General Appearance Comment: the 1970 edition of the course was far rougher, far slower, and perceptibly less perfect than the version just five years later in 1975... greens seemed to average in the lower 8s, with up-hillers rolling like a 6.5-7 many times. The weather was emphasized as ideal for all 5 days and 90 holes, (Roberts even mentioned a record of perfect weather for the previous 28 days during the public jacket ceremony) but the fairways were not near the trampolines they can be today. There were many visible brown, bare patches that factored in some shots and were mentioned on air by the CBS crew. I must say I find the current version much more a wonder.
Individual Hole Note 1: There's a thread (always) speaking of ANGC's new 13th tee and I know that ANGC waving their magic wand$ to produce what they wish is contentious... but as a matter of retaining/restoring the role and character of the hole in their special, special tournament on their special, special course, I welcome a Masters lengthening that restores the risk of a two shot sequence into this green... If you will watch this (or most any other contemporaneous era's) play of the hole, you will see amazing and fateful decisions and shots because it often took a big accurate hit to get the eagle/birdie advantage out of it.
Individual Hole Note 2: The presentation of the 14th green (at least the golfer's right/viewer's left) was strikingly different at this point in time (still in 1975 too) as the front edge bisected the elephant swells that remain visible in the false front of today's version. In concert, with the slower green speeds (and re-contouring) misses short right were not "dead" as they are today, where, having climbed over the apex false front, the hole location is then downhill from that summit at marble speed.
Individual Hole Note 3: With a Sunday pin on the BACK-RIGHT shelf...AND 1970's ball/distance...AND slower speeds and softer reception, it really hits home that 16 was a much much different hole. I think I heard Longhurst say that (either on Saturday or Sunday) that it was the third most difficult to par... in the final round when the leaders reached that part of the course, I believe he says there were only two birdies all day to that point, when they seem plentiful to the recent Sunday hole location.
In Memoriam to the Eisenhower tree/Individual Hole Note #3 - While I understand it was already in the "lore" by 1970, and though the CBS announcers had every opportunity to address it in setting up the hole and the shots on it multiple times, not once was it referenced as the Eisenhower Tree...and yes, even for pros back then at 40 yards less, it was a threat to a fade or a heeled drive. Once I realized that, I scanned around the video to see if they picked up Trevino on that hole...because that would've seemingly blocked about 50% of his drives, but unfortunately they didn't show his play there until the green.
18 Hole Playoffs or Not Thought 1: Even though the "contest" of the Littler/Casper was pretty much over by #4 and therefore a potentially unappetizing product for TV/advertisers, it was still more golf, more ANGC and until he stemmed a reversing tide at #16, Casper was losing a bit of grip on what was as much as a 6 shot lead earlier in the round. Plus (and this may be most important) it was an exhibition between two men who had literally played their entire lives against one another. The brisk and unruffled pace of a twosome gave a perfect amount of talking space for the broadcast to detail their childhood histories in Sand Diego and how perfectly ironic it was for them to be there almost 30 years later.