Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 1, Tea Olive
History, Masters strategy, and expert commentary on the par-4 opener
The Basics
Augusta National's property is defined by a single broad downslope that ends at Rae’s Creek, and this par-4 opener is the only hole on the course that sits completely on top of it. The fairway bends to the right around a large, deep fairway bunker, and the green is guarded by a similarly intimidating bunker front left. From the tee, these bunkers appear to be stacked directly on top of each other, encouraging a bail-out to the left. On the left side of the fairway, however, a right-to-left slope tends to kick balls toward a quickly encroaching tree line. A right-hander’s fade helps off the tee here, as does the ability to carry the fairway bunker and gain an unobstructed look at the green. The green itself is pushed up from the surrounding grade and boldly contoured, with a run-off front right and a shallow shelf in the back.
{{every-hole-augusta-national-1-tea-olive}}
History
The first hole has retained its basic strategic geometry since 1934. Originally, however, the approach bunker was well short of the green, much bigger, and shaped in Alister MacKenzie's characteristic filigreed style. Robert Trent Jones eliminated this bunker in 1950 and created today’s flashed green-side version. Like most fairways at Augusta National, the first has become constricted by trees over the past few decades. Also, the green once had much roomier back-left and back-right wings.
Strategy Notes for the Masters
Strategically, No. 1 at Augusta National is one of the most compelling opening holes in professional golf. The challenge is simple but effective: bite off whatever you decide you can chew. The fairway begins to narrow where the right-side bunker begins, about 270 yards off the tee. Thirty yards ahead, at many players’ driver yardage, the fairway shrinks to less than 20 yards wide. A left miss off the tee forces players to contend with the string of trees lining the left side of the fairway. A right miss can end up in the patch of trees wide of the fairway bunker. Missing left is a small issue, while missing wide right is potentially a much bigger problem.
Pay attention to club selections off the tee on No. 1. Many golfers will opt for less than driver as they battle first-tee jitters. –Joseph LaMagna
Our Take
"Tea Olive" embodies both the strengths and weaknesses of the modern Augusta National. Undoubtedly the hole has lost some of its initial scale and character, but it is still thrilling to play and to watch being played. The tee shot is a nerve-wracking opening test, forcing a thoughtful, committed strategy. A thin line separates an easy birdie opportunity from a battle for par. And the green is a sculptural marvel.
Expert Commentary
Alister MacKenzie (1932): “A drive that is long and straight, skirting a group of trees on the right, will be in a favorable position for the second. It will be difficult to obtain par figures from any other position.”
Bobby Jones (1959): “This hole can be played straight away from tee to green, although the fairway does expand on the right as it approaches the green. Ordinarily, the fairway bunker on the right presents no problem for the tournament player. With a heavy wind against, however, as often happens, a half-hit tee shot may catch this bunker. At the same time a drive down the right side of the fairway is only important when the wind is behind and the hole is cut immediately behind the bunker at the left front of the green. Under these circumstances the drive down the right side makes it possible to play more nearly for the pin with the second shot. The player who drives down the left side must play his second either over the bunker or into the slopes which tend to direct his ball off the right side of the green. A sort of shelf across the back of the green offers several interesting pin locations, especially when the wind is against. With the flag placed far back, a player will think things over very carefully before he goes boldly for the pin for fear of going over the back side. But with a cautious shot to the green he often leaves himself an extremely difficult approach putt from the lower level of the green.”
Geoff Ogilvy (2019): “The first green might be the hardest green on the course, certainly the hardest first green in tournament golf. It’s really hard to hit the ball under the hole because of the way the front half of the green is. If you hit it short of a lot of pins, it rolls off the front. It encourages you to get it to pin high or just a bit past it.”
Memorable Shots
Charl Schwartzel's chip-in birdie (2011 Masters)
Course Routing
Click on a pin below to preview the hole or go to the full profile of the hole.
Augusta National
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
Hole 1 - Tea Olive
Augusta National's property is defined by a single broad downslope that ends at Rae’s Creek, and this par-4 opener is the only hole on the course that sits completely on top of it. Strategically, No. 1 at Augusta National is one of the most compelling opening holes in professional golf.
Hole 2 - Pink Dogwood
The second hole at Augusta National produces more off-the-tee variety than most par 5s in professional golf.
Hole 3 - Flowering Peach
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. The most strategically complex hole on the golf course, “Flowering Peach” has stood the test of time, less affected by distance gains than most holes at Augusta National.
Hole 4 - Flowering Crab Apple
The first — and longest — 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?
Hole 5 - Magnolia
“Magnolia” is like Paul Thomas Anderson’s 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).
Hole 6 - Juniper
“Juniper” is, in our opinion, Augusta National’s second-best par 3. Each pin position presents a different range of challenges and exciting possible outcomes.
Hole 7 - Pampas
Yes, the green contours are fun, but “Pampas” 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.
Hole 8 - Yellow Jasmine
This uphill three-shotter consistently produces the highest scoring average of Augusta National’s four par 5s, but it still presents a welcome birdie opportunity after the tough stretch of Nos. 4-7. “Yellow Jasmine” is the most underrated hole at Augusta National.
Hole 9 - Carolina Cherry
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, “Carolina Cherry” is a bit of a muddle.
Hole 10 - Camellia
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’s 1938 transformation of “Camellia” is one of the rare cases in which a change to MacKenzie and Jones’s design represented a substantial improvement.
Hole 11 - White Dogwood
No. 11 is simply a brute, often playing as the most difficult hole to par at Augusta National. It’s also been one of the most frequently tinkered-with holes at Augusta National.
Hole 12 - Golden Bell
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.
Hole 13 - Azalea
This iconic risk-reward par 5 offers the first of a series of birdie opportunities on Augusta National’s home stretch.
Hole 14 - Chinese Fir
Although some nuances of MacKenzie and Jones’s original strategic concept for the hole have been lost, “Chinese Fir” is still a compelling par 4, rewarding precise and well-shaped shots both off the tee and into the green.
Hole 15 - Firethorn
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.
Hole 16 - Redbud
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.
Hole 17 - Nandina
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.
Hole 18 - Holly
“Holly” 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.
Leave a comment or start a discussion
Engage in our content with thousands of other Fried Egg Golf Club Members
Engage in our content with thousands of other Fried Egg Golf Members
Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 12, Golden Bell
Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 11, White Dogwood
Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 10, Camellia
Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 9, Carolina Cherry
Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 8, Yellow Jasmine
Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 7, Pampas
Get full access to exclusive benefits from Fried Egg Golf
- Member-only content
- Community discussions forums
- Member-only experiences and early access to events
Leave a comment or start a discussion
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. uis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.