PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Why the middle of Augusta’s back nine holds the key to the Masters

The difficulty at Augusta on a Sunday is the back nine. 

It’s not a traditional back nine that you get at a lot of majors where if you’re in the lead, you have a fair chance of winning if you shoot level par.

The leaders here have the pressure of knowing it’s always set up for birdies at Augusta and you might need to go two or three under to win. 

And the key stretch is the brilliant four holes from 12 to 15. 

If we accept 10 and 11 are very tough and par is great, and that 16 to 18 are very good closing holes with limited variance in how you play them, then a lot of the fun is the bit in the middle.

Hole 12

Such an iconic and pivotal hole and everyone knows the options here. 

The safe play is over the middle of the bunker and if you are within one shot of the lead you definitely do that. If you are two behind, you cannot afford to play safe, especially if that pin is back right. 

The wind is a huge factor. If it is in off the right, you see a lot of players coming short. If the wind is into you and doesn’t change direction, you can keep a low shot under the trees. 

If you lead, it is a great hole because you have no doubt — just go for the middle! 

Hole 13

They have made changes here and added 35 yards and that will reduce how often people try to cut the corner by the trees on the left. I wonder if it will be less dramatic as more people will lay up rather than going for the green in two. 

It always gave up some eagles and some easy birdies, but now we will not see as many eagles. 

If you are the leader you can play cautiously because you don’t need to chase the harder eagle, in favour of a lay-up and a relatively easy 40 to 50 yard pitch over Rae’s Creek for a birdie chance. If you are chasing you have a tough decision.

A defender’s hole. 

Hole 14  

It is a strange hole. On the Sunday they use an easy pin position, which is in a bowl, so we have seen a lot of twos and a lot of tap-in birdies. 

But you have to play the hole so well — if you are even slightly out of position you get fives, because you are suddenly playing over a tier if your second shot is not precise. 

It is underrated because there is such a big variance on score. Much better for the attacker than defender. There is no safe play. 

Hole 15

This is the last hole of variation. If you get a good drive away it is always in range in two, even upwind. But there is no simple solution because there is so much risk with water in front and behind the green. 

Good players still argue on where is the good place to lay up, but even then you are kicking the can down the road as the pitch shot is no fun at all. 

The left hand pin is the nasty one on Sunday. So tough. I would sometimes be happy to put my second shot in the right hand bunker because that sand shot down the green can be preferable to trying to pitch the water and stopping it. 

One of the greatest holes in golf. It creates so much drama.