Feel the burn! How tough a walk is Augusta National?

I really wished I’d left the layers in the car. My heart rate stubbornly won’t dip below 130 beats per minute. A lady in front stopped for the third time as she tried to scale the hefty gradient of the 8th fairway.

It was an elderly patron who stated the obvious: ‘You know, Augusta National is not an easy walk’. You can say that again.

We all know it’s undulating. We all know you can’t take in the scale of it on TV alone. But the climbs have you gasping for breath, the drops make you feel like you’re diving.

Back in 2019, Golf.com measured the elevation points at various parts of the course.

They found the 2nd hole drops nearly 90 feet from tee to green. It’s even more at the 10th – some 100 feet – while the 8th climbs 72 feet from the tee to the top of the flag.

When you walk the full course, there are very few holes that don’t shift up or down in some direction. So what does those Augusta National hills do to the body? I decided to try and find out.

I set an outdoor workout on my iWatch, tracking distance, steps, calories, heart rate, average pace, elevation and flights climbed.

While this isn’t the most scientific of experiments, there were rules. No running – that’s the quickest way to get asked to leave the golf course – and walking at my normal pace.

If there was a golf shot to be watched – I took on this challenge during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur – I would pause to take it in.

Where possible, I started from each tee box and finished at the green. As there is no way for a patron to get to the putting surface on the 12th, I had to give that a miss. It was a similar story with the 13th tee.

So what did I find? How much of a workout do you get when you walk the course at Augusta National?

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Augusta National hills: What did the numbers say?

For about five minutes, walking up the 17th, my heart rate hit 156 beats per minute. For context, it rarely gets that high during an hour of 5-a-side football.

The basic numbers were immense. It was 11,000 steps, it took just over an hour and a half, and I shifted 4.85 miles at an average pace of 18 minutes and 49 seconds per mile.

My heart rate never dropped below 94bpm and my average rate was 126. That’s not what I see walking the layout at my home course of York!

I burned just shy of 600 calories and got through 452 feet of elevation gain. That equated to 21 flights of stairs.

That’s a hardcore workout – the equivalent of running or cycling for an hour, or circuit training for 50 minutes, according to Livestrong.com.

Toughest point? The 8th, no question? Easiest? Sloping back on level ground towards the media centre!

If you’re looking to shift a few pounds, traversing Augusta National will be the most enjoyable way you’ve ever tried to lose weight.

Just remember to pack the Compeed!

Now have your say?

How would you fare up the Augusta National hills and steep inclines? Aer you up to speed on how hilly Augusta National really is? Would you take it in your stride or be gasping for breath? Let me know by leaving a comment on X.

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