[Mike Hendren]

In your opinion, which hole at Augusta National Golf Club has increased in difficulty the most since the course opened?

One look at the outstanding photograph on page 165 of Stan Byrdy's book suggets the 12th to me.  The fronting beach bunkers were relatively mild, the rear of the green had a little cant that breaked approaches and the high bank immediately behind the green was a welcome backstop for the long approach (the lower front ip of the rear bunkers look to be at least 7 to 8' above the putting surface which ends right at the foot of the bank).On the other hand there is a distinct green within a green on the extreme right which appears to be noticeably elevated and would have made the Sunday pin placement even more difficult than it is today by increasing three putts following a conservative tee shot.

Raising the green  to solve flooding, coupled with shaving the front bank has perhaps made this hole a stroke harder.

Mike

[David_Tepper]

From the perspective of someone who has never set foot on the course and only knows about the course from watching the Masters on TV and reading about it in print & online, my sense is the 7th hole has changed the most in terms of toughness over the past 10 or so years.

As I recall, that hole was pretty much a 3-wood/1-iron tee shot and a wedge into a fairly shallow green a decade or two ago. I believe the hole has been both lengthened and narrowed. Players now are hitting a slightly longer iron into the the same shallow green.

[Doug Spets]

11.  A great drive can still leave you with 200 to the hole.  Trees on the right don't allow a swinging hook anymore. 

The green is nearly 40 yards long, following the flood almost 20 years ago.

[Patrick_Mucci]

# 7, # 10, # 11 and # 18, although, # 17 might be added to the mix.

[john_stiles]

Since inception 1931-1933 up to even 1937,   my vote would be #10 and #7.

They were both pegged as too easy in the beginning based on tournament play.

#10 was significantly lengthened and the entire green shifted back up and on the side of the hill.

# 7 is still one of the smallest greens and is heavily guarded by bunkers. Additional flanking pines have been added through the years and about 45 yards or so tacked on.   As noted by David, it has gone from a 3 wood, wedge  to driver/3 wood and maybe mid iron depending on player and/or conditions. 

[TEPaul]

I'd say between inception and now it would be #10.

[Matt_Cohn]

At inception #7 was 340 with no bunkers - an imitation of #18 on TOC.

[Dan Herrmann]

Hole Seven.

I was blown away when I saw it in person.  I'm around a 10 GHIN, but I'd stuggle to score a six from the tips here.  Its green is so small and well protected.

I think #4 may cause grief, especially if they tuck the hole behind the bunker.  That's one long hole now.

Conversely, I'm glad that #3 is still a fairly short par 4.

[Joey Smith]

Mike - I was a tad surprised there was not much mention about # 11.

It's now 505 yards with many more trees on the right and the fairway has been "softened" in the landing area over the last decade.

The green and right side surround has been raised a couple of feet.  No more long pitch shots like Larry Mize had, you now have to "throw" the shot from a right side miss.

Hogan said that if he hit the 11th green it was a miss.  He always aimed to the right edge of that green.  He probably would not attempt that play now because of the difficult 3rd shot.  A right miss on #11 is now penal. 

js

[Ken Fry]

Many changes have happened to #11 beyond the obvious lengthening.  The original tee provided a clear view for the tee shot unlike today's blind tee shot.  The green complex began with Rae's Creek encroaching on the left and a bit behind to the full size pond now fronting the green.  Add the over the top Sherwood Forest that was installed on the right side to complete the changes.

Ken

[Adrian_Stiff]

The 7th has gone from a fairly benign short 4, heavily guarded slopey green to a 465 yarder, with not much respite to the green. I would just edge that as the toughest hole change since inception over the 10th, however was the 11th a 350 yarder early on (something in the back of my mind had this as a shorty)? In which case probably that.

[Adam Clayman]

Michael, Seamlessly correlating difficulty with "better", shows what an easy (and pervasive) mistake it is to make.

[Chip Gaskins]

has to be #7

#11 used to have a blind pot bunker in the middle of fairway, so i would have to say it might have been just as hard then.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Ken Fry,

I had heard that many of the trees to the right of # 11 fairway had been removed.

I'm anxious to see the telecast on Thursday, specifically, the 11th hole.

[Chip Gaskins]

Ken Fry,

I had heard that many of the trees to the right of # 11 fairway had been removed.

I'm anxious to see the telecast on Thursday, specifically, the 11th hole.

between 5 - 10 have been removed.  i can't say i see much difference honestly.  i suspect they will remove them slowly over the coming years (versus the mea culpa with a "all at once approach") and bring the right side back into play.  playing from the right to me seems harder than play across the water on the left of the fairway.  i think the better way to make 11 harder is just (and i very much hate to say this) is just move the tee back (though it is already a football field away from the members tee) a little more.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Chip,

I find the setup on the 11th and 18th tees to be very uncomfortable, especially when you consider the blind nature of the tee shot on # 11.

While almost everyone in the world knows what the hole looks like, it's still a shocker when you get on those tees and have to hit a good drive.

The approach into the green is exceptionally difficult, as are recovery shots, especially to certain hole locations.

[Bill_McBride]

I would join the chorus for #7, because most of the other changes have just been added length while the changes to #7 have turned it from a short par 4 to a lengthy par 4 while retaining a green designed for a short par 4.  The other changes haven't been to the idea behind a golf hole, just length to accommodate today's distances.  #7 was a lay up and wedge to a small, well-bunkered green.  Today it's a driver mid iron to a small, well-bunkered green.

But I could be all wet! 

[Paul_Daley]

It has to be the seventh hole, with a "dishonourable" mention of the eighteenth coming up the rear. 
 

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike Hendren,

I forgot to ask you the most important question.

Are you referencing the Member's tees or The Master's tees ?

I believe the answer differs, based on which tees you're referencing.

[Tim_Cronin]

The 16th. Completely rebuilt by Trent Jones, went from a pitch over a creek to the beauty we have today.

[Dan Herrmann]

I was listening to Mickelson on XM-146 this morning, and he said #7 has changed everything.   He said it's gone from being a birdie hole to the 2nd toughest par, after #11.

[Greg Holland]

Looking at the 1959 SI article by Bobby Jones posted recently, here are some of the drastic changes:

1.  Tea Olive - 400 yards then, 455 now (Tiger recently said it is the hardest opening hole in golf).

7.  Pampas - 365 then, now 450 (as noted, Mickelson said it changed the whole mindset/flow of the round - instead of birdie, it is 2d hardest).  (Jones noted how tight the drive was, but commented that the 2d was normally a steep pitch requiring precise judgment.)

10.  Camellia - 470 to 495

11.  White Dogwood - 445 to 505 (note in '59 Jones said the tee shot was blind in that you couldn't see your ball land, and he said the 2d shot is usually played with a 3 iron or stronger club.  Before the lengthening, Tiger said he hit driver, wedge).

17.  Nandina - 400, now 440

18.  Holly - 420 yards to 465.

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