The Masters Mysteries: What happened to Augusta National’s planned 19th hole? In the early 1930s, legendary course architect Alister MacKenzie sketched up a short par-3 “19th hole” where members could settle their bets in dramatic fashion. MacKenzie described it as a playoff hole where a golfer who lost a match could win their money back in a game of “double or quits”. Despite being relatively rare at the time, MacKenzie included a vision for No. 19 as an integral part of his “ideal inland course” in his “Plans For The Ideal Golf Course” published in March 1932.
The 19th hole would have been short, just 90 yards or so, but not simple. MacKenzie wanted a putting surface that was risk-reward, modeled partly after No. 6 at Lakeside in Los Angeles. The green, as described by MacKenzie, was designed to challenge players with different skill levels. However, despite making it as far as MacKenzie’s blueprints and letters, No. 19 got scrapped before being incorporated into Augusta National.
The reason for the removal of the 19th hole remains uncertain, but it is speculated that the complexities and potential complications of adding an extra hole to Augusta National, along with financial constraints in the early days of the club, were contributing factors. Augusta National was broke in its early days and struggled to recruit a full membership, making the addition of a 19th hole unnecessary. Therefore, the hole was ultimately removed from the plans.
Interestingly, Augusta National did end up building the tee box and green for the 19th hole, but repurposed it. The tee box was turned into their first driving range and the green was transformed into a practice green where players hit their final putts before heading to the first tee. This repurposing of the components of Hole No. 19 led to the creation of what is now known as Hole Zero at Augusta National.
In conclusion, while the planned 19th hole at Augusta National never made it to fruition as originally intended, its components were repurposed and integrated into the club’s facilities. The mysterious disappearance of the 19th hole adds an intriguing layer to the history of Augusta National and the legacy of Alister MacKenzie’s visionary design concepts. As golf fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming Masters at Augusta National, the story of the lost 19th hole remains a fascinating piece of golf lore to ponder.
