A Week to the Masters - Time to Rip Augusta a New One

by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 3, 2009 12:01 PM EDT Comment 14 comments

As Geoff Shackelford has been noting at his website, the criticism being thrown at Augusta National has come early and often this year. The current tsunami of complaints from the golf media (including me) probably kicked off in 2002, but really got stirring with atrocious scoring in 2007. That was when Zach Johnson won the Masters with a blistering +1 of 289. Since then, the media sentiment has become more resounding and harsh in their criticism of the new #1 golf course in America.

To put you in the proper frame of mind to absorb the information below, start playing this YouTube video of the Masters theme song.

Even the cover of this month's Golf World screams defiance at Augusta - a place whose legend has been so well crafted and maintained that few had previously dared to challenge it in a public forum. In the era of the Internet tough guy, though, lashing out at the home of the Masters has become easier.

John Hawkins is a tough guy with or without the Internet. He penned a story suggesting a four point plan to restore the roars at Augusta. (That'd make a good poster. Which I will make.) The points are pretty basic, but ring true:

Bring back the 4.5 par holes of 13 and 15 to incite risk and reward

Slow down the greens, a point with which Stewart Cink agrees

Cut down the rough and all of those stupid trees

Add a second set of championship tee boxes

The piece is well worth the read.

At Golfdom, Shackelford unveils his Hootie Index that explains to the average person just what kind of scoring we can expect to see at Augusta on any given day.

The Hootie Index is designed for implementation each day during tournament play. With a simple algebraic formula adding the par, temperature, Stimpeter rating, course record, forecasted wind and superintendent's blood pressure reading and dividing it all by his cholesterol count, we come up with a number that preconditions folks to the possibility of low scoring brought on by the superintendent doing a superlative job.

For the past couple of Masters, the conditions have been brutal and allowed the course to flex its full muscle at times. If rain comes and beats the course down, then weather can mask some of the insanity that is a dry, windy Augusta.

The Golf Digest magazine family continues the Sherman-esque burning march to Augusta with Jaime Diaz's piece on what specific changes should happen to the National. The photos in the story are worth a look even if you don't read a word of it.

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Enough with 2007 already ! Geez. That was one of the most exciting back 9’s in a long time. And the weather was what kept the scores up that year. Tiger came from behind – had the lead – and blew it. Zach Johnson made great shots and great putts to win. These people who think that if the winner isn’t Tiger or Phil are just annoying.

HISTORY people – HISTORY !! The course went through huge changes because of Nicklaus, too – and all these whiners remember are the Nicklaus days. What about all the changes BEFORE Nicklaus ? Don’t they count ?

Golf courses change – and in pretty short order, they figure out how to best play the changes and the scores go down again.

I agree on slowing the greens down a bit – but the truly great putters don’t like that idea because slow greens make so-so putters into great putters because it cuts down the break. These greens weren’t designed for stimp readings at 14/15.

A number of the tee boxes have been extended to allow for changes in playing conditions – but you can’t go back to the 1986 setup. Get over it. Trees grow – and that rough is hardly the rough these guys see week in and week out on Tour. In some cases, the rough helps by taking off a little spin from the razor sharp grooves these guys play.

I don’t here these whiners complain when wind affects the British Open. It’s just part of the game. What makes it any different at Augusta ? These people who think that The Masters should always be perfect and 1986 live in a fantasy world with no real perspective on how golf changes.

Hang on – I need to start The Masters Theme again before my blood starts to boil… :-)

(by the way – Shackleford’s formula is pretty darn funny) :-D

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 3, 2009 12:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The changes that Augusta had underwent until Tiger proofing didn’t change the character of shotmaking at Augusta. That’s the whole allure of the course. There are options, but they are perilous. A player that can take a big gamble may get a big payoff with a very favorable angle.

The trees have to go at 11. The whole point of the hole is ruined with them in there. Turning the par 5s into wedge holes instead of green lights make them boring. I’m sorry, they do. 13 is boring if you can’t go for it. 15 is really boring if you can’t go for it by taking a chance that your long iron won’t hold the green.

Only a few tee boxes have variation added or length reduced. 7 and 14 are curious cases because those are the two biggest abominations of the changes. 7 was NEVER intended to be played with a mid to long iron into the hole. NEVER. 14 is fairly similar in that regard.

by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 3, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Tiger-proofing"

has there ever been a more poorly chosen label for what they did to the course after Tiger started winning ? About all they did was make it easier for players with his length to win – shutting about half the field out.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 3, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The funny thing is that Tiger proofing has actually made it easier for players of shorter lengths to compete. The par 5s used to be dominated by Woods. Now, not so much. It has opened the door for shorter players to win in a wedge contest. Zach Johnson. Mike Weir. To some extent Phil Mickelson. Immelman. All of em.

by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 6, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

when is the last time you heard anybody talking about “Tiger-proofing” a golf course ? That was a buzz word until maybe 2001. In those early years, it was just assumed that he was going to birdie the par 5’s. After those years, he throttled back a little bit and you didn’t hear people saying those things anymore. Maybe because so many other guys can hit the ball a mile like Woods. You don’t hear things about Tiger starting a round -4 anymore, and you don’t see him putting up the 16-22 under tournaments anymore.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 6, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, it has something to do with “Tiger proofing” as a trend on the entire PGA Tour. Pin placements have gotten tighter, fairways smaller, greens faster, rough deeper, courses longer. Those are all noticeable trends on the Tour since 2002. (Even further back, too, but not to the same extent.) You can call it whatever you want, but it is designed to combat both technological advances and whatever amount of credit you want to give to player strength, etc. (Personally, I think 90% of it is equipment.) It has nothing to do with Tiger “throttling it back,” but has more to do with how courses are setup differently across the board.

by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 6, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

if it’s not aimed at Tiger – it’s not Tiger-proofing. besides – all anybody seems to want to see is Tiger in the winner’s circle.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 6, 2009 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s aimed at guys like Tiger. Really, it’s an assault on technology or distance or whatever.

I think Augusta would love to see Tiger win. Or Phil. Or Paddy. That’s it. That’s the list. :)

by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 6, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well – not ALL of Augusta…pretty sure that Nicklaus feller would prefer he finish outside of first :-)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 6, 2009 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Augusta National is shorter than last year and has fewer trees than last year...

When I read this ( http://www.masters.com/en_US/news/articles/2008-04-11/200804111207935415953.html ) from the official Masters web site, it appears at least three changes were made this year to shorten the course and one to eliminate trees, at least on #15, where most of the complaints have been registered.

Deducting yardage on hole #1 is actually just that – a yardage reduction. Adding yardage to the ‘front’ of #7 & #14 effectively reduces yardage because it creates a teeing area closer to the hole that can be utilized at will, even though the card will not reflect the shorter yardage that day.

But, the main reason to revert to previous layouts should have zero to do with golf course architects or especially sportswriters. Tiger Woods stated ‘it was taking the fun’ out of the back nine on Sunday. That’s enough for me. Not a single person benefited from the recent
changes more than Tiger. If he would like to see it changed, it’s the right thing for the game and the tournament. All other major tournament venues rotate and the annual changes are not as noticeable. If they cut the fairways north-south instead of south-north, the world goes berserk.

Did any golfers return their Masters Invitation unopened? Are ticket sales down this year for the Masters? Are press and other media people refusing to accept their Masters’ press credentials? Will they have to raise the dues for members at Augusta National?

If things are currently fine and they are reducing yardage and eliminating trees, why are we having this conversation?

by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Apr 3, 2009 3:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"taking the fun out"

yes – those darn trees he keeps hooking and pushing his tee shots into – how DARE they put a tree where he wants to wildly spray his shot, then have an open line to the green to reward his error.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 3, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would vehemently argue that Tiger has not benefited from the changes to Augusta for the reason that court is citing. I don’t have a problem with some trees. I have a problem with the amount of trees they do now. It will take time to undo the worst parts of Fazio’s work – in my opinion, basically almost all of it – but they are getting there.

They only reduced the yardage of the course by 10 yards. That’s immaterial to the discussion of the course as a whole. 30 yards if you count the tees being moved, which weren’t officially added to the scorecard.

by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 3, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

look at the trees they added

they are, for now, small trees. If trees don’t have height to be a deterent, they have to be thick. It will take several years for them to grow – and in the meantime, they will be thinned out a bit.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Apr 3, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good for the Masters

I enjoy that is tougher

I can’t stand older golfers who claim the course isn’t what it used to be

The course has changed consistently over the year.

It was never supposed to be the exact same course

Deal with it

by AppleCub on Apr 3, 2009 5:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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