Bernhard Langer Augusta National Course Guide: Hole 15

A guide to the fifteenth 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 15

The longest hitters will only a require a mid-iron to reach the green in two, and even the shortest hitters can get home, should they wish. The 15th is not without bite, though. A pond fronting the green captures numerous balls during tournament week, whether that’s misjudged second shots or wedge approaches spinning off the green.

Langer: “It takes two great strikes to carry the water and reach the green in two, but even then it is very easy for the ball to skip through. Golfers can still birdie with a precise wedge approach. A great risk-and-reward hole.”

Best ever score: 2 (Gene Sarazen, 1935) Worst ever score: 11

Memorable moment: Even though Gene Sarazen's astonishing albatross on hole 15 occurred in only the second Masters, most who witnessed it must have known it would never be matched. In the final round of the 1935 tournament, Sarazen lined up a 4-wood from 235 yards and found the hole brilliantly.

That Sarazen went on to win certainly added to the magnitude of the shot and resulted in it being dubbed "the shot heard 'round the world."

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Worst moment: Tiger Woods saw his approach shot hit the pin and roll into the water in the second round in 2013. After dropping the ball and hitting his next shot to within a few feet, Woods subsequently putted for a bogey.

However, he would later be questioned by officials over his decision to drop the ball further back from the pin than he should have; rules state the shot should be taken from as close to the original spot as possible.

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Taking this violation into account, a further two strokes were added to his score on Firethorn. This moment was never likely to escape without opinions from all corners being offered, with many calling for him to withdraw.

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.