Toughest Opening Hole

the lawman

So I've too much time on my hands being out injured and I was thinking of this topic. I think it's fair to say most opening holes tend be relatively easier than other 17 for obvious reasons.

So what courses have tough opening holes? Name the courses you have played that have the toughest.

Ill start. Monty for me. Tough drive. Green surrounded by hazard. Also a long walk to get to tee.

ForeRight

Grange castle starts with index 1

Long par 4 where you need to find the gap in the trees off the tee to be able to go straight at the green. Not an overly tough hole but its not a tough course I suppose.

I find the 1st in lisheen a tough hole sometimes. Par 5.
Your second shot is always with the ball above your feet which is tough with a wood or low iron. Bunkers to catch the ball then about 100 back from the green.

Russman

1st in Slade Valley for me.

Even better in the snow

the lawman

It's my course but I also find Rathcore 1st tough. Par 5. Anything right off the tee is a lost shot. Water in play for second shot all along the fareway. The green is undulating with two horrible bunkers.

soundsham

Muskerry long par 4 sloping green , not as bad as before since the green is redone
but normally driver long iron at least and possibly into prevailing wind

FortuneChip

1st at Millicent. Long uphill Par 5 (580 or so I think?), second shot can nearly be blind. And it just goes on and on and on.

PARlance

Took me good few rounds before I scored on the 1st in Lisheen (Par 5), another one that I've struggled with is the 1st at Luttrellstown (Par 4, narrow fairway, tough and well protected green)
The 1st in Wicklow is a stunning opener and although I've only played it once, I'd look forward to struggling through it again someday.

Benny Cake

1st in castlecomer is an exceptionally difficult opener. Brown bread if you go left or right from the tee and its uphill all the way to the flag...

shaneon77

1st at millicent for me too. very tricky into the wind.

FixdePitchmark

I guess an opening should not be too hard - so not that easy to find hard opening holes, ones that I would happy to get away with a par on are.

1) Baltay
2) Druids Heath (very hard green)
3) Balbriggan
4) Portmarnock Links
5) The Island
5) Enniscrone

Again - none of them very hard , but happy to get away with a par.

P_1

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I guess an opening should not be too hard - so not that easy to find hard opening holes, ones that I would happy to get away with a par on are.

1) Baltay
2) Druids Heath (very hard green)
3) Balbriggan
4) Portmarnock Links
5) The Island
5) Enniscrone

Again - none of them very hard , but happy to get away with a par.

Balbriggan isn't the worst opening hole out there IMO. Trouble left off the tee but reasonably forgiving to the right, stay left of the green if you miss it and you're not in the worst shape.

Bellewstown, now that's a tough opener

FixdePitchmark

P_1 wrote: »

Balbriggan isn't the worst opening hole out there IMO. Trouble left off the tee but reasonably forgiving to the right, stay left of the green if you miss it and you're not in the worst shape.

Bellewstown, now that's a tough opener

Yes but very large rise to green from right. Not an easy par out of the car.

P_1

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Yes but very large rise to green from right. Not an easy par out of the car.

No not an easy par to be fair. Having said that It's rare that I think of pars, a bogey is a good score for me on most holes

FixdePitchmark

P_1 wrote: »

No not an easy par to be fair. Having said that It's rare that I think of pars, a bogey is a good score for me on most holes

That is the point - how often would you or most lads come away with a par from 1st there - 1 in 2 maybe. That is a tough hole.

P_1

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

That is the point - how often would you or most lads come away with a par from 1st there - 1 in 2 maybe. That is a tough hole.

In all my times playing the course I've yet to hit better than a 5 on it

FixdePitchmark

P_1 wrote: »

Balbriggan isn't the worst opening hole out there IMO.

So would you like to re-consider.

P_1

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

So would you like to re-consider.

I consider a score lower than a double bogey and no lost balls on a hole as a good hole by my current standards.

Aim low and you don't get disappointed and all that

blindside88

Baltinglass has a tough opening hole, a long up hill par 4 with a dike across the fairway

Kevinmarkham

Mine would, in no particular order, be
Scrabo
Rosapenna Sandy Hills
Gracehill
Castlecomer
Druid's Heath

Benicetomonty

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Mine would, in no particular order, be
Scrabo
Rosapenna Sandy Hills
Gracehill
Castlecomer
Druid's Heath

+1 on the island. Ive never played Scrabo but 1st tee looks terrifying from pics Ive seen. Lucan gc has a tricky opener; any miss with approach means par unlikely. 1st hole in headfort new is tough, as is the 1st in Carlow.

Goldenjohn

Oughterard
Not the toughest but tough
Long par 4, usually into the wind, well protected green......only hole I've yet to birdie on the course after 4 years a member
Please god this year!

stockdam

I was going to say that Kevin is one of the best people to answer this question as he has played all of the courses; but I see that he has already posted.

I agree with his number 1.

Scrabo is the toughest first hole that I have played.

It's a tight drive and the further you go the narrower the fairway. Both sides are lined with gorse and if you miss the fairway then you will lose your ball.

The 2nd is a long uphill shot towards Scrabo Tower. There's out of bounds about 20 yards right of the green and thick grass to the left and behind.

The safest bet is to play it as a 5. Hit a moderate drive that stays in play and hit a rescue wood to the neck of the green and then hope for a chip and a putt for the par.

If you try to force a par here then you will end up with a 6,7 or 8.

"The first hole at Scrabo Golf Club is described by the legendary Christy O'Connor Snr as being his favourite opening hole in Irish Golf."

Kevinmarkham

stockdam wrote: »

"The first hole at Scrabo Golf Club is described by the legendary Christy O'Connor Snr as being his favourite opening hole in Irish Golf."

And mine!

I think it's very easy to pick holes that have a lot of length (Sandy Hills for example) but, as others have noted, the difficulty of hitting straight or strategic shots on the opening hole add hugely to the challenge. Gracehill is a short par four, but a tee shot too short or long makes attacking the green almost impossible (over water, uphill, between trees). Druid's Heath is a blindish drive and then a very tough green to reach and read.

Knockanally could also be added to the list and if I went through the book I'm sure I'd be reminded of a few others.

fullstop

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Mine would, in no particular order, be
Scrabo
Rosapenna Sandy Hills
Gracehill
Castlecomer
Druid's Heath

1st in Sandy Hills was extremely tough as a par 4, but they've made it a par 5 now so it's not too bad.

stockdam

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Gracehill is a short par four, but a tee shot too short or long makes attacking the green almost impossible (over water, uphill, between trees).

Yes the first at Gracehill is a tough hole but it's all about the teeshot. You must be looking straight down the green otherwise as you said then it's almost impossible; in fact a sideways chip to the correct place in the fairway is probably the safest option if you are out of position.

The last time I played it I had a 10 foot putt for birdie and came off with a tap in par which is always a good score on that hole.

levitronix

Havent been there in over 10 years but the 1st off the back tee in the grange is a very tough hole to open with a par 3

not yet

1st in headfort new, nasty tee shot with a dogleg left, tough green etc etc

cackhanded

Not one many on here are likely to have played but I've played it a few times since moving over here last Sept - 1st in Meyrick Park in Bournemouth (a municipal course). 240 yard par 3 across a valley so all carry to reach the green. The strokesaver recommends laying up and taking your 4!

http://www.theclubatmeyrickpark.com/map

Nuri Sahin

Portmarnock Links is a standout for me. Not particular long or nowt but if you play that hole on the wrong day and you're natural shot is a fade/slice for some, and the wind is blowing from north to south further pushing shots to the right. It can be a nightmare.

To offer something a tad different, although I suppose the guy who mentioned Grange and it's opening hole is along the same theme as my comment. Par 3 opening holes are a rare thing, but one hole on these shores that can be very daunting is actually in Donabate and I'm not talking about The Island along there, but in fact Corballis

Medium length par 3 to a slightly elevated green with the wind coming in off the sea and into the players face usually from the left with a few well placed pot bunkers at the front of it. I know I've hit anything from a fairway wood to a 9 iron in there over the past decade depending on the wind. As well as that, the course is usually jam packed with people lined up on the first tee waiting to begin their round all watching and scrutinising every shot.

DeanAustin

1st in Woodlands is a very tough opening hole particularly off the back tee. Right and you're in the water, left and you're potentially oob. Few bunkers around the green as well. Not a nice one to start on if you aren't feeling confident with your driver.

Agree with the 1st on the Monty too - bit of a knee knocker if you've a habit of knocking down drives or fading the ball. Thankfully I don't - still didn't stop me taking a 7 on it recently though!!!

GreeBo

i'd much rather a driver than a long iron for my opening shot, you can recover from a bad drive with a good second or third, with a long par three often you are just plain dead after a poor tee shot...which is not much fun when you have 17 more holes in a strokes comp...
also you can just hit a fairway wood and then a medium iron, with a long par 3, if you are going for it, usually there it's only one club and it looks like a buttery knife!

dar_cool

DeanAustin wrote: »

1st in Woodlands is a very tough opening hole particularly off the back tee. Right and you're in the water, left and you're potentially oob. Few bunkers around the green as well. Not a nice one to start on if you aren't feeling confident with your driver.

Agree with the 1st on the Monty too - bit of a knee knocker if you've a habit of knocking down drives or fading the ball. Thankfully I don't - still didn't stop me taking a 7 on it recently though!!!

Totally agree. I used to be a member in woodlands when I was a juvenile and it was a 9 hole course. Lovely course.

DeanAustin

dar_cool wrote: »

Totally agree. I used to be a member in woodlands when I was a juvenile and it was a 9 hole course. Lovely course.

Tis a good course alright. The 15th is one of the best designed holes, all thanks to that fecking tree, I've played despite the fact I've only ever parred it a couple of times.

Kevinmarkham

fullstop wrote: »

1st in Sandy Hills was extremely tough as a par 4, but they've made it a par 5 now so it's not too bad.

That I did not know - thanks for the heads-up

FixdePitchmark

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

Portmarnock Links is a standout for me. Not particular long or nowt but if you play that hole on the wrong day and you're natural shot is a fade/slice for some, and the wind is blowing from north to south further pushing shots to the right. It can be a nightmare.

To offer something a tad different, although I suppose the guy who mentioned Grange and it's opening hole is along the same theme as my comment. Par 3 opening holes are a rare thing, but one hole on these shores that can be very daunting is actually in Donabate and I'm not talking about The Island along there, but in fact Corballis

Medium length par 3 to a slightly elevated green with the wind coming in off the sea and into the players face usually from the left with a few well placed pot bunkers at the front of it. I know I've hit anything from a fairway wood to a 9 iron in there over the past decade depending on the wind. As well as that, the course is usually jam packed with people lined up on the first tee waiting to begin their round all watching and scrutinising every shot.

It is a nice opening - but not tough. Most days (80%) it is a PW to an 8 Iron. Anything long hits back bank and you should have a 2 putt for par. Anything left is on green with a 45 to 60 foot 2 putt for par. I like it , but not in the same paragraph or context of The Island number 1.

redzerdrog

1st in greenore, long par 3 with out of bounds to the right

FixdePitchmark

redzerdrog wrote: »

1st in greenore, long par 3 with out of bounds to the right

A story about that hole - Our first ever society outing was in Greenore - Rain was on the cards, but had held off all day. First shot it started to rain and by the time the first group got on green the cup was full of water. Never seen such a downpour and baptisim for a society. Knocked it to 7 feet with a five iron but too much water to putt.

I'll never forget that day on the course. So can't say if it is tough , but it is wet there when it rains. Great course - love to go back.

Rikand

1st in mount bellew is a very tough opening par 3. You're hitting a long iron and when you're not swinging properly right out of the car, its very difficult to make par on it.


Athlone is a tough one off the back tee aswell. Tree lined fairway with a slight dogleg left and then straight up hill for your second shot with a 2-tiered green - not a long hole, but a tricky opening