MADNESS Augusta National’s 13th hole is now a good 50 yards longer
Golf is choosing to expand its playing arena to suit the equipment rather than roll back the equipment to suit its golf courses.
While rumoured to be happening for a while, Eureka Earth’s latest aerial photograph of the changes to Augusta National’s iconic 13th hole is jaw-dropping.
Advances in golf club technology, better golf balls, and more athletic players mean professional golfers are now hitting the ball much further than ever before. The result is that the strategy element in playing many golf courses have all but disappeared.
Skill, shot-shaping and decision making is now a rarity on the world’s professional golf tours. Replaced by a power game and a putting competition.
Driver, wedge, putt. Driver, wedge, putt. Driver, wedge, putt.
So rather than golf’s governing bodies choosing to roll back the technology to accommodate the playing arena, clubs are forced to lengthen their golf courses. In a time of extraordinary population growth and when land is at a premium, it’s madness.
Nevertheless, exclusive, incredibly wealthy golf clubs such as Augusta National can simply go and purchase neighbouring properties and lengthen the golf course.
As they have done with the par-5 13th hole.
No longer will golfers have a short walk from the 12th green to the next hole. The new tee is now 50 metres further back onto what was part of the neighbouring Augusta Country Club.
Golfers at next year’s Masters Tournament will now face a decision to hit a long iron or more to hit the green in two shots, or lay-up.
Problem solved and strategy is now back in play. Easy, right?
https://twitter.com/EurekaEarthPlus/status/1595032675768827904
Kept thinking the photo was of the wrong hole until I realised what I was looking at.