After nearly a week on site at Augusta National, I’ve concluded that the grandstands behind the 12th tee – which also overlook the 11th green – are the best place to park yourself for an afternoon at The Masters. After spending two hours there on Moving Day of the 88th edition of the tournament, here’s everything I learned about two of golf’s most famous holes.
The wind is impossible to read
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The wind at Augusta National has been causing havoc all week. On Saturday, the winds were much lighter than the near 40mph gusts we witnessed on the Friday, but reading the wind in this particular corner of the property is near impossible.
On multiple occasions as players went to address their tee shot, I could see the flag on 11 and the flag on 12 fluttering in different directions. Just how are you supposed to commit to a shot when all of this is going on around you? Couple in the fact the trees are swirling in all different directions and the cloudless Saturday afternoon, and the players had little to go off than the rough prevailing wind they’d be playing for the previous 11 holes.
With the pin on Saturday situated just 5 yards on from the front edge, players were not risking going anywhere near short and I saw countless balls fly the green long and long left. Reading the wind is a real art in Amen Corner.
The haze
Something that never comes across on TV – and that only became apparent to me once I took my sunglasses off – is the slight reddish haze that settles over the 11th and 12th holes, hanging well above the playing area somewhere in the middle of the tall Georgia pines and the bright blue skyline. This all comes from the pathways that run behind the grandstand and one of the largest concession stands on site.
Amen Corner is always one of the most densely populated areas on the course and the Patrons make full use of the bathrooms and large concession stand sitting directly behind the two grandstands you can see on TV. The club has set up red gravel paths throughout this area to stop it from getting muddy, and the amount of feet stomping through it allows this very slight haze to rise up and drift into the tops of the trees in the playing area. It doesn’t affect the beauty of the area, but it was interesting nonetheless.
The post-shot clean up operation
This was something I’d expected to see – I mean come on, it’s Augusta National – but it was really interesting the attention to detail on the course play out with my own eyes.
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