Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 5, Magnolia
History, Masters strategy, and expert commentary on the par-4 fifth
The Basics
The long par-4 fifth hole curves left, following the crest of a ridge at the western end of Augusta National's property. (This ridge was carved by an extended tributary of Rae's Creek, which the club dammed in 1948 to create the pond on the 16th hole and finally eliminated in 1953 to allow for better spectator flow.) The inside of the dogleg is guarded both by a drop-off into a wooded area and two massive bunkers. Players who challenge this treacherous left side gain a substantial distance advantage and get to approach the green more directly into its primary slopes. The green bears a vague resemblance to C.B. Macdonald's Double Plateau template, with a pair of platforms for tough pins middle-left and back. Alister MacKenzie cited the Road hole as an inspiration, though aside from the risk-reward dogleg and the green's placement on a natural shelf, the resemblance is limited.
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History
Originally, one large, intricate fairway bunker protected the inside of the dogleg. After World War II, this bunker was broken into three, then two. In 2011, Tom Fazio moved the bunkers 80 yards downrange in an effort to maintain their relevance for modern pros. Finally, after a new back tee allowed the hole to stretch to 495 yards, the club moved the bunkers 40 yards back toward the tee. The green has also seen its share of tweaks. Perry Maxwell rebuilt it in 1937, though his version appears to take at least some inspiration from MacKenzie and Jones' initial effort. George Cobb added the back bunker in the late 1950s to keep long misses from tumbling down the hill behind the green.
Strategy Notes for the Masters
No. 5 is elegant in its strategy. The more you challenge some of the deepest bunkers on the golf course down the left side of the hole, the shorter the hole plays. Finding the left fairway bunkers all but ensures a wedge out into the fairway and a likely bogey. The bunker face is far too steep to try reaching the green with the second shot.
Bailing out right is not a terribly attractive alternative, resulting in a harrowing long approach into a diabolical green. Prior to the hole’s lengthening in advance of the 2019 Masters, 3-wood was not an unusual choice off the tee. Today, nearly every player in the field hits driver on this 495-yard brute. –Joseph LaMagna
Our Take
“Magnolia” is like Paul Thomas Anderson’s film of the same name: brilliant, probably underrated, but a tad bloated. To keep up with the runaway distance gains of the 21st century, the club has been forced to distort the dimensions of this natural par 4. Nonetheless, the hole presents an honest, formidable challenge, and the green is one of the most beautifully shaped at Augusta National (or anywhere else, for that matter).
Expert Commentary
Alister MacKenzie (1932): “This will be a similar type of hole to the famous 17th, the Road Hole at St. Andrews. A group of trees forms a corner of the dogleg instead of the station master’s garden and the green itself will be situated on a similar plateau to its prototype.”
Bobby Jones (1959): “The proper line here is, as closely as possible, past the bunker on the left side of the fairway. It is not necessary to carry this bunker in order to direct the drive into a groove in the fairway on top of the hill. But it is a very comforting safety factor to have sufficient length for the carry should the shot be pulled slightly. The bunker and the woods to the left of it usually represent dire disaster for those unlucky enough to end there. Players lacking the necessary confidence to play along the dangerous left side sometimes become overcautious and play too closely down the right side of the fairway. From this side the second shot to the green becomes much longer and far more difficult. On this hole, with the green’s surface in proper condition, the second shot must be dropped short and allowed to run up. The bunker in back of the green was placed there not for penalty but simply as an effort to help minimize the damage caused by an overplayed second shot.”
Geoff Ogilvy (2019): “When the pin is low on the bottom tier, [6 is a birdie hole]. With the pin on the high [back] tier — that crazy high thing on the right — that is one of the toughest 6- to 8-irons you’ll ever have. The only way you can really hit a great shot to those really small [landing areas], to hit those really precise shots, is to swing it free and loose. It’s hard to get into a free and loose mindset when you know all the bad things that can happen.”
Memorable Shots
Jack Nicklaus made eagle twice in one tournament in the first and third rounds (1995 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.
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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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