Vann said:
A great opening hole is wide with a chance to use the driver right away, without hazards or chances of losing balls. This prevents delays right from the start.
The course I grew up on starts with a long iron or wood off the tee because of water along the left and a tree-lined creek up the right. If you go too far right, you’re blocked by the creek; too long, and you’re in it. You have to aim left to have a shot at the green, which has a runoff along the right length and a bunker up the left. It’s one of the toughest starting holes I’ve played.
Vann said:
A great opening hole is wide with a chance to use the driver right away, without hazards or chances of losing balls. This prevents delays right from the start.
That just sounds like hitting into a simulator, even the #1 at the old course still has the creek going through it.
@Noel
There are other factors like angles, slopes, and green complexes that can make a hole interesting. Maybe the 1st at the Old Course isn’t even that good of a hole? It has a mile-wide fairway and a creek that doesn’t really challenge anyone.
@Vann
You’re touching on two of the three points I mentioned. A dog leg right is about the angle, and the slope comes from an elevated tee box. A wide fairway with no hazards feels like hitting an extra ball at the driving range before you start playing.
@Noel
When I talk about slope, I mean how the fairway tilts, which affects your stance for the approach shot, and how the ball rolls toward or away from the green for a tough chip.
Jason said: @Noel
It’s like hitting a long or mid-iron just for positioning. It’s the same idea as having a wide-open fairway to find your range with the driver.
Choosing a club based on the hazards involves strategic thinking, which is ideal on a first hole to engage players mentally. Otherwise, you could opt for a penal design that challenges players physically.
@Noel
The burn is about 340 yards from the tee, so it hardly affects the drive. Not every challenging hole needs to be narrowly defined with hazards everywhere. Position and approach angle to the green are key aspects of golf course design.
The ideal starting hole has an elevated tee, a wide fairway, no major hazards, and a long par four layout. It should not have a severe dogleg and the green should be well-protected. This setup gives everyone a chance to start with a driver, get near the green, and score par or bogey to keep the pace moving.
@Keir
Our course designers here in NC need your consultation. Check out Grandover’s first two holes — both par 4s with no clear sightlines for an optimal tee shot. Plus, you can’t even see if the previous group has cleared the fairway.