Augusta National Golf Club is one of the most famous and recognizable venues in all of sports. Its incredible beauty and history make it a must-see place when The Masters rolls around every Spring. It features a collection of some of the finest golf holes you’ll see on any golf course and you can play them in EA Sports PGA Tour.
Among the 18 holes is Amen Corner, one of the most famous three-hole stretches in the sport. Holes 11,12, and 13 are the holes everyone wants to see. This is because of the challenge they bring to golfers and the incredible beauty of them. Although the whole course is breathtaking, there’s nothing quite as beautiful as those three holes.
They’re a ton of fun to play in EA Sports PGA Tour. You can easily just play Amen Corner on repeat if you wanted because they’re that terrific. But how do you go about playing these iconic holes? They each provide their own unique designs and hazards to be aware of as you tee off.
Hole 11 – White Dogwood
White Dogwood has personally given me fits in the past, and I have no doubt it has for many other players as well, making it a heck of a way to begin our adventures at Amen Corner. The tee shot is simple enough as you have plenty of fairway to work with as it rolls downhill a bit, pushing your ball closer to the green.
However, it’s the approach shot that makes or breaks things. The green is pretty big but it can be tricky keeping your ball on as it can, on many occasions, roll off behind the green, leaving you with a chip. Also, if the winds are blowing, you need to watch out for the water that’ll gobble up your ball when you least expect it.
To avoid this, simply aim more towards the right with your shot. There’s a chance that you could miss the green, but from the perfect angle you can still grab it. Also, even if you do miss the green, it’s better than hitting the water. As for putting, try to go a bit lighter as the greens can move pretty fast.
Hole 12 – Golden Bell
If this isn’t the most famous par-3 in golf, then it’s way up there. Golden Bell is a very beautiful hole that’s also terrifying at the same time. Not the biggest green in the world, bunkers in the back, Rae’s Creek in the front, and then you have to contest with those swirling winds as well.
The winds alone make this a truly unpredictable hole. But, off the tee, instead of going straight for the flag try to hit slightly past it to avoid the possibility of rolling into the water. If you can stay on the green, then more than likely you’ll have a great look at birdie. If you miss, then hopefully your ball doesn’t bounce into the bunker and instead just rolls off the green, leaving you with a fairly simple chip. Just make sure to hit it lightly if you’re in that position.
As for the swirling winds off the tee, pay attention to the wind indicator and think about where you want that arrow to be pointing. Once it’s approaching or near that, then you can swing. If you have the wind direction indicator off, then you’ll really just have to take a guess, but frankly I’d consider just clubbing up. You’d much rather deal with the bunker or back of the green than Rae’s Creek.
Hole 13 – Azalea
Arguably the most fun hole at Augusta National is the always popular par-5 13th hole known as Azalea. This hole gives golfers a great chance at an eagle if they play their cards right in EA Sports PGA Tour. You have a couple of options off the tee to start: go light on the club and hit it straight, or you can go for a draw and put yourself in a clear view to the green. Going straight would mean you’d have to hit a second shot down the fairway and then pitch it onto the green, which isn’t a bad idea either except you’ll be going for birdie instead of an eagle.
If you decide to go left off the tee, then you may be a 5, 6, or 7-iron away from the green. Similar to the 12th hole, if the flag is sitting towards the front of the green, be careful trying to go right at it. You certainly could, but Rae’s Creek makes another return and it seeks revenge after it saw you drain a birdie on the 12th (yes, you did that, didn’t you know?).
So the safe bet is to again is to aim more behind the flag. The great thing about 13 is that the green is large so you have plenty of room to work with. So, even by sticking your shot behind the flag, you still have the chance to get it close and sink that eagle
