The first hole is a very short par-4 (playing only 316 yards from the white tees), but the kind of design I particularly like. Instead of every hole favoring the long hitters, I respect a good par-4 where shotmaking and placement are key.
Number one at River Bend has an uphill drive; in fact, I suppose you would call it a blind tee shot. Only about 200 yards off the tee is the crest of a hill, beyond which you cannot see the creek cutting across the fairway at about 220 yards off the tee. Presumably a monster drive could carry the creek, but it would require about 250 yards of carry, and that's not going to happen.
Tee shot at No. 1 - aim for the white stake
The smart play is an iron or hybrid, keeping along the right side of the fairway if possible, and then a mid- to short-iron to the green. Bunkers left and right, and a severely back-to-front sloping green, it's better to be short than long on this hole.
From the crest of the hill - green sits back from the creek
Strategy: 4-hybrid just over the hill, iron to the front of the green, two putts. PAR
