Tag: 16th hole at Masters

Former Masters champ says 16th hole at Augusta National ‘wasn’t open’ due to flood damage on green

“I was told the green had (damage) and the hole wasn’t open,” he told Golfweek of a November round.

Two months after Hurricane Helene left a path of destruction through Augusta, a former Masters Champion spoke about the course conditions.

The past winner played a round at Augusta National Golf Club in mid-November, and told Golfweek, “The trees on the left side of No. 1 looked thin; thinner than normal. And so did the right side of No. 9.”

But the most notable difference wasn’t the alleged missing pines. Upon completing the par-5 15th, the foursome was informed that the 16th hole was not open for play.

“So after we played 15, we went straight to 17.”

Augusta National declined to comment about No. 16.

Just weeks ago, photos were released that showed significant damage to the 16th green, along with a number of trees down.


As for other areas of Augusta National, the past champion said the course “was in great shape.”

According to the past champ, Magnolia Lane “looked the same.”

“The clubhouse had no damage,” he added.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley announced a $5 million donation would be made towards the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund.

2024 Masters Tournament
The No. 16 green at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Network)

“Our Augusta community has suffered catastrophic and historic impact from Hurricane Helene. We currently are assessing the effects at Augusta National Golf Club,” Ridley wrote.

The 16th green has been a staple for historic moments at the Masters Tournament — most notably in years that end with ‘5.’ It has also recorded the most aces of any hole at Augusta National with 24.

  • This April, the iconic chip turns 20. When asked about his Nike ball clinging over the edge before toppling in, Tiger Woods said in the aftermath of the 2005 Masters, “All of a sudden it looked pretty good. And all of a sudden it looked really good. And then it looked like how could it not go in, and how did it not go in, and all of a sudden it went in. So it was pretty sweet.”
  • A decade ago, Jordan Spieth reeled in a left-to-right par putt on No. 16, which Spieth described as, “The most clutch putt I’ve ever hit in my life.”
  • Thirty years ago, in 1995, Ben Crenshaw birdied No. 16 to seize a one-stroke lead.
  • A half-century ago, Jack Nicklaus drained a 40-footer, then broke into a celebratory trot around the green. The putt, which announcer Henry Longhurst described as, “The greatest putt I ever saw in my life,” helped Nicklaus fend off Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller by a stroke.

Who will follow Verne Lundquist on No. 16 at the Masters? He’s asking the new CBS Sports bosses

Who will now man the booth on Redbud, the often-pivotal par 3, once Lundquist packs up for good on Sunday?

Verne Lundquist is soaking up every moment as he makes his final appearance as a member of the CBS Sports broadcast team at the 2024 Masters.

With his wife Nancy by his side, Lundquist has been spending time with Augusta National Golf Club members who have become friends. He’s also been reminiscing with Sean McManus, the longtime CBS Sports chairman, who will depart when Lundquist does.

“It’s time. I’m not a spring chicken anymore. And my boss and I talked about it a couple of years ago. By the way, he is retiring at the same time,” Lundquist said during a recent fundraiser in Austin, Texas, for Ben Crenshaw’s Save Muny project.

“It’s emotional. I’m not going to deny that. We’ve gotten close to a lot of the members now and this is a very emotional week for us.”

Lundquist started on the Masters broadcasts in 1984 and has made the 16th hole his home since 2000. His legendary calls have been the stuff legends are made of.

“He’s just the voice,” said good friend and colleague Jim Nantz of Lundquist. “His calls are truly legendary. … Augusta’s a place that I feel like kind of comes to life every April. It’s not just because it’s a gathering of the greatest players in the world and there’s a golf competition, but it’s a week where history, where voices, they come back. We hear them again. We still kind of feel and have front of mind the legends of yesteryear. The Gene Sarazens, they make an earthly visit every year in April. Byron (Nelson), Ben (Hogan), Sam (Snead), of course Arnold (Palmer), there’s one week a year where they come back in our lives, back on our planet.”

But since nothing lasts forever, the question left after this year’s event is who will now man the booth on Redbud, the often-pivotal par 3, once Lundquist packs up for good on Sunday.

The veteran of 40 years insists he doesn’t know, either, but he’s vowed to find out before he vacates.

“I can’t wait to ask the people who are succeeding my boss, who are you going to put a 16?” he said. “I honestly don’t know. I’ve got a couple of pretty good ideas though.”

As for the hike up to the famous tower, whoever does succeed Lundquist will have fewer obstacles to making the calls.

“The climb up the tower. It’s easier now than it used to be, that’s for sure,” he said. “They used to go straight up. Thank god they don’t any longer.”

Tradition of skipping golf balls across 16th hole during Masters practice rounds actually started with this guy

The innovator of the 16th hole skip returned Tuesday to Augusta National.

AUGUSTA, Ga. —  The innovator of the 16th hole skip returned Tuesday to Augusta National.

Fifty-two years ago, Gary Cowan was playing a practice round with Ben Crenshaw when the pair reached No. 16 tee. Cowan, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, turned to Gentle Ben and said, “Watch this.”

The Canadian skipped a 3-iron across the water, starting a Masters tradition that has lasted half a century.

On Tuesday, Cowan returned to the 16th hole and, alongside countrymen Mike Weir and Corey Conners, shot a pellet across the pond.

“Ben couldn’t believe what I was doing,” said Cowan, reflecting on 1972.
Many Masters traditions have indisputable timelines, such as the creation of the Champions Dinner in 1952, or Sam Snead being awarded the first green jacket in 1949. Other tales have gained legs over time without a surefire genesis.

One such custom is skipping balls over the pond at No. 16.

Ken Green and Mark Calcavecchia claimed to have started the tradition in 1987, until Lee Trevino and Seve Ballesteros one-upped the pair by saying they did it in the early 1980s. Then came photographs of Tom Kite mastering the feat in 1979.

But Cowan, now 85-years-old, with Crenshaw’s backing, believes he was the first in 1972. The Masters official website also credits with Cowan for being the first.

“I was there. It happened,” Crenshaw said. “Gary used a 3-iron, put the ball back in his stance and bam, skipped it straight across the water.”

With Ben’s urging, Cowan successfully knocked three over before Crenshaw – competing in his first Masters – tried to duplicate the achievement to no avail.

A first try went kerplunk. Then a second.

“Ben was playing it too much like a chip,” Cowan said. “I told him, ‘Hit it hard and low,’ and sure enough his third one skipped right across. The crowd went crazy.”

For Cowan, skipping balls over bodies of water had become a favorite childhood game in Kitchener, Ontario. The member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame said, “I always liked to horse around.” So when he got to the 16th tee box, Cowan didn’t think twice about dropping a ball and skimming it at Augusta National.

“Did I think I’d get in trouble?” Cowan asked. “You know, that never crossed my mind.”

Skipping balls across the water to the 16th green

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