{"id":579200,"date":"2026-04-12T05:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T05:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/579200\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T05:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T05:00:11","slug":"phil-mickelson-calls-out-augusta-national-par-5s-at-masters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/579200\/","title":{"rendered":"Phil Mickelson Calls Out Augusta National Par 5s at Masters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Phil Mickelson skipped the 2026 Masters<\/a> (to attend to a “personal health matter,” he said<\/a>), but on Friday afternoon, he found time for one of his favorite hobbies: chumming the water on X.<\/p>\n

Watching @TheMasters<\/a> and seeing so few players long enough to go for 13 &15 now has taken away so much excitement and intrigue to the back nine. Another example of how longer isn\u2019t always better.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) April 10, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

In a reply, he added, “Not a single eagle putt on 13. Crazy [facepalm emoji].”<\/p>\n

When my Fried Egg Golf colleague Will Knights pointed out that six players in fact putted for eagle on No. 13 in round two, Mickelson replied<\/a>, “6 of 90. Like I said ‘so few.'”<\/p>\n

Huh?<\/p>\n

Anyway, Phil’s complaint has been a common one among fans ever since Augusta National<\/a> lengthened the 13th<\/a> and 15th<\/a> holes earlier this decade. Mickelson and many others believe these changes have rendered the two iconic par 5s dull to watch.<\/p>\n

Of course, this is mostly a matter of taste. But we might as well be accurate about what\u2019s actually happening on the holes this week.<\/p>\n

{{augusta-national-holes-13-15-gallery}}<\/p>\n

On No. 15, players have tried to reach the green on their second shots at a high rate. Sixty-three percent went for it on Thursday, 48% on Friday, and 72% on Saturday. Almost everyone in the field appeared willing to go for it after a good drive. Even Brian Harman \u2014 151st on the PGA Tour in driving distance \u2014 gave it a go in rounds two and three.<\/p>\n

Saying that few players are long enough to reach the 15th green in two, as Mickelson did, is flatly inaccurate.<\/p>\n

When it comes to No. 13, he is slightly closer to being right. In the first round, 33% of the field went for the green; in the second round, 42%; in the third round, 43%. (I’ve counted a couple of instances where players hit their drive in water, took a drop, and tried to reach the green on their next shot.)<\/p>\n

But these numbers shouldn\u2019t be shocking for a par 5. As Augusta National’s co-designer Bobby Jones put it in 1959, “We call 13 a par 5 because under certain conditions of wind and ground few players will risk trying for the green with a second shot.”<\/p>\n

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Besides, I don’t think the hole in its current form actually does discriminate against shorter hitters. With the exception of some aging past champions, every player in the Masters field can cover 545 yards in two shots. Just observe Mike Weir, five foot nine and 55 years old, launching a fairway wood at the green in the first round<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So why do players lay up on No. 13 more than half the time? For good reasons:\u00a0the drive is exacting and the approach is treacherous. You must hit great shots in order to earn a chance at eagle. The added length simply ensures that this remains the case as players continue their #distancemaxxing protocols.<\/p>\n

Critics of the lengthened 13th and 15th holes will insist that layups are boring and more layups mean more boredom. I disagree with that, but I won\u2019t say it\u2019s wrong. How they feel is how they feel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For my part, though, I enjoy Nos. 13 and 15 more than I did before they were lengthened. I like watching players hit long irons and hybrids into firm, fiercely protected greens. I like that it will mean something on Sunday when a contender decides to go for it. I like that mistakes are more likely to result in water balls. I like seeing elite ball-strikers get their just deserts. And I even like the layups \u2014 or more specifically, the nuances of how players position their layups to certain pins.<\/p>\n

Par 5s are fun. I wish more of them existed at the pro level.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Interactive Augusta National Map<\/p>\n

Click on a pin below to preview the hole or visit the full profile.<\/p>\n

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Augusta National<\/p>\n

Augusta, GAAlister MacKenzie & Bobby Jones1933<\/p>\n

Ever since it opened, Augusta National has been in a constant state of evolution (for better or for worse), but it remains one of the greatest championship venues in the world<\/p>\n

Hole 1 – Tea Olive<\/p>\n

Par 4445 yds<\/p>\n

Augusta National’s property is defined by a single broad downslope that ends at Rae\u2019s Creek, and this par-4 opener is the only hole on the course that sits completely on top of it.<\/p>\n

Strategically, No. 1 at Augusta National is one of the most compelling opening holes in professional golf.<\/p>\n

Hole 2 – Pink Dogwood<\/p>\n

Par 5585 yds<\/p>\n

The second hole at Augusta National produces more off-the-tee variety than most par 5s in professional golf.<\/p>\n

Hole 3 – Flowering Peach<\/p>\n

Par 4350 yds<\/p>\n

Players face three basic options off the tee: hit a long iron or hybrid near the bunkers at the top of the first ridge, leaving a full wedge in; bash it left, past the bunkers and into the valley short left of the green; or go straight for the green in hopes of at least holding the narrow shelf short right.<\/p>\n

The most strategically complex hole on the golf course, \u201cFlowering Peach\u201d has stood the test of time, less affected by distance gains than most holes at Augusta National.<\/p>\n

Hole 4 – Flowering Crab Apple<\/p>\n

Par 3240 yds<\/p>\n

The first \u2014 and longest \u2014 par 3 at Augusta National has historically required a strong strike with at least a long iron, though club selections in the Masters have shifted as distance gains have spiraled out of control. Can you execute a towering shot with a long iron, hybrid, or fairway wood?<\/p>\n

Hole 5 – Magnolia<\/p>\n

Par 4 495 yds<\/p>\n

\u201cMagnolia\u201d is like Paul Thomas Anderson\u2019s film of the same name: brilliant, probably underrated, but a tad bloated. Nonetheless, the hole presents an honest challenge, and the green is one of the most artfully shaped at Augusta National (or anywhere else).<\/p>\n

Hole 6 – Juniper<\/p>\n

Par 3180 yds<\/p>\n

\u201cJuniper\u201d is, in our opinion, Augusta National\u2019s second-best par 3. Each pin position presents a different range of challenges and exciting possible outcomes.<\/p>\n

Hole 7 – Pampas<\/p>\n

Par 4450 yds<\/p>\n

Yes, the green contours are fun, but \u201cPampas\u201d has morphed into something that Alister MacKenzie likely would not endorse: a hole that merely defends itself through length and narrowness rather than asking complex strategic questions.<\/p>\n

Hole 8 – Yellow Jasmine<\/p>\n

Par 5570 yds<\/p>\n

This uphill three-shotter consistently produces the highest scoring average of Augusta National\u2019s four par 5s, but it still presents a welcome birdie opportunity after the tough stretch of Nos. 4-7.<\/p>\n

\u201cYellow Jasmine\u201d is the most underrated hole at Augusta National.<\/p>\n

Hole 9 – Carolina Cherry<\/p>\n

Par 4460 yds<\/p>\n

The ninth hole plays from a high point near the first and eighth greens, down through a valley frequently used by galleries, and up the hill where the clubhouse sits. From a risk-reward perspective, \u201cCarolina Cherry\u201d is a bit of a muddle.<\/p>\n

Hole 10 – Camellia<\/p>\n

Par 4495 yds<\/p>\n

The 10th hole kicks off the back half of the round in hair-raising fashion, plunging 100 feet into a valley shrouded by tall pines. Perry Maxwell\u2019s 1938 transformation of \u201cCamellia\u201d is one of the rare cases in which a change to MacKenzie and Jones\u2019s design represented a substantial improvement.<\/p>\n

Hole 11 – White Dogwood<\/p>\n

Par 4520 yds<\/p>\n

No. 11 is simply a brute, often playing as the most difficult hole to par at Augusta National. It\u2019s also been one of the most frequently tinkered-with holes at Augusta National.<\/p>\n

Hole 12 – Golden Bell<\/p>\n

Par 3155 yds<\/p>\n

The focal point of Amen Corner and the center of gravity in any final round of the Masters, the 12th hole at Augusta National is as terrifying as it is beautiful.<\/p>\n

Hole 13 – Azalea<\/p>\n

Par 5545 yds<\/p>\n

This iconic risk-reward par 5 offers the first of a series of birdie opportunities on Augusta National\u2019s home stretch.<\/p>\n

Hole 14 – Chinese Fir<\/p>\n

Par 4440 yds<\/p>\n

Although some nuances of MacKenzie and Jones\u2019s original strategic concept for the hole have been lost, \u201cChinese Fir\u201d is still a compelling par 4, rewarding precise and well-shaped shots both off the tee and into the green.<\/p>\n

Hole 15 – Firethorn<\/p>\n

Par 5550 yds<\/p>\n

No. 15 consistently presents one of the toughest decisions players have to make during their rounds: go for the green in two or lay up to one of the most demanding wedge shots in golf.<\/p>\n

Hole 16 – Redbud<\/p>\n

Par 3170 yds<\/p>\n

Set at the base of the ridge that the fifth green and sixth tee occupy, the par-3 16th hole provides a ready stage for championship-defining shots. Over the past several decades, the 16th has shown an undeniable knack for spectacle.<\/p>\n

Hole 17 – Nandina<\/p>\n

Par 4450 yds<\/p>\n

From tee to green, No. 17 is one of the simplest holes at Augusta National and is likely the least-loved hole on the second nine.<\/p>\n

Hole 18 – Holly<\/p>\n

Par 4465 yds<\/p>\n

\u201cHolly\u201d is a little funky, but its design is smart and elegant: bend it around the trees on the right and bypass some of the natural difficulty of the next shot.<\/p>\n

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