Augusta National Golf Club – Home to the US Masters

The Augusta National Golf Club is a highly reserved Golf Club, open to only members and their friends.

Augusta National Golf Club, located in the American City of Augusta, Georgia, is one of the most famous and exclusive golf clubs in the world. Founded by Bobby Jones on the site of a former tree nursery, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934 it has been host of the annual Masters Tournament, one of the four major championships in professional golf.

The course is well known for its botanic beauty. The Masters is held the first weekend following the first full week in April, the flowers of the trees and shrubs bordering the course are in full bloom during the tournament. Each hole on the course is named after the tree or shrub with which it has become associated.

Augusta National Hole 10's botanical beauty

The Greens at Augusta were traditionally Bermuda grass but in 1981 they were reconstructed with bent grass, resulting in a significantly faster surface, requiring a reduction in the contours of the greens.

Amen Corner
The 11th, 12th and 13th holes at Augusta were termed “Amen Corner” by author Herbert Warren in a 1958 Sports Illustrated Article for the action that takes place there.

Hole 11 'White Dogwood' taking the turn into Amen Corner.

Features on the course:

Founders Circle – A memorial located in front of the course’s
clubhouse, at the end of Magnolia Lane. Plaques at Founders Circle honor Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts.

At the end of Magnolia Lane you come to the Founders Circle in front of the Clubhouse at Augusta.

Magnolia Lane – The main driveway leading from Washington Road to the course’s clubhouse. The lane is banked on either side by 61 magnolia trees, each grown from seeds planted by the Berckman family in the 1850s. Magnolia Lane is 330 yards (300 m) long and was paved in 1947.

Rae’s Creek – Rae’s Creek cuts across the southeastern corner of the Augusta National property. It flows along the back of the 11th green, in front of the 12th green, and ahead of the 13th tee. This is the lowest point in elevation of the course. The creek was named after former property owner
John Rae, who died in 1789.

Sarazen Bridge – A bridge over the pond on hole 15 that separates
the fairway from the green. Made of stone, it was named for Gene Sarazen for a memorable double eagle in the 1935 Masters Tournament that propelled him to victory.

Sarazen Bridge over the pond on hole 15 that separates the faiway from the green.

Hogan Bridge – A bridge over Rae’s Creek that connects the fairway of Hole 12 to its green. It is constructed of stone and covered with artificial turf. The bridge was dedicated to Ben Hogan in 1958 to commemorate his 72-hole score of 274 strokes five years earlier, the course record at the time.

Nelson Bridge – A stonework bridge over Rae’s Creek that connects the teeing ground of Hole 13 to its fairway. In 1958, it was dedicated to Byron Nelson to honour his performance in the 1937 Masters.

Nelson Bridge - A stonework bridge over Rae's Creek that connects the teeing ground of Hole 13 to its fairway.

Membership - Augusta National Golf Club has about 300 members at any given time. Membership is strictly by invitation; there is no application process. No woman has ever been a member of Augusta National, though women are able to play the course as guests of a member. 3 High Profile members include – Bill Gates – co-founder and chairman of Microsoft. Warren Buffett – businessman and member of Forbes 400 List. Jack Welch – former CEO of General Electric.

The Augusta National Golf Club is closed during the months of June until October every year.

Augusta National Golf Club’s holes:

1. Tea Olive – 410 yards, par 4 – A slight dogleg right with a bunker on the right. Tee shots can easily go wrong in the bunker or in the trees on the left. The plateau green is one of the most difficult of the US Masters.

Augusta's 1st Hole 'Tea Olive'

2. Pink Dogwood – 575 yards, par 5 – A dogleg left, reachable in two by the longest of drivers. For the short hitters, it’s one of the more difficult drives.

3. Flowering Peach – 350 yards, par 4 – The shortest par 4 hole with a small L-shaped tabletop green. Often an iron is used off the tee, to leave a full shot to the green where anything short can spin down a steep bank.

4. Flowering Crab Apple – 205 yards, par 3 – The tiered green always claims its share of victims. A fine one-shot hole that requires a wood shot. Par is always a good score.

5. Magnolia – 435 yards, par 4 – Increased by 20 yards for the 2003 Masters. Don’t hit left off the tee as the bunkers will come into play and make it difficult to reach the green.

6. Juniper – 180 yards, par 3 – Jose Maria Olazabal will remember the 6th. He shot 7 here in the 2nd round and lost by one shot in 1991.

7. Pampas – 365 yards, par 4 – Trees line both sides of the fairways of the tightest hole at Augusta. It offers a real birdie opportunity – an iron off the tee leaves only a pitch to the green.

Augusta's Par 4, 7th hole 'Pampas'

8. Yellow Jasmine – 550 yards, par 5 – Reachable in two for only the long hitters as there is a steep climb from fairway to green.

9. Carolina Cherry – 430 yards, par 4 – Not a testing drive, but the green tilts from back-to-front and it is possible to roll off the green down the steep slope in front.

10. Camellia – 485 yards, par 4 – This dramatic hole, which plays sharply downhill, has been the hardest hole over all the years at Augusta.

Augusta's 10th hole 'Camellia' A long 485 yards par 4

11. White Dogwood – 455 yards, par 4 – The start of Amen Corner. The green has since been raised, and Rae’s Creek comes more into play.

12. Golden Bell – 155 yards, par 3 – The shortest and maybe the deadliest hole at Augusta with the iconic Ben Hogan bridge.

Augusta's magnificent 12th hole 'Golden Bell' The shortest and maybe the deadliest hole at Augusta.

13. Azalea – 485 yards, par 5 – A sharp dogleg left which is guarded by Rae’s Creek running down the left hand side and in front of the green.

Augusta's 13th hole 'Azalea' Guarded by Rae’s Creek running in front of the green.

14 Chinese Fir – 405 yards, par 4 – No bunkers to contend with, but the putting surface can be troublesome.

15. Firethorn – 500 yards, par 5 – On the right a group of tall trees punish any pushed drive. Most will try to cross the water and reach the green in two.

Augusta's 15th hole 'Firethorn'

16. Redbud – 170 yards, par 3 – The tee shot is over the water. The green slants significantly from left to right, making a pin on the right the toughest.

17. Nandina – 425 yards, par 4 – A large tree, named after President Eisenhower, stands on the left of the fairway. The green slopes off toward the back, making it near impossible to hold an approach carried past the centre of the green.

18. Holly – 405 yards, par 4 – A left to right drive is the way to go to avoid the two bunkers on the final hole.

Augusta National Golf Club - One of the most beautiful and exclusive Golf Clubs in the world.