am almost sorry that I injected my long standing thoughts that there may have something more than the golf course behind Trevino's feelings about ANGC. Trevino strikes me as the type of person that would take on the worlds best golfers anywhere at anytime even if it meant playing in a Walmart parking lot and nothing would keep him away. Let's just leave it at that.
Although I have never seen the course for myself, what I love about Augusta are the greens, the risk reward options, the back nine drama, the opportunity to go low (as it used to be), the penalties that come when the pressure of going for it overcomes the player's ability in the moment, the approach shots and the spring time beauty when the country hasn't quite emerged from winter. I love the shorter par 5's, a fantastic 150 yard par 3, the 14th that doesn't need bunkering, the ninth green slope, the swinging drive around the corner or the pine straw right on 13, the potentially horrible miss left on 10 and the left pin position on 11.
What I don't like about Augusta is ANGC's need to defend par. I understand the need for lengthening to keep the shot making intentions of the original design and not have short irons into every hole. I don't understand the extra rough and the additional trees. We don't need an additional USGA event. If there is something that I have learned from people on this site is how a great golf hole can wide, not especially long, be devoid of rough and still present plenty of strategic challenge even for the best players in the world.
I think the course is a little better than Trevino gives credit to.