Augusta National Golf Course

This is one of the top and most famous golf courses on the planet. It is as well known as courses like St Andrews in Scotland.

Augusta National Golf Club, located in the American city of Augusta, Georgia, is one of the most storied and exclusive golf clubs in the world. Founded by Bobby Jones and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934 it has played host to the annual Masters Tournament, one of the four major championships in professional golf.

Every member of Augusta National receives a green sports coat with the club's logo on the left breast. The idea of the green jacket originated with club co-founder Clifford Roberts, who wanted patrons visiting during the tournament to be able to readily identify members. The winner of each year's Masters Tournament receives a green jacket and can play in every subsequent tournament. The jacket is presented to the new winner by the winner of the previous tournament. If the previous champion is unavailable, then the current chairman acts as the presenter.

The current Masters champion has stewardship of the green jacket for a year; afterwards it is returned to the club.

Augusta National is generally regarded as the most revered golf course on the PGA Tour. Since the Masters is held at the same venue every year, fans have the unique opportunity to become familiar with the course, something the other 3 rotating majors do not afford to the same extent with the courses they use.

Architectural features

Crow's Nest

Available for amateurs wishing to be housed there during the Masters Tournament, the Crow's Nest provides living space for up to five individuals. Rising from the approximately 30 by 40 foot room is the clubhouse's 11 foot square cupola. The cupola features windows on all sides and can be reached only by ladder. The Crow's Nest consists of one room with partitions and dividers that create three cubicles with one bed each, and one cubicle with two beds. There is also a full bathroom with an additional sink. The sitting area has a game table, sofa and chairs, telephone and television. Placed throughout the Crow's Nest are books on golf, and lining the walls are photos and sketches depicting past Masters and other golf scenes. To get to the Crow's Nest, golfers must climb a narrow set of steps.

Eisenhower Cabin

One of ten cabins on the Augusta National property, it was built by the club's membership for member Dwight D. Eisenhower after his election as President of the United States. The cabin was built according to Secret Service security guidelines, and is adorned by an eagle located above the front porch.

Founders Circle

A memorial located in front of the course's clubhouse, at the end of Magnolia Lane. Plaques at Founders Circle honor Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts.

Hogan Bridge

A bridge over Rae's Creek that connects the fairway of hole 12 to its green. It is constructed of stone and covered with artificial turf. The bridge was dedicated to Ben Hogan in 1958 to commemorate his 72-hole score of 274 strokes five years earlier, the course record at the time.

Magnolia Lane

The main driveway leading from Washington Road to the course's clubhouse. The lane is flanked on either side by 61 magnolia trees, each grown from seeds planted by the Berckman family in the 1850s. Magnolia Lane is 330 yards long and was paved in 1947.

Nelson Bridge

A stonework bridge over Rae's Creek that connects the teeing ground of hole 13 to its fairway. In 1958, it was dedicated to Byron Nelson to honor his performance in the 1937 Masters.

Par Three Fountain

The Par 3 Fountain is next to the Number one tee on the Par 3 course. The fountain has a list of Par 3 contest winners, starting with Sam Snead's win in 1960.

Record Fountain

The Record Fountain was built to commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Masters. Located left of the Number 17 tee, it displays course records and Masters Tournament champions.

Sarazen Bridge

A bridge over the pond on hole 15 that separates the fairway from the green. Made of stone, it was named for Gene Sarazen for a memorable double eagle in the 1935 Masters Tournament that propelled him to victory.

Natural features

The Big Oak Tree

The big oak tree is on the golf course side of the clubhouse and is approximately 145 – 150 years old. The tree was planted in the 1850s.

Eisenhower Tree

Also known as the "Eisenhower Pine", is a loblolly pine located on the 17th hole, approximately 210 yards from the Master's tee. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, an Augusta National member, hit the tree so many times that, at a 1956 club meeting, he proposed that it be cut down. Not wanting to offend the President, the club's chairman, Clifford Roberts, immediately adjourned the meeting rather than reject the request outright.

Ike's Pond

During a visit to Augusta National, then General Eisenhower returned from a walk through the woods on the eastern part of the grounds, and informed Clifford Roberts that he had found a perfect place to build a dam if the Club would like a fish pond. Ike's Pond was built and named, and the dam is located just where Eisenhower said it should be.

Rae's Creek

Rae's Creek cuts across the southeastern corner of the Augusta National property. It flows along the back of the 11th green, in front of the 12th green, and ahead of the 13th tee. This is the lowest point in elevation of the course. The Hogan and Nelson Bridges cross the creek after the 12th and 13th tee boxes, respectively. The creek was named after former property owner John Rae, who died in 1789.

The course is well known for its botanic beauty as well. Because the Masters is held the first weekend following the first full week in April, the flowers of the trees and shrubs bordering the course are in full bloom during the tournament. Each hole on the course is named after the tree or shrub with which it has become associated:

Augusta, Georgia is a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. It is one of two primary cities of the Augusta-Aiken Metropolitan Area, which as of July 2007, has a population of 528,519. It is the largest city in East Central Georgia and the second largest city in the state. As of July 2007, the city of Augusta had a population of 192,142. Augusta is located on the Georgia/South Carolina border, about 150 miles east of Atlanta. Augusta is also located about halfway up the Savannah River on the fall line, providing a number of small falls on the Savannah River. The city itself marks the end of a navigable waterway for the river. The Clarks Hill Dam is also built on the fall line near Augusta, forming Lake Strom Thurmond, also known as Clarks Hill Lake. Further downstream, near the border of Columbia County, is the Stevens Creek Dam, which generates hydroelectric power, and still further, the Augusta Diversion Dam which marks the beginning of the Augusta Canal and channels Savannah River waters into the canal. According to Köppen classification, Augusta has a humid subtropical climate. The city experiences mild winters and a humid summer.

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