Courses that open and close with

[Patrick_Mucci]

par 5's ?

Off the top of my head, I can only think of two that I've played, Baltusrol Lower and the early routing of Preakness Hills.

There's something enjoyable about opening and closing on holes that's inherently forgiving.

What other courses THAT YOU'VE PLAYED have this configuration ?

And, how did you receive/perceive this arrangement ?

[Sean_A]

The only course I can think of with opening and closing three shotters is Co Down.  The first is a good hole which a golfer can take advantage of if he is accurate and knows his limitations.  The home hole is okay, but not terribly forgiving with a Saraha of bunkers scattered all over the place. 

Ciao

[Tim Martin]

Taconic starts and finishes with par five`s. I like you way you ease into the round with fairly straight ahead half par hole. 18 is a little breather after two stout par 4`s(#`s 3 and 5 handicap Holes) and the penultimate hole being a 220 yard par 3.They are great holes that bookend a card full of them.

[Jim_Kennedy]

So do Eagle Dunes in Sorrento, Fl, The Dunes at Seville in Brooksville, Fl, and Twisted Oaks in Beverly Hills, Fl.  

[Sean Leary]

SFGC. Breather opener and a more difficult closer. The 9th hole is the other par 5.

[Jeff Tang]

Erin Hills is one that comes to mind. I don't have particularly strong feelings about this arrangement but if the land fits for an opening and ending 5 that produce two good holes I am fine with it.

[Andy Troeger]

I've played a few--Jim Engh certainly likes to do this. I prefer it as the finisher than as the opener, but if its a good hole I see no issue.

Lakota Canyon Ranch
Tullymore
Creek Club at Reynolds Plantation
Pradera
Fort Wayne Elks Club (Indiana)
Flint Hills National
Karsten Creek
Rainmakers (New Mexico)

Rainmakers and Elks Club also both start with TWO par fives.

[jonathan_becker]

Erin Hills

The opener is reachable as the ground promotes a kick left down towards the green.  However, the closer is 640 yards with lots of fw bunkers and the green has a false front to go along with an almost false left side, too.  Judging the third shot approach is diffucult to say the least.

Oops - Tang beat me to it!

[Mark Saltzman]

Off the top of my head, all courses in/around Toronto: Wyndance, Rocky Crest, King's Riding, Glencairn, Diamondback.

I think the general theme is an easy opener, reachable in 2 for many and (except for Wyndance), no hazards.  The closer generally offers more risk/reward and all but one have a hazard/ob near the green.

I like this configuration.  It offers an easy start to the round (which is much appreciated, especially when you head straight from the parking lot to the 1st tee), and allows you to make a birdie on 18, but with the hazards/ob if you have a very good round going and you're a bit nervous, the closers can really keep your attention.

[Kevin Pallier]

A few of the top of my head

Royal Canberra
The Australian
Royal Queensland
Paradise Palms
Capricorn (New)
Wollongong (in current rota)

I dont have a problem with them particularly those that are quite forgiving on the opening tee shot

[Patrick_Mucci]

How many have PLAYED the courses they describe and what was your opinion of the opening and closing par 5's ?

I would like you to list ONLY the courses you've played that have this configuration.

[Tim Martin]

How many have PLAYED the courses they describe and what was your opinion of the opening and closing par 5's ?

I would like you to list ONLY the courses you've played that have this configuration.

Pat-I have played Taconic and gave my opinion in reply # 2.

[mike_malone]

 Scotland Run in New Jersey starts with a straightforward par five which gives one a  chance to get started with a par and ends with a thrilling par five that pressures every shot and is beautiful as well.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Pat,

Dunes at Seville: Both holes have room off the tee and offer a good view of what’s ahead, making it easy to avoid trouble. There is a bunker and long, sandy area that must be avoided off the first tee, but a pretty quiet second shot and greenside bunkers tucked close for the third. The eighteenth plays over more of a sidehill, lies are not as good. The final shot is uphill and the green is more trouble than on #1.
Interesting as it not only opens with a 5 but closes 5/5.

Eagle Dunes: First one is from an elevated tee and you must carry tall grass from the back two. Bunkering short of the green tends to force you over to the left on your second shot, but that’s a good thing as the approach is wide open to an unprotected green.
Eighteen is flanked on the right by a long waste area. Not much care is needed for the second but the third is blind to an elevated green. Another flattish green, but harder to get it close, unlike #1. 
 
Twisted Oaks: First one is a lazy double bender, bunkered inside for the drive then trouble in the form of a low area to the left, but the green is an easy target for the third.
The eighteenth has two viable landing areas, high to the right and low to the left. Play right and you will add yardage to the hole, play left and you’ll catch a turbo boost that’s good for 20/30 yards that made it reachable in two for me. Trouble is that from the left you must carry a deep bunker fronting an elevated green that is wider than it is deep. Playing from the right fairway I couldn’t reach in two, but it made for a more level, open approach for a pretty standard wedge shot.

 Both of the ‘Dunes’ courses had elevated tee boxes for their openers, which can be a confidence booster. In all three places the closing 5 was more difficult than the opener, which I think is a good thing, especially as I was driving an hour or so to reach them, jumping out of the car, and teeing it up without benefit of the range. A starting 5 gives you a chance to loosen up a bit and isn’t so ‘hard’ on a mishit.

I did play one other, Lake Diamond, that had the 5/5 configuration, and even though it wasn’t as much fun between the goal posts as the other three it adhered to the same mantra of easier first/harder finisher.   

[Jim_Kennedy]

Tim,
I forgot Taconic as a 5/5. Number 18 isn't going to spoil the day  but it is a bit of a country mouse, especially after playing #15, 16 and 17. Maybe it should become a par 4. 

 

[Steve D]

The Tuckahoe Creek Course at the Country Club of Virginia starts and closes with a par 5.  I've played that course as well as a number of others listed in this thread and I have to say that I like the idea.  

Starting out with a par 5 is an opportunity to warm up a little or come out of the gates strong with a birdie.  I really like closing with a par 5 because of the risk/reward birdie opportunity, especially if the match is close.

[J_ Crisham]

Pat, Olympia Fields North opens and closes with par 5s depending on what tees you play on 18. Can be played as a fair par 5 or crazy hard par4 from490 or so.            
                                             Jack

[Nick Cauley]

Southern Trace in Shreveport, La.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Westwood Golf Club here in Houston meets the criteria.  We like it because it makes for an interesting open and close to matches.

[Mike Boehm]

Played quite a few with this configuration:

Bloomfield Hills Country Club
Eagle Creek (Norwalk, OH)
Tullymore
Plum Hollow
Red Run
Pontiac CC
Bald Mountain GC
Birmingham CC (MI)
Treetops - RTJ Masterpiece
Black Forest
True North

Configuration doesn't generally bother me, though I am not a huge fan of an overly tight Par 5 opener in general.  Of he courses above, only the two Engh courses stand out as having what I recall as difficult Par 5 openers.

[Sam Morrow]

Southern Trace in Shreveport, La.

 I don't know about the Nationwide Tour but for Section events #1 played as a par 4.

[Jason Topp]

Golden Valley Golf and Country Club starts with two par fives and ends with one.  The course has 6 par fives, 5 par 3's and 7 par 4's so there is no sacrifice in variety on the rest of the course.

 I like the arrangement.  A wide variety of scores are available on each hole and the greens are difficult so the short accurate hitter has a chance against the bomber.

[Joe Bausch]

I'll extend the stakes:  how many courses out there can claim to open and close with par 5's and after flipping nines can still make the same claim?!  We have a course nearish Philly that fits the bill:  Wyncote.

I like the arrangement currently with a shorter 18th, although playing a bit uphill, does allow reaching in two with a good tee shot and a semi-blind 2nd.  The original 18th was also good as a true 3-shotter with the possibility for a tough Sunday pin to a small back right tier.
 
The opening holes in either arrangement are fine openers with some stress off the tees but pretty much a simple par for most, birdies for the better players looking to get off to a good start.

[Nick Cauley]

Southern Trace in Shreveport, La.

 I don't know about the Nationwide Tour but for Section events #1 played as a par 4.

This maybe true for outside events, but I beleive that everyday member play it is a par 5.

[Andy Stamm]

Sunningdale New

Apparently the first is now being played as a 4, but in the 2000, Nicklaus v Player Shell match it was a 5. Nicklaus eagled one, and nearly added a bookend eagle at eighteen.