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Countdown: My 17th Favorite Hole At Augusta National

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Welcome

Countdown time! We’re just a few weeks away from the Masters so I’m doing a daily countdown of my favorite holes at Augusta National. Not a math guy but according to my calculations, we should wrap this thing up on the Friday of the tourney. Perfect timing.

18 holes. 18 days. Here’s my 17th favorite.

The Masters - Final Round

The Masters - Round Two

7th, 450 yards, par 4 — Pampas

Yesterday was easy. The 17th is my 18th favorite hole at Augusta and it’s not even close. Today was tough and we’re only on day 2. I like the 7th, it’s a tough hole with a diabolical green complex, intimidating bunkering, and the green is one of the best patron areas on the course.

And it’s long been home to Tiger doing this.

But some hole has to be my 17th favorite and this is it.

Legend has it MacKenzie originally based the 7th off of the 18th at St. Andrews. A short, wide open par 4 with no bunkers. Byron Nelson drove the green when he won the 1937 Masters, and before 1940 a new green had been built and bunkers were added.

Bobby Jones never liked the original. Here’s a look at the 1948 version.

Augusta National Archive

While I don’t love this thing tee-to-green, with the narrow drive leaving few options, I do love the treachery and complexity of the green. It’s been enlarged over the years and softened in certain spots to offer more pin locations.

Augusta National Archive

We’ll see pins in different sections throughout the week, welcomed flexibility which changes the hole day-to-day, but the traditional Sunday front right pin will produce the most drama.

Sergio made a clutch sand save here from a front bunker en route to winning last year.

The 7th offers plenty and is today a tough, solid hole. It’s obviously not my favorite on the course, but if you picked this hole up and dropped it pretty much anywhere else, it’d stand out as a FANTASTIC, stunning par 4.

It’s fun every year watching guys navigate this green.

My 17th favorite hole at Augusta National = the 7th hole.