Augusta National Golf Club has a new-look par 3 course
The popular par 3 contest at the Masters could look very different in 2023 as Augusta National puts the nine-hole course through big changes.
Augusta National Golf Club has always been partial to the odd change or two to cope with the increasing quality and distance that PGA Tour players can achieve in the modern game.
This most famous venue in professional golf has recently extended the par 5 13th hole to 545 yards, confirming the suspicions of Eureka Earth on Twitter after pictures were taken of extensive groundwork on the course.
Significant changes have now been made to the par 3 course which hosts the fun and light-hearted Masters par 3 contest before the first round of competitive action begins.
In more images posted by Eureka Earth, you can see that seven of the nine greens are now situated next to a lake which should provide further entertainment for both fans and players.
The 9th hole on the course plays like a mini-17th at TPC Sawgrass with the island green and surrounding water. The course has features consistent with Augusta itself with fast, undulating greens and lush fairways.
What is special about the Augusta National Par 3 course?
Arguably the most iconic par 3 course in the world was designed by George Cobb with help from Clifford Roberts and the first Masters par 3 contest was won by the legendary Sam Snead in 1960.
The idea of a short course in America was ahead of its time when plans were originally drawn up in the 1950s. It still remains the only occasion of its kind at any event on the PGA Tour.
The par 3 contest provides a chance for the players to enjoy a chilled walk with their friends and family, while also making a few birdies and even a hole-in-one along the way.
The players sometimes pass the clubs to their closest ones and allow them to play Augusta National for the first time which adds to the magic of the contest.
The par 27 track has often been graced by the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player who take up honorary starting duties ahead of the Masters’ opening tee shots on Thursday.
The Canadian pair of Mackenzie Hughes and Mike Weir tied at the top of the leaderboard in 2022, but no player has ever won the par 3 contest and slipped on the Green Jacket in the same year.
Scottie Scheffler won the coveted Green Jacket in 2022 and he will hope to steer clear of winning the par 3 contest at the 2023 Masters tournament.
Nonetheless, the members of Augusta National have been treated to more welcome changes to their golf course, adding to the magic of the first of four major championships played each year.
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
