Augusta National "Spring, Fall, and Spring Again"... What About Amen Corner?

'Season's First Major' Masters Returns This Year "Azaleas Instead of Autumn Leaves", Key Battleground Still Amen Corner's 12th Hole, 'Glass Plate Green' Added

Augusta National Golf Club in full bloom with spring flowers.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Spring, fall, and spring again."

This is the story of the fierce battleground of the ‘Masters of the Masters,’ Augusta National Golf Club (par 72, 7,475 yards) in Georgia, USA. Last year, due to the impact of COVID-19, the tournament was postponed by seven months and held in November. It was the first time in 86 years since the inaugural event in March 1934 that the Masters was held outside of April. This year, it returns to spring, opening on the night of the 8th. Instead of autumn leaves, the azaleas and rhododendrons bloom profusely at Augusta National, and the biggest challenge remains the Amen Corner at holes 11 through 13.

▲ Amen Corner "Predicts the Winner" = Named by Herbert Warren, a Sports Illustrated (SI) journalist in 1958, inspired by the jazz band tune ‘Shouting at Amen Corner.’ The first hole, No. 11 (par 4), requires precision tee shots to avoid the lake on the left side of the fairway. The 12th hole (par 3) demands a ‘needle-like iron shot’ to reach the narrow space between the creek in front of the green and the bunker behind it. The final hole, No. 13 (par 5), allows for a ‘2-on’ and the opportunity to make birdies or eagles.

The problem lies with the 12th hole. Although it is only 155 yards, it is notorious for dealing fatal blows to players every year. Locals even spread a superstition that "an American Indian burial ground was discovered in 1931," and "strange things often happen." In reality, Bubba Watson suffered a septuple bogey with ‘9-on 1-putt’ in the 4th round in 2013, and Jordan Spieth lost at the final hurdle with a quadruple bogey of ‘6-on 1-putt’ in 2016.

It is interesting that ‘Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods benefited greatly from the 12th hole when he won in 2019. Francesco Molinari (Italy), who was leading by two strokes, hit his ball onto the bunker lip and then into the creek, resulting in a double bogey. However, Woods paid a heavy price last year on the final day with a septuple bogey of ‘8-on 2-putt.’ His tee shot and third shot went into the water, the fifth shot landed in the bunker behind the green, and the sixth shot again found the water hazard.

The 12th hole, the decisive battleground of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. A creek lies in front of the green, while bunkers lurk behind it.

▲ Johnson "Complete Domination of Amen Corner" = World No. 1 Dustin Johnson (USA), on the other hand, laid the groundwork for a 5-stroke victory (20-under 268) with just two birdies in the first and second rounds last year. The highlight was a streak of three consecutive birdies on holes 11 through 13 on the second day. He followed up with back-to-back birdies on the 13th hole in rounds 3 and 4, utterly devastating Amen Corner. He dominated the top of the leaderboard from day one with a ‘wire-to-wire’ performance and set the tournament’s lowest score.

Johnson’s key to course strategy was, naturally, an 83.33% green hit rate, a ‘perfect strike.’ Combined with a maximum 329-yard ‘long drive’ and a scrambling rate of 94.44%?meaning he rarely missed par or better after missing the green?he showed ‘ironclad defense.’ In fact, all the past champions who have been particularly strong at this tournament, including Woods (5 wins) and Phil Mickelson (3 wins), are masters of the ‘flop shot,’ which involves lofting the ball high around the green to stop it quickly.

The final variable is the ‘glass plate green.’ A 1-meter downhill putt can appear to stop just in front of the hole but then roll out. After Woods set the record low score (18-under 270) in 1997, the organizers undertook major course renovations, making the greens faster and steeper. ESPN in the US predicted, "Due to recent dry weather and strong winds, the greens are very hard," and "it will be a harsh test for the players."