I have ANGC over CPC 4 to 0 on the par fives and 2.5 to 1.5 on the par 3’s. Now for the two shotters.
The openers: Both mock doglegs with ANGC winning on the brilliance of the internal green contouring and short game interest if one misses. With the tee now back at ANGC the player is really challenged to carry the ball off the tee, otherwise upon landing it breaks just shy of the crest of the hill. ANGC +1
Finishing hole; Both are severe uphill doglegs. ANGC forces a strategic decision from the tee, is better protected by greenside bunkering and has superior internal green contours. ANGC +2
Shortest par four: The 3rd at ANGC and 9th at CPC. While I know the latter is a GCA darling (I totally agree) the third green at ANGC is so well defended and the player has a decision to make off the tee, particularly when it is up. Virtually nobody tries to reach the green from the tee, however because of the fabulous green. Players will spend an inordinate amount of time chipping around this green during practice rounds – a testament to its ability to deflect short irons. On the other hand, CPC requires a more definitive challenge from the tee and its approach must be well measured distance wise. I so badly want to call this a push, but I’ll give the nod to the 9th at CPC. ANGC +1
Long downhill par four: The 10th at ANGC and 11th at CPC. The 10th begs the player to bend the ball around the corner for a shorter approach and to avoid a hanging lie hitting into an uphill green. The 2nd shot at ANGC is visually intimidating while the approach at CPC is straight forward. ANGC +2
Hole dominated by water: Strategy has been eliminated off the tee at ANGC’s 11th and along with the 7th this hole suffers the most from alteration. On the other hand, CPC’s 17th offers quite the puzzle from the tee in terms of both line and distance. Dynamics are reversed on the approach, however as CPC offers a hit-or-miss proposition while ANGC’s 11th separates the talent from the timid. I really don’t like the trees in the fairway at CPC’s 17th, but the unparalleled scenery gives it a slight nod. ANGC +1
The remaining two-shotters are difficult to compare. In my opinion the 5th, 9th (an awkward hole lacking in aesthetics) and the 14th as a group are superior to 8, 13 and 15 at CPC, my top three among the remaining par fours. ANGC’s 17th is a push with CPC’s 12th and CPC’s 4th wins handily over the bastardized 7th at ANGC. The aggregate among these hole is ANGC 3.5 and CPC 1.5.
Finally Tally: ANGC +3
For All Holes: ANGC +8
I realize this is a rather dubious approach, but again it not necessarily intended to show that Augusta National Golf Club is superior to Cypress Point Club, but rather to refute the premise that Golf Digest’s selection of Augusta as the top course in America is ludicrous as some here opine.
Bogey