Hole 1 at Southern Hills Country Club

Par 4 • 464 Yards • Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Brutal

Southern Hills' opening hole sets the tone for one of golf's most iconic courses, featuring an elevated tee shot that has challenged champions for decades. This slight dogleg-left demands precision from the first swing, with the dramatic elevation changes that define Pete Dye's masterful design immediately apparent.

Tees:

464y454y424y424y385y

Green:27y × 32y

Fairway @250y:4y wide

4 Bunkers dogleg

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Southern Hills Country Club

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Hole Stats

Par: 4
Yardage: 464 yds
Green: 5239 sq ft
Bunkers: 4
Course Slope: 137
Course Rating: 75.2

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Hole 2

Par 4 • 471y

Back to Southern Hills Country Club View Full Scorecard

Recommended Gear

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

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Strategy Tips

tee shot

From this elevated tee on the iconic opening hole, aim for the center-left portion of the fairway to set up the best angle for your approach. The fairway is a generous 33 yards wide at the 200-yard mark, giving you plenty of room to find position while avoiding the rough and bunkers along the left side mentioned in the course history.

hazard warning

Be extremely cautious if attempting to drive past the 250-yard mark - the fairway dramatically narrows to just 4 yards wide, creating a severe bottleneck that makes finding the short grass nearly impossible for longer hitters.

approach

With the green measuring 27 by 32 yards and sloping from front-right to back-left, focus on the correct tier for your pin position. The relatively compact green size of 5,238 square feet demands precision, especially with the large bunker guarding the front-right approach.

tee shot

At 464 yards for this par 4, most players should focus on position over distance off the tee. A controlled drive to the 200-250 yard range leaves a manageable mid-to-long iron approach while keeping you in the wider portion of the fairway.

approach

Pay attention to the bunker positioned at 291.6 yards from the tee - this hazard likely impacts your approach shot strategy and club selection, particularly if you've hit a good drive and are coming in from that distance range.

train this shot at home

This 464-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 464-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: long par 4, heavily bunkered.

What hazards should I watch out for on hole 1?

Key hazards include: 2 greenside bunkers. Plan your shots to avoid these trouble spots.

How big is the green on hole 1?

The green is medium-sized with moderate targets. Pay attention to pin placement when selecting your approach club.

What's a good score on hole 1?

This hole is one of the tougher holes where par feels like birdie. A challenging par 4. Accept that bogey happens and avoid big numbers.

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

Yes — many modern launch monitors and simulators include real course data for Southern Hills Country Club. You can play this exact 464-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 →