[Ran Morrissett]

The hole locations will tell us much of the mindset of ANGC. With 36 holes to play, the winner could still get to double digits under par or conversely, he could be over par. The folks setting up the event likely have preference and the hole locations that we see this weekend will provide great insight into what that preference is.

Will they:

a) opt for a bunch of easy hole locations to bring back the famed 'Augusta roar'? If they do, will they do it today? Or tomorrow? Or with the temperature staying relatively low and forecasts calling for a fresh breeze, will they do both days to restore the brand of excitement that was (yes, past tense) unique to The Masters?

b) strive for a mix of medium and hard locations as they have the first two days?

c) continue to turn the pressure up on the world's best players, offer no realistic eagle hole locations and potentially crown the first US Open winner in April at an over par figure? Comments were made by the Club a decade ago that it would do what it felt necessary to insure that ANGC remained a relevant test for the world's best golfers. With no rain in the weekend forecast, they can take this opportunity to prove to the world that they indeed have one of the world's handful of hardest golf courses. Unfortunately, the world's collective yawn at what was once the most anticipated golf event of the year might not be the response they were hoping.

Whatever they decide, the hole locations will be a great barometer on understanding the shape that the Invitational will likely take for the next few years.

How do you THINK they'll set up this weekend's hole locations?

How do you WISH they'll set up this weekend's hole locations?

As to the first question, I'm very curious if they'll take this opportunity to beat senseless the world's best, as if to prove some bizarre point they feel they must make. As to the second question, certainly I'm pulling for the Augusta roar to be brought back into the equation.

Cheers,

[Brent Hutto]

I think certainly on Sunday and probably today as well they'll do what they can to create eagle opportunities on thirteen and fifteen. There will definitely be one day with a birdieable position on sixteen.

I'm also guessing they'll keep the front nine tough over the weekend because they won't want to seem like they're completely changing the character of the course scoring-wise.

According to the forecast, today is supposed to be the windy day and Sunday less so. So I think they'll definitely notch down the toughness of the pins today (especially on the back nine) and most likely go with a combination of tough front and "exciting" back nine on Sunday.

But that's just all my guess. I'm fine with it whichever way it goes as long as we get the traditional Sunday setup on twelve and the opportunity to see someone in contention make an eagle somewhere on the last nine holes.

[Matt_Ward]

In sum -- they go E-A-S-Y because golf entertainment isn't about what's been demonstrated thus far.

The folks running the operation there are aware of how to get the entertainment level back up. Easier pins and a few tees pushed forward do that.

[Adam Clayman]

Recent history has shown they will lighten up on the hole locations for the weekend.

[Jeff Doerr]

The hole locations are posted at masters.org > the course > Click hole number > pin placement.

Can anyone online this am tell if those are easier?

[tlavin]

First of all, I don't know that the hole locations have been all that out of the ordinary so far.  I don't think the scoring has been high because of the hole locations.  It's more the firmness of the greens and the conservative approach of the players who don't want to get burned by going for the flagstick.  When that happens, you are susceptible to some of the magic carpet rides that Mackenzie built out there.  The humps, hillocks and hogbacks are definitely influencing play this week more than ever and I think that's because the greens are getting hard, thin and mottled looking.

In terms of the weekend, unless they swing dramatically one way or the other, I don't think that hole locations will rule.  Tradition will probably dictate where 90% of the holes are located.  Tradition will probably also indicate that there will be some sweetheart holes on the back nine on Sunday, but remember the blood pressure and pulse will be severely elevated by then so it may not make a material difference.

In short, I think you'll see a tough setup through the weekend. I don't think that the committee will change its tune in the middle of the dance.  They may take some lumps later, but I bet they stick to their guns.  Fred Ridley is a stiff spined individual, he's not going to change because of some whining about difficult conditions.

The only way the committee can blow this championship is with a water/no water decision on Saturday night.  If the greens are moribund and if they try to get one more day without moisture, you might see a Shinny redux on Sunday.  I'm betting they will make it just fine without water, although I did see that they were throwing some water on this morning to allay frost.

Frost at the Masters!  Another first...  

[Mark Bourgeois]

Is this a trick question? On the old ANGC, the hole locations set up a variety of plays off the tee. Players played many holes "backward" to determine the right play. Now rough and trees dictate play on not all holes, but a lot of them.

So I agree with Terry that hole locations really don't matter that much.

[Joel_Stewart]

No one has mentioned that Fred Riley is in charge of the course set up this year.  The question is will he throw in some USGA setup or revert to the Masters typical setup.  At least he is keeping people guessing.

[Jerry Kluger]

With the conditions as they are, I am wondering if there are any greenlight pin placements?  They've created a situation because of the soft conditions which have been so common recently and now those conditions have changed - I believe that the real golf fans who watch the Masters really like watching even more when the conditions are tough.

[Matt_Ward]

Mark B:

You said, " ... hole locations really don't matter that much."

A statement like that indicates to me you've never really seen Augusta up close and personal because hole locations did matter very much when attemtping to score low or better yet have the opportunity at doing such a thing.

Weekend at Masters from a number of years ago were about incredible surges from players and low scores that really got people excited. This parade is not happening because the folks there don't really understand what their history has been about.

[tlavin]

Mark B:

You said, " ... hole locations really don't matter that much."

A statement like that indicates to me you've never really seen Augusta up close and personal because hole locations did matter very much when attemtping to score low or better yet have the opportunity at doing such a thing.

Weekend at Masters from a number of years ago were about incredible surges from players and low scores that really got people excited. This parade is not happening because the folks there don't really understand what their history has been about.

The leaders haven't even teed off on Saturday yet!  Gimme a break!  You can be as pessimistic as you want to be, but there's no way you can say that there won't be a fantastic finish or an "incredible surge" as you phrased it.  It seems like you're hoping the tournament will be a boring bust, just to support your viewpoint.

Let's enjoy the golf and set the architectural peccadilloes aside.  The architecture, after all, won't decide the toonamint.  The players will.

[Matt_Ward]

Terry:

With all due respect -- stop sipping the Masters kool-aid that CBS Sports and the club present.

Terry - ask yourself this and answer me if you can -- what the hell was wrong with the previous Augusta -- pre-Tiger 1997?

They can make the course easier by manipulating the pins to far more accessible locations and in pushing up a few tees.

Check the ratings this year if this incredible dud continues as is.

[Tim Bert]

Terry:

With all due respect -- stop sipping the Masters kool-aid that CBS Sports and the club present.

Terry - ask yourself this and answer me if you can -- what the hell was wrong with the previous Augusta -- pre-Tiger 1997?

They can make the course easier by manipulating the pins to far more accessible locations and in pushing up a few tees.

Check the ratings this year if this incredible dud continues as is.

With all due respect, you may know a lot about the architecture and the pin positions and everything else at Augusta, but this post demonstrates that you don't know quitr as much about the ratings.  The ratings, as usual, will depend largely on whether Tiger is in the hunt.  At this point, that looks pretty likely.

I agree that I'd like to see a little more excitement on the back nine, but Tiger's followers will tune in if there is a chance for him to claim the jacket.

[tlavin]

Terry:

With all due respect -- stop sipping the Masters kool-aid that CBS Sports and the club present.

Terry - ask yourself this and answer me if you can -- what the hell was wrong with the previous Augusta -- pre-Tiger 1997?

They can make the course easier by manipulating the pins to far more accessible locations and in pushing up a few tees.

Check the ratings this year if this incredible dud continues as is.

Matt,

I like Masters Kool-Aid!

I like the Masters.  Heck, I prefer the old Augusta, but I don't own or belong to ANGC.  It ain't my toonamint.  They obviously don't want to be trivialized by the equipment, so they tricked up the golf course.  Not everybody is so offended as you.

In terms of the ratings, they'll be just fine if Tiger is in contention.  If he isn't, they will slip, just like they would if Wetterich won by three after going six under par on Sunday's back nine to win in "heroic" or "swashbuckling" or "heart-stopping" fashion.  The ratings will depend on the finishers, not the bloody setup.

[Matt_Ward]

Terry:

Again, with all due respect, follow my advice -- take the kool-aid glass down from your mouth and follow try again to understand what I just said previously.

The course was never "trivialized by the equipment." That is just a canard of the club. Hootie and his minions see one or two guys hit a wedge or 9-iron into #11 and then ipso-facto the course is now obsolete and must be turned on its head. That's nothing more than throwing the baby out with the bath oil.

That is just BS and candidly, with all due respect again, you took the bait and swallowed big time.

Quality architecture was front and center at Augusta long before Hootie (et, al TF designs) took the reins. I prefer to see the Augusta of OLD -- then one that served the game so well for years. If you get off with the tricked-up pony then knock yourself out and continue to be hood-winked.

Terry -- one last thing -- it's the set-up and course philosophy that determined the finishes and excitement you saw in the past. You were falling over yourself with the Player win in '78 -- the set-up allowed for that kind of golf he demonstrated then. Got it.

Check out the total number of eagles made at #13 and #15 since the changes made to these two holes alone. Oh, I'm soooooo sorry Terry -- I am absolutely riveted when pros lay-up on go-to par-5's with those edge-of-your-seat excitment wedge thirds to those holes.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Matt,

Go back and read the first paragraph of my post and I hope the sardonism will become more apparent.

If not, then this: it's a sure sign the trees and rough have absolutely ruined this tournament when the play off the tee is dictated by where you can land the ball and not by where the hole is located that day.

Mark

[CHrisB]

All right...3 days of beating these guys up has produced a pretty interesting competitive situation for Sunday, with a good leaderboard and a ton of guys who have a chance to make a charge if the course set-up allows it.

Now's the time to put a little water out there, move a few tees up, bring out some accessible pins and let it be a shootout on Sunday. One more day like the first 3 and I'll be just as disappointed as some of the others here.

BTW, the final group is finishing the 18th at dusk... With the same conditions tomorrow, there would be no chance of starting a playoff if needed. So maybe for that reason alone they'll try to ease everything up and let play flow a little quicker.

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