Have a look through course guide to Augusta National for everything you want to know about one of the most iconic courses in the world.
HOLE 1 – TEA OLIVE
PAR 4 – 455 YARDS
The bunker on the right of the fairway has been extended over the years and it’s now 320 yards to get over. The big hitters used to fly it for fun and hit a sand wedge in, but now you’re landing on the upslope with little run, because they cut the grass towards the tee. It can be a 6 or 7-iron or perhaps more into the wind.
The 1st hole at Augusta is a great example of the strategy that’s needed all the way round. Sometimes you don’t want to be aiming at the hole. This is where your discipline has to be spot on because it’s very easy to get caught out.
There are sucker pins everywhere and sometimes the centre of the green is the only percentage play. The 1st hole has a number of very tricky pins. There’s one at the back left where if you’re too aggressive you can roll down a slope and are then facing at least a bogey. Centre of the green with an uphill putt is all you need. You need to build momentum, attack flags at the right time and build a score.
It’s easy to get cute, suffer the penalty and then get on a negative roll. This is why patience is crucial.
HOLE 2 – PINK DOGWOOD
PAR 5 – 575 YARDS
Another hole where it’s very hard to fly the fairway bunker in the way that players used to.
It must be 330 yards out there and most of the time you’re looking at short of the sand, leaving a 3-wood into the green. Many pins are on the top shelf to the left and a lot of guys miss to the right. Miss it left and you don’t have a chip and if you’re long, it’s very difficult to get up and down. Anything landing front middle will funnel round to the Sunday pin on the right corner.
HOLE 3 – FLOWERING PEACH
PAR 4 – 350 YARDS
For most it’s a 3-iron off the tee leaving a wedge in. If the pin’s back right, you might take a driver down into the swale leaving a chip up the green.
Tricky shot in because the wind swirls about and it’s longer to carry to the back left than the back right.
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