Best First Green in American Championship Golf

[Jordan Wall]

Jordan:

I know you're young and a very avid golfer -- but just check out the title of this thread. Has Friar's Head had a major event thus far and I am not aware of it serving in the host role?

I'm simply speaking about courses that have hosted majors in the USA.

Matt,

I said that to mean the same as Tom did.
If FH had a major, it would be a great first green by its looks, as would CD.
 

[Jon Wiggett]

Matt, not all championships are majors.

[Tom_Doak]

Wayne:  I think the first hole is important in establishing the character of a course, but I would be surprised if anyone really thinks the first green should be the hardest green on the course.

As severe as the first green at Crystal Downs is, it is only perhaps the fourth or fifth most severe green on the course, behind nos. 9, 10, 11 and 13.  But the first green does tell you right away that you had better pay attention to which side of the hole you miss on.

Likewise, the first green at National tells you that the course is not the hardest you are ever going to play, but that you have not seen anything like it before.  The first greens at Winged Foot West and at Oakmont both emphasize the nature of the course.  And the first green at Pine Valley tells you that the course is one tough s.o.b.  (I will never forget my host, who is a seriously good player, missing the first green to the right and walking off with an 8.)

Jordan:  I personally am not that big a fan of the first green at Friars Head.  It's severe, but sort of awkward, especially since you can't really judge what you are doing from down in the fairway.  I think there are lots of better greens there, especially the ninth, which is tremendously severe but all right in front of you.

[Geoffrey Childs]

Jordan:  I personally am not that big a fan of the first green at Friars Head.  It's severe, but sort of awkward, especially since you can't really judge what you are doing from down in the fairway.  I think there are lots of better greens there, especially the ninth, which is tremendously severe but all right in front of you.

Tom

To each his own but your last quote "all right in front of you" comes right out of a Jack Nicklaus sound bite rather then what I had envisioned as your tastes in golf courses. I love the opening green at FH as it is ingrained in my memory after several plays. It's an uphill shot that's all too infrequently used on modern courses and with a short iron so control should not be an issue. If you are unfamiliar with the shot required an experienced caddie will always offer advice if asked. There are several "greens within greens" whose slopes relative to the pin need to be calculated. Once on the surface it is a blast to putt. Could you define what you think is "awkward" about the green surface?  Thanks

With regard to Crystal Downs I could not agree with you more.  It's a wicked eye opener of what is to come.  It is more severe then WF #1 but I was at the US Open today and I saw some of the treachery that green plays with the best players in the world.  That green is a microcosm of the entire WInged Foot experience and a perfect way for good old AW Tillinghast to back up his quote about the greens being the essence of a golf course.

[Tom_Doak]

Geoffrey:  What makes a green "awkward" is particularly hard to define, it's more of a feeling.  I've tried to write it out but it sounds stupid, so I'm not going to post my feeble attempt.  But, there are about fifteen greens at Friars Head I like better than their first green ... and it's one of the few holes there I've birdied, so it's not about my game.

[Geoffrey Childs]

Fair enough Tom. We all get those "feelings" from our eyes and other senses that are hard to convey. Its not my favorite green on the course either but I can say I think all of them are excellent.