Bernhard Langer Augusta National Course Guide: Hole 13

A guide to the thirteenth hole at Augusta National, including tips from two-time Masters champion and 37-time Masters competitor Bernhard Langer

Bernhard Langer Augusta National Course Guide: Hole 13

Augusta National Hole 13 Par 5 510 yards

Every player will be able to reach in two, although an uneven stance for the second, the Rae’s Creek-fronted putting surface and bunkers behind the green certainly give players something to think about. That said, you’ll see more eagles here than double-bogeys.

Langer: “I love this hole, classic ‘risk and reward’. The tee shot needs to hook around and hug the left of the fairway by the creek because that shortens the second shot and gives you a flatter lie. Even then the second shot is played above your feet.”

Best ever score: 2 Worst ever score: 13

Memorable moment: Phil Mickelson pulled off one of the most audacious shots Augusta National has ever seen on the 13th in 2010. With his ball resting on the pine straw between two formidable trees, the American launched an outstanding shot to within just four feet of the flag.

Maybe it was the occasion, but for Mickelson, already regarded as an aggressive ball-striker, to send the ball clear of the trees and Rae's Creek was extraordinary. Many might contemplate the shot Mickelson hit, but only a select few have the innate champion's touch to make it. It was no surprise, then, that he saw the job through to claim his third Masters title.

Worst moment: It's a slim consolation to Tom Weiskopf, but he's not the only player to have made a 13 at the Masters.

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Tommy Nakajima found Rae's Creek to be the scourge of his efforts to leave Azalea with a respectable score. After struggling with the water, he was forced to add a number of penalty strokes to his score before he could eventually get to within putting distance, with the ball even hitting his foot at one point.

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he went on to become a feature writer interviewing many of the biggest names in the game including Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, Rory McIlroy and Arnold Palmer.

A 5-handicap golfer, Neil is a club member who takes a keen interest in the health of the game at grassroots level. You’ll often now find him writing about club-related issues such as WHS, membership retention and how best to bridge the gap between the range and the course.