Immelman Says Augusta National Will Be Different In November

Trevor Immelman, who claimed the title at Augusta National in 2008, says the course will play differently in November. Find out what will change, according to Immelman.

In a conference call about being named captain of the 2021 Presidents Cup for the Internationals, Trevor Immelman, former Masters winner, said that Augusta National in the fall will produce a different kind of scoring, perhaps not as low as in the spring. Certainly, there will be a different look to the scenery, with the fall colors in full glory framed by the dark green pines. But changing leaf color is not going to be a playing problem.

Immelman, who was the 2008 champ, said that the actual grass on the course will be in good shape.

More from Courses

“They have the ability to control, from an agronomy standpoint, the types of moisture and what is going on,” he said.

The course will be overseeded, likely in September, and so the ryegrass overseed will be fairly fresh and should be plenty thick, in so far as grass that is less than a quarter-inch high can be. What will be different, Immelman believes, is the weather.

“You look at the average temperatures in April, you’re looking at the 70s,” he said. “You’re looking in November, it’s in the lower 60s.”

When the temperatures are lower, the ball doesn’t fly as far. Anyone who plays golf knows that. However, many years, it’s been sweater weather or jacket weather at the Masters in April. It’s often been played in the 50s and 60s.

The bigger factor, according to Immelman, will be the wind. The combination of the two – the anticipated lower temperatures and wind – he thinks will definitely affect scoring. Also because of the wind, the holes will play much differently than in the spring

“The massive wild card is going to be Mother Nature,” he said.

“The 1st hole is going to play a lot longer. You look at 17 and 18, you’re going to be coming into some kind of breeze, he added.

But the biggest change will be the par fives.

“Four par-5s, with a northerly wind, will have some kind of breeze into, and so maybe not the same amount of birdies and eagles as what we’re used to when we have nice warm weather in April,” he anticipated.

However, what Mother Nature taketh away, she giveth on other holes.

“You’re looking at the hardest on the golf course last year was the 5th hole. That’s now going to have the chance to play downwind,” he said. “Ten, 11, 12, so that start of Amen Corner, that’s all going to be coming downwind, so those holes may play a little bit shorter.”

Looking at google earth and google maps, the second would be straight downwind, if the breeze is from the north, while the eighth would be into the wind. The 13th would be into the wind off the tee and cross wind from the right on the second shot. The 15th would play in a slight cross wind from the right and into the golfer.

Immelman said he has played the course in November many times, and his comments were based on his experience playing then. He predicts higher scores than in April.

Because it’s typically less rainy in November, the ball may not stop as quickly anywhere on the course. There could be more runout on drives. And the sixth green, for instance, might be unholdable.

Certainly, there will be fewer hours of daylight, with sunrise at 6:59 AM and sunset at 5:24 PM. That means there will be about two hours less daylight in mid-November, which will, no doubt, affect tee times and the finish time.

However, no matter what time of year the tournament is held, it’s certain that guessing the right yardage at the 12th hole will still prove to be an incredible challenge.

Home/The Masters