Hole 5 – Magnolia
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PAR 4 – 455 YARDS
It’s been lengthened and there are now two big bunkers on the left. If it’s downwind you’ll see guys hit 3-wood because it does narrow in.
You’ll be looking to hit it 280 to 300 yards leaving a 7 or 8-iron. Miss the green right and it’s a tortuous chip. It’s one of those holes where you can pitch a foot short of where you want to be and it’s in the lap of the gods.
There’s no easy miss here. Middle of the green to any flag is the best place. If I can get the boss in the middle, it’s an uphill putt.
DENIS PUGH: “This is a deceptively easy tee shot because it looks like you’ve got to hit a draw but if you overdo it you can find the bunkers and you’ve got a nightmare from there. You can actually play it straight away as a straight shot towards the TV towers just left of the big tree and from there you’re le with something like a 5, 6 or 7-iron. As always at Augusta, the key is where the pin is and quite often that will dictate where you want to miss a green and short right is usually the best option on this hole if you are going to miss. All the excitement happens around and on the green.”
MARK ROE: “The tricky side of the hole is getting it close to the pin because it’s a very undulating green and running off on the right side leaves a very tricky chip. Going long leaves a hell of a job to get up and down. The green is the key to this hole. If you miss it, it’s got to be on the right side.”
PETER ALLISS: “This is one of my favourite holes on the course. There are a lot of big trees and the wind really swirls round so judging distance is often the key. The bunkers on the left were extended about 80 yards towards the green in 2003, forcing many players to play right and leave a longer shot to the green. The front-to-back sloped green means the back bunker should be avoided”
