The changes to the 13th at Augusta National will lead to a lot more laying up, even from big hitters like Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson, and could well take some of the excitement out of the hole over the Masters weekend.
Two-time winner Watson and fellow Green Jacket owner Patrick Reed have both played the lengthened 13th at Augusta ahead of the 2023 Masters, with Watson having to hit four and three irons into the green and Johnson needing to lay up.
Coming in at 510 yards last year, the hole can now be extended to up to 545 yards and is a much more difficult prospect for the Masters field, with more long irons and hybrids needed to reach in two and far more lay ups expected.
“It looks beautiful,” Watson said of the new 13th hole. “But I think there's going to be a lot more laying up just because the water is now into play, the little creek there is into play. You think about it more.
“I hit two good drives and I had 231 the first day and then I had like 227 the second day, and I hit two drives, so I hit a 3-iron one day and a 4-iron but in the tournament I probably would have laid up.
“So it was just one of those things. I think it's going to be more laying up just because it's going to be questionable. But a lot more pars, I believe.”
Reed played with Harold Varner and Johnson, who he said also had to lay up despite his length off the tee – so it seems that there won’t be too many going for the green in two during the tournament.
“Like Bubba said, on 13, there's going to be a lot more laying up,” added Reed, who was speaking ahead of the latest LIV Golf League event in Orlando.
“I played with DJ and Harold over there for two days, and I went in there with hybrid for two days off of that lie, and if the greens firm up at all and get to kind of tournament speed, with the ball that far above your feet, that hybrid isn't coming in that high.
“DJ laid up both days. I laid up. Tournament time I would have laid up, but since we're out there seeing it, I of course went and send for it.
“With adding that extra length, you can't cut as much of that corner. You can't get far enough down that left side that - I've always had where if it's 4-iron, no, I can't turn it around that corner. If it's a 4-iron or less, I'll send, but after that it's a lay-up.”
There are fears that having the 13th being made much more difficult will take the possibility of making eagles out of the question and thereby take some of the excitement out of the tournament.
Will 13th changes take the fun out of Masters Sunday?
The old mantra of the tournament only coming alive down the back nine on Sunday is in part due to the fact that plenty of shots can be picked up as well as lost down that stretch – but taking eagles out of play on 13 could limit that excitement.
“Well, I think it'll take a little bit of the excitement out of that 13,” Reed admitted. “And then adding - 15 being 550, if it's into the wind, guys aren't going to hit 3-woods into that green because it's hard to hold that thing, and long is so dead at tournament speed.
“Unless you get the right wind conditions, you could just start seeing lay-ups on both of those par-5s, and now you're taking - where it used to be you could make a three but you could also bring six and seven into play, now a lay-up where it's a four or a five.”
Of course, the new tees at Augusta just give organisers an added defence for the course, and depending on wind and weather conditions they could decide to push the golfers all the way back, or bring the tees forward and play holes 13 and 15 shorter.
Using the full range of tee boxes available will keep the players guessing and also give Augusta National the option to tempt them to go for eagles again on Masters Sunday – making it a tougher test for three days but also bringing out all the usual thrills and spills as contenders fight it out for the Green Jacket.
