Hole 1 at Bellerive Country Club

Par 4 • 434 Yards • Saint Louis, Missouri

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Tough

The opening hole at Bellerive Country Club sets the tone for Robert Trent Jones' masterful design, featuring a deceptively challenging crowned fairway that has tested champions since 1960. This strategic par 4 exemplifies Jones' philosophy of creating "a difficult par but a comfortable bogey," demanding precision over power from the very first tee.

Tees:

434y418y403y388y347y

Green:33y × 42y

Fairway @250y:54y wide

6 Bunkers dogleg

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Bellerive Country Club

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Hole Stats

Par: 4
Yardage: 434 yds
Green: 7436 sq ft
Bunkers: 6
Course Slope: 144
Course Rating: 75

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Hole 2

Par 4 • 416y

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Recommended Gear

Bunkers everywhere — a versatile wedge is your scoring club on this hole.

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Strategy Tips

tee shot

Exercise extreme caution off the tee as the fairway completely disappears at the 200-yard mark, creating a significant bottleneck. Consider laying up with a mid-iron to stay short of this pinch point.

tee shot

For longer hitters who can carry 250+ yards, the fairway opens up to 54 yards wide, but you'll need to navigate bunkers positioned at 273 and 297 yards that guard the landing area.

hazard warning

Three strategic bunkers create a gauntlet from 273 to 321 yards, with the final bunker at 321 yards particularly dangerous for aggressive drives on this 434-yard hole.

approach

The generous green measuring 7,436 square feet (33x42 yards) provides a large target for approach shots, allowing for more aggressive pin hunting if you've positioned yourself well off the tee.

tee shot

On this 434-yard par 4, the Robert Trent Jones design rewards strategic thinking over pure distance - consider a 3-wood or long iron to avoid the fairway squeeze and bunker complex.

train this shot at home

This 434-yard par 4 is ideal for working on your driver accuracy. Launch monitors from $600 let you practice this exact shot with real course data from home.

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Scoring Tip

With bunkers guarding the green, pick the side with the most room and let the slope feed the ball toward the pin.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best strategy off the tee?

For this 434-yard par 4, most players will hit driver to set up a comfortable approach.

How difficult is hole 1?

This hole is a moderate challenge for most golfers. Key challenges include: heavily bunkered, large green requiring good lag putting.

What hazards should I watch out for on hole 1?

Key hazards include: 3 greenside bunkers. Plan your shots to avoid these trouble spots.

How big is the green on hole 1?

The green is fairly large with multiple pin positions. Lag putting becomes important on longer putts.

What's a good score on hole 1?

This hole is a demanding hole where bogey is not unusual. This longer par 4 will test most golfers. Focus on position over distance.

Can I practice hole 1 on a golf simulator at home?

Yes — many modern launch monitors and simulators include real course data for Bellerive Country Club. You can play this exact 434-yard par 4 shot-by-shot at home. Entry-level options like the SkyTrak+ (around $2,500) and Garmin Approach R10 (around $600) support course play, while premium systems from Trackman and Foresight offer tour-level accuracy. Most systems pay for themselves in a season or two versus green fees and range balls. Shop home golf simulators →