A Green Jacket can await or be denied – Augusta’s closing hole
by M. James Ward
When people speak about The Masters and the famous hole there -- the discussion invariably centers on the trio of holes dubbed, "Amen Corner." Named by the famed late golf writer Herbert Warren Wind, holes 11, 12 and 13 have played pivotal roles over the years. There's little question Amen Corner continues to play a big time role in determining which golfers dons the green jacket.
Yet, often overlooked is the 18th hole. It doesn't feature water as the other three, but if often defies those searching for golf stardom. The 18th routinely befuddles competitors to the point where the likelihood of attaining success is tantalizingly close but simply a turn of a golf ball away from lasting glory.
For those who have never been to Augusta National Golf Club, the 18th plays considerably uphill—more than what TV ever shows. The tee shot is through a canopy of thick Georgia pines standing tall as menacing sentinels on both sides.
Originally played in the inaugural Masters as the 9th hole but changed to its present spot the next year, the 18th has played anywhere from 405 to 420 yards. In 2002, nearly 60 yards was added along with the tee box shifting five yards to the right, making the angle even more acute. Although left unsaid by Masters officials the changes were done as part of “Tiger-proofing” the course because of the manner in which Woods had rendered many of the holes irrelevant to his shot-making skills.
This was not the first time change had come to the 18th. A decorative cross bunker—roughly 60 yards short of the green—was filled in during the 1940’s.
Double bunkers were added to the left side of the driving zone in 1967 when extremely long hitters such as Jack Nicklaus would routinely play down that side to avoid being trapped by pines rigorously guarding the right side of the fairway.
Two greenside bunkers flank the putting surface which features a false front preventing balls from staying there if the approach is short.
The putting surface is quite deep—roughly 40 yards in total—and features a lower half and a rear section plateau. Gauging club selection is never easy because players cannot see where their approach finishes given the elevation change. For many, a mid-iron club selection will be the primary choice.
The aforementioned fairway bunkers were further adjusted in 2002. Now it takes a herculean wallop of 335 yards to carry them—an impossibility for nearly all competitors.
Stroke average at the 18th for all Masters played is 4.159, placing 8th among all holes at Augusta National. But the 18th plays even tougher as the event draws to a close since Masters pressure is a cauldron only a select few have handled well. At the 2017 event - the 18th scored as the 3rd most difficult with a stroke average of 4.274 and tying with the 11th and 12th as the most double-bogied hole with eight.
The list of both successes and failures at the final hole is indeed a curious mixture with failures outweighing the successes by a considerable margin. Consider the following episodes forever etched in Masters lore.
Six years later in 2004, the 18th would serve as the crowning moment for Phil Mickelson in finally winning his first major. Needing a birdie to win his first green jacket, Mickelson’s approach settled 18 feet from the hole. Eschewing a safe lag to gain a playoff, Mickelson putted boldly and buried the putt. His subsequent leap off the ground would never rival the heights gained by Michael Jordan but the lack of artistry in his leap was more than compensated by the slipping on of the green jacket—the first of three Masters victories for Lefty.
The 18th is one of the few holes at Augusta National that calls for a controlled fade with the tee shot -- moving the ball in a left-to-right manner for right-handed players. Throughout much of the round leading up to the final hole, Augusta National favors a draw ball flight—a ball curving from right-to-left. The 18th may not possess the inherent beauty projected so spectacularly by other holes at Augusta National but it has and will continue to play a pivotal role in providing the ultimate examination for any golfer seeking a green jacket come Sunday’s final round.
Any golfer—whether leading or trailing—knows full well nothing is indeed final at the 18th hole until the ball is safely holed. Former New York Yankee baseball great Yogi Berra’s famed admonition “it’s not over, until it’s over” is ever so apt at the hole called Holly will most certainly have an impact in determining the '18 Masters champion.
