What should the opening hole on a course be?

I say a 540 yard par 5 with a generously wide fairway.

A good hole to get a wide arrray of shots in before you get on with the rest of the course.

A 450 yard par 4

I agree with the wide open, the last thing you want on the first hole is to be standing on the tee waiting for some hacker to find his ball in knee high rough or rooting around in trees. From the practical point of view a par 5 might cause problems as some players will be waiting for the green when really you just want the first to have no real delays.

My vote:- A 400 yard par 4 .

The 1st.

My favourite opening hole is a par 4, about 440 yds, slight dog-leg left, with a creek about 140 yds from the green.
Ample fairway, but trees either side catch big hooks and slices, a little downhill for the drive, then uphill to a green protected by bunkers left and right, but a decent opening in front.
Demanding par but a straightforward bogey unless you really get out of position.

Kwini, that's a very specific hole description and a fantastic one at that. Is it from your good thoughts, one that you've played or an amalgamation of both?

My preferred 1st hole is a tight par 4 that's not too long where you can rip a 2 iron to leave yourself a mid iron in. It would be tree lined, making a driver a big risk and would get you going for a wider par 5 second to open your shoulders up...

Ok serious response.

If possible something that can set the mood for the round. Paramount to a good feeling for the rest of the holes is not having to reload or ending up with a big number on one.

This does not mean it has to be easy but consideration should be given as to whether there is a practice area. If it is guaranteed to be every players first shot a 450 par four may not be the best idea.


Maybe the best idea would be to have a relatively easy par where most of the challenge is around and on the green. This way birdies are not given up easily but the player, in an unwarmed state, has the chance to hit a few loosening up shots. The player who has got his eye in on the practice putting area will have the best chance of a birdie.
If the location of the clubhouse is a given then the first hole should be the hole the best fits the land around the clubhouse. You would hope a great natural hole would not be sacrificed because the land did not suite first hole criteria.

The first should maybe be like a

harrison,
It's the first hole of a RTJ design, at Seven Oaks Golf Course, Hamilton, NY. Quite demanding, 390 yards from the "whites". Either way requires a solid tee shot and a precise mid/short iron. Or a bunted drive, lay up, then short iron!
Coincidentally, there's a similar opening hole about twenty miles away, spoiled a bit by a severe green. Birdied it once, should've stopped there!

So many opening holes are almost throw-aways. Provided they're not too penal I kinda like a good driving hole to start with. This one fits Mac's criteria for an opener that reflects the lie of the land and the nature of the course.

..........not like the 1st at North Berwick.

Gentle rolling par-4 about 350 yds to get the game flowing nicely. What you definitely DO NOT want is that ruddy opening hole at Meyrick Park - 235 yard par-3, up hill, trees on either side and an audience watch you carve one into the set of 'Lord of the Rings'

Noshankingtonite wrote:What you definitely DO NOT want is that ruddy opening hole at Meyrick Park - 235 yard par-3, up hill, trees on either side and an audience watch you carve one into the set of 'Lord of the Rings'

Tell yourself it's a Par 4 and it doesn't seem so bad.

Having said that, I birdied it the last time I played it

Merc noone likes a smart@rse

Noshankingtonite wrote:Merc noone likes a smart@rse

From my stats thread you can see that birdies for me are nearly as rare as rocking horse Poopie.

Kwini - What's the course 20 miles away? (Nice call on Seven Oaks, a really fine course.)

After much thought, as there are not many good opening holes, I would plump for 1st at Sunningdale Old. In the days when I played there it was an easy par 5 but I would imagine it is a par 4 now.

I like a nice 370/390 par 4 with reasonably generouse fairways, this to give you nice 2nd shot to a green that does not need to be all that large, but would expect it to be well bunkered, in other words an easy par4 to get your round started

Dare I suggest the first at TOC is an ideal opener

Shotrock,
Don't you think the opening hole at Rome (OK, thirty miles) is similar?
Hit it pretty much where you like off the tee, ditch short of the green and you need a precise second shot to a very tricky green. Not an easy green to chip to from memory, whereas the presentation of the green "complex" at S.O. is superb. Plus #1 at S.O. pretty much tells you what the course is going to be like.

JAS, Never played TOC but that's what it looks like.

JAS wrote:Dare I suggest the first at TOC is an ideal opener

A great hole, and it even has a forced carry. It may be of a gentle distance but I dont think it is possible to feel more nervous on the first tee for a non competitive round. Although in saying it is not in a comp I dont think I ever try harder to get a good score than when playing the old course. It just asks you to get creative and try as many things as you can to score well.

Just look how wide it is what could go wrong?

Spoiler:

I never have my camera out on the 1st so all my rounds seem to be missing number one, I am guessing this was taken from the 18th tee or from the 17th.


This one was taken on a sunday when there was no play, looking at the tent it must have been near the dunhill links.

Spoiler:

What do people make of a par three as an opener? Just down the road from me Kilspindie has a par three of about 170 as an opener. This does not mean an easy start as the wind can often be coming straight of the sea into your face,

Spoiler:

As you can see it does not just provide an easy run up shot as the right of the green is blocked along the ground and should you try to run it up the left you must clear the bunkers short of the green. The green will however feed a balls to the right so playing a running fade up the left can get close to a right pin position. What ever shot you play you are challenged to hit a good mid iron or if the wind is up it could be anything from 5 to hybrid.

Played TOC with my old man on Saturday, certainly the most underwhelming opening hole in golf. No bunkers, fairly flat green, flat fairway 150 yards wide and nothing but a 4foot wide burn to trouble you, and my dad still managed to go OB left.

Got a comp on Saturday on it. Never much more than a 3Wood/Rescue followed by an easy 9 iron.

Super

As you seem to dislike the old course so much why do you continue to play it?

I quite like it although not as much as the Jubilee, New or Castle, I just think that most of it is incredibly over-rated. The only holes that I think are worthy of note are 7, 11, 12 and 17 and even then might not make it onto the other courses I mentioned. Take it out of St.Andrews and no one would fawn over it. 1,3,8,9,10, 14,15 and 16 are exceptionally average and really let the course down.
Plus, the other guys I play with like to play it, we can get it virtually every weekend and we get it for free so why not?

Kwini - Time dulls my memory. Now that you mention it ...

Mac - Great photos! How on earth do you do that?

Interesting that the #1 hole at my course is frequently mentioned as a standout. "A firm handshake" is how some describe it. But, I honestly would prefer a more gentle start. In that regard Merion East #1 gets top marks from me for best opener.

Shotrock

Just upload the image to something like photobucket then copy the link to the image into the post with at either end of the images url.

Having now had time to think of all the courses I've played I honestly think my home club has as good an opener as any. It's a 480ish par 5.off the yellows with no wind it should be seen as a birdie opportunity but there is a pesky ditch and hedge that pinch the fairway at about 210/220. Beyond that theres a large gorse bush on the right and some scattered trees left. As it's the first there's the debate about...can you afford a bad start I.e. Go for it and mess up.
There is then a 2nd ditch and hedge about 120 yards out but the fairway width is much more generous here. Bunkers side left and front right and an uphill approach call for a very good long iron/rescue/wood if going for it in 2.
Off the whites (unless there's a howling northerly) it's a 3 shotter for most because of the ditch and hedge that pinch the fairway at about 230-240.

Went with driver off the yellows last night and thinned it into the bloody hedge right (still working on eradicating that big raking hook - had a bit of over correction last night!!)

Not ours OB all the way down the right

Off the 1st tee at Puttenham in Surrey you have to drive over a disused sand pit.
The village bowling green and graveyard are on the right woods on the left and right in the middle of the landing area is a very large oak tree.
All under the gaze of the clubhouse patrons.

Doon, i drive past Puttenham on my way into work every day and am a member just down the road. I've never played it but have heard good things. I thought about leaving my current club and joining there as it's slightly closer to home and a couple of mates at my current club have recently left due to financial constraints.
What's Puttenham like? Worth joining in your opinion? There are always people on it no matter how early i drive by in the morning, which must be a good sign

A 300 yard downhill par 5.

Nothing too thought-provoking for opening hole. Straightforward par 4 with wide-ish fairway and no more than mid iron. There are after all still seventeen holes left to mess with the mind!

MustPuttBetter wrote:Doon, i drive past Puttenham on my way into work every day and am a member just down the road. I've never played it but have heard good things. I thought about leaving my current club and joining there as it's slightly closer to home and a couple of mates at my current club have recently left due to financial constraints.
What's Puttenham like? Worth joining in your opinion? There are always people on it no matter how early i drive by in the morning, which must be a good sign

It's not a bad track, definitely more parkland than heathland. I think there are better options in that area depending where you live, how far you want to drive and how much you are prepared to pay.

Within reasonable distance you have Hankley (5*) Hindhead (4*) Farnham (never played it) plus all the Woking/Guildford clubs.

A course should start with a relatively easy par to ease you into the round, preferably a 4 or 5 rather than a par 3.

As gael says, 17 opportunities after the first to blow your card

Disagree that the opening hole needs to be an easy par, but it does need to be straightforward enough to get players moving, so keep hazards and forced carries to a minimum.
As was suggested earlier, a good design will feature an opening hole which is reflective of the course ahead.
Don't see any point in the opening hole being a par 3 or an easily reachable par 5.

I think a good opener is something that allows you to ease into a round with the false sense of security as others have said plenty chances after that to ruin a good score.

One of my favourites is at a local Muni course near me, Deangate Ridge, straight forward par 4 about 360yards from memory of the whites, is tree lined but has a wide open fairway with only a small cut of rough, plays slightly up hill and has views of the Thames Estuary. Tends to play pretty much a 3 wood and a wedge and has a receptive green that has some very subtle breaks so plays straight forward but the green can catch you out. When you talk about the hole sounds unspectacular and in many ways you hope it plays that way unless you get some wind....

One hole i hate playing and actually has made me avoid the place for years until last year when i gave it a go is the opening Par 3, 245yards at Dartford. A nice little course tree lined and narrow all the way round but the opening Par3 is up hill all the way, always wind against and a very narrow opening with a bunker to carry at about 220yards then greenside bunkers front right and left. Personally speaking I don't like playing it not from my own persepective but i've never played a round there where at least 2 out of the 4 ball i'm in haven't struggled, as most players fail to carry the bunker at 220 (which uphill into the wind is more like 250carry) then you have the green further up the hill a ghastly little hole that needs a bulldozer taking to it

Thanks D4S
Courses like West Hill, Woking, Worplesdon, Hankley Common are definitely nicer tracks, but i can't particularly afford to pay more than the £1,200 i pay at Bramley. I had assumed Puttenham would be of a similar level whereas those other clubs possibly might not

Maverick wrote:I think a good opener is something that allows you to ease into a round with the false sense of security as others have said plenty chances after that to ruin a good score.

One of my favourites is at a local Muni course near me, Deangate Ridge, straight forward par 4 about 360yards from memory of the whites, is tree lined but has a wide open fairway with only a small cut of rough, plays slightly up hill and has views of the Thames Estuary. Tends to play pretty much a 3 wood and a wedge and has a receptive green that has some very subtle breaks so plays straight forward but the green can catch you out. When you talk about the hole sounds unspectacular and in many ways you hope it plays that way unless you get some wind....

One hole i hate playing and actually has made me avoid the place for years until last year when i gave it a go is the opening Par 3, 245yards at Dartford. A nice little course tree lined and narrow all the way round but the opening Par3 is up hill all the way, always wind against and a very narrow opening with a bunker to carry at about 220yards then greenside bunkers front right and left. Personally speaking I don't like playing it not from my own persepective but i've never played a round there where at least 2 out of the 4 ball i'm in haven't struggled, as most players fail to carry the bunker at 220 (which uphill into the wind is more like 250carry) then you have the green further up the hill a ghastly little hole that needs a bulldozer taking to it

That 1st at Dartford is a horrible little hole. No driving range for a warm up doesn't help either as you stand there stiff with a long iron in your hand needing to hit it dead straight to avoid the OB right and all those fir trees down the left that like to gobble up balls. It's not a bad course from there if a little disjointed with constant walks past tees to get to the one you are on next. Would hate to go there having never played it before!

SH my point exactly. Not a bad course once you get past the first hole, problem is having enthusiam to play the rest of the course knowing you've played such a horrer of a hole as an opener. Like you say no warm up and no room for error, never played a single round there where as I say at least 2 people havent had a horrer of a score on that hole and felt like jacking it in straight after doesnt set the tone for a good friendly round

I remember playing a junior open there and was a 9-10 handicapper at the time. I hit my 3 iron okay, towards left side of the green - took a nice kick left and ended up right under a fir tree. Nice double bogey to start with is not the best way to get going...

SH that hole should be destroyed I remember playing an inter club county league game their as a 15year old. We were the away team and Dartford the home side, I bogied the hole after finding those firs on the left yet my bogie was still enough to win the hole as my partner doubled and one of our opponents tripled, the other picked up saying he found the hole to hard to play (and he was a member there).

the highest handicap in our group was 4 and our group had the lowest average score for that hole out of the four groups in that match..

How about a 290yrd par 4, with blind tee shot ob down the right, thick rough down the left & trees. Bunker front left of the green. Green with upsloping front fringe then runs from front to back, with left and right mounds. fairway runs from right to left so playing over bunker is enevitable. usually the ground is rather damp for that chunked second shot feeling.

Also deep trouble to be had feet from the back of green !!

Oh thats right thats my forst hole, wouldn't change it for the world, haha

Mine is 310yrd par 4
170 carry over water, OB right and left
Steep fairway

Even playing of 3 a par on this hole feels like a birdie!!

Our first hole is a shortish par 3 form an elevated tee which is built on top of an old wartime bunker looks pretty cool. Plays down hill, bunkers left and right and one short of the run in to the green. Green slopes left to. OOB all down the right as a railway track runs parrallel to the hole and trees all round the back. It's a shortie but a toughie that gets no easier if your ball stays left of the pin because it literally is all downhill from there.

First hole at the Royal (Vale de Lobo) Wide open fairway with a receptive green (facing you). It still did not stop me racking up a seven after I 5-putted the extremely fast green & left my approach high of the pin.

Sharrison
I probably planted that tree in 1974.

D4S
I was HGK there for five years.
As I was leaving they were in the process of buying the land on the other side of the Pilgrims Way.
The 'new' course is quite a challenging heathland/parkland mix.
In my time it was pretty short and one of the poor relations in the Guildford area.
The members were great [30 years ago] and it still has a very good reputation as a friendly club.
I would think it would be easier to join and less expensive than some of the others mentioned on here. Definately better course than Farnham and on a par with West Surrey.
Very good winter course, can burn up a bit in Summer although I think they now have fairway watering.

Sharrison
Sorry I thought you were talking about Puttenham

1st at Turnberry Kintyre is a good opening drive with a second shot that offers quite a few options.

1st at Monte Rei is a cracking opening hole. Wide enough fairway to go with driver but can just as easily hit a long iron or 3 wood and leave a mid iron into a slightly elevated green.

Not ridiculously difficult but enough of a challenge to give you an idea of what lies ahead.

I think the old expression 'first impressions last' is very true of golf courses. I have fond memories of some courses where the opening hole is relatively gentle, such as Eaton in Norwich (fairly wide dogleg right par 5 of around 500 yards, but OB left so not a complete pushover), and not so fond ones of the tough starters (my course for one, Basildon is another, a public course where the first and second are 450 uphill par 4 with OB left and then 230 downhill par 3, then the 3rd's tough too but the rest of the course is quite short and easy)