Augusta National extends Masters test by 35 yards

Augusta National just got another 35-yards longer.

The home of the Masters released their 2022 Masters Media Guide that reveals the Georgia golfing gem now measures 7,510 yards for this year’s hosting of the annual tournament.

It is the first lengthening of the course since 2019 when the course measured 7,475 yards.

For this year’s Masters, the club has lengthened the par-4 11th hole by 15-yards to 520-yards while the par-5 15th has been stretched by 20-yards to 550-yards.

The lengthening to the furthest most hole from the stately Georgian clubhouse and that being the 11th, has no doubt been undertaken to bring the pond guarding the green more into play and further testing the second shot accuracy of those in the field.

As well, the club has moved the 11th tee more to the left as you look down the fairway, and with several pine trees down the right side of the hole removed. The 11th was ranked the second-hardest in 2021 averaging 4.40 strokes.

Historically, the 15th, averaging 4.77 strokes at last year’s Masters, is the easiest at Augusta National.

It was also at the 15th that Gene Sarazen made albatross by hitting a 4-wood second shot some 230-yard, with his ‘shot heard around the world’ on route to victory in the second hosting of the Masters in 1935.

“I don’t know how it was carried, but the runner or somebody said, ‘Mr. Gene done made a two on 15,'” recalled golf legend come historian Ben Crenshaw of the tale. “A guy in the clubhouse said ‘No, you’ve got the holes wrong, 16 is a par 3.’ And the guy said, ‘No, Mr. Gene done made a two on 15.’ No one could believe him for a second.”

There’s also been changes to the closing hole, the par-4 18th with the tees being extended back by 13 yards, though the official length at the last remains at 465 yards.

HOW AUGUSTA HAS ‘GROWN’ OVER THE YEARS

• 1940: 6,800 yards (6,218 m)
• 1950: 6,900 yards (6,309 m)
• 1960: 6,980 yards (6,383 m)
• 1970: 6,980 yards (6,383 m)
• 1980: 7,040 yards (6,437 m)
• 1990: 6,905 yards (6,314 m)
• 2000: 6,985 yards (6,387 m)
• 2010: 7,435 yards (6,799 m)
• 2020: 7,475 yards (6,835 m)
• 2022: 7,510 yards (6,867 m)