Redesigning Opinions for Augusta National by Other Architects

[saevel25]

Masters 2019: We Redesigned Augusta National* - Golf Digest

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*Actually, we asked some of the leading architects in golf how they would change the home of the Masters if they had the opportunity. Their answers...

I am a fan of trying to keep to the original architect's intent. I think the course needs to go back to an approach shot course instead of a tee shot course it is now.

The two designs I dislike the most is turning No. 3 into a drivable par 4 and adding 100 yards to hole #13. I believe the proposal to that hole would take away the risk reward because of how severe the slope is for hitting the 2nd shot into that green. I think it would be too hard to hit a fairway wood with the ball that far above the golfer's feet. I think most golfers would end up laying up, which would take away from the hole.

[DeadMan]

I like a lot of these. But some of them are pretty half-assed, too. Like the guy suggesting taking out 1 bunker on the front of 7. His reasoning basically implied that you should take out all of those bunkers, but instead he just takes out the middle one. Really strange. The guy proposing that we move 12 back so it's a 7 iron approach? Yikes.

EDIT: I hadn't yet read the author's option on 13. Wow. That is truly horrible. Lengthening the hole makes some sense to me, but 100 yards is ridiculous.

Edited April 3, 2019 by DeadMan

[iacas]

I'd leave the distances about where they are, remove about 80% of the trees, and eliminate most of the "first cut."

Angles aren't angles on normal PGA Tour courses - or Augusta National anymore - because you literally need about 80 yards or so to have "angles" actually matter. And with the severe slopes on the greens at Augusta National, the angles could matter more than almost anywhere else - coming directly into a slope, or across a slope… it changes how the ball reacts quite a bit.

Eliminating the first cut would let the ball roll into the pine straw of the few remaining trees, too. Offline shots would continue to roll further offline.

Some specific points in response to the proposed ideas:

• Shortening three is dumb. That hole is not an easy birdie but every year you see someone play a great shot there, and you see someone make a five or a six in a heartbeat. I'd make the single fairway bunker and the fairway left of it would fall under my "elminate the first cut" stuff.
• I agree about how stupid removing ONE bunker is on the 7th. Move the tee back up a little, and the front hole location becomes tough enough.
• I like the idea of a centerline bunker on 8. I'd re-do that instead of just pushing the tees farther right to make it a carry bunker. With the width comes choice… which side do you want to hit to? I'd make the right side a bit narrower, to force a few more people left. Right opens up the angle to the green a bit more.
• I like Doak's take on nine. The green forces one shot, at all times, regardless of hole location. Plus with fewer trees angles would matter. Or, if they really don't want to do much else, make the front fall off, but do something with the rest of the green so the whole thing isn't just a "back to front" deal.
• Brian Silva's idea for 12 is dumb. 30 yards? Cripes.
• 17 used to be about angles, so anything that keeps the trees on 17 I already reject.
• The 13th? Oy. If they want to stop Bubba from doing what Bubba did, put one big tree on the inside corner close to the tee. A Lon Hinkle type thing.

[lastings]

what the heck?  Moving the tee boxes back on 12?   12 is an iconic and dramatic hole every single year.   It's plenty difficult, and distance isn't really going to change that.  

why would anyone want to tempt fate and mess with a hole that no one has any qualms with.   best case scenario, you don't ruin it.   worst case scenario, it ends up playing differently and everyone in the world of golf is pissed.  

[RichWW2]

There was a fantastic article on golf digest a few years back that has all the changes from Augusta over the years for each hole.  It really highlights the evolution each hole as gone through and why in some cases.  Very helpful in visualizing some of these ideas.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-complete-changes-to-augusta-national