[Carl Rogers]

Most interesting: Hole No.3
- it is just beyond drivable distance for the biggest hitters, requiring a tee shot decision
- often the drive that comes up short is an awkward distance w/ a downhill/sidehill lie
- the green often rejects high spin wedge shots
- the hole is not discussed all that much


Least interesting: Hole No. 2
- for the top 200, it just plays too short, and the only issue is why the player did not make a 3 or a 4

[Doug Hodgson]

Never been there so basing this on nearly 40 years of TV viewing:


Least:  9.   The main challenge here seems to be from the sharp back to front tilt in the elevated green.  This is an architectural feature I generally hate.  And there are only about 57,000 golf holes in the world that share this same characteristic.  (It's also a feature which seems to be present all too frequently on Mackenzie courses)


Most:  11 or 12:  both holes have a classic risk-reward choice.  The top pros also REALLY respect the water on both holes the way they don't on a lot of other water holes on Tour.  If pressed to choose one of them I would go with 11, whose interest seems less dependent on unpredictable caprices of the wind

[jeffwarne]

Most interesting in order-13,8,14,15, 3


Least-18, 1, 4, 17

[MClutterbuck]

Most interesting in order-13,8,14,15, 3


Least-18, 1, 4, 17

ANGC is so good that it is tough to agree on the weakest holes. #1 for me is a spectacular hole, and a tough, tough green. I would argue that the approach (and chip/lob) onto the first green is the toughest shot at ANGC for an amateur player.

#4 is also a fun green to put on and placing your tee shot or approach at the right spot is hugely important. You do not want to be long left with a back right flag, for example.


#5 is the least interesting hole for me. I love the 1-4 stretch and it feels like I am waiting for 6-8 while on 5. Strategy is limited to playing short or right of the bunkers. You are practically dead in the bunkers. Also, I dont like the road view from the tees.


Most Interesting #13, but interest start peeking on #11 through #16.

[Peter Flory]

I actually don't find 12 to be very interesting.  I find it enjoyable to watch because of the beauty and the possibility of a train wreck.  But the green is so small and flat, that I feel like one a player is on the green, it's fairly straightforward from there.  Also, I feel like the wind is a bit random and the smart play is just to bail out like Nicklaus. 


I'd say that I find 15 most interesting.  The 2nd shot in there is the one that makes me glad that I'm at home on the couch and not in the players' shoes.  The green is very dicey, but players tend to make important putts on it from time to time.  Also, I love watching the gutsy players flop it instead of bump and run it when they miss long.  I watched Phil do that live when I was there and it was a terrifying thing to watch as a golfer. 

[jeffwarne]

#5 is the least interesting hole for me. ... it feels like I am waiting for 6-8 while on 5.  Also, I dont like the road view from the tees.

Good news .
they bought and relocated the road about 200 yards west..
and the neighborhood

[Kalen Braley]

4, 5, 7, 17 and 18 are my least interesting holes.


And yes no doubt 11 thru 16 on Sunday is usually the most entertaining to watch.


P.S.  I've wondered why 16 has so many hole in ones in the last 10-15 years.  I'm guessing its a combination of 3 days of pins in the lower section that's partially bowled, combined with most of these guys are hitting 7 and 8 irons into them, instead of 4 thru 6 irons years ago...

[Jeff Schley]

I love the approach shots on 13/15 the most as the drama builds, with possibility of Eagle or Bogey.  Perhaps double as well.

My least favorite is probably 17, just anticlimatic IMO as it doesn't have any bunkers or hazards and let's the players coast a bit in the finish.  Although the green isn't easy certainly.

[Matthew Petersen]

Never been there so basing this on nearly 40 years of TV viewing:


Least:  9.   The main challenge here seems to be from the sharp back to front tilt in the elevated green.  This is an architectural feature I generally hate.  And there are only about 57,000 golf holes in the world that share this same characteristic.  (It's also a feature which seems to be present all too frequently on Mackenzie courses)


Most:  11 or 12:  both holes have a classic risk-reward choice.  The top pros also REALLY respect the water on both holes the way they don't on a lot of other water holes on Tour.  If pressed to choose one of them I would go with 11, whose interest seems less dependent on unpredictable caprices of the wind

This is interesting. I think 11 is interesting as a case study given the massive changes made to hole over the years, but for little else.


The way the pros play it is really not interesting at all, to me. They respect (fear) the water so much they play safe away from it in all circumstances. They pay the price for this, but it's still boring to watch. Part of this is because they know that there are many other much better birdie opportunities to come. If you're two shots back on Sunday afternoon standing in the eleventh fairway, you're best bet is to play safe and try to make 4. If the same shot faced you on the 16th or 17th hole on a Sunday afternoon more guys would be forced to go for the all or nothing shot.

[James Brown]

Least:  6
None of the holes are boring, but this hole has the least drama.

Most:  15
So many choices.

[Eric LeFante]

Most interesting: Hole No.3
- it is just beyond drivable distance for the biggest hitters, requiring a tee shot decision
- often the drive that comes up short is an awkward distance w/ a downhill/sidehill lie
- the green often rejects high spin wedge shots
- the hole is not discussed all that much


Least interesting: Hole No. 2
- for the top 200, it just plays too short, and the only issue is why the player did not make a 3 or a 4

I think 2 green is really interesting. I love that you can funnel the ball to a right pin. Tiger’s 3rd shot on Sunday, a 40 yard flop landing left of the right pin and using the slope to spin the ball towards the hole is an example of great golf architecture in my opinion. The left pin is very difficult. Spieth played it perfectly on Thursday; laying uptowards the right green side bunker and hitting a beautiful low chip that skip up next to the hole.


I think 17 is is least interesting. It’s a great green but the drive is so straight and unappealing in my opinion. The hole lost a lot of character without Eisenhower tree. Obviously it’s a very high bar at Augusta.

[Matthew Essig]

Since it isn't indicated how its supposed to be interesting, I'll put two different kinds of answers down.


Most interesting design-wise:
3. So many options, yet no matter where you put it off the tee, you have to execute your second shot almost perfectly. You hit your drive or iron to wherever you are most comfortable. It doesn't favor any length of hitter.


Most interesting for the pros in the Masters:
13. How many clutch shots have we seen on this hole through the years? Mid-irons from the hanging lie. Long irons or hybrids from the pine-straw. Pitches hit tight to save par if they go in the tributary of Rae's Creek. Also, the disasters. Tiger putting it off the green, for example. They say it doesn't start until the back nine on Sunday, but I'd go further than that. So long as there aren't water balls on 11 or 12 to shake things up, 13 is where the Masters really starts to get decided.


Least interesting design-wise:
17. That hole is a snoozer without the Eisenhower tree. I'd like to see a bunker be added down the right hand side of the fairway/rough to entice players to play close to it to have the angle into the left side of the green. Also, I think the front bunker should go. I think we'd see balls bounce onto the green from a great recovery from the pine-straw, but also more flubbed chips if players came up short than if the shot was a bunker shot. Because the bunker would be gone, make the small false front run across the entire front of the green rather than just the front left and front right. The green would feel more Mackenzie this way, IMO.


Least interesting for the pros at the Masters:
4. They play from so far back on the back tee that the play is to dump it in the front right bunker rather than have it land on the green and bounce over a lot of the time. There is a reason they move them to the forward tee 2 days of the week. Move the back tee forward to about 210-215 and I think it solves all the issues with the hole at the moment. The other par 3s don't play over 200, so moving it forward would still ask for a longer iron than the others for variety sake.

[JReese]

I would contend that for the rest of us, #2 is one of the more interesting holes on the course.  The bunker on the right side of fairway forces one to hit a draw or favor the left side, and a pull hook could put you in the hazard.  After finding the favored side of the fairway, you are left with a downhill lie for your 2nd.  The green is the real gem (when the Sunday pin position is used) where, if you find the correct spot on the green, can watch your ball roll some 80-100 feet toward the hole. 


#18 one of the least interesting for reasons already listed elsewhere. 

[MClutterbuck]

#5 is the least interesting hole for me. ... it feels like I am waiting for 6-8 while on 5.  Also, I dont like the road view from the tees.

Good news .
they bought and relocated the road about 200 yards west..
and the neighborhood

Jeff, I was referring to the internal road that crosses in front of the tees. I dont think you can actually see an outside road anywhere on the course.

[MClutterbuck]

Least:  6
None of the holes are boring, but this hole has the least drama.

Most:  15
So many choices.

Maybe not easy to show, but missing the right part of the green on 6 is quite dramatical. It is not an easy green.

[MClutterbuck]

I actually don't find 12 to be very interesting.  I find it enjoyable to watch because of the beauty and the possibility of a train wreck.  But the green is so small and flat, that I feel like one a player is on the green, it's fairly straightforward from there.  Also, I feel like the wind is a bit random and the smart play is just to bail out like Nicklaus. 

The flatness of 12 is relative. Would not be flat by any means on another course.

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