Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 9, Carolina Cherry
History, Masters strategy, and expert commentary on the par-4 ninth
The Basics
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. The fairway turns right to left through a chute of trees, giving the impression that hugging the left side off the tee might yield an advantage. However, the green, guarded by two bunkers on the left, is actually best approached from the right side of the fairway. The primary task off the tee, therefore, is to get all the way down the hill so that the second shot is played from a relatively level lie rather than the downslope. The bracingly steep, three-tiered green demands pinpoint distance control. Long misses result in one of the hardest lag putts at Augusta National, and short misses often come back down the hill, Greg Norman-style.
{{every-hole-augusta-national-9-carolina-cherry}}
History
The ninth green was initially a Lion's Mouth type, with two fangs wrapping around a front-center bunker. When the pin was on the left, players sometimes launched their drives down the neighboring first fairway to hunt an angle. In order to disincentivize this play, Clifford Roberts commissioned Perry Maxwell in the late 1930s to redesign the green. Maxwell's version was much smaller and simpler — a tilted oval protected by bunkers on the left. This configuration established the hole's modern character. Over time, as green speeds have increased, the putting surface’s slope has been softened to retain a semblance of playability.
Strategy Notes for the Masters
For as much attention as wedge shots like the second into No. 3 and the third into No. 15 receive, the approach into No. 9 is sneakily one of the most exacting short approaches in golf. An uphill wedge shot from a downhill lie to a diabolical, multi-tiered green complex sloped heavily from back to front presents a superb test of distance and spin control — one only the world’s best ball-strikers consistently pass.
The tee shot is relatively benign, though it is still possible to stray offline and encounter trouble. The real challenge on No. 9, however, lies in iron play and putting. Putting from above the hole requires exquisite touch. –Joseph LaMagna
Our Take
From a risk-reward perspective, the ninth hole is a bit of a muddle. In revising the green, Roberts and Maxwell shifted the ideal angle to the outside of the dogleg, but they did not build in any particular dangers for that play. As a result, the tee shot lacks strategic tension. The approach is gripping to watch because of the precision required and the potential for disaster, but the green’s severity at Augusta National’s current speeds occasionally tips into silliness.
Expert Commentary
Alister MacKenzie (1932): “This is a hole of the ‘Cape’ type played slightly downhill. A long straight drive to the right will give an easy second to the green.”
Bobby Jones (1959): “This is a slight dogleg to the left which invites the player to skirt the trees on the left side. Actually, this is a delusion, because it is only with a strong wind that this line has any advantage. The player is thus called upon to make use of local knowledge and resist the temptation to play close to the corner simply because of the dogleg. Under normal playing conditions a long drive, straight down the middle of the fairway, will give the best result, since the ball will reach a reasonably flat area and provide an open shot for at least half the green. The hole opens up more and more as the drive is played to the right, but the distance becomes increasingly longer.”
Geoff Ogilvy (2019): “[The drive] is easy if you can turn it over right to left. It’s another one of those holes that coaxes you into trying to take on more than you need to. You really want to hit a big, high draw because it goes further with a forward bounce. It’s a relatively easy fairway to hit. If you flare it a little, it’s easy to hit it in the right trees, but you end up with this downslope, ball below your feet, 6-iron into a green that isn’t fit for that setup.”
Memorable Shots
Tiger Woods lag putt in the final round (2019 Masters)
Greg Norman’s failed approach in the final round (1996 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. 8, Yellow Jasmine
Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 7, Pampas
Every Hole at Augusta National - No. 6, Juniper
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.