AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Masters Tournament is just tinkering with its Augusta National Golf Club this year.
A year after the tee was moved back 35 yards on the par-5 13th hole, the only change this year is to another par-5, No. 2, and it was only minor.
Already the longest hole on the course, 10 yards have been added to No. 2, making it play to 585 yards. The next-longest hole is the par-5 eighth, at 570 yards. That brings the course’s yardage to 7,555 yards.
This begs the question: which hole or holes are next?
“That’s a great question,” 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples said. “I don’t think any of them have gone too far. I really don’t.”
“They have plenty of space, no question about that, if they want to (lengthen it),” said two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, who is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his second Masters victory.
Couples and Olazabal believe the course should stand pat and not make any more yardage changes.
“I don’t know if there’s any holes maybe they need to lengthen. I really don’t,” Couples said.
Said Olazabal: “I don’t think the golf course needs it anymore. I think even for today’s game with all those young kids hitting it very, very far, I still think this golf course is long enough.
“I played with Bubba (Watson) today on the back nine and he reached the green in two on 13, reached the green in two on 15,” Olazabal said. “He was hitting like a 9-iron or a wedge on 14. On 17, he must have hit, yeah, a similar club, like 9-iron, something like that. He hit a 3-wood off the tee on 18 to avoid the bunkers. I think the golf course is long enough, but if they want to, I’m pretty sure that they can find the space to do so.”
Couples pointed out that he considers the narrow par-4 seventh hole “brutal” at 450 yards. But Justin Thomas, one of his Tuesday playing partners, hit an 8-iron into the green.
Couples is a huge fan of the 18th hole, a par-4 which plays at 465 yards after more than 55 yards were added in 2002. He hopes it stays that way.
“I think 18 is probably one of the greatest holes in golf now,” Couples said. “We didn’t use the (back tee) last year because it was into the wind almost every day. But if it’s dry and they move the tee back, it’s one of the greatest finishing holes – trying to make a par to win this thing would be amazing.”
Last Sunday, Couples was playing the course with a few amateurs and had some interesting instructions for them as they were leaving the 17th green.
“I told them just don’t look (to the left, down the 18th fairway), just follow me and just walk all the way to the back of the 18th tee and now turn around. One guy just couldn’t believe it. I mean, it’s a tunnel.”
12th hole is the only one unchanged
With all the yardage changes to the holes over the years, that leaves No. 12 as the only hole that has remained the same length through all 88 Masters. It is still 155 famous yards. Club chairman Fred Ridley said Wednesday ahead of the tournament that as long as he’s around, the 12th won’t change.
Earlier this week, 2000 Masters champion Vijay Singh suggested that at least 10 yards should be added to No. 12. He thinks it is playing easier because golfers are hitting less club into the green.
“Well, I’ll tell you what, no,” said Olazabal, when asked his opinion on Singh’s suggestion. “Just leave it like it is. I think it’s a fantastic hole, great hole. It’s a short hole. But it’s a devilish hole. It’s very hard to hit the green. The green is at an angle. It’s not very deep. It’s only like 10 yards in the middle, about what, 14 on the left and 12 on the right. You know, I don’t think we need to do anything with that hole. I think it’s a fantastic hole. When the wind blows, it’s a nightmare of a hole.”
As for the change on No. 2 this year, in addition to moving the tee back, it was moved to the golfers’ left. The increased yardage is just enough to stop most golfers from attempting to carry the fairway bunker on the right side of the fairway.
“I know it’s 10 yards back, but thought it was going to be more left,” said Will Zalatoris. “I think it’s more the fact that carrying the bunker is completely out of play with the exception of about four or five guys in the field. Used to maybe say 10 percent of the guys could do it.”
One of them who can still do it is Rory McIlroy.
“Funny, I was here last week and I wasn’t playing with Rory,” said Shane Lowry. “He was out at a different time. I asked him, ‘Can you carry that bunker?’ And he says ‘Yeah.’ I certainly can’t. I remember there was a couple of times last year when I could carry that bunker but I definitely can’t this year.”