Ricky Dimon
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Dating back to at least 2020 and really even to 2019 since that was the year of Tiger Woods’ most recent and arguably most famous Masters victory, every Masters has been unique. 2020 was the fall Masters during the Covid-19 pandemic. 2021 was just 5 months later and also played in front of little to no patrons. 2022 marked the return of the roars from the gallery, and also the return of Tiger following the leg injuries he sustained in a car wreck the previous year. That brings us to 2022, which will be the first Masters with the PGA Tour vs LIV Golf dynamic.
However, one thing remains the same. The Masters is always played at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It’s the only one of the 4 majors that is never on the move.
That being said, the course itself doesn’t necessarily remain the exact same every year. The higher-ups at Augusta National frequently tinker with the layout. This season the tweaks have come on the famous par-5 13th. Let’s break down the course, including the 1 change for 2023.
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Augusta National course guide
If you have ever attended the Masters, you have surely been struck by the undulations throughout the golf course — especially on the greens. A total of 16 greens are either two-tiered or at least violently sloping in one direction. Literally the only two that are flat (and even then “flat” is simply a relative term compared to the precipitous nature of the other 16) are 11 and 12. Of course, 11 and 12 are already terribly tough propositions even without befuddling greens.
Anyway, the bottom line is that iron play at Augusta National has to be incredibly precise in order to get balls close to the hole…and to stay close to the hole. Anything even a few feet off could roll in any number of awful directions depending on pin placements. For example, on 3 and 9 anything short will roll many yards back into the fairway. On 15 anything short often rolls into Rae’s Creek. The story is similar on 13, although if you land it on the green there it should hold. On 10 anything left of the green is down the slope and dead.
Amen Corner (11, 12, and 13) is the most famous stretch in golf. Sure, it’s aesthetically pleasing to the patrons. Much more important, however, is the fact that it is a nightmare for the players. Although 13 is a birdie and even eagle opportunity, it also has bogey — or worse — potential if they decide to go for the green in two and dump it in the creek. Holes 11 and 12 are beyond scary; players will happily take par and get out of there. Especially on 12, much-needed pars are often few and far between on Sundays. In 2019, for example, basically everyone in contention other than eventual champion Woods were wet. Jordan Spieth went in the water twice (yes, twice on a par 3) during his 2016 collapse.
Like the par-5 13th, the par-5 15th can also produce anything from a 3 (or a 2 in the case of Gene Sarazen in 1935) to a double-digit number. In 2019, third-round leader Francesco Molinari opened the door for Woods on Sunday by carding a double-bogey 7 on 15 (he also doubled 12).
Tiger Woods has won the Masters.
His 81st PGA TOUR win.
His 15th major title.
His 5th green jacket.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/xC8165hypE— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 14, 2019
For the diehard fans who want to know about every hole, see the layout for all 18 below:
Hole by hole
1 Tea Olive
445 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 6th hardest (4.278)
2 Pink Dogwood
575 yards, par 5
2022 rank: T16th (4.689)
3 Flowering Peach
350 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 11th (4.056)
4 Flowering Crabapple
240 yards, par 3
2022 rank: T7th (3.246)
5 Magnolia
495 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 3rd (4.333)
6 Juniper
180 yards, par 3
2022 rank: 4th (3.311)
7 Pampas
450 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 9th (4.233)
8 Yellow Jasmine
570 yards, par 5
2022 rank: 18th (4.644)
9 Carolina Cherry
460 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 14th (3.911)
10 Camelia
495 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 5th (4.300)
11 White Dogwood
505 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 1st (4.456)
12 Golden Bell
155 yards, par 3
2022 rank: T7th (3.256)
13 Azalea
545 yards, par 5
2022 rank: T16th (4.689)
14 Chinese Fir
440 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 13th (4.000)
15 Fire Thorn
530 yards, par 5
2022 rank: 15th (4.822)
16 Redbud
170 yards, par 3
2022 rank: 12th (3.022)
17 Nandina
440 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 10th (4.133)
18 Holly
465 yards, par 4
2022 rank: 2nd (4.444)
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What are the changes to hole 13 at the Masters?
The Masters has been won and lost on more than a few occasions at hole 13. No hole on Augusta National offers the chance for both a low score and a massive score to a greater extent than the famous par-5 13th. Go for the green in 2 and you can have a chance at eagle. Such aggressiveness can also bring double-bogey or worse into play. Decisions have to be made. Do you go for it or play conservatively?
Getting to the green in 2 won’t be as easy in 2023. Previously 510 yards, the 13th now plays 545 yards. That’s right; it has been lengthened by a full 35 yards. How did it happen? Well, if you have been to the Masters you know there wasn’t any space to move the tee box any farther back. Augusta National solved that problem by purchasing the adjacent block of land from Augusta Country Club. Voila! That game tournament organizers space to increase distance–and difficulty.
With big hitters no longer able to so easily reach the green in 2, decision making on 13 will be even more interesting in 2023.
The Masters – Augusta weather
In November of 2020, conditions were unusual: heavy, slow, and also wet. Outside of the big bombers, distance was an issue for many players. The ball was not traveling as far as usual and wasn’t getting much roll, so shorter hitters especially were left with long irons into greens. Other than that, however, scoring conditions were ideal. Augusta National is difficult when it is firm and fast, making it tough for approach shots to stay on the greens.
It was firmer and faster in 2021 and 2022. Matsuyama was the only player to finish in double-digits under par 2 years ago and Scheffler enjoyed the same distinction last spring. By comparison, Dustin Johnson rolled to a 20-under victory in the fall of 2020; Patrick Reed prevailed at 15-under in 2018 and Woods won at 13-under in 2019.
This year figures to invoke memories of 202. The forecast is pretty much terrible the entire week, with rain expected at least on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The course is going to be soft.
When greens are slow and receptive, players can go pin-hunting — especially when they have short irons in their hands. Johnson, for example, is a big enough hitter to power through slow conditions and still give himself short yardages into greens. That’s exactly what he did in 2020 while setting a Masters scoring record 3 years ago. Rory McIlroy can also overpower this course at times, although the Masters is the only major he has never won.
Despite most people believing — me included — that guys who drive it a long way have the advantage in Augusta, it is a course that must be won by all-around great golf. That is why the list of champions is chock full of Hall of Famers and Sunday leaderboards are generally stacked with big names. Driving it miles down the fairway helps a lot, but you also have to display a deft short game and a confident putting stroke. Spieth, for example, isn’t the biggest of hitters but dominated the Masters in 2015 and should have won again in 2016.
Viktor Hovland may be the most interesting case study when it comes to how Augusta National is playing. The Norwegian is without question one of the best ball-strikers on tour right now, but his short game probably isn’t top 50 quality. He is the kind of golfer who could secure the green jacket in dominant fashion or not even be around for the weekend.
Whatever the case, the field of golfers, the course and the storylines in play should set this up to be a thrilling Masters. It’s going to be fun.
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