Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Ira Fishman on July 10, 2020, 09:34:55 PM
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The thread about Par 3 Openers prompted this thread. Our course may have the worst first hole anywhere. It is only 360 yards. But there is OB right where the land cants hard left to right with the cart path perhaps five feet from the fairway. On the left, there is a line of trees with low hanging branches. Plus there is a pond left of the tee but 30 to 40 feet below the fairway with a 45 degree bank. It gets better: about 30 yards short of the green is a tree that blocks half the green and conveniently or not protects a deep bunker. The green is one of the most difficult on the course because of the extreme left to right slope.
The hole is awful. Pretty hard to beat as a horrible first hole.
Ira
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I don't know about worst, but one at a well known course IMO is Walton Heath Old. It is a very long par 3, about 230 from the back to a green with a very busy road on the right which is OB, and someone's backyard left about 20 yards left. Very tough opening hole and listening to the cars whizzing by just makes one think, "don't go right".
It is the only hole on that side of the road and talks to move the clubhouse and the opening hole entirely to the other side have been discussed for a while. I think it is too demanding as a starter and a hole needed to be shoehorned to make 18. If/when the club can get the necessary permissions I think it will be an improvement.
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My mind really goes back and forth on the concept of an opening par three. The thread about it was quite interesting.
My initial thought is that I wouldn't want to play a brutal 240 yarder off the bat, but at the same time, pulling a driver or 3-wood would feel more natural than, say, a 6-iron. So now I'm not really sure how I feel.
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I am hard pressed to think of a worse opener than Painswick's. It's so bad the last few times I played the course I parked by the 4th and started there. There are few if any holes I hate more. It takes lay of the land architecture way too far.
Ciao
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Ardsley CC
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Ardsley CC
Although I didn’t play it, I have stood on that tee and I remember wondering how many matches start “down 1” before they head down the hill? ;D
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I tried to think of the worst first hole near me in Delaware County Pa. Honestly they are all very good. Llanerch is redone and improved by tree removal. Ours is awesome. Merion/Aronimink are well known. Springfield flipped the nines and the best hole is 1 now. Paxon Hollow is short but it’s a neat dogleg to a fine green. Glen Mills is a more modern first so it has that gentle handshake feel but a well positioned green side bunker and a great green provide the fun. Concord has a wonderful diagonal carry over water to a challenging green. Springhaven’s first is no pushover. It’s long and has OB well placed at an angle for the tee shot. McCall is an uphill charmer.
Even Clayton Park’s uphill opener is nice for the most modest course around.
Thanks for the exercise. Sorry that we have so many good first holes.
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Ardsley is awful.
Mount Airy Lodge is worse.
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Narin and Portnoo
Tain
Kilspindie
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Ardsley CC
There is more lagoon than land on that hole! Who the heck would build such a thing?
https://www.ardsleycc.org/web/pages/course-tour (https://www.ardsleycc.org/web/pages/course-tour)
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Whisper it.....the old course?
Heresy, heresy. Burn the Witch!!!!
;D
F.
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I don't know about worst, but one at a well known course IMO is Walton Heath Old. It is a very long par 3, about 230 from the back to a green with a very busy road on the right which is OB, and someone's backyard left about 20 yards left. Very tough opening hole and listening to the cars whizzing by just makes one think, "don't go right".
It is the only hole on that side of the road and talks to move the clubhouse and the opening hole entirely to the other side have been discussed for a while. I think it is too demanding as a starter and a hole needed to be shoehorned to make 18. If/when the club can get the necessary permissions I think it will be an improvement.
Originally this was a par four, played from the other side of the road there where the back of that chipping area is. It was a nice friendly opening hole. Then because of the danger to traffic, they had to move it to the other side of the road and now you have the 230 yard par three with a green designed to take a wedge. It's a tough start that's for sure. I don't hate the hole, but it's not a good one. I am quite concerned about what they will do if they get rid of it though. What hole goes in instead?
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Whisper it.....the old course?
Heresy, heresy. Burn the Witch!!!!
;D
F.
First time I played the hole I hit a mediocre drive to <100 to a front hole location and proceeded to hit a solid a wedge into the burn. It didn't occur to me that the 100 was in meters. The second (and last) time I pulled the drive left of the Swilcan Bridge and with good yardage this time, knocked it in the burn again. A nothingburger starter in hindsight. We can burn together!
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It has been remodeled, so it happily RIP. The opener at Black Butte Ranch's Big Meadow was a serious contender. Mid iron tee shot on a par 5. Pretty sure JVDB will agree.
The first at Painswick is an easier golf hole than it is a walking test - had to tack back and forth at least three times.
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Worst first hole on an otherwise great course...Pebble Beach.
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Worst first hole on an otherwise great course...Pebble Beach.
That should be the clear winner in that category. Anyone who thinks the opening hole at The Old Course is bad, must not have played Pebble.
The opening hole on my home course growing up was not "the worst", but it was a bad opener. Plays straight east, with o.b. left, and a slope down from the right of the fairway to the fairway of the 9th. Slicers like me were constantly hitting their second shot of the day vaguely in the direction of players walking off the 9th tee.
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The 1st at Pebble is definitely the worst opener on a great course. I’m also not a huge fan of #1 at the Country Club.
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The 1st at Pebble is the best opener I have ever played. What's next with you clowns, the first at Riviera?
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It has been remodeled, so it happily RIP. The opener at Black Butte Ranch's Big Meadow was a serious contender. Mid iron tee shot on a par 5. Pretty sure JVDB will agree.
The first at Painswick is an easier golf hole than it is a walking test - had to tack back and forth at least three times.
Totally agree. After the iron, hit another iron to get around the second corner and then a third one to the green.
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Worst first hole on an otherwise great course...Pebble Beach.
That should be the clear winner in that category. Anyone who thinks the opening hole at The Old Course is bad, must not have played Pebble.
The opening hole on my home course growing up was not "the worst", but it was a bad opener. Plays straight east, with o.b. left, and a slope down from the right of the fairway to the fairway of the 9th. Slicers like me were constantly hitting their second shot of the day vaguely in the direction of players walking off the 9th tee.
Someone please explain to me why the 1st hole at Pebble is bad. I’ve only played it once. It’s harder than a “friendly handshake” but hardly a horrible hole imo. Fairway wood and 8 iron. Bunker on the corner but hardly a narrow corridor. Fairly severe green sloped from front to back. Certainly not a great hole....
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By far the worst 1st Hole I have played is at Secession. Didn’t really like the rest of the course either.
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Kilspindie
I will enjoy watching how this plays out, given the number of people pushing Kilspindie's first as a great example of a par 3 opener on the other thread. For me, it's neither, just a rather "meh" hole on a better course.
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Kilspindie
I will enjoy watching how this plays out, given the number of people pushing Kilspindie's first as a great example of a par 3 opener on the other thread. For me, it's neither, just a rather "meh" hole on a better course.
Doesn't do much for me. But it does have the advantage of playing from the house steps, lovely backdrop and onlookers can see the outcome.
Ciao
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The merits of #1 at Pebble as an actual hole are fair game.... but there are few things in my life that ever gave me a bigger thrill than when I walked onto that tee and knocked a perfect little power fade right down the center stripe.
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I'd be remiss not to mention the 1st hole of the Fazio Course at PGA National.
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Kilspindie
I will enjoy watching how this plays out, given the number of people pushing Kilspindie's first as a great example of a par 3 opener on the other thread. For me, it's neither, just a rather "meh" hole on a better course.
Doesn't do much for me. But it does have the advantage of playing from the house steps, lovely backdrop and onlookers can see the outcome.
Ciao
Something I never gave a lot of thought to.
Seemed perfect as a start.
I'm of the opinion that not every hole has to be jaw dropping or memorable, though I do remember that one.
More and more I seem to gravitate towards places like Dunfanaghy where somewhat subtle, lay of the land holes escort you to greater heights at a few key intervals during the round. Dunfanagy does just that with a pleasant enough start followed by highs at 6-10 and then another crescendo at 16-18.
18 statement holes simply without any breathers tire my game and senses,and seem to generally be populated by architectural deplorables ;D :o
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I'm of the opinion that not every holes has to be jaw dropping or memorable, though I do remember that one.
More and more I seem to gravitate towards places like Dunfanaghy where somewhat subtle, lay of the land holes escort you to greater heights at a few key intervals during the round. Dunfanagy does just that with a pleasant enough start followed by highs at 6-10 and then another crescendo at 16-18.
18 statement holes simply without any breathers tire my game and senses,and seem to generally be populated by architectural deplorables ;D :o
+1 to both the comment and the course mentioned.
Atb
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Someone please explain to me why the 1st hole at Pebble is bad. I’ve only played it once. It’s harder than a “friendly handshake” but hardly a horrible hole imo. Fairway wood and 8 iron. Bunker on the corner but hardly a narrow corridor. Fairly severe green sloped from front to back. Certainly not a great hole....
I shall attempt to explain:
1. You are at Pebble Beach, but the first hole offers no glimpse of the ocean, but feels like you are playing in the back of some condo development.
2. There is o.b. to both sides. It is less than 300 feet from building to building; if I built a hole in a space that narrow I'd be sued today.
3. It's a dogleg right, with a tree on the inside corner so you won't play more toward the green and slice into Casa Palermo. If you don't hit a good drive your second will be blocked by the tree, and the only place to aim is at the bunker and hill to the left of the green, from where you are inevitably going to make six.
4. It's only 250 yards from the back tee to drive it through the fairway into the bunker there, so good players today must lay up with an iron, or take it over the trees on the right.
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On a famous course Pebble is hard to top.
Winterfield in East Lothian is one for the books.
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Someone please explain to me why the 1st hole at Pebble is bad. I’ve only played it once. It’s harder than a “friendly handshake” but hardly a horrible hole imo. Fairway wood and 8 iron. Bunker on the corner but hardly a narrow corridor. Fairly severe green sloped from front to back. Certainly not a great hole....
I shall attempt to explain:
1. You are at Pebble Beach, but the first hole offers no glimpse of the ocean, but feels like you are playing in the back of some condo development.
2. There is o.b. to both sides. It is less than 300 feet from building to building; if I built a hole in a space that narrow I'd be sued today.
3. It's a dogleg right, with a tree on the inside corner so you won't play more toward the green and slice into Casa Palermo. If you don't hit a good drive your second will be blocked by the tree, and the only place to aim is at the bunker and hill to the left of the green, from where you are inevitably going to make six.
4. It's only 250 yards from the back tee to drive it through the fairway into the bunker there, so good players today must lay up with an iron, or take it over the trees on the right.
I think the "back of condo development" is a little exaggerated. The hotel is only on the right, and a few houses on the left. I don't doubt the width but it doesn't look that bad on this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhkRUoTo-mU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhkRUoTo-mU)
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You go to Pebble knowing you are going to experience some of the great beauty this world has to offer and you are so greedy to get it started that not getting an eye full the first hole is a knock on the course? Where is your sense of romantic anticipation?
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Narin and Portnoo
Tain
Kilspindie
What do you so dislike about Tain? I think the second shot over the road and fence is about as charmingly quaint as it gets!
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I have to say I’m not a fan of the first at Hoylake. Long dogleg with OB everywhere. The exact opposite of a friendly handshake. 🤬
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It is surely not the first hole at Pebble Beach. In many ways the hole is quite similar to the first hole at Merion. Both are short slight doglegs to the right that require less than driver for most golfers. The long hitter can tempt the corner but usually the nerves don’t allow it on the first hole. Plus at Merion, you might have 40 people sitting on the veranda 10 feet away having lunch and watching you tee off. I love both starting holes. Another one of my favorites that I am surprised no one mentioned is the first at Cypress Point! 50 feet in front of the tee is a large hedge you have to drive over that blocks the view of almost everything (it is there to screen 17 mile drive). To the right is the driving range (don’t block your tee shot right or it might take a while to find your ball). Fortunately the course doesn’t get much play so the range balls out there to look through are usually limited 😊. I love the hole as the nerves and excitement on the tee of what is ahead is some of the most you will ever feel as a golfer. But if you didn’t know where you were playing you would shake your head in disbelief. Don’t expect to ever see Tom Doak build a starting tee shot like that one 😉. This is an interesting topic but what is good and bad and why will be all over the map.
Mike,
The first at Mt. Airy is BAD!
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Mark,
Incredibly bad. ;D
Surprised no one has mentioned that dumb first hole where you have to hit blindly over a high hedgerow and sunken public road. :-X
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I can't believe there is a discussion on whether TOC or PB has the worst first hole on the planet. Your average club golfer would be shaking their heads reading some of this stuff. Neither hole is particularly brilliant but neither are they all that bad.
Re Kilspindie - I actually think it quite a charming hole. Personally I'd prefer to be hitting a good solid yahoo with the big stick rather than trying to finesse an iron with my very first shot of the day but that doesn't mean it's a bad golf hole.
Off hand I'm not sure what my nomination would be but I'm pretty sure it would be on a course that few if any of you have heard of.
Niall
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A hole with a fairway setting and green site such as Cypress Point's first would typically be in contention for best hole on any course. it's a par 4 with a "bad" shot (really more mysterious than anything else) and then an approach shot and green which is not talked about enough.
It is not the worst first hole, or even a bad one IMO.
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Alex Miller,
Isn't there also a very large tree(s?) interjecting into the whole right-side of the fairway?
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Mike,
Not so much interjecting, more like gentle encouragement, and the bombers can just go right over it..
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cypress+Point+Club/@36.5813322,-121.9724437,405m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x808de71503b331d9:0x8b8ffb7460b1ecd8!8m2!3d36.5802249!4d-121.9741049 (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cypress+Point+Club/@36.5813322,-121.9724437,405m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x808de71503b331d9:0x8b8ffb7460b1ecd8!8m2!3d36.5802249!4d-121.9741049)
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Alex Miller,
Isn't there also a very large tree(s?) interjecting into the whole right-side of the fairway?
Yes. They are carryable for some, but still ample room left for those who can't. They provide a solid frame of reference for where to aim, but do not continue so there are ample options for the second shot if someone encounters them. There is perhaps a case to be made to get rid of them, but they do add a strategic element in guarding the line of charm.
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I played CPC 1 from the practice range. Not the best Opening Hole but certainly a decent one. The hedge is part of the allure. Not nearly as strategic as the stone fence on NB 13, but analogous in terms of charm.
Ira
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By far the worst 1st Hole I have played is at Secession. Didn’t really like the rest of the course either.
+1 here.
Loved the food, the caddies, the vibe of the place...just wish the course was better.
I believe I hit a 3 hybrid or 5 wood on #1 there.
That "cape hole" opener is also a disaster lurking from the get-go. Water short, water long, water left...great.
so much for a "gentle hand shake".
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If that hedge is ruining that hole for you then you're missing out on a lot. I remember reading comments about that hedge and was curious to see it in person. The hedge and 17 Mile Drive are quite a bit below the level of the clubhouse and tees. I agree with Alex on the right tree and the green is spectacular.
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#1 at North Berwick retires the trophy for "worst 1st hole" - except that after enough plays, it crosses past the ethos of "worst" and rotates around the great wheel so far, it crosses over to endearingly nutty. At this point, I'd never change it.
Then again, I have very strange tastes, the Klondike might be my favorite hole at Lahinch . . . . . it does not hurt I made 3 on my first try.
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By far the worst 1st Hole I have played is at Secession. Didn’t really like the rest of the course either.
+1 here.
Loved the food, the caddies, the vibe of the place...just wish the course was better.
I believe I hit a 3 hybrid or 5 wood on #1 there.
That "cape hole" opener is also a disaster lurking from the get-go. Water short, water long, water left...great.
so much for a "gentle hand shake".
Thanks for commenting on the nice aspects of Secession. My caddy, a Marine from Camp Lajeune, was probably the best I’ve ever had.
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Winterfield in East Lothian is one for the books.
Simon,
I am not sure the quality of the first hole at Winterfield can be judged due to its incredible difficulty. In fact I would suggest it is the hardest first hole in golf. It is definitely not the best hole in the world but I would not put it down as bad per se as it does clearly present a challenge. It is clearly not a great first hole but it has character which means it avoids the dreary mundanity that makes truly bad golf.
Jon
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You'll have to go a long way to find a more catastrophic opener than at Vale da Pinta, in the Portuguese Algarve...except that this is now the 10th. However, it was the 1st when i played it.
Apart from the obvious flaws, there is also a massive right to left slope.
(https://i.imgur.com/mkM3YeD.jpg?3)