Ranking the Holes at Augusta National

I'm not sure if there's another golf course in the world where I know every hole, where I can sketch it in my mind as you're talking about it. I know every contour, every distance to every trouble area, the minefields you need to navigate. Pebble Beach and St. Andrews come close; Kiawah because I've played it. But Augusta is the rare course where nearly every hole stands out. They're named, of course, which adds to the mystique, but there's hardly a dud across the 18 holes of prime real estate in Augusta, Georgia.

But what hole is the best? Let's rank them.

18. Nandina (No. 17): It's hard to pick the penultimate hole as the worst hole on the course. But it's not interesting. It's straight, not especially long, it's fairly narrow but not especially difficult, slightly uphill. The green is the most interesting part; it's a tough green to hold, but given its placement on the course, as a hole that can separate or tighten the leaderboard, it holds little intrigue.

17. Chinese Fir (No. 14): Fun fact: This is the only hole on the course without a bunker! It could use a bunker. Another straight, fairly narrow par 4 sandwiched in between the back 9's two Par 5s. Perhaps there's a sense of letting your foot off the gas after Amen Corner, but it doesn't stand out the way that other holes do.

16. Pampas (No. 7): The dirty secret of Augusta National? The Par 4s are a little boring. Each has its own intrigue, but compared to the iconic Par 3s and 5s, they tend to blend in. Pampas is not a boring hole, but it doesn't hold massive sway. What it does have are some of the most brutal bunkers on the course guarding the green. To avoid them, you need a long and straight tee shot that sets up a wedge...and enough short iron control to avoid disaster in the sand.

15. Carolina Cherry (No. 9): The name of the game here is elevation. To hit down to a collection area, avoiding the trees that can ruin your best laid plans, and then up a slope to a borderline tabletop green, tests the patience of caddies who aren't eminently familiar with the track. This is one of those holes where TV doesn't quite do justice to the massive swings in elevation.

14. Magnolia (No. 5): How iconic is this course that this legendary Par 4 could be considered among the least appealing? Magnolia has intrigue as its length asks a lot of the approach shot, and par is an excellent score especially with an iconic green complex. But its location, tucked into a quiet and borderline desolate spot on the property, invites few fans and feels a far trek from the vibrant festivities across the rest of the course.

13. Juniper (No. 6): One of the most difficult green complexes on the course is the primary defense of this otherwise blasé par 3. A multi-tiered green requires impeccable distance control.

12. Yellow Jasmine (No. 8): Noticing a pattern? Holes 5 thru 9 don't quite provide the level of intrigue of the rest of the course. But Yellow Jasmine tests distance, accuracy, and control. Out of position once and you stand no chance of reaching a long and narrow green that requires a proper angle to attack. A fun hole, but the least exciting par 5 by default.

11. Azalea (No. 13): This ranking might ruffle some feathers, but I feel like this is the first hole that is suffering from the advances in golf technology. The tee shot used to be a Herculean effort; now even with a tee box further back, players are often left with just an iron into what would otherwise be a challenging second shot. The third-easiest hole on the course, it provides worlds of intrigue the more offline you are with your tee shot. And it might be the most beautiful hole on the course. It's getting harder to separate now.

10. Tea Olive (No. 1): I adore the first hole. I love how the tee box sort of just floats in the middle of a wide expanse of land and is always circled by patrons. I love how players report not being able to feel their hands on that first tee shot; I love how you can see the nerves. The hole itself? It's fine. Hit a reasonable tee shot, avoid the fairway bunkers, aim for the middle of the green, settle your nerves, and two-putt. Any more is asking a lot.

9. Firethorn (No. 15): There have been some unbelievable shots on this hole and its lore won't be lost by a mid-tier ranking. A few years ago, Augusta officials realized it needed to be lengthened and they built a new tee box. But advancements in technology have changed the nature of this now relatively easy par 5 -- if you consider hitting a second shot on a par 5 over water and missing water deep "easy."

8. Flowering Crab Apple (No. 4): If you hit your tee shot close here, you are DIALED. It might be the first hole on the course that really tests your level of readiness for this tournament. It's so incredibly difficult.

7. Flowering Peach (No. 3): Ten years ago, this hole might have gotten a significantly lower ranking. But I've come to appreciate its greatness, the way it challenges players to make tough decisions off the tee and how it fails to reward those decisions so consistently. It doesn't matter what you do on No. 3; you are going to need to showcase an impressive short game to even walk away with par.

6. Holly (No. 18): If you've never been to Augusta National, let me fill you in on the thing I was most impressed by: no matter how narrow this tee shot looks on TV, it's more than that. I could not believe what a tight window that shot is from the tee box, not to mention what a narrow landing area the player gets. I honestly can't believe more players don't snap hook into the trees given the stress this shot must deliver.

5. Redbud (No. 16): This hole should probably get a higher ranking because it's not especially difficult; the water seldom comes into play. But it holds impressive sway as an iconic hole that has led to so many remarkable signature shots in this tournament. It's a visually stunning hole and watching someone catch their spot and just immediately know it because the ball filters toward the hole...it's special.

4. Pink Dogwood (No. 2): It might be my favorite hole on the course. It's an immediate test, you can exhale from the adrenaline rush of the first hole and then take on one of the best risk-reward holes in professional golf. With a good tee shot it's relatively easy, a downhill par 5 with a gettable green and some unique pin placements. Hit offline, however, and you're bringing any number of scenarios into play. Par here is disappointing. Bogey or worse and you're in damage control.

3. Camellia (No. 10): Even after he's finally won, I'm not sure I'll have a more indelible image than Rory McIlroy's meltdown on this hole in 2011. This tee shot is so nerve-wracking, the approach shot is nervy, and it might be the best example of green speed impacting putting decisions. This hole fascinates me.

2. Golden Bell (No. 12): It might be the most famous hole in golf. When I went to Augusta in 2018 I took a path that dropped me off right outside No. 12 and it took my breath away, like you're seeing a celebrity in real life. The hole can be fairly easy -- it's a short iron, after all -- but winds and an incredibly narrow landing area can complicate matters. In Saturday's Augusta National Women's Amateur, Asterisk Talley hit long to the back bunker, then bladed a wedge that sent the ball into Rae's Creek. Then she re-dropped in the bunker and did it again. It broke her emotionally -- you could see the anguish in her face -- and she never recovered. (Jordan Spieth gets it.) It brings in such a beautiful range of possibilities.

1. White Dogwood (No. 11): I put this list together before I looked at the course stats, so I was overjoyed to see this plays as the hardest hole on the course. It's mentally daunting. It requires a perfect tee shot and the best long iron you've ever hit in your life to get this anywhere close. A pond on the left looms large, and players often bail out to the right, not even bothering to take on the green. I've seen tournament breakers happen on this hole. I look forward to it every day. This hole is a monster, and I love it.