Augusta's Front 9 vs Back 9

[colin007]

Is Augusta's back 9 really that much greater than its front 9? I the the par 4s on the front might be more interesting, for me 14 and 17 are pretty boring, and 6 is just an absolutely gorgeous par 3. I also think 9 it's just as good as 10, 11, and 18. However, I'm not sure anything matches 13.

[Shorty]

It is because it is a perfect set up for the drama of the last 9 on Sunday. Potential for eagles on 13 and 15 after the possibility of bogey (or worse) on 12. The beauty of 16 which is set up for aces but can leave players with diabolical putts and then 18 which is in no way a guaranteed par. It's all about context.

[iacas]

I think the whole course is pretty good. But the back is slightly better.

[saevel25]

Back nine is slightly better. 

[onthehunt526]

I think the second nine is slightly better than the first nine, namely because water doesn't come into play until the 11th hole. 

The second nine offers more chances of big swings. Yes 14 and 17 are kind of filler holes. But name holes on the first nine with the potential of a big swing. You really can't.

[Buckeyebowman]

32 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

I think the second nine is slightly better than the first nine, namely because water doesn't come into play until the 11th hole. 

The second nine offers more chances of big swings. Yes 14 and 17 are kind of filler holes. But name holes on the first nine with the potential of a big swing. You really can't.

Well, unless you're Ernie Els 4 putting! I remember reading an article years ago when Augusta was really jacking up the speeds of the greens so much that there wasn't much scoring going on on the back 9. The author complained that the tourney was losing a lot of it's drama. You were getting fewer of those ground shaking roars! 17 was a lot tougher before the Eisenhower tree blew over in a storm. And 18 is no bargain.

[Shorty]

13 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Well, unless you're Ernie Els 4 putting! I

Correction: How about Els 6 putting from inside 2 feet.

 

[skydog]

Yea I agree that the back nine is better but probably not by as much as the media might make you believe. I think part of the bias is just based on the fact that until not too long ago, television coverage didn’t even start until the back nine so no one (without being there) ever saw the front nine. 

The back nine has the great combination of scoreability, photogenic holes, nostalgia, and drama potential.

[saevel25]

Well I’m speaking as someone who walked the course  by walk, I mean went to a practice round and went where they let us. 

I found the back nine to be more interesting. I think is offers a lot more risk reward. I do think the back nine is easier. 

Edited April 1, 2018 by saevel25

[b101]

6 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

The second nine offers more chances of big swings. Yes 14 and 17 are kind of filler holes. But name holes on the first nine with the potential of a big swing. You really can't.

I'd say the third offers that somewhat. They can move the tees forward to make it driveable, or put the flag on that really tough spot on the left of the green. We've seen people really struggle with that hole before now. Agree that it doesn't offer the swings that the back nine does, though.

[onthehunt526]

1 minute ago, b101 said:

I'd say the third offers that somewhat. They can move the tees forward to make it driveable, or put the flag on that really tough spot on the left of the green. We've seen people really struggle with that hole before now. Agree that it doesn't offer the swings that the back nine does, though.

You can make 6 in a heartbeat on the 3rd. As you said put the flagstick in the Sunday spot and make it a drivable par-four... The only other real par 4 on the front you can have a big swing on is really the 5th. As for par-threes, the fourth can be a bitch, just hit it over in the bamboo, you can make 6 or more in a heartbeat. The par-5s don't have the swings on the first nine like they do on the second nine. Yes Oosthuizen made an albatross on the 2nd... But the 8th is kind of boring unless you get left of the mounds. I like the 7th and I like the 9th, and the sixth is a nice par-three.

My favorite hole in the world (that I will never be able to play) is the 13th Hole. It is in my opinion the most beautiful hole in the world...  But I will never get an invitation to the Masters. I don't even think they give an exemption to the Mid-Amateur Champion anymore. 

[Shorty]

1 hour ago, onthehunt526 said:

I don't even think they give an exemption to the Mid-Amateur Champion anymore. 

Is that what's known as a "humblebrag"?

 

[onthehunt526]

8 minutes ago, Shorty said:

Is that what's known as a "humblebrag"?

 

No, I'm just a little upset because they used to always give an exemption for that. Bobby Jones wanted to keep the amateur tradition alive.

[HJJ003]

Yeah I think the back nine is better than the front. So many good holes, though the course for the most part is pretty balanced. I have actually never been a huge fan of 18. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a bad hole, just not all that interesting to me (just hard) until it’s the 72nd hole of the week. 

[iacas]

8 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

I don't even think they give an exemption to the Mid-Amateur Champion anymore. 

Yes they do.

http://golfweek.com/2018/03/26/2018-masters-field-list-and-how-each-player-qualified/

[onthehunt526]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Yes they do.

http://golfweek.com/2018/03/26/2018-masters-field-list-and-how-each-player-qualified/

Ok. I didn't see it the first time. So Matt Parziale is the Mid-Amateur champion okay.

---

Back to the discussion. Since 2002, we've been able to see the entire first nine on Sunday. Someone made the comment for the first 65 Masters you either saw very little or none of the first nine. Hell until 1984, they didn't even have cameras on the first nine. Hord Hardin let CBS expand its Sunday coverage and place a few more cameras around the hallowed grounds. 

The best hole on the first nine, is the 7th (though the 9th is pretty close). 

[ncates00]

I think the back 9 is a bit better, the setup is a little better for dramatic finishes and it's "prettier,"  At the same time, there are some great holes on the front- the two par 5's are gettable and could provide drama if you played the back first and then the front as the back.

[colin007]

12 hours ago, ncates00 said:

I think the back 9 is a bit better, the setup is a little better for dramatic finishes and it's "prettier,"  At the same time, there are some great holes on the front- the two par 5's are gettable and could provide drama if you played the back first and then the front as the back.

Yeah the 2nd hole is just a fabulous second shot if you can go for it.