13th At Augusta National: It's A New Tee!
Cumbersome project to lengthen the iconic par-5 confirms Augusta National is not waiting around for distance regulators.
The latest photos from Eureka Earth confirm what was inevitable since a 2017 land purchase: the most famous par-5 in golf will be lengthened.
After spending significant sums to acquire property behind Amen Corner from Augusta Country Club, there has been speculation since on installing a new tee.
The purchase initially allowed for an access road’s installation, leaving room to extend the 530-yard 13th once two holes were re-worked at ACC. Construction crews have now begun opening a gap, suggesting the tee will be in play for the 2023 Masters.
The work signals an unwillingness to wait for proposed equipment rule changes not expected to make an impact before 2026.
This should liven up those wild and crazy Five Family gatherings at The 150th! Then again, anything will be more fun than discussing world ranking algorithms to keep Greg Norman and the Sword Wielding Sponsors Of Al-Qaeda at bay.
“Fred, ye of so little faith?” would be an understandable reply from a blue blazer, Scotch in hand as ancient portraits of golf pioneers look down on the assembled banterers.
The R&A and USGA are currently awaiting comments on hefty distance proposals, with a September deadline. If the proposals not watered down by whiny manufacturers, the changes would put a premium on certain ballstriking skills and chip 8-10% off of elite-level drives.
“I’d point you to my transcript from this year’s Chairman’s press conference,” Fred Ridley might say as Willie Park Jr’s portrait rolls its eyes.
Here is what the Chairman said in April regarding lengthening to a number likely over 100 yards longer than the original distance.
“There's no timetable. Nothing to announce at this time. That's something that certainly we have considered and will continue to consider. Admittedly, and I've said this before, the 13th hole does not have the same challenges that it has historically, and, I mean, I can just remember as a young guy watching the Masters, you know, some of the triumphs and tragedies. And while we still have those, the fact that players are hitting middle to short irons into that hole is not really how it was designed.
“Having said that, my reluctance to date has been that it's such an iconic hole. And probably along with 11 -- or 12, rather, and maybe 15, probably the three holes where the most history has been made at Augusta National.
“So that probably has been a counter -- a counter to doing anything. But at some point in time it's something that we likely will do. We just don't have anything to say about it right now.
Ridley also addressed what this work would say about his optimism for new regulations.
“So we really can't make any predictions as to what's going to happen, but I think if there are some marginal modifications to the equipment rules, from what I have observed over the past few years with the players and their athleticism, their strength, their size, the efficiency of their golf swings, I don't think that we are going to see courses being shortened.
“So perhaps the two sort of factors might converge, but I don't think that what the governing bodies do is going to have a direct impact on what we might do at 13 or any other hole on the golf course.
“What I'm saying is, is that I think the likelihood of a ball going 50 yards shorter is not very great. My point is, we don't really know where it might come out. There's going to be a process -- there's going to be a lot of input from constituencies.”
And he’s not waiting. While these projects are reportedly planned out well in advance, it seems the 13th got a Summer of 2022 call-up. There was good reason to believe Chairman Ridley might wait longer given the potential scar this opens up at secluded, nothing-like-it-in-sports, and oh-so-sacred-despite-the-Dude-Perfect-debacle, Amen Corner.
Remember that any major tree removal could impact the iconic 12th hole backdrop:
Or this view:
Let’s look more closely at the latest Eureka Earth images.