Tournament: Masters Tournament – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, GA
Hole: 4th – Par 3, 240 Yards
Architect(s): Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie – 1933

Architectural Summary:

The fourth hole is difficult par three playing at over 240 yards and into ever changing and deceptive winds. Most players will choose a long iron or fairway wood and look to play either a high shot with a great deal of spin or a left-to-right shaped shot to take advantage of the significant slope of the green. Two greenside bunkers protect the 35 yard wide green along the left as well as the front right. Although the bunkers are deep, they are a much better “miss” than going over the green, and getting “up and down” from these bunkers is probable. The green severely slopes to the front and features a false front in the front left portion awaiting any shots that come up short. Hole locations at the front left will often cause the most difficultly for competitors as the two bunkers and false front are in play and the green narrows to only 12 yards wide. Going over the green leaves a particularly difficult recovery so distance control is paramount at the fourth. Overall, a par will be a good score on the longest par 3 on the course.

Statistical Analysis:

Historically, the fourth hole plays as the 5th hardest on the course with a scoring average of 3.23. The par 3 hole has never played under par in the history of the tournament and the lowest yearly scoring average was 3.12 in 2001. In 2015, the hole played to a scoring average of 3.30 (20 Birdies, 183 Pars, 92 Bogeys, and 9 Double Bogeys).

Fun Facts:

• The fourth hole is named “Flowering Crabapple,” after the deciduous, flowering tree. The trees, Malus hybrida, bloom in late March and early April with light pink flowers and are located to the right of the fairway.
• Only once in Masters history has an ace been made on the 4th hole. Jeff Sluman made a hole-in-one with a 4-iron from 213 yards during the first round of the 1992 Masters, where he shot a 65 for a share of the first-round lead. The hole has since been lengthened to 240 yards.
• The 4th hole was once named “Palm” as Augusta National’s only palmetto tree is located short right of the green.