Scariest Tee Shot At Augusta?

[mvmac]

For me "scary" means that I have to potential to lose a bal/hit it OB off the tee.  You're not going to lose a ball on 17 or 18.  There's more room for error on 13 and it's a par 5 so I'd say #11 seems the scariest to me.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Yeah, that's my understanding of the conventional way of playing the hole for the pros; hit 3-wood & aim at the bunker - it's like 280 uphill to reach it. That way you don't have to work a driver around the corner.

But even most pros struggle hitting their 3w that far.  The only guys I saw consistently hitting fairway wood off the 18th tee were some of the longest hitters (TW, Rory, etc).

Then again, one of the days I remember the wind being in the face on 18, which may account for most other pros hitting drivers that day (Couples, among the others that I saw hit driver).

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

But even most pros struggle hitting their 3w that far.  The only guys I saw consistently hitting fairway wood off the 18th tee were some of the longest hitters (TW, Rory, etc).

Then again, one of the days I remember the wind being in the face on 18, which may account for most other pros hitting drivers that day (Couples, among the others that I saw hit driver).

Which is exactly why they do it. They know they can't reach the bunker with a 3W.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Which is exactly why they do it. They know they can't reach the bunker with a 3W.

I meant driver.

[CraiginKSA]

I don't like what they did to 18 by lengthening it.  They should have left it alone.  Now the bunkers are not so much in play.  Will there ever be another shot like Sandy Lyle's again?  I remember Greg Norman hitting 4 iron off the tee one year.

By pushing the tee back, most guys just bomb away with the 3 wood and the bunkers don't really matter anymore.

[tomvk77]

I think 18.

All you see is trees and a little bit green grass, that ends with a big nasty bunker on driving distance, on witch you know if i hit it in there

i'm not going to be on the green in 2.

just sick.

[tomvk77]

Originally Posted by mvmac

For me "scary" means that I have to potential to lose a bal/hit it OB off the tee.  You're not going to lose a ball on 17 or 18.  There's more room for error on 13 and it's a par 5 so I'd say #11 seems the scariest to me.

in case off loosing balls i'm more scared off 12.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by CraiginKSA

I don't like what they did to 18 by lengthening it.  They should have left it alone.  Now the bunkers are not so much in play.  Will there ever be another shot like Sandy Lyle's again?  I remember Greg Norman hitting 4 iron off the tee one year.

By pushing the tee back, most guys just bomb away with the 3 wood and the bunkers don't really matter anymore.

And by pushing them forward you could do something like Tiger did and just bomb a driver over them in 1997. Or if you hit the fairway, you have nothing but a wedge in, even from the bunkers it's not a long shot.

So I could go either way on that.

They could just move the bunkers 5-15 yards closer to the tee, too.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by iacas

And by pushing them forward you could do something like Tiger did and just bomb a driver over them in 1997. Or if you hit the fairway, you have nothing but a wedge in, even from the bunkers it's not a long shot.

So I could go either way on that.

They could just move the bunkers 5-15 yards closer to the tee, too.

Or perhaps, move the tees forward a little bit AND add a few more of those giant trees behind the bunkers ;)

Then again ... it's not like it's an "easy" hole to begin with.

[RPMPIRE]

Originally Posted by iacas

And by pushing them forward you could do something like Tiger did and just bomb a driver over them in 1997. Or if you hit the fairway, you have nothing but a wedge in, even from the bunkers it's not a long shot.

So I could go either way on that.

They could just move the bunkers 5-15 yards closer to the tee, too.

They could also add a bunker on the right side just off the fairway and maybe 10-15 yards back in relation to the tee box. It calls for more accuracy with the 3 wood and if players decide to use hybrid/long iron, they have a 200+ yard shot to the green.

But most players (aside from Phil Mickelson) think Augusta should be easier.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

I KNOW it is not the same, but I have played World Tour Golf Links here in MB 50 times. They have exact replica holes of Amen Corner (minus some trees). Having played (replica) #11, #12 and #13 of ANGC, my opinion is that #18 is the scariest drive. That chute looks very tight. Although there is no doubt #11 is a very very difficult hole.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Then again ... it's not like it's an "easy" hole to begin with.

Meh, I'm not so sure.  It's one of the holes I've never bogied before.

:shrug:

[RC]

Number 11 was always the hardest for me... you have to hit it really, really hard and favor the right side which is very elevated -- the hole plays longer than 10 if you have a predictable draw.    Surprisingly number 14 is challenging since it is easy to hang one right and the slope takes you hard right.  So sometimes you get a little pull going and then you are dead trying to get over some really big trees to what might be the hardest green to control your location.  Now number 5 is much harder as it was in Hogan's day, the moved trap makes it tougher and the green only has one landing area for the most part.  Finally, number 7 is now officially a hard driving hole and well deserved -- maybe the most narrow shot on the course.  18 is not as hard as it looks if you are an accurate driver.

But, eliminating the par 3s is a little disappointing since the tee shot on 4 is the hardest shot at Augusta in my opinion.

Actually, the hardest shot at Augusta is the first hole, first swing and first time...You cannot even remember how to hold your club.  You just hope to survive the pressure.

[Chilli Dipper]

Stepping up to a tee knowing exactly what kind of shot you need to hit isn't all that scary; having no idea where to aim is. Even without playing the 13th and 18th holes at Augusta, I know from watching the Masters on television what I'd need to do off the tee on those holes. I have no idea how to play the 11th hole, and that's the kind of hole where I'd hit an absolutely atrocious tee shot.

[colin007]

Number 11 was always the hardest for me... you have to hit it really, really hard and favor the right side which is very elevated -- the hole plays longer than 10 if you have a predictable draw.    Surprisingly number 14 is challenging since it is easy to hang one right and the slope takes you hard right.  So sometimes you get a little pull going and then you are dead trying to get over some really big trees to what might be the hardest green to control your location.  Now number 5 is much harder as it was in Hogan's day, the moved trap makes it tougher and the green only has one landing area for the most part.  Finally, number 7 is now officially a hard driving hole and well deserved -- maybe the most narrow shot on the course.  18 is not as hard as it looks if you are an accurate driver.  But, eliminating the par 3s is a little disappointing since the tee shot on 4 is the hardest shot at Augusta in my opinion. Actually, the hardest shot at Augusta is the first hole, first swing and first time...You cannot even remember how to hold your club.  You just hope to survive the pressure.

Bro, you've played augusta before? Lucky bastard....

[RC]

Many, many times, and each and one was joyful.  I know I am lucky so let's leave it at that.  I never thought, growing up and learning the game, I would ever get the chance, but dreams do come true in the most unlikely of ways.

Chilli Dipper is very insightful about the difficulty of tee shots where you have questions or doubt about the the way to play the upcoming shot.  Number 11 and number 14 sit before you and ask you to hit a certain shot without of a lot of leeway.  You cannot (or at least I cannot) put the possibility of not pulling off the required shot out of your mind and that makes the choice of shot shape change from day to day.  Number 13 for example is not nearly as intimidating. Blast away and play for a draw, just do not pull the ball into the creek or across the creek.  Hit the planned shot and you are in great shape, Hit it a little right, the ball comes down unless you push it a lot -- it is not the end of the world.  18 is really not quite as bad as it looks because there is room to lay up left short of the trap when you are a little shaky.  The big mistake is the push right, catching a tree and deflecting further right.  You know when you feel confident and can bomb down the fairway and when you need to be satisfied with a shot towards the trap, maybe with a 3 wood.