Tiger: They've Actually Made Augusta National Easier

The club put out News Bulletin No. 1 today, Masters Monday, and it reads..

"Our fairways are mowed at 3/8 inch, the second cut at 1 3/8th inch, the tees at 5/16 inch, the collars at 1/4 inch and the greens at 1/8 inch. All mowings are subject to weather conditions and growth."

As most of you know, the club keeps a surprising long height of cut, especially considering what modern mowers are capable of producing. That cut is pushed toward the tees by a mower brigade, designed to create a grain. This practice slows down roll and does keep the course from producing drives like we saw at Austin Country Club a few weeks ago (where overseeded Bermuda fairways produced incredible roll without the grain).

I found it most interesting that Tiger, in considering how the course has changed, told USA Today's Steve DiMeglio he sees an easier Augusta National because of the higher mowing heights.

“The golf course has been redesigned and it’s not as difficult as it used to be,” Woods told USA TODAY Sports in an exclusive interview during a promotional tour for his book last month. “The golf course was quicker and faster. All the greens have been redesigned and it’s not as difficult as it used to be; they’ve all gotten bigger and flatter. But at the same time they’ve made the golf course longer so we’re all hitting longer shots into (the greens).”

The shots around the greens have changed, too.

“I think that the short shots at Augusta have gotten so different,” Woods said. “The grass has gotten longer. Chipping with Seve (Ballesteros) and Raymond (Floyd) and Ollie (Jose Maria Olazabal), showing me how to play all these different shots because you could play those little shots.”

It is amazing how much of a cushion feel there is to the place compared to the first time I came here. That probably is nicer for members not wanting to hit off a tight lie, but less difficult for Masters competitors.