Augusta National Golf Club

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Augusta National Golf Club, a private golf club in Augusta, Georgia, is one of the most famous and exclusive golf clubs in the world and is considered Bobby Jones' masterpiece.^{[citation needed]} It is the site of the annual Masters Tournament, one of the four major championships in men's professional golf.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Amen Corner 3 Criticisms of course changes 4 Natural features 4.1 "The Big Oak Tree" 4.2 Eisenhower Tree 4.3 Ike's Pond 4.4 Rae's Creek 5 Architectural features 5.1 Crow's Nest 5.2 Eisenhower Cabin 5.3 Founders Circle 5.4 Hogan Bridge 5.5 Magnolia Lane 5.6 Nelson Bridge 5.7 Par Three Fountain 5.8 Record Fountain 5.9 Sarazen Bridge 6 Chairman 7 Membership 8 Members 9 The Green Jacket 10 References 11 External links

[edit] Overview

Augusta is generally regarded as the most revered golf course on Tour by American fans. Since the Masters is held there each year, fans watching on TV have the unique opportunity to become familiar with the course, something the other majors do not afford.

The course is well known for its beauty as well; because the Masters is held in early spring, 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:

Hole #	Name	Par	Yards	Meters
1	Tea Olive	4	455	416
2	Pink Dogwood	5	575	526
3	Flowering Peach	4	350	320
4	Flowering Crab Apple	3	240	219
5	Magnolia	4	455	416
6	Juniper	3	180	165
7	Pampas	4	450	411
8	Yellow Jasmine	5	570	521
9	Carolina Cherry	4	460	421
10	Camellia	4	495	453
11	White Dogwood	4	505	462
12	Golden Bell	3	155	142
13	Azalea	5	510	466
14	Chinese Fir	4	440	402
15	Firethorn	5	530	485
16	Redbud	3	170	155
17	Nandina	4	440	402
18	Holly	4	465	425

Unlike almost every other private or public golf course in the United States, Augusta National has apparently never been rated. During the 1990 Masters Tournament, a team of USGA raters organized by Golf Digest evaluated the course and gave it an unofficial rating of 76.2 and a slope of 148.

[edit] Amen Corner

The 11th, 12th, and 13th holes at Augusta were termed "Amen Corner" by author Herbert Warren Wind in a 1958 Sports Illustrated article. Searching for a name for the location where critical action had taken place that year, he borrowed the name from an old jazz recording "Shouting at Amen Corner" by a band under the direction of Milton Mezzrow. [1]

In 1958 Arnold Palmer outlasted Ken Venturi for the Green Jacket with heroic escapes at Amen Corner. Amen Corner also played host to prior Masters moments like Byron Nelson's birdie-eagle at 12 and 13 in 1937, and Sam Snead's water save at 12 in 1949 that sparked him to victory.

[edit] Criticisms of course changes

At one point, Augusta National could have been considered amongst the two or three most innovative designs in U.S. golf. The paucity of bunkers and its width of play were in stark contrast to the penal features found on the most revered U.S. courses at that time. However, the many changes from several different architects – including adding bunkers, reducing the green contours, and adding trees and rough – have taken the course away from Bobby Jones' and MacKenzie's inspiration of St Andrews in Scotland.

[edit] Natural features

[edit] "The Big Oak Tree"

"The big oak tree" is on the golf course side of the Clubhouse and is approximately 145-150 years old. The tree was planted in the 1850s.[2]

[edit] Eisenhower Tree

This is a loblolly pine located on the 17th hole, approximately 210 yards (192 meters) from the Master's tee. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, an Augusta National member, hit the tree so many times that, at a 1956 club meeting, he proposed that it be cut down. Not wanting to offend the President, the club's chairman, Clifford Roberts, immediately adjourned the meeting rather than reject the request outright.

[edit] Ike's Pond

During a visit to Augusta National, then General Eisenhower returned from a walk through the woods on the eastern part of the grounds, and informed Clifford Roberts that he had found a perfect place to build a dam if the Club would like a fish pond. Ike's Pond was built and named, and the dam is located just where Eisenhower said it should be.

[edit] Rae's Creek

Rae's Creek cuts across the southeastern corner of the Augusta National property. It flows at the back of No. 11 green, in front of No. 12 green and in front of No. 13 tee.

[edit] Architectural features

[edit] Crow's Nest

Available for amateurs wishing to be housed there during the Masters Tournament, the Crow's Nest provides living space for up to five individuals. Rising from the approximately 30 by 40 foot room is the Clubhouse's 11 foot square cupola. The cupola features windows on all sides and can be reached only by ladder. The Crow's Nest consists of one room with partitions and dividers that create three cubicles with one bed each, and one cubicle with two beds. There is also a full bathroom with an additional sink. The sitting area has a game table, sofa and chairs, telephone and television. Placed throughout the Crow's Nest are books on golf, and lining the walls are photos and sketches depicting past Masters and other golf scenes.

To get to the Crow's Nest, golfers must climb a narrow set of steps. When coming down, they must be careful to not turn left and enter the Champions Locker Room.

This is a walk most amateur golfers dream of taking.

[edit] Eisenhower Cabin

One of ten cabins on the Augusta National property, it was built by the club's membership for member Dwight D. Eisenhower after his election as President of the United States. The cabin was built according to Secret Service security guidelines, and is adorned by an eagle located above the front porch.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Magnolia Lane

The main driveway leading from Washington Road to the course's clubhouse. The lane is flanked on either side by sixty-one magnolia trees, each grown from seeds planted by the Berckman family in the 1850s. Magnolia Lane is 330 yards (301.75 m) long and was paved in 1947.

[edit] 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 honor his performance in the 1937 Masters.

[edit] Par Three Fountain

The Par 3 Fountain is next to the No. 1 tee on the Par 3 course. The fountain has a list of Par 3 contest winners, starting with Sam Snead's win in 1960.[3]

[edit] Record Fountain

The Record Fountain was built to commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Masters. Located left of the No. 17 tee, it displays course records and Masters Tournament champions.[4]

[edit] 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.

[edit] Chairman

• William Porter "Billy" Payne (2006 to present)
• William "Hootie" Johnson (1998 to 2006)
• Jack Stephens (1991 to 1998)
• Hord Hardin (1980 to 1991)
• William Lane (1976 to 1980)
• Clifford Roberts (1934 to 1976)

The fairway on the 11th hole at Augusta National

Teeing off at the 8th hole at Augusta National

Putting on the 12th green at Augusta National

The 18th

[edit] Membership

Augusta National Golf Club has about 300 members at any given time. Fees are reported to range between $25,000 and $50,000. Membership is strictly by invitation; there is no application process.

As of January 2007, no woman has ever been a member of Augusta National, though women are able to play the course as guests of a member. The club's lack of female membership received national attention in 2003 when Martha Burk, chairperson of the National Council of Women's Organizations, publicly challenged the club's stance. Pressure placed upon corporate sponsors of The Masters over the 2003 controversy led the Club to voluntarily broadcast the 2003 and 2004 tournaments without commercials.

[edit] Members

• Bill Gates, co-founder and chairman of Microsoft
• Warren Buffet, businessman and member of Forbes 400 List
• Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric

Click this link for a 2002 listing.

[edit] The Green Jacket

Every member of Augusta National receives a green sports coat with the club's logo on the left breast. The idea of the Green Jacket came from club co-founder Clifford Roberts, who wanted patrons visiting during the tournament to be able to readily identify members.The winner of each year's Masters Tournament becomes an honorary member, and thus receives a Green Jacket as well. The Jacket is presented by the winner of the tournament from the previous year.

The Green Jacket is worn only on club grounds. A tournament winner may wear his Jacket off-grounds for the year following his win, but after that it hangs at the club.

[edit] References

• "2004 Masters Tournament Factsheet," Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
• "Just How Tough is Augusta?", by Ross Goodner, April 1991, Golf Digest

Architectural features

• Boyette, John. "Eisenhower left mark on National", The Augusta Chronicle, April 6, 2004.
• Newton, David. "Augusta steep in majestic landmarks", The State (Columbia, South Carolina), April 10, 2003.

Membership

• "Privacy becomes public at Augusta", USA Today
• "Augusta defends male only members policy", Golf Today

[edit] External links

• The Masters
• Aerial View on Google Maps

Coordinates: 33°30′02.5″N, 82°01′20.6″W