Amen Corner is the name given to the stretch from the second shot at Hole 11 through the tee shot at Hole 13 — collectively, the most decisive three-hole sequence in major championship golf. Sports Illustrated writer Herbert Warren Wind coined it in 1958, borrowing the title from the jazz recording 'Shouting at Amen Corner' to describe Arnold Palmer's eventful play through that stretch on the way to his first Masters. The name stuck. Tournaments are typically won or lost on this 920-yard, 12-shot stretch — both Augusta's water hazards (Rae's Creek and tributaries) and its most exposed shotmaking moments.

Rae's Creek is the tributary of the Savannah River that runs through the southeast corner of Augusta National, defining the boundary of Amen Corner. It crosses the property in front of the 12th green, behind the 11th green, and along the left side of the 13th fairway before joining the larger watershed. The creek is named for John Rae, an 18th-century Irish settler who lived on land that became part of the modern golf course. Three of the Masters' five hardest holes have Rae's Creek in play; more green jackets have been won and lost over its banks than over any other water hazard in major championship golf.

Masters History — A Guided Tour of Augusta's Most Famous Holes

Q: What are Augusta National's most famous holes?

The most famous stretch is Amen Corner — holes 11, 12 and 13 — coined by writer Herbert Warren Wind in 1958. Hole 11 (White Dogwood, par 4) tees off into prevailing wind and approaches a green guarded by water; Hogan said 'if you see me on the green in two, you know I missed the shot.' Hole 12 (Golden Bell, par 3, 155 yards over Rae's Creek) is the most photographed par 3 in golf. Hole 13 (Azalea, par 5) was originally 485 yards and lengthened to 545 by Augusta's 2023 redesign; risk-reward second shots over Rae's Creek decide more Masters than any other hole. Beyond Amen Corner: Hole 10 (Camellia, the dogleg-left par 4 that opens the back nine), Hole 16 (Redbud, the par 3 that produced Tiger's 2005 chip-in), and Hole 18 (Holly, the uphill par 4 finishing hole) round out the most-photographed list.

Q: Why is the 12th hole called Golden Bell?

Every hole at Augusta National is named for a flowering plant. The 12th green is bordered by yellow Carolina jessamine — known regionally as 'golden bell' for its bell-shaped flowers that bloom in early spring around Masters week. The 155-yard par 3 over Rae's Creek is the most photographed par 3 in golf and arguably the most dangerous tee shot in the Masters: swirling winds in the corner of the property, a green only ~30 feet deep, water short, bunkers long, and Sunday pin positions that demand a precise yardage call within a 2-yard window. Tom Weiskopf made a 13 there in 1980; Jordan Spieth made a 7 in 2016 to lose the Masters.

Q: What is the Butler Cabin?

The Butler Cabin is one of ten members' cabins on the Augusta National grounds, located near the 10th tee. Since 1965, CBS has used the basement of Butler Cabin to broadcast the post-tournament green-jacket ceremony: the defending champion places the green jacket on the new champion's shoulders, the chairman of Augusta National presents the trophy, and a brief interview is conducted by the lead CBS broadcaster (Jim Nantz since 1989). The ceremony is short, scripted, and is the single most-replayed sequence in golf television. The cabin itself is named for Thomas B. Butler, an early club member from South Carolina.

Q: Who has won the most Masters?

Jack Nicklaus, with 6 green jackets (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986). Tiger Woods has 5 (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019). Arnold Palmer has 4 (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964). Three players have won 3: Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead and Gary Player. Two players have won back-to-back: Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90), Tiger Woods (2001-02) and now Rory McIlroy (2025-26).

Q: How does McIlroy's back-to-back rank in Masters history?

McIlroy is the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters, joining Nicklaus (1965-66), Faldo (1989-90) and Woods (2001-02). The 2025 win completed his career grand slam — the sixth player ever to win all four men's majors (after Sarazen, Hogan, Player, Nicklaus and Woods). The 2026 defence is one of the rarest accomplishments in golf: only 4 players in 90 editions of the Masters have done it. McIlroy is the first European to defend, the first left-handed-feeling-pressure player to defend on the same week the 2025 victory was being commemorated in the clubhouse, and the youngest defender since Woods at 26 in 2002.

Q: When did the Masters start?

The Masters Tournament was first played in March 1934 as the 'Augusta National Invitation Tournament.' Bobby Jones, the co-founder of Augusta National with Clifford Roberts, was uncomfortable with the 'Masters' name initially — he felt it sounded presumptuous. The tournament became 'the Masters' officially in 1939. Horton Smith won the inaugural 1934 edition. The Masters is the youngest of the four men's majors but the only one played at the same course every year, which has given it disproportionate cultural weight and brand consistency over 90 years.

Q: What are the most famous moments in Masters history?

The shortlist most golf historians agree on: Gene Sarazen's albatross at the 15th hole in the final round of 1935 ('the shot heard round the world'); Jack Nicklaus's back-nine 30 to win his sixth green jacket at age 46 in 1986; Tiger Woods's 12-stroke margin of victory in 1997 at age 21; Tiger's chip-in at the 16th on Sunday 2005; Phil Mickelson's leaping fist-pump after the winning birdie putt on 18 in 2004; Rory McIlroy's playoff win over Justin Rose in 2025 to complete the career grand slam; Tiger's 2019 comeback win after a near-decade out of the major circle with injury and personal turmoil.

The Tournament That Stayed In One Place

The Masters Tournament has been played at Augusta National Golf Club every year since 1934 — the only one of golf's four men's majors that returns to the same course annually. Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts co-founded the club in 1933 on land that had been a plant nursery; Alister MacKenzie designed the course before his death. Ninety editions in, the Masters has become the most recognisable single venue in golf — Amen Corner, Rae's Creek, the Butler Cabin, the green jacket, and a tradition of presenting the winning champion's coat the moment the final putt drops. Rory McIlroy joined the most exclusive list in the sport in 2026 when he defended his 2025 green jacket to become the fourth back-to-back Masters winner, joining Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Tiger Woods (2001-02).

This guide walks Augusta's most famous holes, the moments that shaped them, and where the McIlroy chapter fits in 90 years of green jackets.

The Headline Numbers

90

Masters editions

1934

first played

6

most wins (Nicklaus)

4

back-to-back winners

1

course, every year

7,555

yards championship setup

The Course — Augusta National

Augusta National sits on 365 acres in Augusta, Georgia, on land originally operated by Belgian baron Louis Berckmans as Fruitland Nurseries. Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts bought the property in 1931, hired Alister MacKenzie to design the course, and opened for play in January 1933. Jones wanted a course that rewarded creative shotmaking and recovery from trouble more than penal accuracy — a design philosophy embedded in MacKenzie's wide fairways, large greens, and the now-famous "second-shot" architecture where the tee is forgiving but the approach is everything.

DesignersAlister MacKenzie & Bobby Jones

OpenedJanuary 1933

First MastersMarch 1934

Par72

Yardage (championship)~7,555 yards

GreensBentgrass (overseeded)

Most recent redesign2023 (13th lengthened to 545 yds)

Most famous waterRae's Creek

Every hole is named for a flowering plant grown on the property — a Berckmans legacy. Pines, azaleas, dogwoods, magnolias and Carolina jessamine bloom on cue every April. The Masters telecast is engineered to make those colours pop on broadcast: even the bunker sand is a specific local quartz mined for whiteness, the pond on the 16th is dyed a specific shade of blue for camera contrast, and the rough is kept short to a degree the rest of professional golf considers unusual.

Front Nine — The Setup

The front nine at Augusta is where most rounds are set up. It is not where the tournament is decided — that happens after the turn — but front-nine scoring controls the position from which the back nine is played. The standout holes:

HOLE 1Tea OlivePar 4 · 445 yds

The opening tee shot at Augusta. Right-to-left dogleg, fairway bunker on the right at carry distance. Bobby Jones described it as "easy to bogey, hard to birdie." Sets the day's anxiety; many career rounds at the Masters have started with a poor first-tee swing.

HOLE 2Pink DogwoodPar 5 · 575 yds

Reachable in two for the long hitters. Big sweeping right-to-left tee shot; the green is fronted by two greenside bunkers and falls away to the back. First scoring opportunity of the round.

HOLE 7PampasPar 4 · 450 yds

Originally one of the easiest holes on the course; MacKenzie designed it as a drive-and-pitch. Successively lengthened over decades and now a tough mid-iron approach to a green tucked behind five bunkers. The Masters' most-altered hole.

HOLE 8Yellow JasminePar 5 · 570 yds

Uphill par 5, no fairway bunkers. Reachable in two if you carry the crest of the hill. Bruce Devlin made a double-eagle (albatross) here in 1967 — only the second albatross in Masters history at the time.

HOLE 9Carolina CherryPar 4 · 460 yds

Sharp downhill tee shot, severe uphill approach to a green that slopes back-to-front so dramatically that a ball just past the pin can roll thirty yards back down the fairway. Closes the front nine on a quietly punishing note.

Amen Corner — Holes 11, 12 & 13

Coined by Herbert Warren Wind in a 1958 Sports Illustrated piece, "Amen Corner" describes the second shot at the 11th, all of the 12th, and the tee shot at the 13th — collectively the most decisive three-hole stretch in major championship golf. Wind borrowed the phrase from a 1932 jazz recording, "Shouting at Amen Corner," to capture the eventful play through that stretch during Arnold Palmer's first Masters win.

Two parts of Augusta's mythology live here. The first is the swirling wind that funnels through the southeast corner of the property — pin-hunting on the 12th green is a guess as often as a calculation. The second is Rae's Creek, which crosses in front of the 12th green, behind the 11th, and along the 13th fairway. More green jackets have been won and lost here than anywhere else on the course.

HOLE 11White DogwoodPar 4 · 520 yds

Long par 4 into prevailing wind. Water guards the left of the green. Ben Hogan famously said: "If you ever see me on the eleventh green in two, you'll know I missed the shot." The intended landing area is short and right, with a chip up to the surface. The most disciplined approach hole at Augusta.

HOLE 12Golden BellPar 3 · 155 yds

The most photographed par 3 in golf. 155 yards, downhill over Rae's Creek to a green ~30 feet deep. Wind swirls because of the way the trees frame the tee box. Tom Weiskopf made a 13 in 1980 (five balls in the water). Jordan Spieth made a 7 in 2016 to lose a Masters he had been leading by five. Tiger Woods has called it "the hardest tee shot in golf, full stop."

HOLE 13AzaleaPar 5 · 545 yds (lengthened 2023)

The most famous risk-reward second shot in golf. Sharp dogleg left, tee shot must hug the corner to leave a chance of going for the green in two over Rae's Creek. Originally 485 yards; Augusta's 2023 redesign added 60 yards to bring the lay-up back into play for the modern bombers. Phil Mickelson's 6-iron from the pine straw in 2010 — through a gap in the trees, off the slope, to 4 feet — is one of the great shots in tournament history.

"I never thought of myself as having an off-day at Augusta. The course doesn't allow it. You can have a great round through nine holes and walk off after Amen Corner having lost the tournament." — Jack Nicklaus, six-time Masters champion

Back Nine — Where The Tournament Is Decided

Sunday at the Masters is built around the back nine. Television coverage in the United States traditionally doesn't begin until 2 p.m. ET on the final round, meaning patrons and viewers join the tournament as players are reaching the 10th tee. By design, the most dramatic moments unfold under maximum attention.

HOLE 10CamelliaPar 4 · 495 yds

Hardest stroke-average hole on the course over Masters history. Sharp downhill dogleg-left; the tee shot drops 100 feet to the fairway. Bubba Watson's hooked-wedge from the pine straw in the 2012 playoff is the most-replayed shot from this hole. The setup hole for everything that follows.

HOLE 15FirethornPar 5 · 530 yds

Reachable in two with water in front of the green. Eagle chances abound — and so do double bogeys. Gene Sarazen's albatross in the final round of the 1935 Masters ("the shot heard 'round the world") was here, a 235-yard 4-wood that helped him into a playoff he later won. The hole has produced more eagles in major championship history than any other par 5.

HOLE 16RedbudPar 3 · 170 yds

Par 3 over water, severe right-to-left slope on the green that funnels Sunday pin-position shots toward the back-left flag. Tiger Woods's chip-in on Sunday 2005 — the ball pausing on the lip with the Nike swoosh visible to the camera before dropping — is the single most-replayed shot in Masters television history. Players hit traditional skipping tee shots across the pond on Monday and Tuesday of tournament week.

HOLE 18HollyPar 4 · 465 yds

Uphill finishing hole, fairway bunker on the left at carry distance, two-tiered green with a back pin position that creates one-putt drama. Phil Mickelson's leaping fist-pump after the winning birdie putt in 2004 — first major after 0-for-46 — set the modern template for the green-jacket finish. McIlroy's birdie putt to force a playoff with Justin Rose in 2025 followed the same line.

Five Moments That Made The Masters

1935Sarazen's AlbatrossHole 15, final round

Gene Sarazen hit a 4-wood from 235 yards into the cup at the par-5 15th in the final round of the second-ever Masters. The shot — "the shot heard round the world" — made up three strokes in one swing, forced a 36-hole playoff with Craig Wood, and gave the young tournament its first piece of permanent mythology. Sarazen won the playoff. Without that swing, the Masters might not have become the cultural fixture it did.

1986Nicklaus at 46Back-nine 30, sixth green jacket

Jack Nicklaus shot 30 on the back nine on Sunday — including birdies at 10, 11, 13, eagle at 15, birdie at 16, birdie at 17 — to win his sixth and final Masters at age 46. Son Jackie was on the bag. The CBS audio of Verne Lundquist calling the 17th putt ("Yes, sir!") and the long lens of Nicklaus on 18 with the putter raised has been replayed every Masters since. The most beloved Masters win.

1997Tiger's 12-Stroke WinAge 21, first major

Tiger Woods won his first Masters by 12 strokes at age 21 — a record margin and a generational moment. The course was lengthened the following year ("Tiger-proofing") in response. The win opened a 13-major run through the next decade and made golf a different sport on television. Lee Elder, the first black golfer to play in the Masters in 1975, walked the first tee with Woods on Sunday.

2019Tiger's Comeback14 years after the previous, after fusion surgery

Tiger Woods won his fifth Masters and 15th major at age 43, after a decade of injury and personal turmoil — including spinal fusion surgery that doctors had told him would end his playing career. The roar on the 18th green when the final putt dropped is the loudest in Masters memory; even players in the clubhouse came out to watch.

2025McIlroy Completes The Grand SlamPlayoff over Justin Rose, sixth career-grand-slam winner

Rory McIlroy beat Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff to win his first Masters at the 17th attempt — completing the career grand slam and joining Sarazen, Hogan, Player, Nicklaus and Woods as the only players in golf history with all four men's majors. McIlroy then defended in 2026 to become the fourth player ever to go back-to-back. See our Back-to-Back Masters deep-dive.

Most Masters Wins — All-Time

Wins	Player	Years
6	Jack Nicklaus	1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986
5	Tiger Woods	1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019
4	Arnold Palmer	1958, 1960, 1962, 1964
3	Jimmy Demaret	1940, 1947, 1950
3	Sam Snead	1949, 1952, 1954
3	Gary Player	1961, 1974, 1978
3	Nick Faldo	1989, 1990, 1996
3	Phil Mickelson	2004, 2006, 2010
2	Rory McIlroy	2025, 2026 (back-to-back)
2	Horton Smith	1934, 1936
2	Byron Nelson	1937, 1942
2	Ben Hogan	1951, 1953
2	Tom Watson	1977, 1981
2	Seve Ballesteros	1980, 1983
2	Bernhard Langer	1985, 1993
2	José María Olazábal	1994, 1999
2	Bubba Watson	2012, 2014
2	Scottie Scheffler	2022, 2024

Eighteen players have won the Masters two or more times. Only four have done it back-to-back: Nicklaus (1965-66), Faldo (1989-90), Woods (2001-02) and now McIlroy (2025-26). The 90-year edition history sits at 55 unique champions.

The Green Jacket — Tradition And Trade Secret

The green jacket has been Augusta National's member uniform since 1937, introduced so members would be easily identifiable to patrons during tournament week. The tournament champion received a jacket for the first time in 1949, when Sam Snead won his first Masters; Augusta retroactively awarded jackets to all prior champions. Since then the jacket has been the most recognisable individual trophy in golf — more famous than the Claret Jug, more replayed than the Wanamaker.

The jacket itself stays at Augusta National. The reigning champion is permitted to take it home for the year between their win and the following Masters; on returning, the jacket goes into a private champions' locker room with the previous holders. The exact green dye specification is a closely-held trade secret — Hamilton Tailoring in Cincinnati has made every championship jacket since the 1950s from a specific wool blend, and the dye is not commercially available. Counterfeit jackets occasionally surface at auction; Augusta's legal team treats them seriously.

The Butler Cabin ceremony

The post-tournament jacket ceremony has been broadcast from the basement of the Butler Cabin — one of ten members' cabins on the property, near the 10th tee — since 1965. The defending champion places the green jacket on the new champion's shoulders; the chairman of Augusta National presents the trophy; the lead CBS broadcaster (Jim Nantz since 1989, succeeding Pat Summerall) conducts a brief interview. The ceremony lasts about three minutes and is the single most-replayed sequence in televised golf. The cabin itself is named for Thomas B. Butler, an early club member from South Carolina.

The McIlroy Chapter In Context

McIlroy's 2025-26 back-to-back is the fourth in Masters history. Each prior back-to-back came with its own historical weight:

Nicklaus (1965-66): the architect of modern major-winning consistency, defending mid-career in a 6-Masters run that defined the next two decades.
Faldo (1989-90): back-to-back playoff wins (over Scott Hoch in 1989, Raymond Floyd in 1990) that established Europe's modern Masters competitiveness; Faldo would add a third in 1996.
Woods (2001-02): the only player to hold all four men's major titles simultaneously after the 2001 win (the "Tiger Slam"); the 2002 defence consolidated his peak.
McIlroy (2025-26): the only career-grand-slam-completing back-to-back. The 2025 win completed his slam at the 17th attempt; the 2026 defence put him in a room previously occupied only by Nicklaus, Faldo and Woods. First European to defend a Masters.

For the full story of how the 2026 defence unfolded — round-by-round, with the Saturday charge that built the lead — see our Back-to-Back at Augusta deep-dive. For McIlroy's 2025 grand-slam-completion win, the playoff over Rose and the moment in Butler Cabin, see the Rory's Swing analysis. For his 2027 Ryder Cup year ahead at Adare Manor, see Ryder Cup 2027.

Planning A Trip To The Masters

Masters tickets are allocated through an annual online application at masters.com/tickets. Applications open in early June each year for the following April. Tournament-day badges (Thursday-Sunday) are awarded by lottery to a small percentage of applicants; practice-round tickets (Monday-Wednesday) have a slightly higher hit rate. Application is free; if drawn, badge prices are intentionally kept well below market — currently $115 for practice rounds and $140 per tournament day.

Getting there

Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) — smallest option, limited flights, often expensive during Masters week.
Atlanta (ATL) — 2.5 hours west by road. The default for travelling visitors.
Columbia, SC (CAE) — 1.25 hours northeast. Underrated alternative; smaller terminal, easier rentals.

Staying nearby

Augusta has limited hotel capacity that sells out a year in advance for Masters week. Most travelling visitors stay in Atlanta or Columbia and commute. Private rental homes near the course go via specialist Masters-week brokers at $5,000-$15,000 per week.

Hospitality packages

Tour operators (Premier Golf, Eventures, Quintevents) offer all-inclusive Masters-week packages from roughly $5,000 to $25,000+ per person, including venue access, accommodation, transfers and meals. Practice-round-only packages are the cheapest entry point. Sunday-only single-day badges via the secondary market are technically prohibited by Augusta but routinely trade in the $3,000-$10,000 range during tournament week.

For our broader US golf-travel breakdown including Augusta and the wider South Carolina / Georgia corridor, see Golf Travel Guide 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Augusta National's most famous holes?

Amen Corner (11, 12, 13), the par-3 16th (Redbud — Tiger's 2005 chip-in), the par-5 15th (Firethorn — Sarazen's albatross), and the par-4 finishing 18th (Holly). Beyond those, the par-4 10th (Camellia) is the hardest stroke-average hole over Masters history.

What is Amen Corner?

The stretch from the second shot at hole 11 through the tee shot at hole 13 — coined by Herbert Warren Wind in a 1958 Sports Illustrated piece. The most decisive three-hole sequence in major championship golf, defined by Rae's Creek and the swirling wind that funnels through the southeast corner of the property.

Why is the 12th hole called Golden Bell?

Every hole at Augusta is named for a flowering plant. The 12th green is bordered by yellow Carolina jessamine, known regionally as "golden bell" for its bell-shaped flowers. 155 yards over Rae's Creek, the most photographed par 3 in golf and the most dangerous tee shot in the Masters.

What is Rae's Creek?

The tributary of the Savannah River that runs through the southeast corner of Augusta National, defining Amen Corner. Crosses in front of the 12th green, behind the 11th, and along the 13th fairway. Named for John Rae, an 18th-century Irish settler on the land that became the course.

What is the Butler Cabin?

One of ten members' cabins on the Augusta grounds, near the 10th tee. CBS has broadcast the post-tournament green-jacket ceremony from its basement since 1965. The cabin is named for Thomas B. Butler, an early club member from South Carolina. The three-minute ceremony is the most replayed sequence in televised golf.

Who has won the most Masters?

Jack Nicklaus (6: 1963, 65, 66, 72, 75, 86). Tiger Woods (5: 1997, 2001, 02, 05, 19). Arnold Palmer (4: 1958, 60, 62, 64). Eight players have won three. Eighteen total have won two or more.

How does McIlroy's back-to-back rank in Masters history?

Fourth player ever to win back-to-back: Nicklaus (1965-66), Faldo (1989-90), Woods (2001-02), McIlroy (2025-26). The 2025 win completed McIlroy's career grand slam (sixth player ever). First European to defend a Masters. See our Back-to-Back at Augusta deep-dive.

When did the Masters start?

March 1934, originally as the "Augusta National Invitation Tournament." Horton Smith won the first edition. Renamed "the Masters" officially in 1939. The youngest of the four men's majors, but the only one played at the same course every year.

What are the most famous moments in Masters history?

Sarazen's albatross at 15 in 1935; Nicklaus's back-nine 30 at age 46 in 1986; Tiger's 12-stroke win at age 21 in 1997; Tiger's chip-in at 16 in 2005; Mickelson's leaping fist-pump after winning at 18 in 2004; McIlroy's 2025 playoff win over Rose to complete the career grand slam; Tiger's 2019 comeback after fusion surgery.

What does the green jacket represent?

Augusta National's member uniform since 1937, introduced for visibility during tournament week. First awarded to a champion in 1949 (Sam Snead). Made by Hamilton Tailoring in Cincinnati from a specific wool blend; the green dye is a trade secret. The jacket stays at the club — the champion takes it home for one year before returning it.

How can I plan a trip to attend the Masters?

Apply at masters.com/tickets in early June for the following April; tournament-day badges by lottery, practice-round tickets have a higher hit rate. Atlanta (2.5 hrs west) or Columbia, SC (1.25 hrs northeast) are the practical airports. Hospitality packages via Premier Golf, Eventures, Quintevents run $5,000-$25,000+ per person.