Augusta National golf club - 2023

[JungleJimbo]

30 minutes ago, Greg_B said:

True, you can complain. If you’re a sitting US President, you might even get away with it. But that doesn’t mean the club will do anything about your complaint, as was the case with President Eisenhower. Ike had a chronic fade/slice off the tee, and on 17 often ran afoul of what came to be known as the Eisenhower tree, a loblolly pine on the left side of the fairway.

 

At a club meeting in 1956 he proposed cutting it down. Masters co-founder Clifford Roberts ruled him out of order and immediately adjourned the meeting.

 

In other instances, members suggesting changes to the course or facilities would be pleased to see them implemented upon their return to the club, until they found the bill for the cost of the renovations in their locker. 

 

 

 

[Golferpaul]

16 hours ago, Titleist99 said:

Obviously, 1953 is how the architect intended the course to play.....

We should take the course and the golf ball back to that time...🤣

And the clubs.  Make them use 1953 clubs and balls.

[PracticeSwinger]

Love that course so much - most of the holes have their own flavor - and I'm pretty sure every WRXer can figure out the hole the guy is on when the camera switches without having any of the infographics...

but - #7, #14, #17 all seems a bit blah / equivalent to me... I get the combo of : tighest drive + only hole without a bunker and devilish green + down the stretch Eisenhower-less... for them... but still - I'm I in the minority here?

[me05501]

1 hour ago, MtlJayMan said:

Love that course so much - most of the holes have their own flavor - and I'm pretty sure every WRXer can figure out the hole the guy is on when the camera switches without having any of the infographics...

but - #7, #14, #17 all seems a bit blah / equivalent to me... I get the combo of : tighest drive + only hole without a bunker and devilish green + down the stretch Eisenhower-less... for them... but still - I'm I in the minority here?

 

I agree, but then I don't think I'd enjoy a course where every single hole was unique and memorable. It's enough of a grind without adding 2-3 more holes that can bite you. 

[PracticeSwinger]

20 minutes ago, me05501 said:

 

I agree, but then I don't think I'd enjoy a course where every single hole was unique and memorable. It's enough of a grind without adding 2-3 more holes that can bite you. 

100%... just find it weird? disapointing?... especially #14 and #17 - down the stretch holes without much... while all the others on the back 9 have distinctive aspects... anyhow

[smashdn]

1 hour ago, MtlJayMan said:

Love that course so much - most of the holes have their own flavor - and I'm pretty sure every WRXer can figure out the hole the guy is on when the camera switches without having any of the infographics...

but - #7, #14, #17 all seems a bit blah / equivalent to me... I get the combo of : tighest drive + only hole without a bunker and devilish green + down the stretch Eisenhower-less... for them... but still - I'm I in the minority here?

 

It isn't a course that was designed with the tee shot to be the challenge necessarily.  It is a "second shot course."

 

It is not hard to get the ball in the fairway.  It was a challenge to get the ball in the right spot in the fairway to challenge certain locations of certain greens.

 

All the tight drive stuff has been manufactured since about the 70's.

[TiScape]

Tony F has 5 caddies for the par 3 today! Haha

Weather looks gorgeous… Calm before the storm ⛈️ 😬

[Hawkeye77]

1 hour ago, MtlJayMan said:

Love that course so much - most of the holes have their own flavor - and I'm pretty sure every WRXer can figure out the hole the guy is on when the camera switches without having any of the infographics...

but - #7, #14, #17 all seems a bit blah / equivalent to me... I get the combo of : tighest drive + only hole without a bunker and devilish green + down the stretch Eisenhower-less... for them... but still - I'm I in the minority here?

7 is a great golf hole and devilish green and nothing like 14 or 17. Yardages may be similar but the holes and greens are distinctly different.  14 a little more risk/reward off the tee, 7 and 17 require precision for sure. 

[me05501]

I have a friend who grew up in Augusta and was finally added to the volunteer roster a few years back. I think he works 14 fairway. He collects the approach distances for each ball and relays the club selection info to the tv truck (the caddies signal the club info to him). 

[monty09]

On 4/4/2023 at 8:17 PM, Greg_B said:

True, you can complain. If you’re a sitting US President, you might even get away with it. But that doesn’t mean the club will do anything about your complaint, as was the case with President Eisenhower. Ike had a chronic fade/slice off the tee, and on 17 often ran afoul of what came to be known as the Eisenhower tree, a loblolly pine on the left side of the fairway.

 

At a club meeting in 1956 he proposed cutting it down. Masters co-founder Clifford Roberts ruled him out of order and immediately adjourned the meeting.

 

In other instances, members suggesting changes to the course or facilities would be pleased to see them implemented upon their return to the club, until they found the bill for the cost of the renovations in their locker. 

 

 

point proven thank you... there is no club you cant complain at... just no one may listen

[RobotDoctor]

Here is a picture I took on Tuesday looking back on #13.

 

[VOX]

On 4/3/2023 at 10:55 AM, mat562 said:

17's a bit of a filler hole, but Lyle's 7-iron whack on 18 was pretty memorable for me. 

I’ve played there a couple times and found 17 to be the hardest hole on the course. Remember that the course exists for member play, not for a four day tournament. The Masters is great but most of the play is regular golfers from the members’ tees.

[NV825]

8 hours ago, RobotDoctor said:

Here is a picture I took on Tuesday looking back on #13.

 

 

Heads need to roll for this abomination! How dare they scar your patron eyes with this unsightly mess. 🤮

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by NV825

[Gregakin]

1 hour ago, VOX said:

I’ve played there a couple times and found 17 to be the hardest hole on the course. Remember that the course exists for member play, not for a four day tournament. The Masters is great but most of the play is regular golfers from the members’ tees.

Cool you've played there, but I'd push back on why National exists in its current form? A member course would not be closed 5 months a year. Nor would ANCC pay millions to move a tee box back 35 yards, just for the members 🙂

[VOX]

48 minutes ago, Gregakin said:

Cool you've played there, but I'd push back on why National exists in its current form? A member course would not be closed 5 months a year. Nor would ANCC pay millions to move a tee box back 35 yards, just for the members 🙂

You are right that those tees are certainly not for the members but it is closed in the summer because no one want to play summer golf in Georgia when they could be on their summer comes on the New England shore.

[RobotDoctor]

10 hours ago, NV825 said:

 

Heads need to roll for this abomination! How dare they scar your patron eyes with this unsightly mess. 🤮

 

 

LOL!  Sorry about your eyes!  The immense beauty of Augusta National far outweighs the small unsightly scar.

[mshills]

10 hours ago, Gregakin said:

Cool you've played there, but I'd push back on why National exists in its current form? A member course would not be closed 5 months a year. Nor would ANCC pay millions to move a tee box back 35 yards, just for the members 🙂

AN was always intended to be primarily a winter club. At least that is what Cliff Roberts wanted, so that is what he got. Not certain Bobby Jones really agreed. 

[smashdn]

On 4/6/2023 at 7:28 PM, Gregakin said:

Cool you've played there, but I'd push back on why National exists in its current form? A member course would not be closed 5 months a year. Nor would ANCC pay millions to move a tee box back 35 yards, just for the members 🙂

 

Read up on history of ANGC.  It was designed as a winter retreat.  They traditionally play The Masters at the tail end of the golfing season at ANGC.  All that overseed rye is going to die in the heat.

 

ANGC can pay millions to move the tee back because they make millions off The Masters.

[smashdn]

Was hoping Data Golf did a hole by hole but they have/did not.  Was really interested to see a comparison of this year to recent past regarding the changes made and their impact.

 

Anecdotally, I saw more players straight into pine straw through 13's fairway but have no data to see if it was statistically different or not.  It did seem there was some level of strategy with regards to laying up (and there may have always been) in terms of where to lay up to to access the hole location that day.  But when the greens are receptive and guys can just one hop and stop a pitch, it kills a bit of that strategy.  Maybe the old line thought of laying back enough to get a full shot and generate spin is not sound since you can overspin the balls to those greens.

[black bnr32]

13 seemed to play alright.  Some tee shots into the pine straw, some layups, some going for it with longer irons.

[me05501]

I think this year's Masters was less enjoyable for a lot of reasons, particularly the weather and the way it caused half the draw to play a very different event than the other half. 

 

Mostly I was surprised that they didn't move more of the tees up once the forecast was known. They basically took exciting golf out of the equation throughout the day Saturday IMO. 

[me05501]

2 minutes ago, black bnr32 said:

13 seemed to play alright.  Some tee shots into the pine straw, some layups, some going for it with longer irons.

 

I think the changes accomplished the stated goal.