With The Masters less than two months away, it has been confirmed that the second hole at Augusta National will be longer by 10 yards for the 2024 tournament.
Pink Dogwood is a par-5 dogleg left that, despite the presence of bunkers on the right-hand fairway and around the green, offers an early scoring opportunity for players, helped by its downward slope.
That was generally the case in 2023, too, when it was the easiest hole over the four days. However, it may prove a touch more challenging this year, with the length of the hole now increased from 575 yards to 585 yards.
It is not just last year when the hole proved a soft touch for players. Between 1942 and 2023 it was statistically the second easiest hole at the tournament despite several other significant changes to it over the years.
For example, before the 1977 Masters, lengthening took place with the tees rebuilt and moved between 20 and 25 yards to the right, which added 15 yards to the back of the tee. Then, in 1999, the tees were moved back another 20-25 yards.
Other tweaks over the years have included a second bunker added to the front of the green in 1946, while seven years later, the green was extended to the left. Before the latest tweak, the most significant change had come in 2010 with the widening of the front of the green by around eight feet.
News of the latest alteration comes two years after the 11th and 15th holes were lengthened at the course, while the most high-profile change in recent years came when work was completed on extending the 13th hole in time for the 2023 tournament.
That was particularly significant because the 13th, Azalea, had been a source of controversy for some time amid suggestions that it favoured the big hitters, with some even opting to drive over the trees to cut the corner and give them an advantage.
While the latest change is not nearly as prominent, it is likely to offer more of a challenge to players after the 2023 tournament featured a scoring average of 4.637 on the hole, with the lowest of 4.467 in 2020.
