Why the 12th hole at Augusta National has changed so much since the first Masters Tournament in 1934

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Augusta National is very different from the place where Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts founded the Masters Tournament in 1934.

To keep up with modern standards, yardage has been added to the course, and tee boxes have been altered to ensure Augusta remains a stern test for today’s elite-level players. Recent changes include lengthening the par-five second and moving the 13th tee in 2023.

Some of golf’s all-time greats hold differing views on Augusta’s growth. Greg Norman loves the gradual development of the course, while Tiger Woods opposed adding yardage to the 18th.

Augusta National‘s alterations mainly involve adding length. However, there’s one shorter hole which has undergone more surgery than most.

Changes to Augusta National’s 12th hole between 1934 and 1951

Augusta’s par-three 12th has wrecked Masters Tournament aspirations in the past. Francesco Molinari found the water in 2019, and Jordan Spieth imploded when hunting a second green jacket in 2016.

The narrow green, coupled with the swirling wind, make the approach to the 12th one of the most daunting shots on the course.

However, the par-three has not always been at the start of Augusta’s back nine. During the first Masters Tournament in 1934, the 12th was, in fact, the third hole.

Five years later, in 1939, Roberts wanted to enlarge the green on the right and did so by digging out dirt from the bank behind the green. “I think it will add to the thrill of the hole, as a very strong shot will strike the rock and bounce most anywhere,” Roberts wrote (Golf Digest).

In 1951, Augusta National sought to rectify an issue that had emerged between Rae’s Creek and the tee. The area was heavily saturated during heavy rain, so Rae’s Creek was dammed in 1950 before the tee was raised.

• READ MORE: The hole at Augusta National six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus called the ‘worst’ in championship golf

Changes to Augusta National’s 12th hole between 1966 and 2011

The famous Ben Hogan Bridge was added to the hole in 1958, and in the summer of 1965, more flood control was added. Furthermore, the putting surface was raised, along with the land in between the green and tee box.

All of Augusta National’s greens were converted to bent grass in 1980. Construction workers reached the 12th green in 1981. Coils were placed underneath the green to warm the turf on cold mornings.

The most recent changes occurred in 2011 after more flood control was repaired. Renovations to the 12th have gradually reduced the width and depth of the green over the past 60 years.