Augusta Nat'l?!?

[AlohaStyle]

Wow, how hard of a course is August National?!? I've worked from home the last couple of days and have had the Masters on tv in the background... I have seen so many good players hitting out of the trees, consistently flying golf balls into the crowd like I've never seen before, bunkers, rough etc.

I can't imagine a hack like me playing that course if the best players in the world are looking like this?!? LOL

 

[BagfullofPings]

The name "Bubba" on The Masters trophy. And that boy drives the "General Lee". YEEEEEEHAAAAWWWWW!!!

 

[ilikefishes]

I am a scratch golfer. In tournament conditions I would bet it would be hard for me to break 90 and maybe even 100. You just don't understand what kind of slopes and subtleties they are dealing with.

 

[Red Raider]

I am a scratch golfer. In tournament conditions I would bet it would be hard for me to break 90 and maybe even 100. You just don't understand what kind of slopes and subtleties they are dealing with.

Low single digit hc and I can't even imagine the pressures of playing on that stage. Happy for Bubba Watson. The 3rd place amateur shot an 80 today. I would sure love to play Augusta!!!

 

[cf2112]

I am a scratch golfer. In tournament conditions I would bet it would be hard for me to break 90 and maybe even 100. You just don't understand what kind of slopes and subtleties they are dealing with.

A buddy and were talking about this today. He's a PGA pro and I'm a 1 handicap we said 80 would be our best day. You would have to avoid the big number(s) something many pro's couldn't do including Phil and his triple. If I broke 90 I'd feel great from the tips with Sunday pins.

 

[Knickerbocker]

The course didn't play all that difficult, tons of red numbers. It's not like some US Opens where the winner is +1 or even.

 

[AlohaStyle]

The course didn't play all that difficult, tons of red numbers. It's not like some US Opens where the winner is +1 or even.

Did you watch any of it? Saying it didn't play difficult??? Did you see the best players in the world consistently hitting out of the bushes and under/around trees???

I hear what you're saying that courses have played more difficult, but to say this didn't play difficult is crazy talk! :crying:

 

[NickThePyro]

I work at a country club and I watched the end of it on Easter with my boss. It was amazing to see how much struggling was going on throughout the whole Masters.

And on a side note, my college has a fascination with photobombing the WSU logo everywhere.

 

[ilikefishes]

The course didn't play all that difficult, tons of red numbers. It's not like some US Opens where the winner is +1 or even.

You must not play golf. Otherwise you would understand the differences between Augusta & Open courses.

 

[amsgpwarrior]

This was one of the toughest Masters I've seen in awhile, truthfully. It was playing extremely hard. I have to disagree with the U.S. Open courses being tougher. The way they set up the courses for the US Open is almost cartoonish. It's not uncommon to see 4 to 6 inch rough that normally isn't there otherwise. Augusta National hardly has any rough to speak of and it still plays extremely difficult. The greens at Augusta are hands down the toughest since Bobby Jones built them to mimick British Open greens with huge undulations and elevation changes. For goodness sakes there is a eight foot elevation change from the middle of the green to the back right pin location on the 16th green! The only two golf courses I can think of that match Augusta difficulty wise are Bethpage, Winged Foot, or Pinehurst #2.

A perfect example is when Tiger Woods won the US Open at Torrey Pines with a -1. Just this past spring, Snedeker raped that course for -16. The way they set up the US Open makes it crazy hard. Cut out all the 4 and 6 inch rough and you will see players killing those US Open courses.

 

[cf2112]

Pinehurst #2 was not that bad when I played it but it was not set up for an open either. If you put 6" rough off the fairways of Augusta people would hit it way left or right to get to the pine straw and over par would win

 

[Doug B]

Did you watch any of it? Saying it didn't play difficult??? Did you see the best players in the world consistently hitting out of the bushes and under/around trees???

I hear what you're saying that courses have played more difficult, but to say this didn't play difficult is crazy talk! :crying:

Those shots were due to poor tee shots. It is the greens that makes it insanely difficult, as mentioned

 

[AlohaStyle]

Those shots were due to poor tee shots. It is the greens that makes it insanely difficult, as mentioned

Yes of course the greens are some of the most difficult/fast around. If you think it is just because of poor tee shots, then why were so many good players consistently in the trees etc MUCH more than any other tournament? The course is simply that difficult, period. You have to have near perfect shots on every hole and if off just slightly, you're hitting around a tree. You can be off slightly on other courses and not be hitting out of the trees/bushes like we saw at the Masters.

 

[Doug B]

Yes of course the greens are some of the most difficult/fast around. If you think it is just because of poor tee shots, then why were so many good players consistently in the trees etc MUCH more than any other tournament? The course is simply that difficult, period. You have to have near perfect shots on every hole and if off just slightly, you're hitting around a tree. You can be off slightly on other courses and not be hitting out of the trees/bushes like we saw at the Masters.

True, bro, that it is very difficult from tee to green but in this particular Masters there seemed to be more misplaced tee shots as compared with previous years. They are pros, afterall. Not arguing, but I did notice quite a few errant tee shots that resulted in very difficult second shots- unless you are Bubba or Phil... The fairways are fairly wide on a lot of holes....certainly not that shoot down 18 though. The patrons would be in danger if I were on the box...I would be happy shooting 120 there...shoot I would be happy to ever be there at all.

 

[Vegan702]

Yes of course the greens are some of the most difficult/fast around. If you think it is just because of poor tee shots, then why were so many good players consistently in the trees etc MUCH more than any other tournament? The course is simply that difficult, period. You have to have near perfect shots on every hole and if off just slightly, you're hitting around a tree. You can be off slightly on other courses and not be hitting out of the trees/bushes like we saw at the Masters.

You would have to look up the stats for this, but I would wager they weren't off the fairway anymore then they are at any other tournament.

 

[AlohaStyle]

You would have to look up the stats for this, but I would wager they weren't off the fairway anymore then they are at any other tournament.

That's part of my point. Even though the stats might not show anything different, being off the fairway at the Masters is much different than being off the fairway at most other tourneys. If you're off the fairway much at all for a lot of the holes at Augusta, you are shooting around trees whereas off the fairway shots in other tourneys simply means you are shooting out of the rough.

Either way, I watched a lot of the Masters and my opinion is that this is a most difficult course to play and that I was watching good players hitting over/around trees/bushes a lot more than usual.

 

[Craig Mac]

I think the difficulty of the greens adds to the penalty of missing the fairways at Augusta.

 

[Doug B]

Here is something very interesting to add to the thread as I was curious about the slope rating.

http://golf.about.com/od/majorchampionships/f/augusta_ratings.htm

Btw- I would love it if the tour came to the hardest and most mysterious club on the east (second to Augusta, of course....Pine Valley- though Pine Valley could be harder with a 155 slope from the tips and 153 from the 'forward tees'. Only 2 tee boxes.

 

[BrandonP]

T.V. doesn't do that course justice. Those fairways are not nearly as wide as they look when watching it on t.v. I got to go back in 2004 and it was brutal to see live. The slopes are so much worse looking then what they seem on the broadcast as well.