Golf Digest has a scathing report of the changes to Augusta in Collision Course.
After doing anything almost 70 times, it’s normal to wish for at least one do-over. But in that many years of preparing its course for the Masters, the tournament has never ended with the Augusta National Golf Club in clear need of the imaginary mulligan. When it comes to setting up the game’s ultimate competitive arena, Augusta always seems to get things right.
Because the course is a shrine, the club’s major projects–like converting the greens from Bermuda to bent grass 25 years ago, creating a second cut in 1999 and adding 285 yards in 2002–have all provoked much hand-wringing. So it was predictable after the club lengthened six holes by a total of 155 yards for this year’s Masters that old heads would decry the defilement and current players would assert that fewer of them had a chance to win.
But with each overhaul, the Masters has proved it runs the best laboratory in golf. Chairman Hootie Johnson might have the final say on course decisions, but a very thoughtful if publicly silent brain trust–conspicuously devoid of ex-champions–painstakingly guides the process. When it comes to the world’s best golfers, Augusta knows them better than they know themselves.
Of course, it’s possible the club has gone too far by perpetrating the two longest expansions in its history within five years. Tiger Woods thinks the latest changes will be fair if conditions are dry. “But if it’s soaked again,” he warns, alluding to the rain that has plagued the tournament the past four years, “I think that eliminates a lot of guys who have the skill to play but just don’t hit the ball far enough.”
From the looks of it, Augusta has not been “Tiger-proofed”, but instead has been made more “Tiger-friendly”. I’m a big Tiger fan, but I’d prefer that the course be kept to play the way it was originally invented, and not made so only long hitters can win.
I practiced and played nine on Saturday at North Texas Golf. The weather was cool and sunny when I arrived, but became heavily clouded later. The wind was from the south, fairly light, one club at most.
I started off hitting 7-irons to get into rhythm and then switched to hitting alternating 3-, 6- and 9-irons. At first, I had very good tempo and was hitting the ball well. Later, I had a problem with pulling the 9-iron badly left of the target, or hooking the longer irons. I did hit a few fades with the 3-iron, but most were draws with the 3- and 6-irons. After that practice, I got out the 3-metal and wasn’t able to hit it well at all, hitting a mix of worm burners, fades, slices or hooks. Next, I got out the short irons and went pin hunting, trying to land the ball at the pin of the target greens. Again, mostly hitting the ball left of the target with all of the clubs.
Next up, I went to the wedge target area and started hitting short wedge shots. Mostly, I had distance control issues, mostly long, and a few fat shots thrown in, which happens when I rush the downswing. I never did get the distance dialed in. I finished up practice chipping with the pitching wedge as the clouds threatened rain. I skipped putting practice and proceeded directly to the course, afraid I would be unable to get in nine holes if I waited any longer. Skipping putting practice would be painful…
My score:
| Hole |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
Total |
| Par |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
27 |
| Score |
4 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3* |
4 |
3 |
3* |
34 |
* Hit green in regulation.
Themes:
- Tee shots. Although I hit only two greens in regulation, my tee shots were good, except for the second hole, where I hooked the tee shot out of bounds. I played it as if the out of bounds were a lateral hazard, though, because there was another group closely behind, and I didn’t want to delay them. My distances seem to be getting a bit longer, as I hit the ball past the pin on 5 of the greens and was pin-high on the rest. I was within inches or feet of being on the green on three other holes, having a bad tee shot only on the 2nd hole and hit a pitching wedge off the tee on the 7th into the hazard (pin-high, as the pin was at the front of the green).
- Wedges. Only one wedge shot today (other than pitching wedges off the tee) was one I left short on the first hole.
- Chipping. I hit a great chip to 2 ft on the 5th hole, otherwise, chipping wasn’t great.
- Putting. One three putt today, on the 2nd. Otherwise, lipped out two birdie putts and hit a 10 footer for par on the 8th.
Except for the 2nd hole, I had a good day of golf. I shouldn’t have skipped putt practice, because it didn’t rain.