Masters Tournament: around the course in six fascinating points

The legendary Augusta National course holds many secrets and countless highlights have taken place there throughout its history.

Normal 72

Go: 36 / 3775 yards

Return: 36 / 3780 yards

7555 yards

not^o1: Intimidating and stressful departure

Perhaps it’s the endless dark green carpet that is rolled out for more than 310 yards in front of the golfers, the brilliant white sand to the right of the fairway, the horde of spectators gathered around the tee or the weight of the history of the tournament which ensures that the first tee shot is among the most intimidating in the world of golf. The 445-yard par 4 has been thrilling the elite for decades. Last year, Jon Rahm scored a double bogey from the start and then put on the green jacket three days later. In 2016, the great Ernie Els had his fill of the undulating green by executing no less than six putts. He finally recorded a 9 on his card, the highest score to be recorded there in the history of the Masters.

not^o10-11-12: A merciless sequence

Before arriving at the famous Amen Corner, golfers must face the two most difficult pennants on the course. From the start of the return, the long par 4 of 495 yards downhill from the 10^e pennant ranks second in history with an average score of 4,299 moves. Never in 87 years has the field posted a score tied or below par. Moreover, before 1935, the 10^e was the opening hole of the course.

Then comes the 11th^e pennant, a narrow par 4 at the start of 520 yards whose green is protected by a pond. This displays an average score of 4,303 shots. The best average, 4,064 strokes, dates back to 1995. This pennant is recognized for Larry Mize’s victory in the 1987 edition. In overtime, he managed an incredible 140-foot cut approach to beat none other than Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman.

The sequence of pennants 10 to 12 brings together three of the four most difficult holes.

not^o12: Golden Bell: A fresco frozen since 1965

In the heart of Amen Corner, considered the cathedral of the golf world, the popular 155-yard par 3 is the ideal place to get your hands on the green jacket or, on the contrary, dash all your hopes. Talk to Jordan Spieth (2016) or Francesco Molinari (2019)! Nicknamed “Golden Bell”, this place is a true masterpiece that has stood the test of time. Aside from the redevelopment of the mound in 1965, Golden Bell remained frozen in the 1950s when the green was extended 18 feet to the right.

The place has, however, become more beautiful over time as the greenery is surrounded by flourishing rhododendrons. The Nelson Bridge spans Rae’s Creek, a stream where the devil settles scores with reckless golfers who also owe a debt to him.

not^o3,n^o8,n^o14: They stand the test of time

Very few Augusta National Golf Club pennants have stood the test of time. Nearly half of the 18 holes have been extended since 2010 in order to adapt to technology and the power of golfers. But the pennants^o 1, 3, 7, 8, 14 and 17 have not flinched for over 15 years. Of the lot, the short par 4 of 3^e, with a distance of 350 yards, is the only one that has not been extended since the club opened in 1933. Architects MacKenzie and Jones have always believed in its perfection. At 14^e rank of the most difficult pennants, the 3^e displays an average of 4.06 strokes. Which did not prevent Douglas B. Clarke from scoring an 8 during the 1980 edition. Although short, coming out with big arms to slam a bomb from the tee is not the solution. Bryson DeChambeau knows something about that. It’s better to hit short of the bunkers in the center of the fairway, about 230 yards from the tee, to give yourself a full wedge shot to attack the pennant on a surface sliding from right to left.

not^o17: The ice storm, already 10 years old

Nearly 60 years after campaigning to get the ax because he hit it too often, President Dwight D. Eisenhower succeeded in eliminating the gigantic loblolly pine located about 210 yards from the 17th mound.^e. It took two winter storms in quick succession, in January and February 2014, to get the better of it. On January 28, the southeastern United States was hit by “Snowmaggedon” which paralyzed Georgia with 5 to 10 centimeters of snow and ice depending on the location. The children had slept at school and the drivers had left their vehicles on the roads. Two weeks later, another storm called “Nor’Easter” hit. It was a Category 4 winter storm according to NOAA. Due to snow and ice, more than 1.2 million homes, including nearly 80% of Augusta’s population, were plunged into darkness for nearly a week in Georgia and South Carolina, which had declared a state of emergency. This storm caused a lot of damage across the state. The golf club was not spared as the 65-foot pine, more than 100 years old, nicknamed the “Eisenhower Tree” since the 1960s, suffered heavy ice damage. When it was beyond repair and held together by steel cables for years, the best arborists in the country recommended cutting it down.

not^o2: Theater of the Last Albatross

In the rich history of the Masters in which thousands of golfers have participated since 1934, only four of them have recorded an albatross. In 1935, Gene Sarazen achieved it in the final round at 15^e by sending his second shot directly into the cup from 235 yards with a 4 wood. In the first round of 1967, Bruce Devlin also used a 4 wood from 248 yards on the 8^e. In 1994, Jeff Maggert achieved the feat with a 3 iron over a distance of 222 yards. Which allowed him to lower his score to 75 (+3) in the final round and finish 50^e. And in 2012, Louis Oosthuizen was the last to achieve this extremely rare feat, this time at 2^e pennant. At 253 yards from the objective, his 4-iron shot was executed to perfection. Thus, the four par 5s on the course are each marked with an albatross. But in this final round, it is not Oosthuizen’s shot that everyone remembers, but rather that of his opponent in overtime, Bubba Watson. From the pine needles in the woods to the right of the path at 10^e164 yards from the target, he had achieved the feat of the day and then put on his first of two green jackets.