GETTING AROUND THE MASTERS 1997

Carved by Alister Mackenzie out of the Fruitlands Nursery property in 1931-32, around an antebellum manor house, Augusta National has virtually no rough, pine trees spaced far apart to keep from becoming too hazardous and slick greens.

For many, the front nine plays relatively easily, with a few quirks, such as a bed of azaleas in the trees on the left side of No. 2 that once caught a ball hit by Seve Ballesteros, whereupon he hit a wood from the flora onto the green; and the course’s lone palm tree, on No. 4.

For most, the tournament begins on the backside, largely on Nos. 11, 12 and 13, called Amen Corner.

No. 11 is a 455-yard par four on which a second shot that is too long can wind up in infamous Rae’s Creek, a shot at all left ends up in a small lake. Golfers will sneak a glimpse at the flag on the 12th green when they play No. 11, just to see what’s ahead.

No. 12 is 155 yards, with Rae’s Creek--crossed by Hogan Bridge--in front. An intimidating hole that Fuzzy Zoeller called “the spookiest little par three we play.” Anywhere from a four- to a nine-iron, depending on the wind.

No. 13 is a par five, only 485 yards, with a dogleg left that players can cut. It’s a birdie hole.

No. 15 is the double-eagle hole, where Gene Sarazen hit the most famous four-wood in golf in 1935 and which no one has double eagled since. It’s a birdie hole, called a par 4 1/2 by Bob Jones, who helped lay out Augusta National, with a creek in front and a tempting green. The smart money says that you lay up on No. 15 if you are leading on Sunday.

No. 18 is a relatively simple par four, 420 yards, but it becomes more complicated if you are in the lead by only one shot. The walk up the fairway is a delight for Masters winners, but the second shot can be a horror, if you are Ed Sneed, whose approach to the green in 1979 landed short, in the bunker, and he made bogey and lost the tournament in a playoff with Zoeller.

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PAR & YARDAGE

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Hole Par Yardage Hole Name 1 4 400 Tea Olive 2 5 555 Pink Dogwood 3 4 360 Flowering Peach 4 3 205 Flowering Crab Apple 5 4 435 Magnolia 6 3 180 Juniper 7 4 360 Pampas 8 5 535 Yellow Jasmine 9 4 435 Carolina Cherry 36 3,465 10 4 485 Camellia 11 4 455 White Dogwood 12 3 155 Golden Bell 13 5 485 Azalea 14 4 405 Chinese Fir 15 5 500 Firethorn 16 3 170 Redbud 17 4 400 Nandina 18 4 405 Holly 36 3,460 TOTAL 72 6,925

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