Golfers in the Augusta area officially have a new place to practice their swings and hit some balls as TopGolf’s newest location opened Friday.
The facility is a first-of-its kind prototype. The Augusta facility only has one story instead of multiple, but still has a lot of the same features and amenities from other locations, company officials said.
Nick Treadway, general manager of TopGolf Augusta, said it was important to have a presence at the home of the Masters Tournament. Treadway said they wanted to create a new concept just for the Augusta facility.
“We are trying to create an experience that is beyond golf. We are actually the first venue that is fully outfitted with our top tracer technology, other venues don’t have that necessarily. It allows us to stay innovative with our game creation,” he said. “We are trying to create something beyond that, so it’s a backyard, social setting, where people want to come and just have a good time.”
Inside TopGolf Augusta. (Photo: PRNewsfoto/Topgolf Entertainment Group)
The venue features a backyard-style outdoor area behind the tee-line, fire pits, picnic-style dining tables, a party patio with big screens and a mini-golf course.
Jason Newsome had been to a couple of other TopGolf locations in Atlanta and Charlotte and was a bit disappointed when he heard the design of the Augusta location was going to be different. However, as he played with his daughter, he realized that the new design fits well.
“Now that I’ve been here and played a little while, it’s actually a really fantastic concept,” Newsome said. “I’ve loved what they’ve done with it and I don’t see any way it’s inferior to any other location around the world.”
An aerial view of TopGolf Augusta. (Photo: PRNewsfoto/Topgolf Entertainment Group)
The facility was originally scheduled to open in April for the Masters, but was delayed due to the pandemic. Treadway said they are taking every precaution to ensure patrons and employees are safe including separating each of the 36 bays, wellness and temperature checking every employee and sanitizing equipment on a constant basis.
Parties are limited to six people per bay and social distancing is not really a problem with each tee at least 10 feet apart. He said employees are required to wear masks at and follow a strict sanitization requirement.
Newsome said he believes TopGolf Augusta has the potential to be something great.
“There are enough golfers in the community to support it, but I also think there are enough non-golfers in the community that is going to make it even better,” he said.
The Augusta National Golf Club has acquired the National Hills shopping center for $26 million, making it the club’s priciest single real estate purchase to date.
The Augusta National Golf Club has acquired the National Hills shopping center for $26 million, making it the club’s priciest single real estate purchase to date.
The April 13 purchase of the shopping center – which sits across Washington Road from the club’s northwest boundary – was preceded by the March 27 acquisition of five former home tracts in the Jamestown neighborhood on the club’s southwest side for $2.2 million.
Public records of both sales were not made available by Richmond County until this week.
The 169,000-square-foot National Hills retail center is anchored by The Fresh Market and the Electrolux customer service center. It was acquired from an affiliate of Canadian real estate firm Slate Asset Management LP, which purchased the property in 2017 for $24.7 million.
The Augusta National has historically declined to comment on its business operations.
Both purchases were made through club-affiliated corporations; the shopping center was purchased by WSQ LLC and the vacant residential property was purchased by Berckman Residential Properties LLC.
WSQ is the same limited liability company that acquired the 28-acre Stein Mart-anchored Washington Square shopping center in January 2018 for $20 million and the 14-acre Publix-anchored shopping center in December 2018 for $21 million.
A British sports hospitality firm proposes to build several residential buildings on a 2.3-acre tract off Berckmans Road near the Augusta National Golf Club. [DAMON CLINE/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]National Hills, one of the city’s first suburban-style shopping centers, sits on 15 acres at 2701 Washington Road. The Circle K, CVS drugstore and Windsor Fine Jewelers properties are privately owned outparcel tracts and were not part of the sale.
The five vacant tracts in the Jamestown neighborhood along Margate Drive, which is walking distance from the club, were sold to the club by British sports-hospitality firm Byrom PLC. The firm had proposed redeveloping the 2.3-acre site as a private neighborhood with 14,200-square-feet of upscale residential space that, ostensibly, would be used for corporate hospitality during the Masters Tournament.
The company’s seven residential structures were approved in 2017 but never built.
The Augusta National, through affiliated companies, has acquired more than 110 acres of property surrounding the club during the past 20 years.
In March, Augusta National-affiliated companies acquired $6 million worth of real estate near the club, including several homes in the West Terrace neighborhood and the Wendy’s restaurant at 2738 Washington Road.
Pimento and cheese sandwich. Egg salad. Butter pecan ice cream. Which concession item that fans eat do the pros say they would buy?
Rare is the golfer who doesn’t light up when talking about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. The spiritual setting that warms the heart, the singular tournament that stirs the senses. The explosion of colors, the anticipation of a Sunday charge. A 12th hole that basks in beauty while serving as a devilish conquest, a green jacket that triggers dreams and lives on forever.
The gathering every April among the Georgia pines is matchless, from Augusta National Women’s Amateur to the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. While we won’t be seeing any of these events in the coming days due to the coronavirus pandemic, we think you’ll still be interested in reading about Masters traditions, the iconic holes at Augusta National and your favorite golfers who would have been in the field this month.
Golfweek surveyed 39 golfers, including 14 winners of the green jacket and 24 major champions in all, to get their views on certain features of Augusta National and the Masters. From putting to eating to predicting to offering their architectural viewpoints, we’ll roll out their takes on a variety of topics in the next 10 days.
What would you order if you could only have one thing off the menu?
“Butter pecan ice cream. It’s pretty good. I’ve never felt any ice cream is bad, but there’s just some that’s better than others.” – Six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus
“Couple bottles of Screaming Eagle 2005. Great wine.” – 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell
“The chocolate cookies are so good. They bring them out after lunch, they are so good. So good.” – Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy
“They have quite a few things that are really good there. But the chowder is really, really good. Tastes a bit better when you eat it in the Champions Locker Room. And the shrimp cocktail is amazing.” – 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett
“The simple stuff is so good. I always look forward to a cheeseburger after the round. They make such a good cheeseburger there.” – Matt Kuchar
“One meal or one thing? I always get their jumbo lump crabmeat. It’s unbelievable. No matter what I’m eating, there’s always a side of that, too. It’s just so good. I don’t know where they get it from but it’s unbelievable. I have it with every meal.” – Brandt Snedeker
“Oh, man, that’s a tough question. I think the right answer would be something from the wine cellar, so let me see the wine list.” – Nick Watney
“My go to there is the bison burger. It’s pretty damn good. And a peach cobbler.” – 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott
“I always eat at the caddie’s shed and I get that chicken sandwich that the patrons get because it’s so good. You have no idea how good it is until you’ve had it.” – Bill Haas
“Wow, that’s a tough one. They have such great comfort food. The hamburgers are great, the tuna melts are great. Everything seems to taste better there. I don’t know why. And out on the golf course, the egg salad sandwich is the best. I probably eat two a day and I’m there for seven days. My caddie knows to have them in the bag. And the Augusta National chocolate that has appeared the past few years is out of this world.” – 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman
A patron holds a pimento cheese sandwich and beer. (Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
“All the food is really good there. I’d go with one of the classics, the Pimento cheese sandwich. Always hits the spot.” – 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia
“They have great steaks. And the wine cellar is so good there, so I can pair the steak with some great wine.” – 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth
“Everything is so good there. So let’s go with that. I’ll broaden my list.” – Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer
“Fried chicken. It’s off the charts.” – 2015 PGA champion Jason Day
“The junior club is phenomenal.” – Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson
“You have to go with one of their staples – Pimento and cheese. It’s awesome. It’s the best.” – 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed
“It’s all good. But the fried chicken is so good. And the fried oysters. I’m not a big oyster fan, but their fried oysters are really good.” – 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson
“They always have the Taste of the Masters where they have barbeque, egg salad and pimento cheese and you have a little bit of all three of them. It’s top of the line there.” – Kevin Kinser
“I hang out in the caddie area and that fried chicken is amazing. It is amazing.” – Paul Casey
“The fried chicken is unbelievable.” – Patrick Cantlay
“I really love the fried chicken there. It’s amazing.” – Kevin Na
“The pulled pork sandwich. That’s pretty phenomenal.” – Luke Donald
“The bacon at Augusta National is so good. I learned that from Phil Mickelson. You can’t get enough of it.” – 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley
The menu at Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters Tournament. (File)
“All the food there is so good. But I always get a chicken sandwich on the course. I always have someone go get me one. They’re great.” – 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland
“Everything is awesome there. But my go-to in the grill is the egg salad BLT. It’s great. I’ve never been a big egg salad guy and only eat it when I’m at Augusta National. Bacon’s good on just about everything.” – Rickie Fowler
“Their breakfast there is so great. You can order anything. Their entire breakfast is so great, it’s so awesome.” – Patton Kizzire
“Their breakfasts are the greatest. The over-easy eggs are fantastic. Anything they do with breakfast is fine with me.” – Tony Finau
“The chicken fried steak, because it’s really, really, really good.” – 1998 Masters champion Mark O’Meara
“I just love the New York strip with a sweet potato. It is just so beautiful.” – 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel
“The crab Quesada. It’s so good I ordered it four out of the five days I was there, and it’s not healthy and I needed to eat healthy that week.” – Keith Mitchell
“Half a club sandwich and clam chowder. Both are so, so good.” – 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk
“I’d get two pulled-pork barbeque sliders and one pimento and cheese. It is the best.” – Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
“Everything is pretty good there. I take that back. Everything there is great.” – Billy Horschel
Editor’s note: Check back each day for another Masters Survey.
Watch the full collection of official Masters films, which has a one-hour recap of every Masters from 1960 all the way up to 2018.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
Pros like all the help they can get at the Masters at Augusta National. Here are the traits the pros would love to add to their skill set.
Rare is the golfer who doesn’t light up when talking about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. The spiritual setting that warms the heart, the singular tournament that stirs the senses. The explosion of colors, the anticipation of a Sunday charge. A 12th hole that basks in beauty while serving as a devilish conquest, a green jacket that triggers dreams and lives on forever.
The gathering every April among the Georgia pines is matchless, from Augusta National Women’s Amateur to the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. While we won’t be seeing any of these events in the coming days due to the coronavirus pandemic, we think you’ll still be interested in reading about Masters traditions, the iconic holes at Augusta National and your favorite golfers who would have been in the field this month.
Golfweek surveyed 39 golfers, including 14 winners of the green jacket and 24 major champions in all, to get their views on certain features of Augusta National and the Masters. From putting to eating to predicting to offering their architectural viewpoints, we’ll roll out their takes on a variety of topics in the next 10 days.
If you could have one part of another player’s game to take to the first tee, what do you choose?
“Ben Crenshaw’s putting. I don’t think I have to explain that.” – 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson
“Tiger’s experience.” – 2015 PGA champion Jason Day
“I would take Dustin Johnson’s or Rory McIlroy’s driving, as long and as straight as they hit it.” – Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson
“Rory’s driver. It is just enough better than mine that it would make a huge difference on that golf course.” – 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose
Justin Rose reacts after missing a putt on the 13th green during the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo by Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports)
“Jordan’s Spieth putting. It’s so good. So, so good. Some days when you play with him it’s something to see.” – 2011PGA champion Keegan Bradley
“I’d like to play from Rory’s drives. That would be pretty good.” – 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth
“Corey Pavin’s mental game and his fight. For a guy who didn’t hit it very long, to win as many tournaments as he did, his mental toughness was so good.” – Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
“Tiger Woods’ iron game, because he’s one of the greatest iron players that’s ever lived and that course favors someone who is a great second-shot player. Someone who can control the ball and put it in the right quadrants.” – Billy Horschel
“I’d take Tiger’s putter in those early 2000s.” – 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson
“Rory McIlroy’s driving or Bubba Watson’s driving. They’re both among the leaders in strokes gained off the tee and I’m one of the worst.” – Kevin Na
“I’d rather just take my game and go win.” – Rickie Fowler
“Rory McIlroy’s driving. He can hit it right to left and left to right and he hits it so long and finds the fairway.” – Tony Finau
“I’d would have to take Phil’s short game. It’s ridiculous.” – Two-time Masters champion Adam Scott
Tiger Woods hits from the fairway on the 15th hole during the second round of the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports)
“Tiger’s iron play. That’s what’s kept me back all these years because you basically play tentatively at times. His iron play is special. It’s so good. Best iron play I’ve ever seen, so if I have that, let’s go.” – Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy
“Dustin Johnson’s length off the tee. To have that length with my short game would be really, really good.” – 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed
“Rory McIlroy’s driver. If I had that I could still be a little bit dangerous.” – 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman
“Bubba Watson’s driving. It’s awesome. It’s tailor-made for that place and it’s such an advantage for him. It’s a huge weapon for him.” – Matt Kuchar
“Rory’s driving. It’s exceptional. The speed he has and the accuracy, yeah, with that golf course, the places he gets to would make it a little more simple for me.” – 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett
“I would take somebody who bombs it, like Rory. If I could do that, I’d have a chance to win every time if I had that driving ability.” – Kevin Kisner
“Bubba Watson’s length, because I’m short as hell.” – 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods walk onto the 13th green during a practice round prior to the start of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“Phil Mickelson’s course knowledge, his experience. That would be a huge addition to the bag.” – Keith Mitchell
“For a bunch of years it was Tiger’s everything. And I mean everything. I’d still take his iron play. But right now, I’d love to have Rory McIlroy’s driving. I just love watching him hit the driver. His driving is spectacular.” – Bill Haas
“Rory McIlroy’s driving is pretty good, but I’d take every part of Tiger Woods’ game. Can I do that?” – Patton Kizzire
“Rory McIlroy’s driver. It’s so good. Yes, give me that. I’ll gladly take that.” – Charles Howell III
“I would let Bubba drive it around for me for the week.” – 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell
“Rory’s driver. It’s the best.” – 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson
“When Rory’s driving it really well, that’s the single biggest weapon in the game that anyone has going, especially on a major-championship track.” – Patrick Cantlay
“All of Tiger’s game. The way he plots his way around the golf course is underappreciated. He is so great there. And his putter on that golf course, it’s a joke. He gets there and sees the course and feels it.” – 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland
Editor’s note: Check back each day for another Masters Survey.
Watch the full collection of official Masters films, which has a one-hour recap of every Masters from 1960 all the way up to 2018.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
Golf pros are asked whom among them would win a Drive, Chip and Putt championship.
Rare is the golfer who doesn’t light up when talking about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. The spiritual setting that warms the heart, the singular tournament that stirs the senses. The explosion of colors, the anticipation of a Sunday charge. A 12th hole that basks in beauty while serving as a devilish conquest, a green jacket that triggers dreams and lives on forever.
The gathering every April among the Georgia pines is matchless, from Augusta National Women’s Amateur to the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. While we won’t be seeing any of these events in the coming days due to the coronavirus pandemic, we think you’ll still be interested in reading about Masters traditions, the iconic holes at Augusta National and your favorite golfers who would have been in the field this month.
Golfweek surveyed 39 golfers, including 14 winners of the green jacket and 24 major champions in all, to get their views on certain features of Augusta National and the Masters. From putting to eating to predicting to offering their architectural viewpoints, we’ll roll out their takes on a variety of topics in the next 10 days.
Who wins the Drive, Chip and Putt?
“Tiger Woods because he’s Tiger Woods.” – 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson
“That’s an awesome question. Tough one, too. Well, Phil Mickelson’s dropping bombs and he can putt and chip the hell out of the ball, so if he’s hitting bombs like he says he is, I’ll take Phil.” – 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland
“Oh, my goodness. There are so many that could win. I’m going to go with Bubba Watson, because he just wins at Augusta.” – 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott
“That’s a good one. I would have to say probably a guy like Jon Rahm. He drives it quite well, he chips and putts quite well. Obviously Rory would have a good chance. Dustin Johnson, Brooks would be right there. I’d go with one of those guys.” – 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia
Tony Finau falls after rolling his ankle while celebrating his hole-in-one on the seventh hole during the Par 3 Contest prior to the start of the 2018 Masters Tournament. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“I think I have a good shot. I have some length. I like chipping, I like putting. And I have an advantage. I’ve been in one in Orlando. I was 11.” – Tony Finau
“Ooh. That would be pretty good to see. You’ve got Rory, DJ and Brooks for the driving. I’d like my chances in the chipping and putting. You got Tiger up there, as well. A bunch of other guys. It would be interesting.” – 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett
“Jason Day would win. Because he’s long, he’s a phenomenal putter and he’s got an underrated chipping game.” – Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson
“I’d go with Rory because he hits it so long and so straight, and he can chip and putt.” – Luke Donald
“Justin Thomas. He’s so good at all three. I mean really good.” – Nick Watney
“Me.” – 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson
“Tiger Woods in 2000 would never get beat.” – Kevin Na
“That’s a tough one. I’d hang in there with the chip and the putt but I couldn’t hang in the driving. So I’ll go with Justin Thomas – great driver of the ball, really good chipper, very good putter.” – Brandt Snedeker
“Jason Day would be pretty good at that.” – 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley
“Cameron Champ because he’d win the driving contest, hands down. If he would just get one good chip and putt, there’s your winner.” – Keith Mitchell
Bubba Watson chips at the second green during a practice round for the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Michael Madrid/USA TODAY Sports)
“Ooh. Bubba. He’s got great hands and he’s a great fast-green putter. And he can let it rip.” – 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose
“I’ll take Rory there. He’s long and he’s a great chipper of the ball. And when he’s putting well, he’s really good.” – 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell
“Dustin Johnson because he’s pretty good at all of those things. He gets credit for his driving, but his chipping and putting is top drawer. And Tiger’s not exactly bad, because he’s the best touch putter we’ve seen the past 25 years.” – Paul Casey
“Justin Thomas, because he’s great at all three of them.” – Kevin Kisner
“It would have to be someone who hits it really far, because everyone chips and putts it really good. I’ll go with Rory.” – Patrick Cantlay
“Oh, wow. It wouldn’t be me because I get too nervous, so I’m out. Right now, I’d go Tiger Woods. He’s tops in putting, his chipping has always been phenomenal and man, as smooth as he’s swinging that driver, he’d give you points there.” – Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
“It has to be Phil Mickelson. It has to be. All he has to do is get one drive in play and then chipping and putting, he knows that place so well and his hands are so good. He’d be tough to beat.” – Matt Kuchar
“Now that would be great to see. I’d give Justin Thomas a go. Overall, he’s pretty decent.” – 2015 PGA champion Jason Day
“There are so many great all-around players, so there are so many great candidates. But I’d have to go with Justin Thomas or Rory McIlroy.” – 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman
“Rory. He’s a really good chipper and he’s the best driver in the game.” – 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson
“Bubba Watson. He hits it long, he has really good touch around the greens and he has really great die speed with his putter so even if he doesn’t make a putt it will be a tap-in.” – Billy Horschel
Jon Rahm chips onto the second green during the second round of the 2017 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports)
“Jon Rahm would be right up there. Long, great short game. Xander Schauffele, because I love watching him play and he has no weakness. Rory McIlroy, he’s so good.” – Bill Haas
“Jordan Spieth. I’ve never seen a guy chip and putt better and he drives it far enough so he’d score high enough to win it all.” – Charles Howell III
Editor’s note: Check back each day for another Masters Survey.
Watch the full collection of official Masters films, which has a one-hour recap of every Masters from 1960 all the way up to 2018.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
In our 2020 Masters survey, Tour pros tell Golfweek if there are any holes at Augusta National that would be better without bunkers.
Rare is the golfer who doesn’t light up when talking about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. The spiritual setting that warms the heart, the singular tournament that stirs the senses. The explosion of colors, the anticipation of a Sunday charge. A 12th hole that basks in beauty while serving as a devilish conquest, a green jacket that triggers dreams and lives on forever.
The gathering every April among the Georgia pines is matchless, from Augusta National Women’s Amateur to the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. While we won’t be seeing any of these events in the coming days due to the coronavirus pandemic, we think you’ll still be interested in reading about Masters traditions, the iconic holes at Augusta National and your favorite golfers who would have been in the field this month.
Golfweek surveyed 39 golfers, including 14 winners of the green jacket and 24 major champions in all, to get their views on certain features of Augusta National and the Masters. From putting to eating to predicting to offering their architectural viewpoints, we’ll roll out their takes on a variety of topics in the next 10 days.
The 14th hole is the only hole without a bunker. Is there another hole you would like to see without a bunker?
“There was never a bunker that caused me fits. You just had to stay out of them. The bunker on one is bad. The bunker on two is bad. The bunkers on five. Eight was bad. The worst ones to be in are the fairway bunkers.” – Six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus
“No. Each bunker seems to be in the right spot. Well, 16 you could go without the bunker on the left side and instead have the grass shaved all the way into the water. But that would be really tough, though.” – 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth
“I wish there was a bunker to the right of 14 because I lost a ball there and not many people can say that.” – Keith Mitchell
Mark O’Meara plays a shot from a bunker on the 12th hole during a practice round prior the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
“I don’t think you need a bunker on No. 17 now because of the length of the hole. I’d make the green more exposed. And those bunkers on No. 7 are so severe and the sand at Augusta is so heavy, those are tough shots out of the front bunkers. I never enjoyed being in them.” – 1998 Master champion Mark O’Meara
“I’d love to have them take out the front trap on four.” – 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett
“No. The course is perfect.” – 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson
“How about all 17 of the other holes?” – 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel
“No. Every one of the bunkers does their own little thing.” – 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia
“The bunker on 3. I keep hitting my tee shot into that bunker. When I hit driver there I can go over it and I’m OK. But every time I do the smart, sensible shot and lay up short of it, I seem to always, whether it’s adrenaline or I pull it, I get in that bunker, and it never turns out good.” – 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed
Brandt Snedeker hits from a bunker on the third hole during the 2008 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Harry How/Getty Images)
“I think three would be a really cool hole without a bunker. More guys would try and drive the green and a lot of them would get into some really difficult spots and then we’d have to see how good their short game is.” – Brandt Snedeker
“Yeah, No. 5. That hole is the hardest hole in the world with that new tee. No bunkers there, please.” – 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell
“I don’t like that fairway bunker on 1. I’d like to see that one gone.” – Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson
“I don’t think they need the bunker on 11. But it’s probably just as easy out of the bunker than it would be without a bunker. But I think the bunkers are fine where they are.” – Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer
“On No. 5. I’d be quite happy if they got rid of the two fairway bunkers. Quite happy.” – 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott
“They could take those greenside bunkers away on seven because I’m in them every year.” – 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland
“I don’t think 15 needs that bunker on the right by the green. I’d rather see short, tight grass there to the right of the green.” – Luke Donald
Rory McIlroy plays the 13th hole during the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports)
“The fairway bunker on 2, I’ve seen way too much of. So that could be taken away and I won’t miss it.” – Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy
“I hate the bunker to the right off the tee on No. 1. That’s all you stare at waiting on the tee to tee off.” – Kevin Kinser
“The fairway bunker on the left on five. If you get in there it’s going to be a disaster.” – Paul Casey
“There are plenty of bunkers that drive me nuts. The bunker on 1, I hate being in there. If I’m anywhere near the lip, it’s a layup. And right off the start that’s not what you want.” – Kevin Na
“I think all the bunkers are pretty well placed. But since you’re dead in the bunkers on 18 to the right of the green, they could remove those.” – Bill Haas
“No. 4, now that we’re hitting 5-woods in there. That front bunker is tough, especially to a front-left pin.” – Billy Horschel
“Probably 5. Because you’re hitting driver and 3-wood now and then you have a long iron into the green. And those bunkers on the left of the fairway are deep.” – 2015 PGA champion Jason Day
“The fairway bunker on No. 8. I can’t fly that bunker. That one is annoying for me.” – 1988 Masters champion Sandy Lyle
“Not really, but someday, I would like to carry it far enough to clear the bunker on No. 8.” – Patrick Cantlay
“No. 1. That first tee shot is so hard. Just let us have the fairway.” – Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
“No. 5. Those bunkers on the left are now 45 yards farther away. I wouldn’t mind seeing them take those two away.” – Tony Finau
Patton Kizzire hits out of a bunker on the second hole during the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Michael Madrid/USA TODAY Sports)
“I think they should take them all out. Just kidding. The fairway bunkers on 18, I wouldn’t mind seeing fairway there.” – Patton Kizzire
“The first hole, that bunker on the right of the fairway. That hole is so hard.” – 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley
“The bunkers at No. 5. I’d have a runoff so a pulled tee shot would run down the slope and into the trees. That would be a tough second shot but not as tough as being in those bunkers.” – 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose
“I know I’m definitely getting older and I don’t know if I’m getting any shorter but it feels like every time I go back the bunkers seem to get deeper. But the bunkers, as with everything else there, are really well-placed so there’s no real need for any more or any less.” – 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman
“The left bunkers on No. 5 off the tee can go away and I won’t miss them.” – Charles Howell III
No. 18. The fairway bunkers. It’s like the perfect drive for me goes right into one of those bunkers.” – 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson
Editor’s note: Check back each day for another Masters Survey.
Watch the full collection of official Masters films, which has a one-hour recap of every Masters from 1960 all the way up to 2018.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
I was one of those Tiger Woods doubters in the press room before the 1997 Masters Tournament.
As The Augusta Chronicle golf writer, I kept getting questions around town about Woods and his first Masters start at a professional. Could he win it?
No, I’d say, I didn’t think he was ready to break through, especially in his first major championship as a pro, at age 21. His record as an amateur at Augusta National (tied for 41st in 1995 and a missed cut in 1996) wasn’t impressive enough for me to think 1997 would be anything different.
Yes, he’d won twice on the PGA Tour in late 1996 and again to open the 1997 season, but he failed to break par in any round while tying for 31st in his last start before the Masters, at The Players Championship.
Above all, I didn’t think heputted well enough to win on the slick and contoured Augusta National greens. He would certainly have a number of 3-putt greens.
The 1997 Masters started for Woods just as I expected – he shot 4-over-par 40 on the front nine.
Suddenly, he started a run that would lead to a 12-shot victory with 20 Masters records shattered (including the tournament scoring mark and the youngest winner) and seven other records tied. That didn’t include, of course, his being the first Masters champion of color.
Augusta Chronicle golf writer David Westin stands behind the clubhouse at Augusta National Golf Club in this 2018 photo. The Golf Writers Association of America honored Westin with the Masters Major Achievement Award for his 40 consecutive years of Masters coverage. [TODD BENNETT/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]The best stat to put in perspective what he did over the final 63 holes is this: He played them in 22 under par. The next best anyone has ever done is 13 under. His winning 18-under 270 broke the 271 set by Jack Nicklaus in 1965 and Raymond Floyd in 1976. (Jordan Spieth, in 2015, has also shot 270).
I’ve covered 41 Masters, all for The Augusta Chronicle, starting in 1979, and something happened at the 1997 Masters that I’ve never seen before or since: the field was so stunned by what Woods did for the first three rounds (70-66-65) that it admitted no one could beat him. He was blistering an Augusta National course that was so tough that the average score at the end of the tournament was 74.3. Woods’ average score was 67.5.
Woods had the low round of the day on Friday (66, which gave him a three-shot lead) and Saturday (65, now a nine-shot lead).
David Westin’s press badge from the 1997 event.
Tom Kite, who trailed by 11 shots going into the final round, said that he would be playing for the silver medal that goes to the runnerup (he got it).
Italy’s Costantino Rocca was in second place after 54 holes, nine back, and knew he had no shot of catching Woods.
“It’s too far,” he said. “Maybe if I play nine holes, and under par, too.”
Even Colin Montgomerie, who sounded so confident after two rounds, had given up hope of winning.
After his second-round 67 left him three shots back of Woods after 36 holes, Montgomerie said “there’s more to it than hitting the ball a long way, and the pressure’s mounting now. I’ve got more experience – a lot more experience in major championship golf – than he has, and hopefully I can prove that.”
After being paired with Woods in the third round and shooting 74 to Woods’ 65, Montgomerie was a Woods convert.
“There is no chance,” he said. “We’re all human beings here. There’s no chance humanly possible that Tiger is going to lose this tournament. No way.”
Montgomerie was reminded that Greg Norman had blown a six-shot lead after 54 holes the previous year, losing to Nick Faldo.
“This is very different,” Montgomerie said. “Faldo’s not lying second, for a start. And Greg Norman’s not Tiger Woods.”
As for my pre-Masters prediction that Woods didn’t putt well enough to win on the Augusta National greens?
Well, not only did he putt well enough to win by 12 shots and set the tournament scoring record, but he didn’t have a single 3-putt green.
David Westin has been a staffer and contributor for The Augusta Chronicle after joining the newspaper fresh out of the University of Georgia in 1978. Westin is a native of Michigan, but spent time living in Augusta because his father was in the Army. He recalls going to the final round of the 1973 Masters, which finished on a Monday — and skipping school to do so.
The Masters’ planned Nov. 12-15 dates would land in the heat of the NFL and college football seasons.
The Masters tournament in November has already sparked a wave of speculation about the atmosphere, course condition and international media attention, given the fact that its planned Nov. 12-15 dates would land in the heat of the NFL and college football seasons.
That is, if the coronavirus pandemic lessens enough for a normal sports schedule.
Consider this conflict, again, given some sense of normalcy: the third round of the Masters would be at the Augusta National Golf Club on the same day that Tennessee plays at Georgia in Athens, 94 miles away; and on the same day Notre Dame plays at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, 146 miles away.
Georgia graduate Kevin Kisner was two shots off the lead following the final round of the 2017 Tour Championship in Atlanta when he chartered a helicopter to take him to Athens to watch the Bulldogs play Mississippi State.
Kevin Kisner plays his shot from the second tee during the third round of the 2017 Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. After the third round, he flew to see the Georgia football team play. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
Kisner was asked by the Associated Press if he would do the same thing at the Masters.
“I would not,” he said.
Fans going to the Masters might also remember it’s the last golf tournament where cell phones are still not allowed on the grounds. So no checking scores. And don’t expect Augusta National to post football updates on its iconic field scoreboards.
Of course, some of the top college football games could be scheduled at night on that Saturday, creating the best of both worlds for football fans: Masters by day, college football by night.
What about Masters Sunday conflicting with the NFL? Especially since CBS has a stake in both.
It will be interesting to see the final resolution of that — especially considering NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is also a member of Augusta National.
Ask the pros who’ve played the Masters and you’ll get a variety of answers to this question.
Rare is the golfer who doesn’t light up when talking about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. The spiritual setting that warms the heart, the singular tournament that stirs the senses. The explosion of colors, the anticipation of a Sunday charge. A 12th hole that basks in beauty while serving as a devilish conquest, a green jacket that triggers dreams and lives on forever.
The gathering every April among the Georgia pines is matchless, from Augusta National Women’s Amateur to the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. While we won’t be seeing any of these events in the coming days due to the coronavirus pandemic, we think you’ll still be interested in reading about Masters traditions, the iconic holes at Augusta National and your favorite golfers who would have been in the field this month.
Golfweek surveyed 39 golfers, including 14 winners of the green jacket and 24 major champions in all, to get their views on certain features of Augusta National and the Masters. From putting to eating to predicting to offering their architectural viewpoints, we’ll roll out their takes on a variety of topics in the next 10 days.
What tee would you move up?
“All of them. OK, seriously, Four, five, 10 and 11. Never play the back tee on four; that’s the worst of them.” – Kevin Kisner
“No. 11. Into the wind it’s a joke. Sometimes you can’t even see the green after your drive. And No. 4, I hit wood there a lot of times. No. 5, that new tee is not fun. You want me to keep going?” – Kevin Na
“The new tee at No. 5. They just moved it back, I’d push it back up again. It just makes the hole so hard.” – 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson
Phil Mickelson watches his shot from the second tee during the 1996 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. (File)
“I would move the tees up on 2 and 8. They got moved back too far and I feel like they are only reachable part of the time now. And the par-5s are what make Augusta exciting.” – Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson
“Four. When the tee is way back there, it’s very hard to stop a long club on that green. It’s right on the edge of being almost unhittable under good conditions. The hole would play better 20 yards shorter.” – 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott
“I wouldn’t mind moving seven up, just to make it a fun birdie hole again.” – 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth
“No. 4. From way back, it’s challenging for me because being a drawer of the ball, the ball will hit the green hard and go. It’s just too far back way back there.” – 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed
“I haven’t seen the new tee at No. 5 but I’ve heard about it. That’s enough for me, so I’d move that up.” – 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk
“I wouldn’t mess with any of them. I like the golf course how it is. But you could move 11 a little bit up when it’s into the wind.” – 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson
“One. That hole is so long. You’re trying to avoid that fairway bunker. And it just seems that bunker gets farther away from us each year.” – 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland
“I would move all of them forward.” – 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell
“The fourth tee. It’s the hardest par-3 to a front pin in America.” – Brandt Snedeker
“The fifth hole. That hole has become so hard.” – 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley
Sergio Garcia plays his shot from the fourth tee during the 2017 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
“Probably four. I think the new tee on five was a strong change. But I’d go with four. It’s quite tricky from way back there, with a green that isn’t very big. And if the green is firm and it’s playing downwind, it’s very difficult to pick the right club.” – 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia
“I’d probably sneak one up a little bit. That bunker is dangerous.” – 2015 PGA champion Jason Day
“No. 11. Too hard of a green for a hole that long.” – 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson
“I love when they move the tee up on 15 to the middle portion of the tee box. That hole’s second shot is so underrated. If you can get the guys to hit 6-irons in there, that creates such a great atmosphere.” – 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel
“There are a lot of them I’d move up. But if I could move just one, I’d go to No. 7. That green is built for a wedge.” – Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
“That’s an interesting question. Let’s go to No. 5. I don’t like that tee.” – 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose
“Before they moved the tee back on No. 5, I would have said No. 7. But now it’s No. 5, so I’d move than one up.” – Patrick Cantlay
Trevor Immelman celebrates winning the 2008 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (File)
“None of them. There’s a pretty good feel right now. You have a lot of tough par-4s with a lot of meat to them and you have some great short par-4 holes.” – 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman
No. 7. It’s gotten a little too long for that green. And No. 4. It would still be a great hole with a 7-iron, from about 170, 180, but not from 240.” – Bill Haas
“No. 11. You’d know what I mean if you were standing on that tee. I’d like a wedge into that green.” – Patton Kizzire
Editor’s note: Check back each day for another Masters Survey.
Watch the full collection of official Masters films, which has a one-hour recap of every Masters from 1960 all the way up to 2018.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
Golfweek surveyed 39 golfers, including 14 green jacket winners and 24 major champions in all, to get their views on Augusta National.
Rare is the golfer who doesn’t light up when talking about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. The spiritual setting that warms the heart, the singular tournament that stirs the senses. The explosion of colors, the anticipation of a Sunday charge. A 12th hole that basks in beauty while serving as a devilish conquest, a green jacket that triggers dreams and lives on forever.
The gathering every April among the Georgia pines is matchless, from Augusta National Women’s Amateur to the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. While we won’t be seeing any of these events in the coming days due to the coronavirus pandemic, we think you’ll still be interested in reading about Masters traditions, the iconic holes at Augusta National and your favorite golfers who would have been in the field this month.
Golfweek surveyed 39 golfers, including 14 winners of the green jacket and 24 major champions in all, to get their views on certain features of Augusta National and the Masters. From putting to eating to predicting to offering their architectural viewpoints, we’ll roll out their takes on a variety of topics in the next 10 days.
Should the tee at the 13th hole be moved back?
“No. You could solve the problem, if, instead, the golf ball is brought back. If you keep taking the 13th tee back, half the field won’t be able to get to the green in two. Even with the current golf ball, you can get yourself in trouble. But if you take the tee back farther, anybody who can’t get it around the corner is just going to hit it out to the right and make it a three-shot hole, and the hole loses all its character.” – Six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus
“Definitely not. Augusta National members, I could have saved you $25 million, or whatever the land cost. Here’s all you do. You plant a tree 20 yards off the tee on the left toward the corner. Now guys can’t go left. They have to go around the corner. I’ll buy them the tree.” – 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson
Adam Scott on the 13th hole during the 2013 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club. (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
“Can they move it left a little bit? That would make it more challenging.” – 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott
“Yes. Because the second shot, the risk-reward shot, there is too little risk when you’re hitting an 8- or 9-iron in.” – Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson
“I don’t care.” – 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson
“I think so. Now, there are a few guys where it’s become almost like a driving range shot, a short par-4 hole. Distance is an advantage but I think the fairways should be the same width everywhere, and if you move it back, it’s still an advantage to move it back further because you’d hit iron vs. hybrid. You’d still have to hit the drive straight. Right now, the long hitters don’t have to.” – 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth
“If they move it back 10 yards, maybe just five yards even, and just put a slightly different angle it would be very hard for anyone to fly it over the trees. For me, I don’t want it to go back. But I can see why they should do it, because the bombers fly it over the trees and have an 8-iron in and that’s not right.” – Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer
Rory McIlroy hits his tee shot on the 13th hole the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
“No. The tee could be lowered by a few feet and then people couldn’t take it over the trees. I’ve always said you should be able to hit driver on a par-5, but I don’t see them needing to go back. It’s a great risk-reward hole. I get seeing them wanting guys to hit longer clubs into the green, but if they lowered the tee box by 5 feet, then people couldn’t go over the trees.” – Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy
“No. It would take away the 3 and the 7 and bring in a lot more 4s, 5s and 6s.” – 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose
“Yeah, probably. More and more guys are cutting the corner. It’s not easy to do, but still. It pays to be long there.” – 2015 PGA champion Jason Day
“I think you can lengthen it 15, 20 yards, and shift it 5 yards to the left. That would take the chance of the really longer hitters taking it over the trees and having wedge in their hand. If you move it too far back, then you take out the chance of getting home in two because no one’s going for that green in two with a 3-wood.” – 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed
“No. Because then I don’t know if I could get home in two.” – 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson
“No, because it’s a fun risk-reward hole. You still have to hit a very good tee shot around the corner to get home in two. Yes, I know what Bubba did that one time, but 99% of the guys still have to make the ball turn and take on that corner to have a mid-iron into that green.” – Luke Donald
“I could go either way. But if they put a tree to the left just off the tee box, that’s all they have to do to make it harder to cut the corner.” – Rickie Fowler
“Yeah. So many players are making that hole look silly. It used to be only Bubba could do it, hitting it over the trees. Now there are at least 10 guys who can blow it over the trees on the left.” – 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell
“No. Because it has so much turn to it now that the new golf balls make it very difficult to make it turn that much, so it requires a perfect golf shot.” – Kevin Kisner
Retief Goosen watches a shot on the 13th hole during the 2007 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Harry How/Getty Images)
“The thing about 13 is it favors left-handers. For the right-handers you have to hook it and that’s not an easy shot. But it would be quite nice to see them push it back a little and have the guys go into the green with long irons and even woods.” – Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen
“No. When you look back at it from history’s standpoint, you don’t mess with that. You leave it as is. And trees are growing, so it’s going to get tougher. Let us create more history.” – Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
“I do not make any recommendations at that place.” – Matt Kuchar
“No. It’s a great risk-reward hole at the distance it is right now.” – Tony Finau
“No. That risk-reward makes that hole great.” – Patton Kizzire
“It doesn’t need to go back. For me, in my 60s, if I hit a really good drive, I could have a 5-iron into the green. But it’s not an easy shot because of all the slope.” – 1988 Masters champion Sandy Lyle
“I don’t think so. It’s one of the best par-5s in golf. I get what they want, but they can just move that tee box a little to the left.” – 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland
“It shouldn’t be moved back, it should be moved left. Five or 10 yards. That would make all the difference. It would make the guys have to curve the ball more to get around the corner and you couldn’t go over the trees. Without making it longer, you’re still making it more difficult.” – Brandt Snedeker
“Last year it felt OK to me, but obviously, we’re getting into an era in the modern game where these guys are hitting the ball so far, with such great accuracy, that there may be a time when moving the tee back needs to be done. But we haven’t gotten to that point yet.” – 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman
“No. It’s my favorite par-5 in all of golf. I love that hole. Yes, as we’ve seen over the years some guys hit unbelievable drives and have wedges into the green, but it’s just a few guys and they have to hit it perfect on a perfect line. It will be a sad time if they move that tee back.” – Billy Horschel
“No. It’s such an iconic hole, so if you can swing it around that corner, you deserve to have a shorter club into the green. That hole is too exciting to change anything.” – 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley
“I think it could be moved back a little and moved to the left a little, just to make it a little more challenging. They’re so powerful now. Maybe move it back 10 or 15 yards and a little to the left.” – 1998 Masters champion Mark O’Meara
“No. In a perfect world, the bombers of the bombers would have to clear some taller trees, but the dogleg is in a pretty cool spot. But I’ll say this – those guys who do hit it over the trees, they’ve hit an unbelievable shot. Not just because they’re long, it’s not an easy shot. You go left there you’re dead. I think it’s a great reward for them because they’ve earned the right to be rewarded for their bombs.” – Bill Haas
Justin Rose and Charles Howell III walk to the 13th green during the 2007 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“No. It’s not like that fairway is wide open and you can blast away. You still have to curve it and you know if you mis-hit it Rae’s Creek is there to make you pay. It’s not as easy to get it around the corner as some think it is.” – Charles Howell III
“No more than 20 yards. But I’d say no, because you have to think on that tee shot. I think 20 yards would be fair, but as long as they make it where you can still take on the corner, which isn’t easy, then OK. But if they take that out of the equation, no way. You need risk-reward there.” – Keith Mitchell
“No. The charm of 13 is you came make 3 and 7 just like that. If you move it back, it will take more 3s and 7s out of play.” – 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk
“No, it’s a great hole the way it is.” – Nick Watney
Editor’s note: Check back each day for another Masters Survey.
Watch the full collection of official Masters films, which has a one-hour recap of every Masters from 1960 all the way up to 2018.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
