Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 3, Flowering Peach
History, Masters strategy, and expert commentary on the par-4 third
The Basics
This short par 4 travels over two ridges — one in the landing zone for conservative tee shots, and one where the green is perched. 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 green is much deeper on the right than the left, with the right portion running away from the player. Right and center pins, not as hard to attack from the short-left hollow, encourage aggression from the tee, whereas left pins might prompt a layup and a full wedge. A precise approach is a must; chipping from around this severely canted putting surface is terrifying.
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History
“Flowering Peach” has stood the test of time, less affected by distance gains than most holes at Augusta National. Originally, there was just one big Alister MacKenzie-coded bunker left of the fairway. Jack Nicklaus suggested breaking this hazard into four separate bunkers in the early 1980s. The front-right section of the green initially extended more back toward the player, creating more space for a tough front pin. Despite these modifications, the hole's essential character has remained intact since 1934.
Strategy Notes for the Masters
No. 3 is the most strategically complex hole on the golf course. Some players hit an iron short of the left-hand fairway bunkers, leaving 125-130 yards in. Others push it up slightly farther, flirting with the bunkers to set up a shorter, though still full, wedge. The third option, one that has grown increasingly popular in recent years, is to rip driver towards the left half of the green, leaving a 30- to 50-yard pitch up the hill.
Not matter the pin position, expect a healthy dose of aggressive tee shots, though the traditional front-left Sunday pin tends to prompt more conservative off-the-tee tactics. No matter one’s strategy, however, the second shot on No. 3 is one of the most exacting sub-100-yard shots in golf. –Joseph LaMagna
Our Take
This is one of the most thought-provoking and consistently entertaining holes at Augusta National. Strategic choices vary from player to player and pin position to pin position. Watching a contender navigate the hole under pressure on Sunday — trying to avoid the many danger zones while also pushing for a (seemingly) readily available birdie opportunity — is always fascinating.
Expert Commentary
Alister MacKenzie (1932): “This green is situated on an interesting natural plateau. The left hand side of the green is very narrow; whereas the right side is broad. It is easy for anyone to reach the wide portion of the green with their second shot but difficult to reach the narrow end where the pin will usually be placed.”
Bobby Jones (1959): “The aim here should be slightly right of the center of the fairway, onto the high ground which gives good visibility of the green and also provides the best angle of approach to any flag location. A tee shot pulled to the left side of the fairway is very likely to follow the run of the ground and roll right on into the big bunker. The green on the left is very shallow; on the right side, it is very deep, but it slopes away from the player so that it is not easy to be certain of the exact location of the flag. The main problem presented by the second shot, which is normally played with a wedge or eight-iron, is to gauge the distance precisely. With the pin on the left side, a second shot played either short or over leaves a very difficult pitch to be made and this almost always results in the loss of one stroke, often two. With the wind behind him, the wise player will play for the center of the green, hoping to get down in two putts for a par 4.”
Geoff Ogilvy (2019): “The third I think is a genius hole because the only way to really make birdie or get it close is to risk missing it short of the green. And if you miss it short of the green, it’s almost an impossible up-and-down. It comes all the way back and you’re 12 feet below the level of the green to this crazy pitched green. And the only way to get that pitch close, if you do miss it short, is to risk leaving it short again…. If you miss [the green] in the wrong spots, you have almost zero chance to make par and a big chance to make 6, 7, or 8.”
Memorable Shots
Course Routing
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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.
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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
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