

John,
You're not the only GCAer to have played Forest Heights.
 I doubled the last hole there to lose the Southestern Junior by a shot to my playing partner (Can't remember his name,but he and I had stayed out all night doing what 16 year old kids do when out of town and unchaperoned)
Nice course, I haven't been back since though.

[John_Cullum]

Jeff
When I saw you were on, I thought you would likely be the other person to have played forest heights. Maybe Mike Young as well.

[Jimmy Muratt]

A few of my favorites that haven't been mentioned:

#1 Kingsley Club - a terrific par 5, visually stimulating and challenging.  You can play aggressively off the tee and try to carry the center fairway bunkers, if you succeed the green is reachable in two.  Otherwise, you're wedging out of them.  

#1 Palmetto Golf Club - not a super tough hole but an excellent start to the round.  The settting of the first tee is perfect.  The old Stanford White clubhouse is a few steps away, as is the putting green and 18th green.  The hole plays downhill off the tee and then back uphill to the green.  The grass is cut to fairway height right up to the edge of the fairway bunkers, so they tend to collect any mis-hit tee ball.  The green is very well contoured and can be difficult to two-putt.

#1 Garden City Golf Club - a great setting near the pro shop and driving range.  My first time on this tee I had no clue where to hit the ball, all that I saw was a sea of fescue.  An excellent short par 4 that provides options to all levels of players.  Do you play aggressively and try to jumpstart your round with a birdie or perhaps eagle?  Or, lay back to ensure a safe opening par?   It forces you to make a critical decision with your first swing of the day.  That's the trademark of a great opening hole.

[Jason Mandel]

My faves are


1. Merion
2.  Long Cove
3.  Philly Country

[mike_malone]

 While I loved the view and anticipation from the elevated #1 at Portstewart with the dunes holes to your left and the North Sea (?) to your right, I can't keep #1 at NGLA out of my mind.
     We awoke to snow on the ground, went into town for breakfast-still saw snow on Southhampton Golf Club. Then drove through Shinnecock--snow on the course. Oh well ,that's the way the mop flops!. But, The National had no snow!!!

   After standing around the parking lot in 30 degree weather we finally walked up the hill in the 30+ mph wind. Needless to say it was refreshing. Each of us managed to get it airborne.
    I was off on my magical mystery tour with my friend and sometimes poster Tom Goutman and the lanky  and funloving Mike Sweeney.

   We played it again after #18 . Afterall, we did need to get back to the parking lot!!!

  BTW I think there was strategy on the hole.

[Mike_Cirba]

A fav of mine that hasn't been mentioned is the opener at Mid-Ocean.  

[redanman]

by far my favorite was Royal Aberdeen-teeing off 6 feet from the bar/grillroom window-hitting downhill to the green and fairway backed up by a panoramic ocean

couldn't say it better myself.

I really do not like par 5 first holes: short, middle, long, doesn't matter.  I'd rather start on a three than a five.  

In general a par 4 without a long forced carry, OB or water in play (for the weaker player) makes a sound starter in my book.  Blind is OK, even trees, but no bloody OB, especially right for the duffs.

[RJ_Daley]

Jimmy above reminds me of my serious ommision of #1 Kingsley Club.  

But, what is puzzling to me is my inconsistency of philosophy of golf design.  I am a big believer in the Ross comments on gradual introduction to the course on the first holes, with moderate par 4s.  Yet, all my favorites are stunning eye opener par 5s.  I don't know what is up with that.

[Michael Moore]

Wannamoissett - large tee directly abutting the large patio, the uphill first requires a LARGE tee shot.

Prime heckling territory.

[Mike Hendren]

Merion has to qualify as one of the great golf experiences.  Tee off as the clinking of china and silverware stops for your address and swing.  

Sarge reminded me that Hillbilly Tour members have been known to intentionally double-clutch on the first tee to dupe playing partners into popping the tops on their beer cans prematurely.

Back on topic, it's the opener at Sand Hills, IMHO.  Wouldn't the best hole on the best course automatically win?

Mike

[Evan Fleisher]

I've got a copule of others to add...

First at Princeville Prince course...a true butt puckerer if there ever was one, and certainly sets the tone EARLy in the round for what is to come ahead.

I guess I'd also throw in ther first at Bethpage Black...altough not a great hole by any means and certainly not one of the toughest holes on the course, it also sets the tone for the rest of the round with the anticipation of what's yet to come...plus that elevated tee with tons of other folks milling about waiting for their turn and the NEED to reach the corner makes for some sweaty palms and shaking knees as you draw back that club for the first swing of the day.

[Robert Kimball]

I second Mike Cirba on Mid Ocean. The aerial shows the tee in the upper right with the cross bunkers. And the fantastic Raynor "staircase" bunkers" to the right of the green are a great touch as well.

Not to mention the skyline view of the ocean from the fairway.  

[Tom_Doak]

Evan:

I really dislike both of your choices.  The Prince's opener offers a good chance for a lost-ball start, and the hole at Bethpage is a long drive to a flat fairway with trees blocking the view toward the green.

Most of my favorites have been mentioned:  Machrihanish, Long Cove, National Golf Links, Sand Hills, Mid Ocean, Garden City, Crystal Downs.  Lost Dunes and Stone Eagle were the only two opening holes I've built to get a mention, and they are probably my two best.

I have built several par-5 opening holes but if it weren't for all the other factors involved in doing a routing, I would avoid par-5 openers where possible.  Unless you build an easy green complex you are raising the possibility of a six to start the round, and I hate making a six early in the day.  That opening sequence at Black Forest turns everyone off ... the first two are really good holes, but at that point in the round you are just not ready for them, and it's way too easy to start 6-6.

[Mike Hendren]

Also gotta love the way the first at Spyglass tumbles down toward the sea.

Mike

[cary lichtenstein]

The first at Greywalls by a mile

[john_stiles]

My favorite first holes, for the reasons mentioned above, are
Palmetto GC,  Cuscowilla,  Kingsley, and Crystal Downs.

Also like the 1st at Royal Aberdeen, Old Town Club, and TOC for the setting of the first tee.

[Evan Fleisher]

Evan:

I really dislike both of your choices.  The Prince's opener offers a good chance for a lost-ball start, and the hole at Bethpage is a long drive to a flat fairway with trees blocking the view toward the green.

Most of my favorites have been mentioned:  Machrihanish, Long Cove, National Golf Links, Sand Hills, Mid Ocean, Garden City, Crystal Downs.  Lost Dunes and Stone Eagle were the only two opening holes I've built to get a mention, and they are probably my two best.

I have built several par-5 opening holes but if it weren't for all the other factors involved in doing a routing, I would avoid par-5 openers where possible.  Unless you build an easy green complex you are raising the possibility of a six to start the round, and I hate making a six early in the day.  That opening sequence at Black Forest turns everyone off ... the first two are really good holes, but at that point in the round you are just not ready for them, and it's way too easy to start 6-6.

Tom,

I'd love to side with many of the above mentioned openers, but since I have yet to play any of them, I was trying to offer up something a bit different.

I understand your position about the opener at Princeville, and although true I still kind of like the type of message it sends about this particular course.  I did not shoot a great score the day I played there, but I took the course for what it was and had a truly memorable and fun golf experience while there.  Maybe the fact it was on my honeymoon?!?!?  

As for Bethpage Black, like I said it's not the actual hole that's all that grweat, but the situation it presents itself in.  I kind of liken it to the first at TOC...not the hardest or most interesting hole on the course, but the situation makes it a tougher golf hole and probably more memorable in that sense.  As for pure strategic or actually great (in an architectural sense) opening holes BB's opener does NOT fit that bill, I agree.

[Brendan Dolan]

Thanks for all the replies.  After reading through all the posts I am reminded of a couple more openers that I really like.  The first at Ardglass GC in Northern Ireland near RCD is an excellent opener.  It is about 340 yards, and plays right along the ocean.  It definitely is an intimidating tee shot.  After negotiating the drive the green is tucked in between two small dunes, and is guarded by a large bunker.  Very exciting hole.  Portstewart is also terrific as Mr. Malone points out.  The tee shot is got to be one of the best panoramas in golf and then you enter the valley which has a completely different feel to it.  Very neat.

Brendan

[mike_malone]

 Brendan,

    I have enjoyed #1 at Ardglass a few times. The wind makes the green seem as big as a thimble. Then comes #2--Wow!!!

   BTW I heard they made some changes to the course.

[Brendan Dolan]

Mr. Malone

When were you there last?  I think they added three new holes or redesigned 8-10.  At any rate it is an extremely enjoyable golf course, and a great warm up for RCD.

Brendan

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