"Here’s why Augusta National slipped"

Noel Freeman deserves kudos for taking the job of explaining why Golf magazine’s panel dropped Augusta National out of its top five courses on the planet.

His take was sympathetic with the dreadful plight of trying to keep up with the modern game:

Technological advancements and the rise of the so-called bomb-and-gouge movement are vexing dilemmas not only for Augusta National but also for tournament courses all over the world. But the feeling here is that Augusta has gone too far in its efforts to “modernize.”

The club could and should pay more homage to the design’s original intent by removing trees and rebuilding a firm course that presents players with more angles and therefore more options. The result would be both a more complete and more compelling test for players, and more interesting theater for viewers.