15th at Augusta

[Michael Robin]

I was lucky enough to go to The Masters for the first time on Sunday. I had heard so many of the "You'll be so surprised when you see it in person" comments such as "TV doesn't do justice to the changes in elevation" or "10 is so much more downhill" or "There's not a blade of grass out of place." All of these things are true. The one that really caught me off guard was just how brilliant the 15th hole is.

It's obviously played a huge part in every Masters - its perfect placement
in the routing for drama, its accessibility to the green in two for players of differing lengths, its brilliant green complex all add to this. The thing that I couldn't tell from TV, but had a hunch about purely from players avoiding the shot, was just how steep the fairway is in the lay-up area from 100-185 yards out. It's an awfully difficult shot, even with a wedge or 9 iron in your hand. In fact , the only semi-flat lies are in the "go for it" zone at the top of the hill from 220-260 yards out or inside the drop circle. And here lies one of my favorite design
moves in all of Major Championship Golf - It's easier to take a rip at the green from 230, and bring in all of the trouble, than it is to try the same shot from 130 out, and therefore inducing drama, drama, drama.

13 offers a pretty legitimate lay-up scenario, but the fairway there is much more difficult to hit, so you are given an alternate route if you fail to stripe the fairway. 15 however is straight away, and even given the lengthening of the last few years, and added trees and bumps it's rather tame in trouble off the tee, luring you into the "go for it" zone and basically making it a requirement to go for the green in two.

What are some of the other "surprises" that people have experienced upon their first visit to Augusta?



 
 

[BCrosby]

Michael -

Nice summary of the 15th.

You hear that most people are surprised by the hills at ANGC when they see it for the first time. That's probably true.

After you've seen it many, many times what continues to surprise you is how well MacK used those hills in his design. For example, I noticed for the first time this year the run-off on the right side of the 14th fairway. It complicates your aim point from the tee and can feed your ball into the rough and trees on that side, yet that side is the optimal side from which to approach. As a bonus, the run-off originally fed a NLE bunker along the right side. It would be nice to restore it. But even shorn of its bunker, the little run-off is a wonderful feature. I had not really focused on it before.    

There are hundreds of such contouring details. Other than maybe TOC, there is no better use of contouring than at ANGC. Thank goodness there is not much the current owners can do about it.

Bob

P.S. Hold the phone. Speaking of messing with contouring, one of the consequences of the extreme narrowing of 11 and 17 is that only the flattest parts of those fairways remain. They were not just narrowed. They were also - effectively - flattened.

[JESII]

Bob,

Is that to say that the current fairway on holes 11 and 17 is actually where the players would likely have been aiming anyway? Does that mean they will now be penalized for inaccuracy?

[BCrosby]

JES -

No, the fairways are not now where good players would be aiming anyway.

There are now trees where good players would have placed their ideal drives. On both holes you wanted to approach from the right side. Can't do that now. The current fairways dictate the dumbest possible approach angle on both holes.

Of course players are now penalized for inaccuracy off the tee. Even the slightest.

That sort of penal concept was exactly what MacK and Jones designed ANGC not to be about.

Bob

[Brent Hutto]

Of course players are now penalized for inaccuracy off the tee. Even the slightest.

That sort of penal concept was exactly what MacK and Jones designed ANGC not to be about.

And it's the easiest concept in the world to execute. If you can grow grass and trees (or dig ponds for water hazards) it doesn't take much design talent or attention to create a course where there's a 25-yard-wide strip of fairway with a forest, long grass or water to each side. Just build a good set of greens and the rest of a major-championship course can just about design itself...

[Steve Pieracci]

Michael -


After you've seen it many, many times what continues to surprise you is how well MacK used those hills in his design.......

So all those hills and contours at ANGC are naturally occurring?  I am interested in how the course was designed and built.  Suggestions for reading material would be appreciated.  

[Tom Zeni]

For several years now, I've been quite disheartened that the Green Jackets saw fit to place grand stands on the right side of the 15th hole.

What was once a grand viewing site - sitting behind the right side bunker, and able to watch the 16th, and the flower filled hillside was a delight.  

If you've watched the tape of the '86 Masters, you saw Tommy Nakijima and Tom Watson look at the 16th green to see if Nicklaus was putting. Well, we used to be able to do the same thing. No longer. The grandstand, while offering a seat into the afternoon sun, obscures any view of the Par 3. It's a total blunder.

[Brent Hutto]

After you've seen it many, many times what continues to surprise you is how well MacK used those hills in his design.......

So all those hills and contours at ANGC are naturally occurring?  I am interested in how the course was designed and built.  Suggestions for reading material would be appreciated.  

Here's a little background on the famous prior owners of the property that is now ANGC
http://resources.caes.uga.edu/media/GAR/horticulture.htm

and an early view of Magnolia Drive

http://historicgolfphotography.com/page_photo.cfm?photoid=692

This is a picture of a good portion of the property while it was being used as a nursery

http://historicgolfphotography.com/page_photo.cfm?photoid=7879


Here's an ANGC panorama that really lets you see the severity of the hill. If I'm not mistaken the buildings to the (player's) right of eighteen are in the same location as the nursery buildings in the foreground of the previous photo.

http://historicgolfphotography.com/page_photo.cfm?photoid=362

[Tom Zeni]

Steve,

Suggested reading would be :
"The Masters - Golf, Money, and Power in Augusta, Georgia." by Curt Sampson (also the author of "Hogan")

It has it's good moments, and it's rather dry moments about Augusta-the city. At least I thought so. Otherwise, it takes you through the inception and the movers and shakers that made AN what it is.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Somewhat OT, but since others have let it wander, there is an article in the new Golf World, reporting that ANGC is buying up a lot of land around itself, mostly to turn the parking lot into a worth practice facility that doesn't need a screen net and then move the parking and add more hospitality tents.  

Along the way, it mentions that the second hole could be lengthened to over 600 yards, although from the photos, it looks like there would have to be some relocation of a maintenance building.

I commented in an earlier thread that they could buy some adjacent lots to the fifth tee to lengthen that hole further, and it appears they have bought that lot and and most others along that bordering road, again mostly for parking, I think, but allowing the fifth to be lengthen would be a possibility.

[Patrick_Mucci_Jr]

Michael Robin,

I think the elevation changes and the slopes in the fairways toghether with the pitch of the greens surprised me the most.

The difficulty approaching # 15 that you mentioned, and how incredibly severe the slope in the 13th fairway is.

There were so many surprises despite my having viewed the Masters for about 40 years.

Please inform Mr Huckaby with respect to how narrow the chutes on holes # 7, 11, 17 and 18 are.  Thanks

Bob Crosby,

I too think the routing is brilliant.

Unfortunately Mike Cirba thinks the good doctor did a poor job routing the golf course.  
I'm still awaiting his promised version.
But, I'm not holding my breath.

[Jim Johnson]

Steve,

I highly recommend...
"Alister MacKenzie's Masterpiece: The Augusta National Golf Club", by Stan Byrdy.

Byrdy breaks his book up into sections (i.e. "The Starter", "The Front Nine", "The Turn", "The Back Nine", and "The 19th Hole").

"The Starter" deals with a description of MacKenzie, the Nursery grounds, the area of Augusta, Bobby Jones and his interest in Fruitlands Nurseries, and his decision to go with MacKenzie as his designer, and their building of Augusta National.

"The Front Nine" and "The Back Nine" details each hole on the course, complete with drawings of each hole, both "circa 1930's" and "present day" (published in 2005). Each hole is presented with the history of the hole, its memorable moments, its highs and lows, and photographs "circa 1934" and later years, showing how each hole has evolved.

"The Turn" describes "The Augusta National Invitation Tournament" as it has proceeded through the years.

And "The 19th Hole" offers tidbits about the various designers/players who have modified the course over the year, "monuments" on the course, "MacKenzie's Principles at Play in Augusta", and a bibliography.

Augmented by interesting photographs from pre-construction to present day, this is a great book, a staple of my golf library.

JJ

[BCrosby]

Steve -

You gotta figure they didn't move a heck of a lot of dirt. The construction budget was $100,000 and they came in under that number. And a part of that money went to rehabing the old mansion.

As for books:

The Byrdy book is excellent. A core holding.

Surprisingly good on the evolution of the course is David Owens' book called (I think) The Making of the Masters. Some good pics that Byrdy doesn't have. Owens' book too is indispsensable. Published last year and still in bookstores.

I love Charles Price's book. It doesn't get talked about much any more, but it is very, very good. (His dislike of Cliff Roberts is palpable. But, hey, he knew him. So who's to argue? ) Published in the early '70's. It's out of print but findable at the usual used book sites.

Bob

[Steve Pieracci]

Thanks guys.   This will keep me occupied.    

[BCrosby]

Jeff -

There has been a lot of talk in the Augusta papers about ANGC buying up adjoining properties. Word is that they already own big chunks of Washington Road and other big chunks on the side of the property next to the 4th.

There are also lots of rumors about what they intend to do with the land. Parking is one obvious use. Cleaning up the junky stuff on Wash. Rd is another.

Clearly they could extend the 2nd to 600+ yards. It is an egregiously bad idea. But it would be consistent with Hootie's and Fazio's vision of the future of the course. The team that brought us the recent changes to 7, 11 and 17 must view such lengthening as self evident, beyond discussion. You make it a really long unreachable par 5 with incredibly narrow landing areas and push average scores to over par in the Masters. That's the ticket.

Bob    

[A.G._Crockett]

Somewhat OT, but since others have let it wander, there is an article in the new Golf World, reporting that ANGC is buying up a lot of land around itself, mostly to turn the parking lot into a worth practice facility that doesn't need a screen net and then move the parking and add more hospitality tents.  

Yes, to the tune of $22 million for approx. 60 acres, according to the article.

Maybe they're going to make the course 27 holes, or put in a pool and some tennis courts!

[PThomas]

Somewhat OT, but since others have let it wander, there is an article in the new Golf World, reporting that ANGC is buying up a lot of land around itself, mostly to turn the parking lot into a worth practice facility that doesn't need a screen net and then move the parking and add more hospitality tents.  

Yes, to the tune of $22 million for approx. 60 acres, according to the article.

Maybe they're going to make the course 27 holes, or put in a pool and some tennis courts!

I think it's for the GolfClubAtlas guest houses.....

[Mark Bourgeois]

The thing that surprised me the most on my first visit was its rightful claim to being the first "spectator golf" course.  It's easily the best of that ilk (not that there's much competition); I especially like Bob Jones' comments in the guide explaining the "correct way" to watch the tournament, and the best places from which to do that. (Don't go to the golfers, let the  golfers come to you.)

Does anyone know whether the routing was planned intentionally with this aim in mind, namely to create areas where you can see a lot of golf played?

[A.G._Crockett]

The thing that surprised me the most on my first visit was its rightful claim to being the first "spectator golf" course.  It's easily the best of that ilk (not that there's much competition); I especially like Bob Jones' comments in the guide explaining the "correct way" to watch the tournament, and the best places from which to do that. (Don't go to the golfers, let the  golfers come to you.)

Does anyone know whether the routing was planned intentionally with this aim in mind, namely to create areas where you can see a lot of golf played?

I don't know the answer to this, but my guess would be that many, many golden age courses would accomodate easy viewing of a lot of golf, if not necessarily a lot of spectators.  The routing, especially the green to tee distances, would facilitate that.  East Lake is a great place to watch the Tour Championship because you can see all or part of several holes at once.

In that regard, ANGC might be ahead of the curve due to the elevation changes.

[Michael Robin]

Patrick Mucci - For Tom Huckaby's benefit, 7 was moderately tight from the tee, 11 is brutally tight with no play other than a pitch out if you miss it right. In fact, we sat at the great "Sitting Area" at 11/12 and watched every group go thru and I would say about 1 in 6 of the players were forced into a pitch out of the new forest. Most actually made par as they were able to spin the ball and access that flag, whereas of those playing their second shots to the green, no one was inside 20 feet all day and the only birdie was recorded by Larry Mize. Kind of a cool thing was after he holed out, his playing partner Thomas Bjorn made him describe his winning chip shot vs Norman. 11 must have played over 4.5 on Sunday.

The 17th is stunningly tight with the Eisenhower tree really looming large on the left and a much bigger uphill grade than I imagined. 18 is much more intimidating than on TV. Very tight, VERY uphill, feels like you must cut it around the corner although you don't really need to because the fairway bunkers are in play for only the longest hitters, which is why Phil and Tiger did hit it to the right side.

Another observation - You just can't believe how much contour and slope there are on the greens. You would think that they would require a stimp of no more than 9 to remain playable, but I guess that's one of the great unique factors of the place.

Also, one of the other things that is not evident on TV is that all of the Masters facilities for the public are permanent structures. There is a whole city to the west of the Clubhouse that is for the Masters use only. Merchandise pavillion, UPS shipping center, Turnstiles, Cafeteria, Press Center, Bathrooms. And on the golf course, the bathrooms are permanent structures. Also, there is no sense of corporate hospitality tents. I don't think they exist or at least they are not in evidence.

Last thing, not one corporate logo. All the food is packaged for the Masters. Masters bottled water, Masters cups for beverages and beer, all of the sandwiches are wrapped in green plastic (Pimento/Cheese sandwiches were unfortunately very good),
and everything is only a buck. Merchandise is only Augusta National branded, no variety of shirt companies, all at decent prices. You get the feeling that this is not about making a buck off the patrons, only treating them to the best sporting event in the world. I would say mission accomplished.

[Doug Sobieski]

The surprise that I specifically remember was how uphill #7 was from the fairway. I knew that the green was perched above the bunkers, but I didn't expect how far above the fairway landing area it is. I had prepared myself for the extreme elevation changes, but that one took me by surprise.

[Bill Gayne]

The scale of the golf course always surprises me. You read and hear about how tight and narrow the golf course is. Well my home course is on 124 acres with large pines and can be down right dangerous at times. At several points the fairways are 15 to 20 paces wide. Nothing at ANGC is that narrow (though 11 is now close) and the greens are bigger than anything I'm accustomed too. The only greens I would say are small are 7 and 12. It's still a really big golf course. Also the bunker depth especially on the fairway bunkers is surprising. The fairway bunkers on 8 and 10 are fantastic. Some of the fairway mounding is much bigger than expected.

Many comments are made about how isolationalist and elitist that the membership can be. In reality you see the green jackets all over the golf course with the patrons and they are genuinely warm and freindly. Most of them work the golf tournament in some capacity.

(I've been discussing with my six and nine year old: Where does the white go when the snow melts? We've decided that it goes into the bunkers at ANGC!)