Bernhard Langer Augusta National Course Guide: Hole 8

published 1 April 2021

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

Augusta National Hole 8 Par 5 570 yards

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18

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.

The hole swings round to the left, and the bigger hitters tend to hit a sweeping hook and use the bank to the right of the green to shunt their ball towards the green. The putting surface is some 30 yards from front to back, so different pin positions can dramatically alter the characteristics of the hole.

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.

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