Favorite Opening and Closing Holes

[BigAl724]

Pretty simple, what are your favorite holes to start a course on, and your favorite ones to end with?

Opening - Waterworks - A chance to let your arm loose and really bomb your disc. Has a great view of the KC skyline and of the park. Great mix of rolling hills and trees and sets the tone for the rest of the course.

Closing - The Black Course - 1,000+ foot hole throwing off a huge hill. Your disc is at the mercy of the wind on this one.

 

[jchoate7]

Starting - Hole 1 at Pinchot Quaker course in central PA. Only 240 ft but plays more like 400 ft. Its a straight shot uphill probably at least 120 ft. My first time looking at the hole I just thought to myself "Are you serious?"

Starting (close 2nd) - Hole 1 at Black Diamond in western NY. Almost 1000 ft down a downhill generous fairway that makes you pay for it if you throw to the rough. Plays down a ski slope where the wind rarely plays a factor because of the protection of the trees. Very intimidating start for a tough front 9.

Closing - Hole 18 at Beaver Island in western NY. 580 ft in total length. The hole starts out wide open but the last 30 ft are a tight tunnel shot. Makes you really think your second shot. Lay up outside the tunnel or go for it. Allows for someone to attack the pin or play safe. Especially when the score is close with your opponent.

 

[DavidSauls]

OPENING - Stoney Hill (Diamond layout) - big downhill bomb, great chance to empty a bag in warmup. Then basket tucked into woods, with dangerous O.B. nearby. And usually wind.

CLOSING - Stoney Hill - drive down a chute, then across an open area, then choose one of 4 gaps in a line of trees, then across a wide O.B. are, to basket on tall mound, just on the far edge of the O.B. Great chance to blow a 3-stroke lead.

*

And without the homerism......

OPENING - Gran Canyon (extinct course) - Drive off a 60' tall cliff, across open canyon floor, then into woods and steeply up hill. (Runnerups would be this year's temporary ressurection on the Canyon property, either the Am weekend or Pro weekend #1s).

CLOSING - Gran Canyon (extinct course) #27 - Off a "mountaintop" to the canyou floor, hundreds of feet across that floor past a small O.B. pond, to a basket on a ledge two-thirds the way up the cliff. (Runnerup: Renny #18)

 

[jongoff09]

Opening: Selah Lakeside - open drive, placement 2nd shot, tunnel approach to a basket on a slope with water nearby. It can be eagled, but you take a risk of going into the water with the length of the 2nd shot.

Closing: Disc Side of Heaven Rec Course - uphill drive where placement and length are both important, and placement of the 2nd is extremely important if you want a birdie putt. Trees are within feet of the basket on one side and it is placed near a drop off that will get in your head.

 

[mreynolds24]

Opening:

1a: #1 @ Steady Ed, IDGC: About 300' downhill tunnel shot. Great introduction to what this course is: fun. I love stepping up to this hole and throwing a perfectly straight buzzz that never leaves the pole and it slides under the basket (or gives it an ace run to get the heart really going!).
1b: #1 @ Jackson does the same thing, and is equally as good of an opening hole, IMO. Instead of fun, it sets up for a longer, placement game that is Jackson. But, from the start of both of these courses you know what you're getting into.

Finishing:

1a: Hole 18 @ Jackson, IDGC: After you've grinded an entire round of LONG, wooded, controlled shot golf, and you're mentally drained, you step up to this par 5. Split fairway off the tee allowing you to go straight at it, or take a hyzer route. Either way, you're throwing over a valley and trying to land on a hillside. 2nd shot has you taking an uphill, fairly sharp right turn down a tunnel that flattens out. 3rd shot has you shooting down this tunnel about 250-300'. 4th shot hopefully you're putting and you birdie/par. Sounds easy, but executing is a different story. Great way to finish, trying to hold onto whatever score you're clinging to.
1b: 18 @ Warner, IDGC: Stepping up to the tee you can see the basket sitting on top of the hill across the valley about 600' straight away. Takes a very, very straight 300' shot off the tee because it drops off about 100' down to an OB stream at the very bottom. Then a very straight 300' shot back up the 100' incline to have a putt at birdie. A very pretty hole, with very tough execution that punishes bad shots by adding at least another stroke. Also, a fitting way to end a physically demanding course by walking up and down the deep valley one more time.

Sorry for all of the IDGC love, but the courses here are amazing and as a whole, it's difficult to find better golf than what you'll play here.

 

[heartman]

OPENING - Stoney Hill (Diamond layout) - big downhill bomb, great chance to empty a bag in warmup. Then basket tucked into woods, with dangerous O.B. nearby. And usually wind.

CLOSING - Stoney Hill - drive down a chute, then across an open area, then choose one of 4 gaps in a line of trees, then across a wide O.B. are, to basket on tall mound, just on the far edge of the O.B. Great chance to blow a 3-stroke lead.

Non-homer and I'll agree with this for sure.

Flyboy 27/Renny 18 are great finishing holes as well.

I'm quite partial to JP Moseley 1 from the golds: Par 4, 455' ... RHBH anny bomb to the gap, RHBH hyzer approach, not a hard 3 or 4 ... the tee shot is the best part , the green is kinda cool too (tree stumps/logs scattered around, downed trees, etc.)

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I loved Flyboy, but Renny 18 just has a kind of epic quality to it - that chasm you need to cross, while not all that far distance-wise, is quite deep, and depending on where on the fairway you're throwing from, can be daunting to get over and onto the green. Brackett's Bluff (old) had a long, humbling uphill finish (not sure if that hole survived), but I gotta give it to Renny.

If pressed for my favorite starting hole, I might have to say Beast #1, but that's more for the view than anything else:

That said, my mind can definitely be changed.

 

[scarpfish]

Opening - Water Works Park, KCMO #1

Closing - Pickard Park, Indianola, IA #18

 

[ZMan44]

Opening - Idlewild #1

Closing - I was going to say Renny, (and also thought about Pickard) but to be different, I'll go with Sandy Point #27. Lake down the entire right side with a sliver of a peninsula green.

 

[DavidSauls]

Finishing:

1a: Hole 18 @ Jackson, IDGC: After you've grinded an entire round of LONG, wooded, controlled shot golf, and you're mentally drained, you step up to this par 5. Split fairway off the tee allowing you to go straight at it, or take a hyzer route. Either way, you're throwing over a valley and trying to land on a hillside. 2nd shot has you taking an uphill, fairly sharp right turn down a tunnel that flattens out. 3rd shot has you shooting down this tunnel about 250-300'. 4th shot hopefully you're putting and you birdie/par. Sounds easy, but executing is a different story. Great way to finish, trying to hold onto whatever score you're clinging to.

Yeah, that's a great one. I'm physically and mentally drained when I get there.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Opening: Rogers Lakewood #1. Not a big water carry but enough to make you doubt yourself a little bit first thing out of the car.

Closing: Wildcat Bluff #18.

 

[New013]

Without really thinking about it....

Opening: Rock Ridge... hey welcome to the course here's a ball busting par 4

Closing: Black Jack... hey throw off a giant hill one last time

 

[biscoe]

open- ace run ranch- 600 ft to an island green, hole 1 on the woodshed to the left pin placement is also up there

close- 17-18 at walnut creek

 

[New013]

close- 17-18 at walnut creek

oh yeah those are good ones. i almost deuced both of them back to back but i clanked my putt on 17

 

[Connor Jones]

Stoney #1 is probably the most fun first hole I've played. So awesome to just throw a big downhill shot to start things off.

Perkerson Park #18 is probably my favorite ending hole. It's a par 5 with a very tight landing zone for the first shot, and a couple tight fairway options on the second. Runs along side a stream for the first 2/3rds until it goes uphill. Really pretty hole.

 

[Mike C]

Favorite opener is easy. Deis Hill blue tee.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyjD4CQ1ses

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Opening: Rogers Lakewood #1. Not a big water carry but enough to make you doubt yourself a little bit first thing out of the car.

I have to say I thought about that one briefly - and I totally get what you mean - it's just enough to be a threat if you're not warmed up, but it didn't give me the thrill I got standing on top of Beast's hill.

 

[Dave242]

When I read the title, I thought it was the course with my favorite Opening and closing holes. I came up with Lincoln Ridge/Banklink.
#1 - 400' down a steep hill with a steep slope still behind the basket....and woods
#24 - 519' down moderate/steep slope. Wide open bomb. Basket guarded and water in play for very errant throws.

A ton of fun both to open and close.....with plenty of woods,terrain and beauty in between.

 

[tbird888]

Opening: Probably Osage Grove at this point. Somewhat open hole with two options for routes with the (current) pin tucked behind the trees in the middle defining the routes. It's a pretty decent hole that's not too difficult, but it sets the stage for a wonderfully fun round to come.

Closing: Used to be old 18 at Mt. Airy. Big turnover with the basket tucked slightly into the woods with a low ceiling. As much as I love the work that's gone into Airy, renumbering the holes to be at the clubhouse killed the flow.

Now I'd have to say it's the closer at Stoney Hill. After a round of holes that could easily be signature holes on any course, it was the icing on the cake.

 

[General Scales]

Both mine are on the same course so that's simple.

Opener: 1st hole on A.W.O.L at Farragut State Park in Athol, Idaho. Plays 490 feet down two different alleys with nasty rough on either side. Can be two'd for the eagle on the hole if you can throw a controlled 450 foot helix shot or happen to throw one in on an approach. Not the toughest par 4 but it really sets the tone for the rest of the round. I have seen many people ruin their days trying to be the big boy and throw it 400 + when the optimal landing zones for the birdie 3 is at 300-375.

Closer: Hole 18, A.W.O.L. Farragut State Park. Long gradual left, 25 wide fairway the entire way. Nasty rough on either side, requires distance and accuracy to have a look for the birdie 3. I have been behind going into this hole by four strokes, played it for the 4 and had a great upshot on the second shot to get the 3. Everyone else on the card took 7's and 8's moving me up the rankings quite well. The optimal landing zone is about 300 feet down the fairway but you can crush it easily getting up 400 feet to the next landing area. Left and right are not your friend. This hole doesn't take it's foot off your neck and requires good mental and physical control to score well.