Bernhard Langer Augusta National Course Guide: Hole 8

A guide to the eighth hole at Augusta National, including tips from two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer

Bernhard Langer Augusta National Course Guide: Hole 8

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The 8th isn’t the longest par 5 on the golf course, but it plays that way. It’s relatively open off the tee – with a bunker down the right the only real obstacle – but its uphill incline means it’s a genuine three-shotter for at least half of the field.

Langer: “This uphill par five plays so long that it is very difficult to find the right part of the green with the second shot. There is a severe slope in the middle of the green so even approaching with a wedge requires great accuracy and control.”

Best ever score: 2 Worst ever score: 12

Memorable moment: In 2011, Tiger Woods was going through a torrid spell on the golf course. But he's a master at Augusta, and he found some momentum early in his fourth round. Then, he hit a brilliant drawing 3-wood to the 8th green and holed the eagle putt to move five-under for the day and right into contention. He came up short in the end, but he contributed significantly to one of the best Masters Sundays in recent history.

Worst moment: Even for six-time Masters winner Jack Nicklaus, there were times when the course was far from kind.

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He experienced such an occasion in the 1970 Masters on Yellow Jasmine. After losing his ball and taking a stroke and distance penalty, Nicklaus ended up three-putting and left the green with a triple-bogey eight, his first at Augusta National.

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.