Whether it’s a casual Saturday morning at the club or a dream round at one of The Open Championship venues, no golfer is immune to the paralyzing fear of the first tee jitters.
Even the most dominant player of all time constantly had trouble on the opening tee, as the spectators on Augusta’s 9th fairway know all too well.
The day I don’t feel nervous on the first tee is the day I quit. ~Tiger Woods
The best first holes at golf courses in Scotland, Ireland, and England take on a variety of forms. Some are daunting, others are picturesque, and many are both… But all are memorable.
Here are just a few of our favorite first holes in Scotland, Ireland, and England.
Machrihanish Golf Club
When Old Tom Morris staked the first hole at Machrihanish Golf Club, he gifted the golfing world with one of its truly unforgettable sights.
Depending on the tide, a drive pulled left will either find the beach or the waves of the Atlantic, while a bailout to the right makes an already long par-4 even longer.
If “The Battery” doesn’t raise some degree of fear, then we’d advise having the caddie do a check of your pulse.
Prestwick Golf Club
At just 345 yards, the 1st hole at Prestwick Golf Club should make for a relatively gentle welcome to the birthplace of The Open. Put a red brick wall and a railway right up against the edge of the fairway, however, and suddenly that easy hybrid is anything but straightforward.
Now would be a good time to avoid the power slice off the tee, or else your ProV1 may catch the express train up to Glasgow.
The Old Course at St. Andrews
Without question, the Old Course at St. Andrews is home to one of the best 1st holes in golf. But with 129 yards of fairway to work with, and nothing more than a fairway wood in hand, it should also be one of the easiest holes in golf.
Try telling that to someone who has dreamed of hitting that opening shot for much of their life, and now must do so with a small crowd and the R&A clubhouse looming.
Ballybunion Golf Club
If you happen to find the graveyard that borders the first fairway at Ballybunion Golf Club, re-tee and call that first ball a loss. The game is hard enough as it is, without the negative karma of playing with a ball that was retrieved from a cemetery.
That is unless you happen to bounce off one of the gravestones and back into play… What the caddies refer to as a “Lazarus.”
Ardglass Golf Club
Standing in the shadow of the 13th century castle turned clubhouse, the proposition off the first tee at Ardglass is really quite simple: The Irish Sea is left, all 42,000 square miles of Ireland are right.
And yet, an enterprising golfer with some scuba gear could build a highly profitable business by frequenting the waters along those jagged cliffs.
Royal Liverpool
The prospect of hitting 3 (or even 5) off the first tee at Royal Liverpool Golf Club is very real, thanks to the out of bounds that flank both sides of the fairway.
The tendency here is to try and steer this one down the middle, but at 427 yards one needs every spare yard they can find. Whenever The Open Championship returns to Hoylake, the players are certain to resurrect an old debate about the – as they call it – “quirky” internal out of bounds found on this hole.
Photo courtesy of Royal Liverpool / Kevin Patrick Murray
What is the most intimidating opening tee shot you’ve faced?
Golf and the Good Life in Your Inbox
For more valuable insight on golf travel across the pond, sign-up for our Among Friends newsletter.
For more insight on planning your golf trip, visit the pages below or have a look through our Yardage Book, where you’ll find answers to many of our most frequently asked questions.
If you’re ready to experience Golf at its Finest with Haversham & Baker…
Discover More of Golf at its Finest with H&B
