Augusta National GC 18 Holes: Names, Features, Latest Modifications, & More Explored

Nestled in the embrace of Augusta, Georgia, is a sanctuary built on the bedrock of excellence, the Augusta National Golf Course. The former nursery turned into the season’s first major’s venue, the Augusta National, is home to 18 extraordinary holes named after the flora that covers the lush environment of Fruitland.

Rooted in the Masters’s commitment to excellence and traditions, it features a mix of par 3s, 4s, and 5s, which provides an inclusive challenge for players of all ability levels. The Georgian greens have several iconic features and a long-going history of changes, making 2024 the third consecutive year to implement said changes. Here’s all you need to know about the 18 hoops of challenges that the skillfully curated field will embrace this coming April 11th to 14th.

Diving deeper into the intricacies of the 18-hole Augusta National Golf Course

Founded in 1930 by Alister MacKenzie, the Masters’s venue is tied with threads of history, challenge, and unparalleled beauty. Starting from the par-4 hole 1, players make their way to the par-4 hole 18. But it is key to be mindful of the fact that the journey is filled with several challenges. So what are these challenges?

Hole 1: Tea Olive (Par 4, 445 yards)

This golf course’s first hole is named after the evergreen shrub, tracing its origins to the Olive Family. The par-4 course features a narrow fairway guarded by bunkers on both sides. It has a slight dogleg to the right, which plays uphill, thus making it the 6th historically toughest hole on the course. Famously referred to as the “switchback” hole, it tests the players’ unique ability to roll the ball in either direction.

Quick Fact: Ernie Els took a total of seven putts to the hole at the Tea Olive in round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament.

Hole 2: Pink Dogwood (Par 5, 585 yards)

The second hole gets its name from the pink dogwood trees that surround the city of Augusta. It is famous for its length and strategic bunkering, thus inviting precise shots from all those who embark upon the challenge posed by it. The Pink Dogwood has underscored changes this year, making it a historic record for the course to have implemented back-to-back changes for the third time in a row. This change is set to impact left-handers, like Phil Mickelson, the most. The tee box will be moved back 10 yards towards the left this year, thus giving par-5 2nd the reputation for the longest hole on the course.

Quick Fact: The 2nd hole has had the least number of changes throughout the almost century-long history of this course, with the last change tracked back to 1999, making this impactful evolution an important one.

Hole 3: Flowering Peach (Par 4, 350 yards)

With a beauty-filled name after the Flowering Peach Trees, the Par-4 3rd is no ordinary hole. It is located on the front-left lobe and features a dogleg left with a challenging approach shot to the well-guarded four fairway bunkers on the green. As a result of the USGA’s golf ball rollback policy’s changes to the yardage of many of the holes, the Flowering Peach has become an even more interesting hole to take on by the champion golfers on-course. Even though the hole is not the longest, it has a strong guile, which necessitates precision.

Hole 4: Flowering Crab Apple (Par 3, 240 yards)

The longest par-3 on the course traces its nomenclature from the Flowering Crab Apple trees. The beautiful hole has Rae’s Creek guarding its front and two bunkers on both of its sharp edges. A mistake on the right front bunker can pose an impossible-seeming challenge to the players, so it’s advisable to exercise extra caution on this 240-yard hole.

Quick Fact: Phil Mickelson’s 2012 Masters dreams shattered on this par-3 4th.

Hole 5: Magnolia (Par 4, 495 yards)

The next hole has probably one of the names that sounds melancholy to the year, Magnolia, after the trees that line up the fairway. The par-4 5th necessitates precision in the tee shot to navigate the fairway bunkers. The long lengths of Magnolia find their source in its makers, Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie’s love for the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Hole 6: Juniper (Par 3, 180 yards)

The 180-yard-long downhill par-3 is named after the Juniper trees found on the periphery of the Georgian course. It presents the players with a challenge in the form of a deep bunker guarding the front of the green. Interestingly, hole-in-one’s become an option on the 6th if the golfers play their cards right.

Quick Fact: Corey Conners carded an ace on Juniper in the 2021 Masters.

Hole 7: Pampas (Par 4, 450 yards)

The par-4 7th is named after the Pampas grass lining the fairway. It features a dogleg left with a demanding approach shot to an uphill green. It becomes important for players to avoid the three bunkers in front and the two behind in order to ace this hole.

Quick Fact: In recent years, a major addition of over 100 yards has added more character to Pampas, a hole with a long history of evolution.

Hole 8: Yellow Jasmine (Par 5, 570 yards)

This hole’s name traces itself to the picturesque ‘Yellow Jasmine’ flowers that embellish the periphery of the Augusta National Golf Course. Instead of bunkers, this hole uses a series of mounds to guard its periphery. It has a historical average of 4.82 (15).

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Hole 9: Carolina Cherry (Par 4, 460 yards)

The par-5 hole on the 9th is named after the Carolina Cherry trees. It features a well-bunkered left side of the green, thus awarding a far-right drive. It has a unique green that slopes from back to front. The current version of Carolina Cheery has a less extreme “false front” in comparison to its predecessor.

Hole 10: Camellia (Par 4, 495 yards)

The 495-yard masterpiece presents a challenging opening hole for the back nine, requiring precision off the tee. This makes up for the hardest hole in the history of the masters. Changes in 1937 that moved the putting surface beyond the originally positioned right of the huge fairway bunker added difficulty to this hole.

Hole 11: White Dogwood (Par 4, 520 yards)

The White Dogwood is the beginning of Amen’s Corner, a stretch of holes spanning across the 11th, 12th, and 13th, known widely for its difficulty. Historically speaking, the White Dogwood was home to Rae’s Creek; however, it was later replaced by the pond that guards the green’s left end.

Hole 12: Golden Bell (Par 3, 155 yards)

Next on the difficult Amen’s Corner is the Golden Bell, the most famous par-3, which requires a precise shot over Rae’s Creek. This is, in fact, the shortest par-3 and has three strategically placed bunkers protecting it from all ends and making matters even more difficult.

Hole 13: Azalea (Par 5, 545 yards)

Marking the end of the famous Amen’s Corner is the par-5 13th, named after the Azalea flowers. It offers a risk-reward opportunity, with Rae’s Creek guarding the green. In 2023, a new 35-yard tee was added in an attempt to make this already difficult hole even more challenging.

Quick Fact: This hole is known as one of the best three-shooters in the world!

Hole 14: Chinese Fir (Par 4, 440 yards)

Famously known for being the only hole with not even one bunker, the par-4 Chinese Fir necessitates the players to take a terraced putting surface from left to right to excel on its grounds. The bunker less hole is a hotbed for hole-outs, necessitating attention and precision.

Hole 15: Firethorn (Par 5, 550 yards)

Named after the Firethorn shrubs, the par-5 15th offers a range of scoring opportunities but requires precision to avoid trouble. This is the end of the par fives, of course, and presents players with the toughest wedge shots. However, a calculated approach can turn this rather intimidating hole into a bountiful source of opportunities.

Hole 16: Redbud (Par 3, 170 yards)

Known after the redbud trees, hole 16’s amphitheater-like setting and challenging greens offer a versatile playing experience to all those who embark upon it towards the end of their Masters’ journey. This hole was considered too easy in its initial formation days, and matters became more difficult in 1947 when the addition of a pond and the Redbud’s moving rightwards added to the difficulty level.

Hole 17: Nandina (Par 4, 440 yards)

The 440-yard-long par-4 gets its name from the Nandina shrubs, which were a part of Fruitland and were once famously known for housing the famous Eisenhower tree, which no longer stands tall here. It requires a precise tee shot to set up for a challenging approach added on by Perry Maxwell after MacKenzie’s initial designs. These “Maxwell rolls” make matters worse for players nearing the final hole.

Hole 18: Holly (Par 4, 465 yards)

The final hole, Holly, provides a dramatic finish with a demanding approach to excelling on its well-guarded greens with an uphill dogleg right. It provides a sturdy yet solid test to all those who prove themselves worthy of reaching its greens. A rather heroic approach is needed to ace this final test.

Who do you will emerge victorious after conquering the greens of Augusta National? Stay tuned to find out!

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