For better or worse, Masters' 13th hole lengthened to provide new challenge

AUGUSTA, GA. — Last year, the Masters lengthened the 15th hole at Augusta National Golf Course by 20 yards.

The hole, nicknamed "Firethorn," is described by the Masters as "famously reachable," but in 2022, the par 5 yielded zero eagles, turning one of the world's greatest risk-reward holes into something less interesting.

This year, the Masters is lengthening the famous 13th hole by 35 yards. The hole, nicknamed "Azalea," has been a turning point in many tournaments, because it tempts golfers to try for an eagle but can punish wayward shots with Rae's Creek, which guards its front, or the many azaleas and plants that flank its left and rear.

On Monday, in soggy conditions, players offered a variety of reviews.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler said he used to hit a hook with his 3-wood to guide the ball around the dogleg left fairway. Now a 3-wood might not produce enough length to allow him to attack the hole with a second shot, and his driver doesn't spin the ball enough to produce a hook.

Former Masters champion Fred Couples said, "If I were 30, I'd probably be excited about it. At 63, I think it's an incredible hole. I won't go for it. I don't know how I can. But it ain't about me, it's about the best players and, with how far they're hitting it, I think it's spectacular."

Couples played a practice round with Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Tom Kim. In that group, only Kim reached the green in two, by hitting a fairway wood.

"It's exactly what I thought it would be," he said. "The pin was front today, so I think I had like 215 [yards] to the front pin, but I had the ball well above my feet with a 3-iron. I think the tee shot is a lot easier, which is what I expected, for a majority of the guys.

"As I've said in my quotes about it leading up to this, I probably am going to lay up all four days. I've said, if I don't have 5-iron or less to that green, I'm not going to go for it. I had 3-iron today.

"So unless it firms up a little bit more or we get a little more helping wind off the tee shot, I'm happy just to lay up right in front of the creek and have a little pitch shot."

Former Masters champion Jordan Spieth said the hole can be longer and more interesting. If players try to reach from longer distances, he said, "you're going to get more balls in the water, than guys just hitting 7-irons to the middle of the green — how is that not more exciting?"