Cameron Smith plays his second shot on the fifth hole during the second round of the 2018 Masters. (David Cannon)
By Alex Myers
The long-rumoured changes to Augusta National Golf Club’s iconic par-5 13th remain just that, but the course has made a significant alteration to another one of its holes in time for the 2019 Masters.
In the tournament’s media guide, which was released on Tuesday, the par-4 fifth hole is listed at 495 yards. Previously, it was listed as 455 yards on the scorecard.
No. 5 is an interesting hole to lengthen considering it’s played as the course’s fifth-most difficult hole in tournament history. Although 455 yards isn’t long by today’s standards, the uphill dogleg left around a pair of cavernous bunkers always played longer than the number and was still the sixth-most difficult hole at last year’s Masters with a 4.16 scoring average.
Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard first noticed the change and posted this new description of the hole known as “Magnolia”:
Masters tee at Augusta National’s par-4 fifth hole has been moved back 40 yards. Hole now listed at 495 yards. pic.twitter.com/4nlFp7cg39
— Rex Hoggard (@RexHoggardGC) January 29, 2019
“It is a 313-yard (uphill) carry over the bunkers.” Translation: Good luck hitting it over the bunkers.
Meanwhile, the par-5 13th is still listed as 510 yards, just 15 yards longer than this suddenly much meatier par 4. And a mere five yards longer than the course’s longest par-4, No. 11, though that beginning of Amen Corner plays downhill.
The 2019 Masters is scheduled for April 11-14.