Favorite Holes in Golf: #1, Spring Meadows

It was hard for me to sleep the night before a round at Spring Meadows in Gray, Maine. I mean, I kind of always had a hard time going to sleep even during optimal conditions, but a round at Spring Meadows usually had me buzzing. If the tee time was at 8:45 a.m., I'd probably close my eyes around 4 a.m. It was one of those courses where I felt compelled to have clean clubs when I showed up to the pro shop. Something about the vibe suggested to golfers, "Hey, give a shit today."

The first at Spring Meadows sets the tone. Just over 400 yards from the tips, the hole gives players a panoramic view of much of the course. The best time to play is on a fall morning when the leaves are still turning and it's chilly enough for a liquidity frost to coat the fairways, greens, and tees. The course intimidated me. Located about 30 minutes away from my house, it was a production to get there with enough time to spare to hit a few balls on their range or get any putts in on the massive, undulating practice green. If I was lucky, I got in five minutes of warming up before being called to the first tee.

The trickiest part of the first hole is the tee shot. The fairway is wide where most players will hit their drives. But the way the hole--a slight dogleg right--is framed makes trees on the left and water on the right seem more in play than they really are. As long as a player doesn't overcompensate trying to avoid one or the other, s/he has a good chance of finding the fairway and getting off to a pleasant start. But if a player hasn't properly stretched or taken enough time to mentally navigate the hole, things can get problematic. The way the first tee is set up, everybody arriving at the course can watch a player tee off. On busy days, the course ranger sits next to the tee box, presumably judging the haves from the have-nots based on tee shots. If it's cold, a player's tight, and there's an audience, typically for amateurs, this spells disaster. I can't tell you how many drives I've dead pulled into the trees on the left, trying desperately not to hit my first shot of the day into the giant pond on the right.

But when a player strikes it crisply and accurately off the first, it's one of the best feelings in golf. Hit the fairway on one and a player shouldn't walk away with more than a bogey. The green is mostly flat, but depending on the pin placement, putting can get adventurous. If a player has an opportunity to score well after a solid tee shot, the best bet to secure par would be to pick a landing spot on the front left side of the green, where there's the most space. Beware of going over the back of the green because a hazard can jump up on a player quickly. Anything to the right of the green will either find the bunker or thick rough.

I plan on writing more about this course in the future. But in case I don't, here's a tip: after your round, make time for a burger from the bar on the bottom floor of the clubhouse. If they still have it, get the one with bacon and blue cheese. Doesn't matter if you shot a million of 75, it'll end your day right.