For The Masters, What If....

[Ken Fry]

the nines were never reversed and the tournament ended on current holes 7, 8, 9?

For years we've heard people say, "The Masters begins on the back nine on Sunday."  The history of The Masters is filled with incredible drama from the current back nine.  Could the current front nine provide opportunity for such heroics?  Eagle opportunities on 2 and 8?  (any maybe even 3???)  The demands of holes 4-6?  Can you picture dramatic finishes on 9?

Ken

[Brent Hutto]

I think 9 could be a more dramatic finishing hole over time than 18 but not so much for the rest of the front-back switch.

[J_ Crisham]

Losing the drama of 12,13, 15 and 16 would be catastrophic IMO. Not a lot of risk/reward holes on the front 9- the potential for a Seve 1986 like meltdown is nonexistent on the front 9. Lots of potential bogies but few if any doubles or worse on the front 9.

[Benjamin Litman]

I think the flip would produce plenty of heroics. The last three holes on the front are arguably better than the last three on the back. Sure, you would lose 16, but 7 is in some ways the par-4 equivalent of 16; on both holes (assuming Sunday pins remain the same), if you land your approach shot on the proper slope, your ball will feed close to the hole and, in some cases, into it. Eight would be a great penultimate hole, as it has produced some amazing drama over the last few years (think of the several front-nine charges, especially Tiger's in 2011, that have stalled on the back nine). Going eagle-eagle on 7 and 8 would be doable. And nine, with its severe false front, has the potential to be an all-time closer.

[jeffwarne]

I think the flip would produce plenty of heroics. The last three holes on the front are arguably better than the last three on the back. Sure, you would lose 16, but 7 is in some ways the par-4 equivalent of 16; on both holes (assuming Sunday pins remain the same), if you land your approach shot on the proper slope, your ball will feed close to the hole and, in some cases, into it. Eight would be a great penultimate hole, as it has produced some amazing drama over the last few years (think of the several front-nine charges, especially Tiger's in 2011, that have stalled on the back nine). Going eagle-eagle on 7 and 8 would be doable. And nine, with its severe false front, has the potential to be an all-time closer.

Going eagle-eagle on 7, 8 is your pitch?
They made the right choice.
Besides who wants to start on 10 where a sling hook is preferred followed by the brutal 11th and 12th and an immediate risk reward stretch on 13 and 15. Not exactly walking into your round. (not that one's a pushover because it's quite difficult)

[Steve Wilson]

But it was played that way to begin with, wasn't it?

[Benjamin Litman]

Only for the first year, Steve. But concerns about fog/frost/dampness on the low-lying holes (10/11/12) prompted the switch to the current routing a year later, as I understand.

[Jon Wiggett]

Would the ninth green not present to extreme a challenge for a finishing hole? Seeing some poor sod putting off the front to lose might not be so a crowd puller but to lessen the slope would be to lose one of golfs most challenging greens.

Jon

[Wayne_Kozun]

Besides who wants to start on 10 where a sling hook is preferred followed by the brutal 11th and 12th and an immediate risk reward stretch on 13 and 15. Not exactly walking into your round. (not that one's a pushover because it's quite difficult)

Unless your a lefty, like several of the recent winners.

[Ken Fry]

Does the drama on 13 & 15 come primarily from the risk of the water?  Is that the reason 2 & 8 would have a hard time competing against them?

I think 7-9 could hold their own quite well as finishing holes, but only if 7 was shortened back up to provide the original strategy of options off the tee to yardage left in.

Ken

[jeffwarne]

I think 7-9 could hold their own quite well as finishing holes, but only if 7 was shortened back up to provide the original strategy of options off the tee to yardage left in.

Ken

agreed

[Jim_Kennedy]

Can you imagine hearing about "Amen Corner" from i958 to 2002 without ever seeing it on TV during that time period?