Late to the party, but here is my card...
Hole 1
W1 is a certainly a great hole. I love the roller coaster to the bottom, and I have yet to hit enough club to get to the back bowl when the pin is there. But it can be a really tough opener at times given its exposed nature and a fierce wind. More than once I have lost a ball in the wugga after a stiff/sore/hungover opening swing, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Unlike a poster above, I have an affinity for opening par 5s. Probably because my home courses (first as a kid and later as an adult) both open with par 5s. It just feels right to me. As to R1, I love the centerline bunker that always seems to be in my way in route to an interesting green complex. Unless I am out for a solitary round, I am always playing match play. And I think R1 sets up nicely for some early round fireworks. Case in point: During last years 5th Major CJ hit two great shots and had a long, difficult putt for eagle. I skanked two rather poor shots out there, leaving a blind wedge shot from the far right fairway/walkway to 2. Finding my form, I hit a great wedge to 5 feet and the hole was halved. Lots of ways to play the hole and plenty of excitement to open the round.
Red 1-0
Hole 2
Reasonable minds can differ, but W2 is my least favorite hole on the course. Someone once said "one blind shot on a hole is good, two is not." I am in that camp, primarily because of the second shot. I find every time I am out there, we do the golf cart shuffle driving up to the top of the hill searching for the right line into the green. I know it is a member's course, but 9 times out of 10, I take guests with me and its too much too early. If the hole was later in the round it might not bother me as much, but at this point, I don't care for it.
On the other hand, I love R2. It was walking up this fairway when it had just been hydroseeded (see Bruce's photo) during the Tom's course tour at the 2012 5th Major that I knew I was going to become a member. I love the massive undulations of generous fairway, the simplicity of the bunkering scheme, aggressive options, bailout options, and angles.
Red 2-0
Hole 3
A really tough call for me. Both are excellent par 3s that I like a great deal. I give a slight edge to W3 on this one. Perhaps it is a function of the flow of the course, following the brutish second with a sweetness of a short. I prefer it to R3, but by only the slimmest of margins. Perhaps with more play my opinion will change, but for now, White gets on the board.
Red 2-1
Hole 4
I love W4. The risk reward nature of challenging the left side. The iconic windmill and water trough. And a green complex that doesn't get the credit it deserves with all its backboards, side boards, small bowls, etc. But I can't help but feel like I have played it before. Its a great Nicklaus template, but a flatish par 5 wrapping left or right around a large bunker/waste area complex isn't unique. (See 8th at May River and 8th at Carlton Woods). To their credit, each hole generally has its distinguishing feature (centerline bunker at May River for example) but its not unique.
What is unlike anything I have ever played before is R4. I love the hole. Options and challenges galore. Left, right, challenge the centerline bunkers, whatever task you are up for. Easy choice for me. Red is the winner, and I really do love W4.
Red 3-1
Hole 5
Love it or hate it, W5 is unique. I believe it is perfectly acceptable to require perfection from a player. A par three with a perfect lie from your choice of yardage is the place to do it. I love the challenge. (And for quite the challenge step over to the back tees and play it from that angle with a long iron.) In the same way R4 is totally unlike anything I have seen, W5 is same for me. I do wish recovery shots from long weren't quite so difficult to keep on the green. I think it would remove some of the controversy from the hole and make it more universally loved. But I will take it as is all day and every day. This may be my favorite hole on the White.
R5 is a great hole as well. Anytime I stand on the tee of a par 3 with driver, I am taken back to Carnoustie. But to me R5's challenge is really all about length. Yes that bunker is huge and fearsome, but there is plenty of room left and it has a simple green complex funneling everything inward. Ultimately, the unique factor that carried the day for R4 takes it for W5.
Red 3-2.
Looking forward to continuing this journey. Thanks Eric for getting it started.