Paolo Uggetti ESPN
AUGUSTA, Ga.– Kevin Kisner understands he needs to disable. On Monday, after playing the new- look par-5 13th hole, and also enjoying Dustin Johnson job a drive that was long sufficient to place a mid-iron in his hand for the 2nd shot right into the azalea-framed eco-friendly, Kisner confessed as a lot.
“You got to hit a perfect drive to have a chance now. I’m not ever going to hit it where D.J. did,” Kisner, among the quickest players on the PGA Tour that is at Augusta National today, stated. “But if I can hit a perfect one, I still have a difficult 3 or 4-iron off the side-hill lie, whereas I used to be able to get 6 or 5. It just helped the bombers more.”
If there was ever before any kind of demand for verification, Wednesday early morning brought it. After taking what is currently a tiny walking from the 12th eco-friendly approximately the 13th tee and also pulling away right into the tree passage that currently structures the 35-yard expansion, Kisner hit “a perfect one” and also had a choice to make.
His sphere, as he forecasted, got on a side-hill lie on the best side of the fairway. His playing companion, Gary Woodland, stood concerning 35 backyards in advance as they both waited. Tony Finau and also Jon Rahm in the team in advance took their time exercising various putts around the eco-friendly. Both had actually struck enough time drives to have comfy mid-to-long irons for their 2nd shots. Kisner– the sphere well over his feet– drew a long iron and also went all out, however the sphere never ever covered Rae’s Creek, jumping except it prior to rolling down right into the water.
The extending of Augusta’s 13th hole this year has actually caused much babble concerning not simply the hole itself, however the recurring range conversation as the USGA recommends a sphere bifurcation that might regulate how much specialists struck the sphere. But past the nature of the video game’s ever-growing range surge as players obtain more powerful and also much faster, the choice to extend the 13th hole has a easy objective in mind: Put the ideal players in a placement to need to make a choice.
“We believe this modification will put a driver in play more often and restore the element of risk and reward that was intended in the original design of the hole,” Augusta chairman Fred Ridley statedWednesday He included he just recently played a round with Scottie Scheffler where Scheffler hit a 5-iron right into the eco-friendly. “The data may show more players will lay up, but I think for a still large number who will go for the green in two, I think it’s going to be a much more challenging and a much more exciting shot. And I certainly look forward on Sunday to having someone in competition with a 3- or 4-iron in their hand or even a hybrid hitting their shot into the 13th hole rather than an 8-iron. I think on balance it’s going to prove to be the right decision.”
“I think it’s a great change,” 64-year-old Larry Mize stated. For Mize, the 13th is constantly a three-shothole “As far as these kids hit the ball, it’s something that needed to be done.”
Not every person concurs, obviously. And due to the fact that the subject has actually evoked a wide variety of reactions today, right here are 13 various extracts from players on hole 13 with a little context: each gamer’s typical driving range on scenic tour this year.
Rory McIlroy– Average driving range: 326.6 backyards
“The second shot is much more challenging than it used to be. …There’s probably less thought that needs to go into the tee shot. You don’t need to do as much with it. You don’t need to turn it around the corner as much. But that second shot … I hit two tee shots there yesterday, and the second tee shot I took just a little further left, and had a 5-iron in, and, you know, that ball was a good, you know, 18 inches or two feet above you. It’s a big decision.
” I paid attention to several of the men, I believe D.J. stated the other day, if he had greater than a 5-iron in, he was most likely mosting likely to disable. I believe depending upon where the hole area is, also, you’re visiting men disable to some pins and also perhaps go with a few other. But it definitely places the option back in your mind; that you’re never ever– considering that I’ve played right here considering that 2009, there’s never ever actually been a option, if you strike a excellent tee shot, you go with the eco-friendly. But currently there’s a choice to be made.”
Jon Rahm — Average driving distance: 314.1 yards
“Well, you clearly do not actually have a possibility to transform the edge as long as individuals carried out in the previous and also have a brief iron, right. I’ve had the ability to strike an 8-iron there right into the eco-friendly and also clearly that’s a substantial benefit. It’s amusing, stating this, clearly I’ve seen a great deal of video clips of individuals striking a tee shot and after that having a lengthy iron right into that hole, discussing 4-irons, 2-irons, feasible timbers.
(*13 *)
Jordan Spieth– Average driving range: 302.7 backyards
“There’s only a really minor adjustment on 13, and the rest of the holes I’ve got — and even then, it’s really just the one spot, the one pin I don’t love — you don’t love laying up on the front one just because you’re not able to push it up close to the green and have a real chance to get it close because you’re pitching off a downslope into almost no room. So you’d have 15 feet. So the front pin, if you have to lay it up, you have to lay it further back in order to get it close so you can get spin on it.
“The remainder of the rotates, it’s no various if I drove it via in the ache straw and also you’re playing to disable to a particular placement. It’s actually– it’s mosting likely to be sort of considering on, hello, if I’m greater than 210 front, allow’s not also attempt. If I’m much less than 210 front, allow’s see if it’s a excellent number. I do not understand if that’s the number. But what I’m claiming is, it is a adjustment due to the fact that if you strike a drive, you were looking in the past, you were looking at a 6-iron, which’s a lot various than in between 4 and also 3 right into that eco-friendly.
“I disagree that it’s less exciting. Like, I think you’ve heard mixed reviews. Some people say more, some people say less. I mean, I think if you are stuck in between you get more mayhem because you’re going to get more water balls than guys hitting 7-iron to the middle of the green, how is that not more exciting? It’s not very exciting if someone hits 7-, 8-iron into the middle of the green and 2-putts. You want to see someone hit it from further away or a harder shot. I don’t know if it’s a better or worse hole; it’s a different hole. … If it’s warmer, it’s more exciting; but when it’s this cool, it may just be a lot of lay-ups. But we’ll see.”
Max Homa– Average driving range: 301.7 backyards
“It’s going to be interesting this year because of the weather. I almost feel like it’s not going to show as much risk/reward as it probably will if the weather was good. With it being in the 50s and raining and a bit of winds, I’m not sure what direction it’s going to be going on that hole. It’s not great for my game. I like to cut it with my driver and I can turn my 3-wood, and now there’s no 3-wood play. But it’s a much easier tee shot now. I think I’m going to look at it as a three-shot — yeah, a three-shot par 5, and if I happen to hit a good one down the left center, I’ll be able to go for it.
“But like I stated, this year is most likely mosting likely to be a little various. But with every little thing Augusta has actually done to their golf links, the modifications they have actually made, they have such wonderful standing in the specialists’ sight, we understand that it’s the best choice. It’s not such as I’m resting right here studying the coulda, woulda, shouldas. But this year, I believe there’s not mosting likely to be as lots of eagle fireworks. But it’s in fact a enjoyable hole the method we played it the other day, stroll off the tee and also laid it up and also you have a rather enjoyable 50-yard pitch, 40-yard pitch, nonetheless much you wish to do it. If you wish to chip all of it the method up green-side, you can do that.
“It’s just going to be harder to take the shot on to the green now obviously with the creek there. So I think it will play a bit more benign in the chaos. Scoring average will probably be a little bit similar because part of the older tee is you’re bringing a lot of trouble into play for the guys who can hit it up over the corner, and so some of that is enticing. But you’re also going to make eagles up there. So I don’t think the scoring average will be too different but I think you’ll be seeing a lot more guys laying up this year simply because of the weather.”
Sahith Theegala — Average driving range: 300.4 backyards
“13, so I’m just aiming at — there’s one tree that’s tilted a little bit left. It’s a 308 run at that. I just aim at that and swing and let my little cut take it right. I still only have 225 middle. If I have a good lie and if I get it a little further left, I go for it. If I have to hit more than a 4-iron in, I’m going to lay up.
“Honestly, I never ever played the old tee, however I believe the new tee for me directly is most likely much better due to the fact that it does not actually offer you that a lot of a benefit cutting the edge any longer. The men that fly it 310 with a hydraulic, Rory and also Cam Young and also those men, are most definitely still mosting likely to have the ability to take it over the edge, however a bulk of the men aren’t mosting likely to be taking it over the edge. I believe it plays much better in my very own hands due to the fact that off the old tee you need to strike a draw. Now you do not need to strike a draw.”
Xander Schauffele — Average driving distance: 300 yards
“It places you because no male’s land. The eco-friendly is so tiny from entrusted to straight off a hook lie. It’s sort of a no brainer truthfully. You simply disabled. There’s very little to it. Not a great deal of men are mosting likely to be striking easily– if you remain in the lead, you’re not striking 3-wood or crossbreed right into that eco-friendly unless you actually require to.”
Will Zalatoris — Average driving distance: 307.2 yards
“So, 13 never ever actually counted as a lot in regards to men striking motorists. And when men strike motorists and also they struck them offline, they strike a tree and also go 260. Now, every one of a abrupt men are striking even more motorists. If we really did not have this climate being available in, this would certainly be the lengthiest year most likely in the background of the Masters in regards to driving range.
“I hit one about 290 the other day and I couldn’t get there. I was on the left side of the fairway, and I hit about a 30-yard hook. I’ve played that hole terrible in my career. I think I played it even par. I think probably it’s going to make it play easier for me. It kind of gets rid of the enticing — getting me to entice — looking at going for it.”
Scott Stallings — Average driving range: 297.7 backyards
“I just don’t think you’re going to see that many guys go for the green as in years past because where the ball ends up is in the middle of the slope. Like today we had 230 in the middle and I went for it today, but if I had that same lie on Thursday I would have laid up. A lot more of a decision making — a lot easier to hit from that slope in the middle of the fairway with an 8-iron compared to a 4-iron. The shot just plays a lot different.
“The tee shot is in fact simpler due to the fact that the sphere lands in the level however after that it feeds right into the hillside. Flat is loved one. But the flatter component of the fairway, and after that sort of feeds in, rather than where typically from the even more up tee, it would certainly land in the incline and also sort of kick down in the direction of the water. I struck it down there and also it mosted likely to the right a little, and also it was great, however much like– it makes the choice a little simpler. To, not to, whatever, you’re speaking 6- or 7-iron, and after that you’re returning in the distinction of like 4- or 5-under, crossbreed, 7-wood, something like that. It’s like, okay, I can pitch it around to the right or play it brief and also have a lot even more possibility simply to attempt not to make a mess.
“You’ll see way more drivers off that tee now. It used to be [3-wood] — especially when it got firm. It’ll be interesting to see what the weather does. Obviously the forecast for the weekend is not great, specifically Saturday, but I mean, the landing area for a driver from that back tee is way bigger than it’s ever been, and kind of you get to use the contour of the hole the way it’s originally designed rather than try to force a driver up into a narrow neck.”
Billy Horschel — Average driving range: 295.7 backyards
“It’s exactly what I thought it was for me. The pin was front today, so I think I had like 215 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.”
Bryson DeChambeau– Average driving range: 319.3 backyards in 2021-22 (upgraded statistics not offered)
“Yeah, I like it. I can hit it out to the right. First day I had 8-iron in, and then the second day it was wet and into the wind and I hit 4-iron in. It plays much like when I was an amateur. A lot more people will lay up. I don’t think you’ll see as many eagles out there. It’ll probably neutralize it a bit. That was part of the fun, too; you hit it out there and you’re going for it no matter what, right? But look, it is what it is, we’ve all got to play it, and whoever has the lowest scoring average throughout the week should win.”
Bubba Watson — Average driving range: 301.1 backyards in 2021-22 (upgraded statistics not offered)
“It’s about hitting a good tee shot. You want to challenge the creek, but at the same time, you don’t want to challenge the creek. For me being left-handed, I can slice it off the tee. Today I had 4-iron in there. I hit a good one to the middle of the green. It all comes down to under pressure if you can pull that shot off. Then the second shot, I had a hanging lie with a 4-iron; I think it was 221 hole. So I hit a 4-iron, and I hit it well. Hit it to the center of the green. But you know, you take that on Thursday with the weather that’s supposed to be here, you’re probably going to lay up. So it just depends on how you’re feeling and where the ball is at that moment.”
Tiger Woods — Average driving range: 306.3 backyards
“I think it will be very similar to what happened in 2002 with the changes. They were so dramatic on some of the holes, the dramatic lengthening that we were all kind of astounded by just how far this golf course was now playing, but then as years passed, it became a moot point. Guys with more athleticism, technology, and the average number of carries has gone up dramatically. So from 2002 to present day, those changes, it seemed like a moot point. 13 is kind of what that dramatic change was in 2002.
“It appears significant to us now, however if these men maintain obtaining much longer, they maintain obtaining taller and also much more sports and also maintain striking the sphere even more; that hole is mosting likely to play I believe with a vehicle driver and also a mid-iron. But once more, I believe comparable to 2002, that altered there, and also like the adjustment at 11, pressing the hole back, or 18, I believe there would certainly be much more– there would certainly be much less sixes and also sevens on 13 and also there will certainly be much more fours and also fives. I believe that’s most likely the ideal method to explain the hole.
“Especially with the forecast coming up here, with the rain and the wind, and if it happens to blow north, it’s right in our faces. So I know they were trying to push the tee up maybe a little bit, but still we’re not going to be able to hit it around the corner and get it down there. The days of me hitting a 3-wood and an 8-iron there are long gone.”
Gordon Sargent — Average driving range: N/A (amateur, no main statistics)
“I hit driver today, like a pretty straight ball, just a little draw. I think once it firms up, it could be a 3-wood, but also driver obviously gives you the best chance to get it around the corner. I think I had — it was a front pin, kind of had 200 [hit a 6-iron] in today, but yeah, like it just depends on how you’re feeling.”
