By Mark Lamport-Stokes
March 29 (Reuters) – Augusta National Golf Club, the
spiritual home of American golf and the only permanent venue for
any of the four majors, will stage the 76th U.S. Masters in
Augusta, Georgia, next week.
The immaculate, par-72 layout, affectionately regarded as
the ‘Cathedral of Pines’, was originally designed by Alister
Mackenzie and Bobby Jones and it has hosted the opening major of
the season since 1934.
Controversially stretched by 285 yards for the 2002 Masters
but shortened by 10 yards for the 2009 edition, the 7,435-yard
course ranks as the ninth longest to hold a major.
Here is a hole-by-hole look at Augusta National for the
April 5-8 Masters (hole names are derived from the distinctive
flora found on each hole):
No. 1 (Tea Olive) par four, 445 yards – From an elevated
tee, the player hits across a wide valley to a tree-lined
fairway protected by a deep bunker on the right, a 327-yard
carry. The green on this uphill, slight dogleg right hole is
crowned and difficult to hold.
– – – –
No. 2 (Pink Dogwood) par five, 575 yards – The fairway runs
downhill and curls to the left with the green reachable in two,
although large and deep greenside bunkers await any short
approach. The shallow green is very wide, setting up some long
putts.
– – – –
Continued…
