Augusta National's Use of Water Hazards

[Phil Benedict]

Five of the nine holes on the back side have water in play in front of or near the green.  I don't know whether the 16th had water near the green in the original layout.  Thinking about other classic era courses, I can't think of any that have water hazards in play on the approach to so many greens.  Was this considered radical at the time?  Was the course consciously routed so as to place lots of green sites near water?  Take away the water and Augusta National wouldn't be the same course.  Other than seaside courses, how many other classic era courses does this statement apply to?

[JESII]

I'll tell you what really interests me, in light of those hazards is why did they initially play the nines the other way around?

[Pete Lavallee]

Phil,

I believe that the original version of AN used Raes Creek as the primary hazard. It was only when the creek was dammed in several areas that created the ponds. I am sure that Golden Agers where quite fond of creeks as hazards for several reasons.

[Phil Benedict]

The other thing that interests me is the extent to which the prominence of water hazards at AN influenced architecture post 1960.  Pete's point about the dams is a good one because the hazards are much more visually significant now than in the original layout.  

[Sam Morrow]

Didn't the original 16th at Augusta have a creek running in front like 13?

[Tom_Doak]

The original 16th (actually it was the 7th) played diagonally over the creek the other way ... the tee was nearer 15 green and the green was on the left side of where the pond is now ... but the creek was very much in play next to the green.

It was just a creek in front of 15, too, and not as much in play when Sarazen made his famous two.  Same for the pond on 11, so the water was not AS MUCH of a factor as it is today.  But, you are right in saying that it was a lot for the old days.

[David_Elvins]

Didn't the original 16th at Augusta have a creek running in front like 13?

There was no dam on the 15th or 11th either.

[Pete Lavallee]

Sam,

The pond on 11 was caused by damming Rae's Creek as was the pond in front of 15; it used to be just a creek fronting the green. The same creek did snake around the left side of the original 16th green; the new pond was formed by again damming that creek.

[Ian Andrew]

The 15th with only a creek

[Tim Gavrich]

The water on the back nine is one of the things that makes the final nine holes of The Masters so compelling, usually.  Yes, I know that William Flynn and others derided the presence of water as resistant to recovery, but the fact that danger lurks around nearly every corner at ANGC makes the audience aware of the pressure in every shot, and makes the great shots even better.  Sure, from a purely architectural viewpoint it may be flawed, but nonetheless, it's a whole lot of fun to watch for me.

[BCrosby]

God I love that old aerial. I've looked at it a hundred times and always see something new.

Bob

[TEPaul]

In my opinion, ANGC and its design and architecture should in no way be discounted for its liberal use of water (on five of the nine holes of the back nine).

I think the use of water in golf and golf architecture is a fine application and I also think far too many of the old architects who pooh-poohed it were being blatantly and knowingly hypocritcal.

Furthermore, Bob Crosby and I have just come up with an idea to repropose the legislating of the "floater" ball in golf the effects of which should serve to save all golf architecture and for some other reasons most of you nodders have never even thought of.

A floater ball will immediately solve the distance problem, it will bring skill and architecture far more into the natural relationship and balance they should be in too.

But the most interesting part of our "floater" proposal and solution, particularly with the liberal sprinkling of water hazards around golf courses, is it will be a constant and instanteous and completely natural "test" (no manufactured testing mechanisms needed) to insure that manufacturers and all golfers are always complying with the R&A/USGA I&B Rules on golf on balls.

The fact is if any golfer hits his ball into a water hazard and it sinks, he will be immediately exposed for what he is---a cheater and a person of weak and suspect character.

Bob and I are also proposing in conjunction with the legislating of the "floater" ball that the actual playing Rules of golf be altered to provide for not strokes penalties or even immediate DQ for golfers whose golf balls sink but that they should be immediately stripped totally NAKED by any opponents, fellow competitors or even bystanders and left bare-assed on the golf course to figure out for themselves the best way to deal with the extreme opprobrium of using non-floater golf balls.

[Phil Benedict]

When and why did they build the dams?  To make the water more visually prominent?  So it would look better on TV or did the dams predate TV?  Did the dams coincide with Trent Jones redo of 16?

Would 15 have played that differently with just the creek running in front of the green?  It's still a forced carry over water with the land sloping towards the creek.  They probably didn't shave the banks around the water in those days.  The shaved banks are another Augusta National innovation I think.  

[TEPaul]

Phil:

Things like the shaved banks to the creeks and certainly the level of the water in the creeks may seem to most of us like a minor and only an aesthetic change but in play it can be just HUGE.

I believe Shackelford may've essentially pointed that out and proven it to ANGC.

One year recently they raised the water level and maybe shaved the banks more and made it much more likely that near misses could get into the creeks.

But then they wondered why so many more players weren't being tempted to take a risk and go for the green which disappointed them.

This notion that tour players are stupid and in real trouble if they have to think a little more just maybe on of the biggest "wives' tale" and crocks of shit ever verbalized about the game.  

[Andy Levett]

If you look at MacKenzie’s career, there’s not a single UK course that uses water other than the likes of the ‘bonny wee burn’ or ‘damn sewer’ of the story he relates in his books. No water on Royal Melbourne either.

Things seem to change at Cypress Point, inspired by the site and by the example of Pebble Beach. Having seen those stellar examples, it’s understandable both he and Bobby Jones should want to attempt to recreate that “pleasurable excitement” at Augusta.

After RTJ saw Augusta, it’s natural he would add that particular watery shade to his palette, and for the effect be reproduced in evermore garish hues by archies worldwide. Monterey has a lot to answer for…

I love that aerial too. It really shows how different the golden age archies were from each other. It’s a mile away from the naturalistic look espoused by Tom Simpson, and most of the working archies on this site

I’m not saying one look or the other is better, but you can see the faith in technology typical of  MacK’s generation – that better machinery would make better golf courses etc, and that the signs of that machinery, like straight lines, were not necessarily to be deprecated. Simpson in his book makes a big point of the aesthetics and seems to have won the battle with posterity .  

MacK’s, Colt’s and Abercrombie’s courses generally have had the width strangled out of them to make them ‘more of a test’ – but even if greens committees have ignored Simpson’s stunning drawings in terms of strategy, they have taken on board his ideas as to what a golf course should look like.

[Phil Benedict]

Looking at the original layout,the creation of ponds by damming creeks, and the shaved banks, Augusta really upped the ante as far as the importance of water in modern golf.

[Brock Peyer]

This is not a threadjack, but,....looking at that picture, if the course were built today with that design those immature trees, would it be considered great?  At what point did Augusta become great?  Was it instantly?  I feel like a traitor asking those questions as Augusta is my favorite course in the world and maybe favorite place in the world.  What do you think?