Toughest Opening Tee Shots in Golf

[Mark Saltzman]

I played Muskoka Bay Club (north of Toronto) and the extremely difficult opening tee shot made me wonder what course has the most difficult tee shot off the first hole.

Of the golf courses I have played, the two tee shots that made me the most nervous were at Merion and TOC.  Anyone who has played the back tees at Merion knows just how close that patio is to the first tee.  I think when those eating lunch saw my practice swing, a few chairs squeaked backwards away from where I was teeing off.  The 1st tee shot at TOC is so easy that it's difficult. That is, there is no way you should screw it up, but if you do, it's because you really screwed it up.  Often there is a fair size group of people watching the first tee, at least more people than most golfers have had watch them before.  Add to that the awe of being at TOC and the previously mentioned fear of hitting a really bad tee shot and you have a very tough opening tee shot.

These two examples are tough because of nerves affecting the golfer.  What examples are there of opening tee shots just being hard.  Here is the toughest I have played:

Hole 1: Muskoka Bay Club, 441 Yards

View from Tee







What makes it so hard?

Well, if it looks like a long way to the fairway, that's because it is.  From the tees from which the pictures are taken, it is 272 yards just to reach the fairway.  Granted the hole plays downhill, but it also usually plays into the wind.  As any golfer knows, it is very easy for a downhill tee shot to get off-line.  Add a head wind and even a slight mis-hit can miss the target by a long ways.

And if you're wondering if there's at least a bail-out area behind those rocks on the right...the answer is no.  Just hazard all the way up the right side.



If you come to Muskoka Bay, you better bring your A-Game right from the opening tee shot.  (By the way, the carry even from the men's tees is 225 yards to reach the fairway).

[Kalen Braley]

Sanctuary opening tee shot is very narrow.  Anything more than a gentle fade or draw and you are re-loading on the tee...

[Mark Saltzman]

Sanctuary opening tee shot is very narrow.  Anything more than a gentle fade or hook and you are re-loading on the tee...

Sanctuary in Denver?

[Kalen Braley]

Sanctuary opening tee shot is very narrow.  Anything more than a gentle fade or hook and you are re-loading on the tee...

Sanctuary in Denver?

That would be correct.  I also meant to say gentle fade or a draw, not a hook!  

[Bill_McBride]

"The opening tee shot at The Old Course is very difficult." --- Ian Baker-Finch. 

[Jaeger Kovich]

Winged Foot West #1 normally plays the 2nd hardest on the course to #18.

[Keith OHalloran]

I would agree about Merion, and also mention Bethpage Black as a nervous tee shot. Most of the time, a lot of players are watching. You have just passed the warning sign on the fence, and you know that a bad shot will result in a loud groan from those playing behind you.
As for hard, the course at Foxwoods in CT opens with a forced carry par 5 that I thought was very hard.
Sorry I don't know how to post photos.

[Steve Salmen]

In my opinion, the hardest opening tee shot is the first at Muirfield.  It's pretty narrow at 19 yds wide for a 445 yd hole. It  also kinks mildly to the right.  However, if you hit the fairway, you feel you could putt from 150 out due to the generous greenside entryway.

I watched about 15 pros hit multiple tee shots during the 2002 Open Sunday practice round.  Not one ball found the fairway.

[Tim Martin]

I would agree about Merion, and also mention Bethpage Black as a nervous tee shot. Most of the time, a lot of players are watching. You have just passed the warning sign on the fence, and you know that a bad shot will result in a loud groan from those playing behind you.
As for hard, the course at Foxwoods in CT opens with a forced carry par 5 that I thought was very hard.
Sorry I don't know how to post photos.

Keith-I agree on the opener at Foxwoods. That course requires you to pick the correct set of tees to have an enjoyable day or it is a torture chamber.

[Patrick_Mucci]

# 1 at Prestwick.

# 1 at Merion is intimidating, but, not because of the DZ.

# 1 at Riviera could be a consideration

# 1 at Bandon Dunes can be dicey.

# 1 at NGLA

# 1 at Essex County East

# 1 at Roxciticus

# 1 at Pine Valley

And, ANY 1st tee in a qualifying event.

[Eric Smith]

Harbour Town GL

[Scott Warren]

It is now the 14th, but for the first decade of the course's life (during the 1990s) this was the 1st hole at Steve Smyers' Cypress Lakes in the Hunter Valley, about 2.5hrs drive from Sydney.

140m carry - 155 yards - first swing of the day, with no bail out available! The second shot climbs about 20m (60ft).

[Sean Leary]

Pacific Dunes from the back tee, The Prince.

[Alex Miller]

And, ANY 1st tee in a qualifying event.

+1

[Mark Bourgeois]

And, ANY 1st tee in a qualifying event.

+1

But especially when it's Hoylake.

[Charlie Visconsi]

#1 at Canterbury.  Need to hit a big fade to keep it in the fairway.  If you hit it right to left (like me) not much hope of keeping in fairway, green is brutal.  many a 3 putt.  It is the #1 handicap hole on the course

[jonathan_becker]

#1 at Canterbury.  Need to hit a big fade to keep it in the fairway.  If you hit it right to left (like me) not much hope of keeping in fairway, green is brutal.  many a 3 putt.  It is the #1 handicap hole on the course

You beat me to it.  It's amazing how far you can actually fade it and still be in the fairway. 

[Matt MacIver]

In the all-mental camp would be Black Mesa and Tobacco Road. 

[Matt Bosela]

Pacific Dunes from the back tee, The Prince.

I'll definitely second the vote for Princeville's opening hole - jungle to the left, jungle to the right and water looming in front of the green.

Riviera's tee shot isn't anywhere near as difficult from an architectural perspective but it's hard not to tense up with countless people watching from less than ten feet away AND your name and city of residence has been announced by the starter, PGA Tour style.

[Jamie Van Gisbergen]

In the all-mental camp would be Black Mesa and Tobacco Road. 

Oddly enough, Tobacco Road got tougher for me the more times I played it. The first time I stepped on the tee there, with no yardage book, I literally just said to myself "ok, Green grass is down there between those two mountains, reckon thats a safe place, lets go there" and that was the only thought. On later playings, I started thinking funny stuff like a draw off the tee and other more complicated things. I honestly think the blind/"green grass there, ball safe" is the best way to play a course like that.

As for me, the toughest tee shot I've had was at Pebble Beach. You're in front of a lot of people there, pro shop staff, caddies, players waiting, people eating or whatever in the buildings behind you (from the second floor, pretty sure they can see the tee, or at least I thought they could). That was the most nerve racking tee shot I've ever had, outside of a tournament.

[Simon Holt]

Hoylake- tough and a bad hole period.

Not many of you will have played it but the toughest and worst is at Winterfield and the edge of Dunbar in East Lothian.

Why make the first hole hard?  My biggest pet hate on a gc is a stupidly hard opening hole.  99% of golfers who make a mess of No. 1 ruin their whole round right there and then. 

[Michael Goldstein]

Machrihanish is a cracker.

Also, Merion, St Andrews or PV (nerve factor)
Baltusrol, Rossapenna Sandy Hills (need to bomb it from go - Balty as a par four)
Hoylake, Portmarnock, Portrush (gotta hit it straight!)

What is wrong with Hoylake Simon?

[Simon Holt]

Hey Michael,

That maybe sounds harsher than I intended but I don't really care for the internal OB around the practice ground.  I aim for the left side but into a stiff wind you barely get past the dog leg and have a huge second shot.

I really enjoy holes 4 through 14 but can take or leave the other holes.  If you go OB on the first by slightly coming off your shot it is hardly enjoyable in my book.  For a high handicapper its quite intimidating I would think, which then puts you in a bad frame of mind for the rest of the round.

Just my thoughts but I much prefer holes like the first at St. Andrews New, Luffness, Gullane No. 1, North Berwick...even Renaissance to an extent.  They ease you into the round which is my personal preference.  I think this is more prevalent at the older courses in Scotland and England as practice beforehand wasn’t a consideration back in the day.

I actually don’t really agree with Mr. Mucci about PV and NGLA- although I did hook my tee shot at National onto the lawn...got up and down for 3 though!

S

[Michael Goldstein]

Simon, I understand what you mean - but variety is the spice of life so I like the treachery of the first at Hoylake.  In some ways going OB is no different to hitting it into the ti-tree on the Sandbelt or at times into the heather.

Incidentally I made 6 at Hoylake without going over the fence.... But all good rounds start with bogey (or double!).

[Jim Franklin]

Prestwick. No warm ups, train to your right, and you are hitting a long iron off the tee.