WATCH: Augusta National extends iconic 13th hole with big change ahead for golfers at Masters 2023
One of the loneliest spots on the course at Augusta National is about to get even lonelier as a major change looms at the 2023 Masters. Golf governing bodies are yet to decide whether to roll the ball back or change it up. equipment regulations, so Augusta National took matters into their own hands and extended the iconic 13th hole.
Of course, this move has been rumored for years, and the talk only heated up after Augusta National purchased land from the adjoining Augusta Country Club that will allow it to push its tee box back.
The 510-yard hole has come under scrutiny over the past decade as a number of golfers have tried — successfully, in most cases — to turn it into a tee-style tee. Historically, the 13th hole is one of the great risk-reward holes in the sport, giving golfers willing to cross the grassy creek an eagle-but-devastating look. those with a short approach stroke. That dramatic risk-reward option, with the first major of the year coming up, hasn’t really been around for years.
In April, Augusta National President Fred Ridley was asked if one of golf’s most famous holes would ever change.
“There’s no timetable,” said Ridley. “There’s nothing to announce at the moment. That’s certainly something we’ve looked at and will continue to look at. Admittedly, and I’ve said this before, the 13th hole has no challenges. like in history I can only remember a young man watching masters, you know, some triumphs and tragedies. And while we still have those, the fact that the player is hitting the mid-to-short iron into that hole isn’t really how it was designed.
Ridley added: “My reluctance so far is that it is an iconic hole. Probably along with 11 — or rather 12, and maybe 15. I mean, probably the three most historic holes at Augusta National. So, you know, that probably became a tool against doing anything. At some point, that’s what we’ll probably do. We don’t have anything to say about it right now. ”
Things seem to have changed since April, when satellite photos showed the tee box had been moved and trees had been planted in the surrounding areas. In most cases, this will make it difficult for most Masters competitors next year to put themselves in a no-teal position where approaching the green with a wedge or short iron is straightforward and easy to understand.
The unfortunate part about all of this is that it can be avoided by tweaking the device. Maybe that doesn’t pose a challenge to Augusta National given its resourcefulness and position in the game, but not every club or golf course can afford to spend millions on the extra 40-plus distance- 60 gauges per hole.
“We won’t know [if equipment changes are coming] for a while because there was a kind of process where everyone agreed on how to make any device changes like this,” Ridley said in April.
“So we can’t really make any predictions as to what will happen, but I think if there is some slight modification to the device rule, from what I’ve observed over the last few In the past year with the players and their athleticism, their strength, their size, the efficiency of their golf swings, I don’t think we’ll see the courses shortened.
“So maybe two kinds of factors could converge, but I don’t think what the regulators do will have a direct impact on what we can do on hole 13 or any hole.” another on the golf course.”
It was an interesting admission from someone on the inside. He’s basically saying that even if the ball is rolled back or the rider is disabled, the impacts probably won’t be so great that moving the tee back to 13 – which ANGC now done – won’t be needed.
As for the move, it will be one of the big stories at Masters 2023. Like the 15th place extended before the Masters 2022 (a move that leaves no eagles for the first time since). 1966), this change to number 13 will affect the outcome of the golf tournament. While about 50 yards (hard to tell in the photo above) isn’t a huge change, perhaps the bigger problem for players is that they can’t cut corners on the left side because some of the trees stick out. intercept that ball flight.
Some players like Tony Finau, Bubba Watson, Cam Young and Rory McIlroy can still try to hit a left out lane, but this hole is sure to produce more strategy than before. More diverse and different strategies is what you want when you see and experience championship golf. Although the road to get to this point (lack of equipment regulation) has been frustrating, it is ultimately the right decision and will yield positive results for both ANGC as well as the Masters.
