Opening hole tee shot

[clubchamp07]

What I mean here is what are you'r courses like with you'r opening hole tee shot? During the summer months at our club most low handicapers will only tee up and use a 3 iron depending where the markers are. Our 1st hole is a par 4 dogleg right. Position is a must, so the iron or a 3-5 wood is the most likely club. At our course in the hard summer fairways we really don't need to use our driver untill the 6th hole (dogleg right again)
A few years ago we where chatting about this 1st hole and someone said that alot of courses have a 1st hole that everyone can have a blatter with their driver's.
August last year 07 the said Mr Rory McIlroy came and played our course in a foursomes match. Being the confident guy that he is, he stood on our 1st tee with his driver, Yep he was far to long and stuck his mate in the tree's, this said his mate played a great 2nd shot and they made a par.
Do any of you guys/gals play at a course where your driver isn't needed at the 1st hole?

 

[madandra]

The 1st at Shotts ia a driveable par 4 in summer. 325 from the big boys tees but last 130ydds are downhill so you can creap onto the green. However, I like a full shot in so would play my 3-wood or even a 5 iron to get it away.

 

[brendy]

Bangor has a fairly straight forward teeshot when off the normal tees, its a 350 yd par4 with two (map is out of date) bunkers up the right close to each other and rough and trees left and right, a 4 iron will still give you a short iron to the green, the teebox is tucked down the side of the proshop and there are trees lining the right hand side seperating the course from the road (broadway its called so there are manys a joke if you slice it onto the road, "send my regards to broadway" etc) so if you must go with a driver to clear the bunkers you need to fade the ballas the trees start at the front of the teebox, I hate it as an opening hole as I draw the ball and a fade is doable for me but its not an exact science.

 

[Parmo]

Dog leg left and use a 5i and try and get a draw after watching the low players hook the shot at will, 2nd hole is a straight par 5 with a slopping fairway and a elivated green.

 

[clubchamp07]

What I mean Brendy is that you can use the driver at this hole if you want. If we use our driver we're going to be in trouble.

 

[brendy]

Definately mate, During the summer the stableford tees ar eslightly ahead of our meal tees and the driver comes out for a blatter at the green, if you hit it straight u the middle theres a 10 yard avenue to thread the ball through if you are long enough (320 yards though) can make in into the centre of the green.
The young lads all queue up on these days and watch each other having a go for it, very very few get even close and they all get rediculed something shocking.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Royal Ascot's 1st is a 220 yard par 3 (off whites) with a pond short left (hook territory) and two bunkers left and one right with a small line of trees 50 yards short on the right for the push/slice. Stroke index 10

For the higher handicappers it is a driver or 3 wood. The wind is usually helping and right to left so I usually need a 3 wood (not too bad for an opening club especially in medals) but in summer I can get home with a hybrid

 

[heathcliffe]

Our opener is a 500yd par 5 with two good hits required to be able to see the green which is like an island in the bottom of an old quarry.
However for your tee shot the car park runs alongside and to the left of the fairway a hooked shot can go in ,but if you are lucky and miss all the motors you can get a bounce through onto the 18th fairway.
Its amazing how many people "find" their ball sat up well on the 18th especially as they are hidden from view by a drystone wall.I once saw guy hit into the car park we heard it hit a car or two...he then proceeded to "find" it and played on .When we got back into the clubhouse one of the members handed him back a ball with his name on which he had found under his car.
The bluffer then told a cock and bull story about dropping a ball out of his bag when he unloaded his car.Very plausible and convenient.

 

[MVP]

My first hole is a 550yrd par5 with bunkers at about 250yrds and 280 yrds on the right hand side, plenty of room to drive but there is OB on the left an some new trees on the righthand rough, still got a shot as long as your between not behind a tree. towards the green it narrows down loads, and the green is protected by fir trees around the right and back side! green is slightly elevated, defintately three to hit the green, if you can get there in two, its a very difficult second shot to pull off so far im hitting driver 16deg rescue and pitch on!

 

[muttleee]

Here's mine:

It's a 354 yard dogleg right where the fairway slopes from left to right as well. Being a 20 handicapper, I have to wait till the road along the side of the hole is free from traffic before I hit my shot!

 

[John_Findlay]

Now you're just showing off, Muttlee!!

Nice one, mate. Lovely opener.

Here's mine.

Either take a driver off the tee and go for it, risking landing either right behind one of the greenside bunkers, with a 15 yard downhill, bare lie onto a hard, fast upturned green, or landing in them, possibly with a stance meaning you're aiming back to the tee.

...or more senisbly, a 6 iron short of the 2 fairway bunkers and a wedge in. Not easy with the upturned green, either.

Love that hole when I'm playing well. Hate it most days, though.

 

[GB72]

Mine is a sharp dog leg right. It can eiher be a brave drive over the hedge to the right to leave an 8 or 9 iron to the green or a safe, sraight 3 or 5 wood leaving anything from a 4 iron to a 6 iron depending on how far left you stray

 

[def]

ours is a par 3, anything short gets the bunker anythink long leaves a very fast down hill to hole.driver comes out on the 4th shouting smash-it.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

No John, THIS is "showing off"

http://top100.sites.virtualcaddy.com/coursesamples/carnoustie/

Click on hole 1

 

[John_Findlay]

Ahhaaa! Got me there, Atticus.

You've got a lovely first hole! (One of my old chat up lines, that...strangely never worked)

2 iron just short of the bunker, was my preferred option. Don't drive the ball like you!

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Didn't really mean the hole as such John. More the graphics. Did you click on the virtual caddie link?

Your hole looks spectacular it has to be said.

(You realize I mean golf hole don't you?)

 

[madandra]

Get a room you two

 

[John_Findlay]

Yeah, Alan. I've got the course guide at home. It's a cracker to be sure.

Used to subscribe to Virtual Caddy (for a week, before I went to play Cruden Bay). Fun site.

P.S. You have refined my chat up line. Maybe try that one, instead.

 

[toonarmy]

Our 1st hole, which if you haven't warmed up and the wind blows, is a nightmare tee shot. OB all round the dog leg and, despite what the image suggests, not much fairway to aim at on the safe line and that still leaves you a monster shot to a par 4 opener.

If this hole appeared later on the course, I would still think it a tough one - for an opener...

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Looks nice.

What way does the wind normally blow from Toon?