What to Watch For – Key Holes at Augusta National

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When you think of Augusta National, what stands out? The massive rolling fairways? The deep, white sand bunkers? How about the diabolical greens? For many, the answer may be Amen Corner, the famed 11th, 12th, and 13th holes. But to me, a key hole isn’t just a memorable hole, it’s a hole that could decide who wins the Green Jacket. And to be a key hole in that way, the hole needs one thing – a high-leverage shot.

High-leverage shots are shots where the difference between a good shot and a bad shot is worth more than usual. A good shot on 12 gives you a birdie putt. A bad shot on 12, and well, you’re fighting the demons of an epic meltdown for the rest of your career. That’s a high-leverage shot! Augusta is incredible for many reasons, but perhaps most importantly, it’s full of key holes and high-leverage shots throughout the back nine.

No. 11

The 11th hole is always one of the most difficult of the week. It’s long, but the wide fairway gives most players a long iron in. This iron shot is the first of many high-leverage shots on the back nine.

A great shot hits the green and gives the player a chance for an improbable birdie. An average shot misses the green right and is a challenging par save. A bad shot finds the pond. Ludvig Aberg and Collin Morikawa both rinsed their hopes of a Green Jacket here on the 11th last year.

No. 12

Like No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass, the hole doesn’t look like it should be as difficult as it is. But add in gusty, unpredictable winds, and it becomes a nightmare. It’s an incredible narrow green, but the reason it’s so challenging lies in the angle of the green. 

The further right, the longer the carry over the water and the further it is to the middle of the green. Importantly, this is the opposite of a right-handed player’s shot pattern. When a right-handed player misses right, his miss is often shorter than he intended because a miss right is often caused by an open club face (or too much cut pin). Missing short and right means you’re in the water. A left miss often misses further than the player intended because the club-face shut down. This puts the player long, sometimes in the woods.

In fact, you may have heard that lefties have an advantage at Augusta. Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and even Mike Weir might agree! On the 12th, the advantage is clear. Because for a lefty, the angle of the green matches their shot patterns, where a left miss should travel a little further and find the back of the putting surface, while a right miss travels a little shorter and finds the front of the green.

No. 13

The 13th is the home of Phil Mickelson’s famous shot around the pines. And the approach into this green is definitely a high-leverage shot, but the tee shot may be even more important. A great drive on the 13th puts the player in prime position for an easy birdie or even a chance at eagle. A bad drive is in the pines to the right or even lost to the left. 

If, and only if you hit a good drive, you get the opportunity for the high-leverage approach. There’s another subtle challenge to this shot. The green invites a cut from right-handed players to keep the approach shot away from the creek in front. But the severe right to left slope of the fairway promotes a hard draw. So as a player, what do you do? Do you make contact easier by playing the draw and thus dramatically narrowing your landing area? Or do you try to hit the cut anyway? For some, the answer is that indecision creeps into their mind and they make a bad swing. One of the prettiest holes in golf, it’s also one of the most interesting because it has not one, but two high-leverage shots. 

No. 15

The final par 5 has such a wide fairway that most players will give themselves a chance to go for the green in two (they basically just have to avoid tree trouble down the left). But the approach is dangerous – they have to carry a pond and a false-front that rejects plenty of balls each year and brings them down to the water. Ludvig Aberg learned this the hard way in his debut Masters. Pull it off, and you have an eagle chance. Make a mistake, and your knees will be shaking as you try to hit a 60-yard wedge shot over the same pond to avoid a Francesco Molinari type disaster (thanks, Francesco, we wouldn’t have the 2019 Tiger victory without you!).

The Uniqueness of Augusta National

That’s five high-leverage shots in a five hole span. This is incredibly rare in golf! Most courses don’t even have five high-leverage shots total! The first 10 holes are challenging because of length and the green complexes. The final three holes are the same story. But these action-packed five holes, starting at Amen Corner, define the golf course and often define the winning performance.

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