Gee thanks Backswing–at 68 years of age I’ve been fortunate enough to play so many courses and holes or see them from the perspective as a rules official. I remember the day Ed Hoard (former PGA Rules Chairman) and I walked around Oak Hill before the 2003 PGA–I said WOW on every tee except one. I’ve played or seen Pebble Beach, Augusta National, Cypress Point, Olympic Club, Baltusrol, Oak Hill, Oakmont, The Country Club, Winged Foot, Medinah, Olympia Fields, Southern Hills, Pinehurst #2, Muirfield Village, East Lake and on and on and I have to pick one HOLE!
I guess it is #13 at Augusta National. The reasons are many:
The history that’s been made on that hole, the spectacular shots and the bad decisions and the beauty of it during the Masters but most importantly the sheer genius of the design. A short par 5 that has seen 3’s all the way to 9’s and more.
Play safe off the tee and lay up short of the creek and then have an easy but still challenging pitch–or turn it around the corner, attack the creek and be set up to hit a mid to short iron into the green. The hole is completely natural and built by God with the exception of the bunkers and swale around the left side of the green. I’ll never forget my first time playing #13–I hit three wood and 4 iron on the green, two putted and was thrilled to death.
There are so many great holes around the world but #13 at Augusta National has it all.