Masters 2015 Hole-By-Hole Preview: Augusta National

Augusta National Golf Club
Par 72
7,435 yards
Augusta, Georgia

The Masters: No. 1 
Par 4
445 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.23
2015 Difficulty: 4th

Hole Name: Tea Olive
This slight dogleg right plays uphill and confronts players with a daunting tee shot. Clearing a yawning fairway bunker will require a 300-plus-yard drive. Players missing left off the tee may catch the trees. The undulating green results in some difficult two-putts.

The Masters: No. 2
Par 5
575 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.62
2015 Difficulty: 16th

Hole Name: Pink Dogwood
Playing a slight draw off the tee of this dogleg left should set up a chance to go at this green in two, although large, deep greenside bunkers can catch errant second shots.

The Masters: No. 3
Par 4
350 yards

2015 Average Score: 3.95
2015 Difficulty: 14th

Hole Name: Flowering Peach
The shortest par 4 on the course often finds players hitting iron or fairway metal off the tee, leaving them short of the four fairway bunkers and resulting in a full club to an L-shaped green where it is better to be long than short. The tricky green, which is not entirely visible from the fairway, slopes right to left. Architect Alister MacKenzie felt this to be a nearly perfect hole, and it has changed less over the years than any other hole on the course.

The Masters: No. 4
Par 3
240 yards

2015 Average Score: 3.30
2015 Difficulty: 2nd

Hole Name: Flowering Crab Apple
A long par 3 that was the second-toughest hole on the course in 2014. The hole is made even tougher by changing winds. Two greenside bunkers guard the wide, sloping green.

The Masters: No. 5
Par 4
455 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.14
2015 Difficulty: 8th

Hole Name: Magnolia
An uphill dogleg left hole with a sloping green, this hole was inspired by the famed Road Hole at St. Andrews. The deep fairway bunkers make accuracy off the tee essential. It is a 315-yard carry over the bunkers. The pin is always on the upper level of the two-tiered green, which slopes down to the front.

The Masters: No. 6
Par 3
180 yards

2015 Average Score: 3.09
2015 Difficulty: 10th

Hole Name: Juniper
Fans often gather on the hillside beneath this elevated tee, which looks down to a large target. The green features a big hump on its right, making pin position the key. Three-putts are not uncommon, especially if players put the ball on the wrong part of the green relative to the pin placement.

The Masters: No. 7
Par 4
450 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.24
2015 Difficulty: 3rd

Hole Name: Pampas
This hole was lengthened in 2002, bringing driver back into play off the tee. The hole is straight but extremely tight. Drives are often played to the left-center of the fairway, leaving a short to mid-iron from a level lie. Players will need to avoid the three bunkers in front of the green and the two behind.

The Masters: No. 8
Par 5
570 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.65
2015 Difficulty: 15th

Hole Name: Yellow Jasmine
The longer hitters can get home in two with a blind second shot, but there’s a fairway bunker in play on the right, placing a premium on accuracy off the tee. This uphill hole features trouble left of the green, which has no bunkers but is guarded by mounds.

The Masters: No. 9
Par 4
460 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.09
2015 Difficulty: 11th

Hole Name: Carolina Cherry
This hole is best known for a green that slopes severely from back to front, and many approach shots roll off the front of the green. Players often hit their tee shots down the right side to take away the two greenside bunkers on the left.

2015 Flashback:

Tiger Woods calmly informed CBS’ Bill Macatee and the viewing audience during his post-round interview on Sunday that he had been forced to pop a bone back into place after hitting a root with his club and injuring his wrist on No. 9, although he didn’t specify which bone.

Front Nine Scoring Average (2014): 36.31

The Masters: No. 10
Par 4
495 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.17
2015 Difficulty: 6th

Hole Name: Camellia
The famous downhill fairway of this long par 4 can produce some long drives, although tee shots that stray to the right can leave an awkward stance off a slanted lie, and tee shots left bring trees into play. The green slopes right to left.
 

The Masters: No. 11
Par 4
505 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.33
2015 Difficulty: 1st

Hole Name: White Dogwood
The toughest hole on the course in 2014, this hole is the start of Amen Corner, and wind is often a factor. A pond guards the green to the left, and a bunker is strategically placed right-center.

The Masters: No. 12
Par 3
155 yards

2015 Average Score: 3.13
2015 Difficulty: 9th

Hole Name: Golden Bell
One of the most famous holes in golf, this is the shortest par 3 on the course. With swirling winds, club selection for a knee-knocking tee shot can range from a 6-iron to a 9-iron. Rae’s Creek and three bunkers guard the impossibly narrow green.
 

The Masters: No. 13
Par 5
510 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.55
2015 Difficulty: 18th

Hole Name: Azalea
This delightful risk/reward hole, where both three and seven are possibilities, was the easiest on the course in 2014. An accurate tee shot to the center of the fairway allows a player to go for the green in two. A tributary of Rae’s Creek guards the green, and behind the putting surface are a deep swale and four bunkers. From tee to green there are approximately 1,600 azaleas.

2015 Flashback: Tiger Woods made some rare noise with an eagle here on Sunday, one of a tournament-record 47 eagles that the field posted on the week. 

The Masters: No. 14
Par 4
440 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.08
2015 Difficulty: 12th

Hole Name: Chinese Fir
The only hole on the course with no bunkers, No. 14 is a deceptively tough hole made more difficult by a green that terraces down sharply left to right, with significant contours. From a well-struck drive, the second shot will usually be a short-to-middle iron.

The Masters: No. 15
Par 5
530 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.60
2015 Difficulty: 17th

Hole Name: Firethorn
Accuracy is critical off the tee of this par 5. Still, it’s an eminently reachable par 5 when the winds are favorable. A well-hit second shot must carry the pond and avoid the right-hand bunker. Lay-ups leave delicate third shots off a downhill lie.

2015 Flashback: Shortly after Phil Mickelson had made an eagle at 15 out of the right-hand bunker, Jordan Spieth became the first player in Masters history to reach 19-under with a birdie at the par 5.

The Masters: No. 16
Par 3
170 yards

2015 Average Score: 3.02
2015 Difficulty: 13th

Hole Name: Redbud
This tee shot is all carry over a pond to a green secured by three bunkers. The famous Sunday pin placement tucks the hole behind the pond and front bunker. Putting from below the hole is a must on a difficult green.

The Masters: No. 17
Par 4
440 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.15
2015 Difficulty: 7th

Hole Name: Nandina
Again, an accurate tee shot is a must. The green slopes dramatically off toward the back, and players will need to leave their approach shots below the hole. 

The Masters: No. 18
Par 4
465 yards

2015 Average Score: 4.21
2015 Difficulty: 5th

Hole Name: Holly
A rugged finisher, this uphill dogleg right is protected off the tee by two bunkers at the left elbow a stout 300-plus yards from the tee. The uphill second shot will likely require a middle iron to a green guarded by two bunkers. Par is a good score, especially under the crushing Sunday pressure.

2015 Flashback
Jordan Spieth came to No. 18 needing a par to break Tiger Woods’ tournament record of 18-under 270, but he left his approach short and was unable to sink his par putt, leaving Spieth to share the record with his fellow 21-year-old.

Back Nine Scoring Average (2015): 36.23
Total Scoring Average (2015): 72.54