Two months after Hurricane Helene left a path of destruction through Augusta, a former Masters Champion spoke about the course conditions.
The past winner played a round at Augusta National Golf Club in mid-November, and told Golfweek, “The trees on the left side of No. 1 looked thin; thinner than normal. And so did the right side of No. 9.”
But the most notable difference wasn’t the alleged missing pines. Upon completing the par-5 15th, the foursome was informed that the 16th hole was not open for play.
“So after we played 15, we went straight to 17.”
Augusta National declined to comment about No. 16.
Just weeks ago, photos were released that showed significant damage to the 16th green, along with a number of trees down.
🚨📸⛳️ #PHOTOS — Drone imagery captured on September 28th shows the damage done to Augusta National Golf Club in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene (via @ed_bodenhamer) pic.twitter.com/ynCNrN4XLp
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) October 17, 2024
As for other areas of Augusta National, the past champion said the course “was in great shape.”
According to the past champ, Magnolia Lane “looked the same.”
“The clubhouse had no damage,” he added.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley announced a $5 million donation would be made towards the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund.
“Our Augusta community has suffered catastrophic and historic impact from Hurricane Helene. We currently are assessing the effects at Augusta National Golf Club,” Ridley wrote.
The 16th green has been a staple for historic moments at the Masters Tournament — most notably in years that end with ‘5.’ It has also recorded the most aces of any hole at Augusta National with 24.
- This April, the iconic chip turns 20. When asked about his Nike ball clinging over the edge before toppling in, Tiger Woods said in the aftermath of the 2005 Masters, “All of a sudden it looked pretty good. And all of a sudden it looked really good. And then it looked like how could it not go in, and how did it not go in, and all of a sudden it went in. So it was pretty sweet.”
- A decade ago, Jordan Spieth reeled in a left-to-right par putt on No. 16, which Spieth described as, “The most clutch putt I’ve ever hit in my life.”
- Thirty years ago, in 1995, Ben Crenshaw birdied No. 16 to seize a one-stroke lead.
- A half-century ago, Jack Nicklaus drained a 40-footer, then broke into a celebratory trot around the green. The putt, which announcer Henry Longhurst described as, “The greatest putt I ever saw in my life,” helped Nicklaus fend off Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller by a stroke.
