It was nip and tuck time again at Augusta National after last year's Masters. And with its newest facelift, Big Green is longer and tighter than ever
Art by Trevor Johnston
By Joe Pasov Architecture/Course Ranking Editor
They've painted another mustache on the Mona Lisa. Under the watchful
eye of club officials, architect Tom Fazio altered six holes at
Augusta National in preparation for this year's Masters. They
didn't add any waste bunkers, waterfalls or island greens—mostly they just gave
the course a good stretch and added a few more trees. Here's the skinny on how
the Masters will play this year.
Why they did it again
"Players' scores are not a factor.
We will keep the course current
with the times," says Hootie Johnson.
Translation: "We can't let these kids
overpower Bobby's sacred turf without
givin' 'em somethin' to think about."
Hole 4
Old Yardage: 205 YARDS New Yardage: 240 YARDS
The tee has been pushed back 30 to 35
yards into the woods. The old tee was
practically right behind the third green.
Now it's a right-turn after putting out at
No. 3. The new tee is 3 feet higher,
which creates more of a downhill shot.
Tom Lehman, 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup captain,
says: "It's been a 5-iron in the past for me, or thereabouts. I think what they're
trying to do is to put the same irons back
into your hands that players used to hit
way back when. I don't have a problem
with that. But the hole was already
tough. Tournament officials are probably
not going to use the new tee for every pin
location. Actually, if they're really smart
about where they make players tee off
from, then it probably won't make a big
difference."
The new tee, in yellow, is 35 yards behind the old tee, in red.
Bart Bryant, 2005 Tour Championship
winner, says: "Some of the holes are just
monsters. When I played the new holes
the first time in December, it was a little
cool and wet and the course had been
overseeded. I hit 3-wood on the fourth
hole and came up just short, on the lip
of the bunker, but it was cold and windy.
I'm guessing it'll be a little Adams rescue
club [17 degrees] for me."
Tom Weiskopf, architect and four-time
Masters runner-up, says: "I don't think that
green was designed for a shot of that
length. The contouring of the green
and the opening to the green—the
entryway on the left side—were not
created to accommodate a 240-yard
shot. At least not with the green speeds
they've got today."
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