Ricky Dimon
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For the first time since 2019, when Tiger Woods famously triumphed at Augusta National for a fifth time, it will be a completely normal Masters. In 2020 the event was postponed from April to November because of the Covid-19 pandemic and five months later in April of 2021 there were still a very limited number of patrons.
Well, the patrons will be back in full force this year. And the 2022 Masters brings even more buzz because Tiger Woods has arrived in Augusta and may be able to make his first start since his terrible car accident in February of 2021.
What a place to make a comeback! Augusta National is right up there with St. Andrew’s as golf’s most hallowed grounds. With the Masters set to begin on Thursday, let’s take a look at how the course could play this week.
Eyewitness account
I have been very fortunate to be among the fans who have seen it in person (the “patrons,” of course), attending not every year but at least more often than not dating back to 1998 — when Mark O’Meara slipped on the green jacket following a winning birdie putt on 18. What always strikes me the most about Augusta National is the undulations — especially on the greens. Going through it hole by hole in my head, 16 of the 18 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.
For obvious reasons, neither I nor anyone else was in attendance in 2020. That made for a most unusual Masters. Gone were the famous Sunday roars that all but tell players and fans alike what is happening around the course in the absence of leaderboards (there are some leaderboards still run by hand as opposed to electronically — but not many). The patrons were back in a limited capacity last spring, but it still wasn’t the same. Plus the leaderboard left a little bit to be desired. Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth made brief chargers on Sunday, but for the most part Hideki Matsuyama was able to coast to victory even with a 1-over 73 in the final round.
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Augusta National course guide
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
2019 rank: 7th hardest (4.118)
2 Pink Dogwood
575 yards, par 5
2019 rank: 15th (4.678)
3 Flowering Peach
350 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 14th (3.895)
4 Flowering Crabapple
240 yards, par 3
2019 rank: 5th (3.207)
5 Magnolia
495 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 1st (4.336)
6 Juniper
180 yards, par 3
2019 rank: 12th (3.003)
7 Pampas
450 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 6th (4.128)
8 Yellow Jasmine
570 yards, par 5
2019 rank: 16th (4.628)
9 Carolina Cherry
460 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 11th (4.049)
10 Camelia
495 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 2nd= (4.247)
11 White Dogwood
505 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 2nd= (4.247)
12 Golden Bell
155 yards, par 3
2019 rank: 9th (3.053)
13 Azalea
510 yards, par 5
2019 rank: 18th (4.474)
14 Chinese Fir
440 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 8th (4.079)
15 Fire Thorn
530 yards, par 5
2019 rank: 17th (4.543)
16 Redbud
170 yards, par 3
2019 rank: 13th (2.908)
17 Nandina
440 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 10th (4.049)
18 Holly
465 yards, par 4
2019 rank: 4th (4.224)
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 could be firmer and faster in 2022 like it was in the spring of 2021, when Matsuyama was the only player to finish in double-digits under par (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). More than likely, however, the course will be playing long but also wet and receptive. Augusta National is going to get drenched by strong storms throughout Tuesday, there will be some more scattered thundershowers on Wednesday, and rain could continue into Thursday morning.
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 two 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 arguably the best ball-striker 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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