Royal Port Alfred Golf Club - Description of 1st hole

Description
The 1st hole at Royal Port Alfred Golf Club is called 'Hugh Kelly'. It's a 301m, par 4 hole, ranked stroke 10. The hole should in theory be quite easy, but is in fact difficult to score on simply because it's the first hole and most players don't warm up sufficiently before teeing off. Furthermore the course's fence line about 3m off the fairway on the right side and if you're over eager on this hole going out of bounds is a real possibility.

1st tee furniture.

The green is protected with two bunkers on the front-right and one on the front-left. The circular green is quite big measuring approx. 30m across. There's thick coastal vegetation quite close to the green on the right back and also on the left and back - but further away. The tee is well elevated and most players should be able to make the green or its direct environs with two well executed strokes.

A short way downhill from the elevated tee, there is quite a large practice tee. Signs on the fence line to the right indicate distances from the middle of this practice tee. It is also elevated

Photographs

View from the 1st tee. The closest bit of green beyond the tee is a practice tee. The green is just before the bushes straight ahead. The fairway to the left is the 18th. (dry season)

Rough in front of the tee, with elevated practice tee and fairway beyond. (dry season)

Elevated practice tee in foreground, with fairway beyond. Fence line on the right. The fairway of the 2nd hole, Hippo's Bath, stretches out over the hill in the background. (dry season)

The clubhouse (side view) as seen from the practice tee on the 1st hole. (dry season)

Sign at practice tee.

The front of the fairway. (dry season)

Vehicle & antelope spoor in a sandy patch next to the 1st fairway...

Marker indicating 150m to the centre of the green. (dry season)

Club house as seen from across the 1st fairway. (dry season)

Fairway marker - 100m from the centre of the green.

The green from the front. One bunker on the left and two on the right. (dry season)

Tree in the right rough with bunker protected green in the background. Not a good lie...

Looking back up the fairway towards the clubhouse from the right rough, short of the pin. The fence line is visible on the left and the 18th green is just to the right, and below, the clubhouse. (dry season)

The two bunkers protecting the right side of the 1st green. (dry season)

Close up of bunker on right of the green. (dry season)

Bunker on the left of the green. (dry season)

This stuff is thick. Typical coastal bush found all across the golf course. These are at the back of the 1st green.

View from the front of the green (bunker rake in front), over the fairway towards the clubhouse. The 18th fairway and green is to the right. (dry season)

The view back to the clubhouse from the 1st green.