Hole 4 – Flowering Crab Apple

PAR 3 – 240 YARDS

Seve used to hit a 5 or 4-iron here, but the hole is longer now and they’re hitting small woods sometimes.

It’s a very severe green with a big ridge. It’s hard to stop the ball on the correct tier. It’s very fast from the right to the left and it never breaks as much as you think to the back left pin.

CHARL SCHWARTZEL: “The first short hole of the round. Th e green slopes down from right to left and is protected by bunkers at the front and to the left . When the tee is set back it is a question of just finding the green. From the back, it measures 240 yards, which leaves no room for artistry. Made the only bogey of my final round here with a three-putt.”

DENIS PUGH: “It’s usually a hybrid or even a 3-wood if it’s into the wind. What people don’t always realise is Augusta can be quite chilly and the ball doesn’t always go as far. Th is is an early hole in the round so a bit of cold wind makes it a serious carry for even the longer hitters.”

MARK ROE: “They can put the tee forward, usually when the pin is in the front neck of the green, and this makes it a mid or short iron. You don’t want to miss it long right. The best place to miss is short, even in the bunker. Even when you hit the green there’s the big ridge that runs through the centre so it’s possible to three putt.”

BILLY FOSTER REMEMBERS: “It was on this hole in either ’92 or ’93, I saw one of the best golf shots I’ve ever seen. Seve missed the green short right of the bunker, and I mean way right, and with the flag on the bottom tier just over the bunker he had no room to play with. To get it within 20 feet would have been incredible. In those days, Seve never used to carry a lob wedge, but he had a 56º wedge which he opened right up and swung as though it was a driver. It just missed his left nostril, probably went 100 foot in the air and landed a foot over the bunker and he stopped it three feet from the hole. Seve was a remarkable talent.”

PETER ALLISS: “This hole has been lengthened over the years and you’re always delighted to get away with a three here. From the back tee you’ll need a strong iron, maybe even a wood. If you misjudge the wind the ball can easily hold up and drop short into the big bunkers leaving you with a lot of work to do to get up and down for par. Many steady starts have come unstuck at the fourth.”