Drone Footage Reveals Severe Damage Caused By Hurricane Helene To Augusta National's Iconic Magnolia Lane
The entrance to the world-famous course has suffered extensive damage, with fallen trees left in the wake of Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene has battered the eastern side of the United States in recent days, and the home of The Masters, Augusta National, did not escape the brunt of the storm.
In the early hours of Friday morning, it emerged that the world-famous venue had been severely hit by the Hurricane. Images of fallen trees initially were posted to social media of Washington Road, where Augusta National is located, and one user posted video footage of a flooded Rae’s Creek, which flows close to the 11th and 12th holes.
Raes Creek at the Augusta national is a river! pic.twitter.com/yCdfUoXB0NSeptember 27, 2024
Later, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley released a statement explaining that the damage was being assessed while offering “our thoughts and prayers” to “everyone throughout Georgia and the Southeast who have been affected.”
While it has not yet been confirmed how badly the hurricane has damaged Augusta National, more footage has now emerged, this time via a drone flown over the most famous driveway in golf, Magnolia Lane.
The entrance to Augusta National from Washington Road, which leads to the clubhouse, is known for its canopy of magnolia trees, which were planted in the 1850s. However, the footage shows that it was not spared the force of the hurricane, with many of the trees either fallen or damaged in the storm.
Augusta National isn't the only course in Georgia known to have been damaged by Hurricane Helene. Around 150 miles west, Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta was severely flooded by the storm.
The latest damage to Augusta National comes less than 18 months after play was suspended at the 2023 Masters when three trees near the par 3 16th fell, narrowly missing nearby patrons. That incident occurred in the second round after wind and rain picked up heavily in the afternoon and caused play to be suspended for the day.
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The 2025 Masters is due to begin on 10 April.
Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
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