Masters 2004 presented by Augusta.com - Players differ over alterations

Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) watches his birdie putt on 1NO. 8 Sunday. (Andrew Davis Tucker/Augusta Chronicle)

Players differ over alterations

Mostly dry week offers a different perspective

Web posted
Monday, April 12, 2004

For the first time since most of the major changes were made to Augusta National Golf Club, players got a chance to see the course play as officials had hoped - hard, fast and dry.

The reaction now that the 68th Masters Tournament is over is decidedly mixed. Some say tournament officials got it right, while others say there are some changes they would undo if given the chance.

"By adding the length and playing this firm, the length is about right now," said Scott Verplank (Stats | Bio) , who shot 72 in the final round to finish his eighth Masters at 5-over par. "The last couple of years it rained, and it's been kind of a different golf course. I think this is the way they were hoping it would play.

"When it rains, it really eliminates some of the players because it plays so much longer with the new tees. But when it's like this, lots of different styles of games can play here."

Tournament officials have made a number of changes over the past five years to keep the course competitive in an age in which technological advances in equipment threaten to make many layouts obsolete. Those changes include:

Adding a second cut of grass - better known as rough, a word frowned upon by Masters officials - to the fairways for the 1999 tournament.

Moving the championship tees back on No. 5 and extending the fairway bunkers about 80 yards toward the green for 2003. The fairway and bunkers also were shifted to the right to increase the dogleg, changes that made it the toughest hole in Sunday's final round.

Moving the tees back 20 to 25 yards and reshaping and extending the fairway bunker 10 to 15 yards on No. 1 for 2002. This hole proved to be the most difficult at this year's tournament.

K. J. Choi thumbs up after picking up his ball on 11 where he eagled Sunday April 11, 2004 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA. Andrew Davis Tucker/Staff Roll # 403 (Andrew Davis Tucker/Augusta Chronicle)

The most recent change to the course was at No. 11, where 36 pine trees were added to the right side of the fairway, making accuracy off the tee a premium. Those changes were in addition to the tee on the hole being moved back 30 to 35 yards and shifted five yards to the right.

Interestingly, No. 11 played easier this year than last, when it was ranked the toughest hole.

Brad Faxon (Stats | Bio) , who shot 71 on Sunday to finish 7-over par in his 11th Masters, said he liked the changes but would undo a couple of things.

"I still don't know if the rough is a good idea or not," he said. "If I had to make one change, I think there is a lot of strategy gone because of rough. A lot of exciting shots are taken away because of that."

The 18th might be the hole most affected by recent changes. It has been the course's second toughest hole - despite Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) 's tournament-winning birdie Sunday - for the second consecutive year after being ranked only sixth hardest in Masters history. Changes included moving the tee back 55 to 60 yards and five yards to the golfer's right for 2002, enlarging bunkers 10 percent and adding trees left of the fairway bunkers.

"(No.) 18 would be better if it was just a little shorter off the tee," said 1988 champion Sandy Lyle (Stats | Bio) , who finished the tournament at 9-over par. "It would bring the bunkers in play more often."

Reach Mike Wynn at 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com.