A Statistical Look At Augusta National’s Par 3s For The Masters
The short 12th hole has plenty of history, but there are four par 3s at Augusta National and each of them offer something different
We all know the course at Augusta National by now and we've seen so much drama at the short 12th hole over the years, but there's more than one par 3 to look out for at The Masters.
Golden Bell is one of the most recognisable holes in all of golf, even just in recent years we've seen Masters dreams ended - just ask Jordan Spieth!
There are three other par 3s on the famous old course though, with one you may not know too much about proving tough down the years, and another the scene of some huge hole-in-one celebrations.
Let's take a look at the short holes at The Masters.
Hole 4: Flowering Crab Apple
Length: 240 yards
2023: 3.216 (5th hardest)
Overall: 3.284 (3rd hardest)
The longest par three on the card is also the toughest with 240 yards a long iron shot to hit when you're landing on the Augusta National putting surfaces, even if it is downhill.
One of many holes that usually has a tricky wind to work out, the two bunkers guarding the front of the green get plenty of use.
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It's also been the hardest to make an ace on, with only Jeff Sluman managing to hit a hole-in-one here back in 1992.
Hole 6: Juniper
Length: 180 yards
2023: 3.097 (10)
Overall: 3.137 (13)
The second par three comes just a couple of holes later, with an elevated tee looking down on a larger target area on the green.
However, the green has a huge slope from front to back so your landing spots can change dramatically depending on pin placements.
It's not quite as volatile as the others with a highest score of seven, while six players have made an ace.
Hole 12: Golden Bell
Length: 155 yards
2023: 3.065 (12)
Overall: 3.270 (4)
It really shouldn't be that hard should it? But Rae's Creek at the front has broken many a player's heart over the years. Don't go long either!
The big factor here though is the wind, it whirls and swirls around the bottom of Amen Corner and you just never know if it'll make your ball stall or carry it long.
Overall the fourth hardest hole in Masters history says it all. There's only been three holes-in-one on this hole while in 1980 Tom Weiskopf made 13.
Hole 16: Redbud
Length: 170
2023: 2.964 (14)
Overall: 3.139 (11)
The famous Sunday pin placement in the front bowl means that this is a hotspot for holes-in-one, with no fewer than 24 over the years - including a ludicrous one from Louis Oosthuizen in 2016.
It's also the scene, of course, of one of the most famous in golf history when Tiger Woods eventually saw his chip drop in the most dramatic style in 2005.
With water on the hole there's still always danger and you can run up some big numbers - the biggest being Herman Barron's 11 in 1950.
But this hole is all about making shots especially on Sunday, where Green Jackets can be won and lost.
How many holes-in-one have there been at the Masters?
The short answer is 34, with 24 of those coming on the 16th, six aptly coming on the 6th hole, just the three on the devilish 12th and only one on the fourth.
Here's the full rundown of all the Masters holes-in-one on each hole, the yardage and even club used for the ace (* denotes amateur status).
Hole 4
Jeff Sluman, 1992 (4-iron, 213 yards)
Hole 6
Leland Gibson, 1954 (4-iron, 190 yards)
*Billy Joe Patton, 1954 (5-iron, 190 yards)
Charles Coody, 1972 (5-iron, 190 yards)
Chris DiMarco, 2004 (5-iron, 198 yards)
Jamie Donaldson, 2013 (7-iron, 177 yards)
Corey Conners, 2021 (8-iron, 182 yards)
Hole 12
Claude Harmon, 1947 (7-iron, 155 yards)
*William Hyndman, 1959 (6-iron, 155 yards)
Curtis Strange, 1988 (7-iron, 155 yards)
Hole 16
*Ross Somerville, 1934 (mashie niblick, 145 yards)
Willie Goggin, 1935 (spade mashie, 145 yards)
*Ray Billows, 1940 (8-iron, 145 yards)
*John Dawson, 1949 (4-iron, 190 yards)
Clive Clark, 1968 (2-iron, 190 yards)
Corey Pavin, 1992 (8-iron, 140 yards)
Raymond Floyd, 1996 (5-iron, 182 yards)
Padraig Harrington, 2004 (6-iron, 177 yards)
Kirk Triplett, 2004 (6-iron, 177 yards)
Trevor Immelman, 2005 (7-iron, 177 yards)
Ian Poulter, 2008 (8-iron, 169 yards)
Nathan Green, 2010 (6-iron, 176 yards)
Ryan Moore, 2010 (7-iron, 176 yards)
Adam Scott, 2012 (7-iron, 202 yards)
Bo Van Pelt, 2012 (6-iron, 202 yards)
Shane Lowry, 2016 (8-iron, 181 yards)
Davis Love III, 2016 (7-iron,181 yards)
Louis Oosthuizen, 2016 (7-iron, 181 yards)
Matt Kuchar, 2017 (7-iron, 180 yards)
Charley Hoffman, 2018 (6-iron, 178 yards)
Justin Thomas, 2019 (8-iron, 170 yards)
Bryson DeChambeau, 2019 (7-iron, 170 yards)
Tommy Fleetwood, 2021 (9-iron, 170 yards)
Stewart Cink, 2022 (8-iron, 166 yards)
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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