Favorite Opening and Closing Holes

[Dave242]

If I had to pick a single course with the best opening and closing holes, I'd probably go with L.R. as well. Nothing too technical, but beautiful downhill shots with somewhat risky pin positions. I love how the last hole finishes near the lake. I agree, great bookends to the course!

Idlewild's first and last holes rank up there as well. The first hole is a great chance to warm up your arm and it isn't too punishing. And the last hole is a beautiful tunnel shot that isn't insanely tight but still is technical and fun.

Yes! Idlewild is basically a tie with LR for me too. I love both #1 & 18.

Idlewild #1 is a very simple/straight-forward challenge for me (300' controlled drive, 360' max). It is a great hole, but lacks a lot other than being the perfect distance for me personally to make a birdie-3 very rewarding.

#18 is one of the best holes anywhere in the world for me. I was so excited when I first discovered that hole as I have had that design concept for years - tunnel shot over a hill top followed by a long approach. It offers really serious risk/reward in how far you want to risk pushing your line-drive drive and fading off into the shule and taking a good score out of the realm of possibility.....but you are always tempted to try for the elusive 3. Love it.

LR wins out though since both 1 & 24 are "empty your bag" fun-factor holes.....with high levels of satisfaction in scoring birdies (24 is an improbable birdie for me.....but throwing as hard as I can downhill is still fun!).

 

[BobbyCorn]

Hole 1 and Hole 18 at Central Park in Cumming, GA!

 

[tbird888]

I'll join in the chorus praising #1 and #24 at Lincoln Ridge.

A couple other good starters/finishers:

#1 at Gordon Holton in Delaware, OH - A very tough pin location guarded by a dense wall of small trees on the approach side and the lake (reservoir) on the far side. The view over the water from the putting area is one of the best around.

#18 at Lincoln Park / Oak Ledges in Massillon, OH - A great finish to a great course. A fun downhill drive that must navigate through a path of beautiful mature trees. If you manage to miss the trees you'll have a good chance for birdie (as long as you didn't skip past the basket and go over the road for OB!).

Almost picked #1 at Holton. Great start to the course.

 

[Qikly]

I really enjoy University of South Alabama's opening hole: a fun big-hyzer shot over a lake. Great to warm up on, with the water hazard still keeping you on your toes.

Moraine's 18 is a great risk-reward par 4. Lot of potential to blow your score on this hole. When playing the longer tees, I've had the best luck when playing it safe and laying up before the OB that lurks in the middle of the fairway.

Two Mile Extension's last hole is a grueling uphill climb that plays into the woods. Great way to close out the round.

 

[sgamerp]

1a and 18 are sweet opening holes for Stoney Hill, even 1 normal is pretty sweet.

 

[100Birds2Squirrels]

Opening Pinto Lake #1

Closing Dela (top of the world) #27

I almost agree with this. Pinto has a great starting hole and DeLa top of the world is a fantastic way to end that course considering what it just put you through.

I would consider hole 1 at Auburn in NorCal to be a real fun start to a round, slight downhill with different lines to take depending on where the basket is.

 

[Dave242]

Moraine's 18 is a great risk-reward par 4. Lot of potential to blow your score on this hole. When playing the longer tees, I've had the best luck when playing it safe and laying up before the OB that lurks in the middle of the fairway.

I actually thought this was on the bottom half of good holes at Moraine. At only 465' from the longest tee the hole did not offer me anything other than 2 routine midrange throws without much creative challenge. A birdie 3 is nothing exciting and a 4 is boring/routine. Basically a tweener hole.

I can't throw 450' to get into putting range, but IMO that throw is a "roll of the dice" (rewarding luck over skill) even for the best players.

 

[chrissauls]

Leaving Stoney Hill out of the converstation...since I could be bias:

# 1- Waterworks, Kansas City - It's been 10 years since I played it but when I ran my thoughts through all the courses I've played, I kept coming back to this one.

#18 - Earlewood Park, Columbia,SC - It has ruined many bogey free rounds for me over the years. It's the hardest hole on the course and has stood the test of time as a great finishing hole.

Now the greatest of all time: Hole # 1 and Hole 27 finishing hole on The Gran Canyon - Brooksville, FL.

 

[notapro]

Gah, this is tough with so many to choose from... tie between #1 at Horning's Hideout - Meadow Ridge and #1 West Lake Park.

Meadow Ridge - 325', downhill, but with a whole lotta trees.

West Lake - 432' downhill ripper with enough trees to force a good line (or roller for some, but not me). This pic is from the AM tee, unfortunately. :\

Last hole is easy, just can't beat it. Solitude Mountain Resort, 1219'. Bombs away!

Basket to tee!

 

[Qikly]

I actually thought this was on the bottom half of good holes at Moraine. At only 465' from the longest tee the hole did not offer me anything other than 2 routine midrange throws without much creative challenge. A birdie 3 is nothing exciting and a 4 is boring/routine. Basically a tweener hole.

I can't throw 450' to get into putting range, but IMO that throw is a "roll of the dice" (rewarding luck over skill) even for the best players.

I see your point, but I respectfully disagree with the sentiment. The birdie 3 requires a pretty long/tight upshot if you lay up before OB. I think the shot past OB is doable enough to not come down to luck; with only one tree blocking the fairway itself, it's just a matter of getting the turnover right.

Of course, I'm still a relative newbie, so maybe in a few years' time when my skills have improved (hopefully), I'll view the hole differently.

And while I can see the argument that this hole is in the bottom half of Moraine's holes, I just think that says more about the overall quality of Moraine than it does this specific hole.

 

[BigAl724]

I was thinking about putting Moraine's 18 on there. I think it's a great way to finish up the round with tight, but I think multiple lines and O.B. Once you're passed O.B., it's still a tough shot to the pin depending on the pin position. While it's probably not in my top 6 favorite holes there, I think it's still a great hole. I am by no means a great player, but I think skill comes into play more than luck. I'll just have to play it again to see for sure..

 

[Qikly]

I still don't feel like I have an obvious favorite opener - openers generally seem to ease you into the course more than be show stoppers in themselves. If I had to pick one, Selah Creekside's opener is a solid candidate. The low ceiling and slightly rolling hills make for a fun par 4 that's a tough birdie.

Choosing a favorite closer is much easier for me at this point: Trey Deuce at Texas Ranch. It's an unbelievably thorny uphill climb. A real showstopper. Lots of perilous trees to navigate. I 4'd it from the shorts by playing out of the fairway onto the left hillside. Going straight up the entire way gives a pretty crazy set of obstacles. If you thought Lakeside 14 had a lot to complain about, brace yourself.

View from the blue tee:

And the approach:

Shawshank's Tin Cup hole is a nice runner up for my favorite closer: 250' shot where everything outside the circle is OB.

 

[DBdiscgolf]

Opener - don't really have one that stands out
Closer - 18 at Mars hill. Nice view of the NC mountains and a chance to air one out.

 

[jtreadwell]

Favorite starting hole by far is Maple Hill Golds. A huge bomb over a pond with manicured fairways abounding makes for a special start. My favorite ending hole is Hole 18 on Woodland Valley's Black Bear course. It's a 600ft+ downhill bomb hyzer, with a flex line for those who want to go balls to the wall and go for the deuce run. Guess I just really like pretty, downhill bombs :thmbup:

 

[Royal Hill]

Philosophical opener and closer

opener - Near parking and course welcome structures,enough near tee space and sightlines for good spectation potential, beautiful panoramic view, basket viewable(not blind), reachable with generally medium challenge relative to intended skill level.

Finisher - Icing on the cake factor. A hole that in the flow of "give and take", She (the course) gives something back that may have been taken earlier. I fall in the philiosphy category of "leaving the player with a good taste" that will make them want to play another round. Finishing with a smile. Beauty of view, enough to pause and survey before the last drive. Can be a multishot hole as long as the finishing portion gets the desired beauty and significance.

I view the opener and closing design in my opinion better to be serving as the first and finishing chapters of a good book, rather than singly seeing the design as a last chance to be a scoring separating machine.

 

[DavidSauls]

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

Now that I've finally seen it, Flyboy 27 (Viper 18) is quite an adventure. A lot can happen between the tee and basket on that hole. Another excellent finishing hole where a 3-stroke lead may not be safe---and it's all about execution.

 

[DavidSauls]

Winthrop Gold #18 is a pretty devilish finishing hole, as well. Sooooo many ways you can go wrong. Scenic, too, though I suppose it's hard to enjoy the background at that point.

 

[filobedo]

#1 - Steady Ed at the IDGC and #18 - Chester State Park - Chester, SC

I also really liked the following,

#1 Highland Hills - N Wilkesboro, NC is a huge downhill shot through the woods.

#1 - Winthrop Gold - Rock Hill, SC

#18 - WR Jackson - IDGC

#18 - Ashe County - Jefferson, NC

#1 and #18 Big Eau Pleine County Park - Mosinee, WI

 

[thedrew300]

Hole 1 at Muldraugh DGC sticks out in my mind. A true tunnel shot, not super difficult, but very unique.

Closing hole is # 18 at Emporia Country Club. Island Green, again, not very hard, but really unique.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Beast #1 - perhaps just for the view.

Addison Oaks #1 is pretty sweet too - pin's way left on the peninsula, guarded by willows and water.

Renny #18 is pretty awesome (here's the approach shot):