Pro Golf Now
Fansided

The 16th Hole: The Most Important Hole at the Masters

By Jake Klausner

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 13: Patrick Cantlay of the United States, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Dustin Johnson of the United States walk on the 16th hole during the second round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on November 13, 2020 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 13: Patrick Cantlay of the United States, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Dustin Johnson of the United States walk on the 16th hole during the second round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on November 13, 2020 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

When you think about the best par-threes in golf, No. 12 at Augusta National takes most of the glory, as it is pretty magnificent. However, one hole that is often overlooked, especially at Augusta, is the 16th hole.

At 170 yards over a body of water, the 16th, or ‘Redbud,’ is one of the most pivotal holes at the Masters and has seen countless memorable moments take place over the years.

I always look forward to watching the top guys try to attack the Sunday pin placement, which sits at the back right portion of the green, making for an exciting, but dangerous pin placement.

A player must make sure he crosses the bunker, which sits right in front of the hole, and the water, which covers the entire area between the green and the tee box, to get to the area of the green where the pin sits.

While the shot may seem daunting, there is a ridge that can take your ball right to the hole. Other players can choose to be more aggressive and take the Sunday pin head-on, but you don’t want to come up short.

Augusta, Augusta National, Masters, 2022 Masters, Redbud, 16th
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 08: (L-R) Tiger Woods of the United States, Justin Thomas of the United States, and Fred Couples of the United States skip balls across the water hazard on the 16th hole during a practice round prior to The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 08, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /

The 16th has impacted many final rounds, but the fun begins at the practice round as players will take turns skipping the ball across the water and onto the green. Last year, Jon Rahm made a hole-in-one after skipping his ball across the water.

Speaking of hole-in-ones, no other hole at Augusta has seen more aces than Redbud, with Tommy Fleetwood’s first-round ace in 2021 being the last one. In recent years, the 16th has seen plenty of magic. Both Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau aced the 16th in 2019, and three players (Shane Lowry, Louis Oosthuizen, and Davis Love III) aced it in 2016, all three taking place in the final round.

The 16th has also seen plenty of crucial moments in the final round. From Arnold Palmer’s unlikely chip-in in 1962 to beat Gary Player to Jack Nicklaus’ immortalizing putt in 1975 to beat Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller. We’ve also seen mishaps like Greg Norman’s historic six-stroke collapse in 1996.

However, one moment is regarded as one of the greatest moments in Masters history. Tiger Woods had a one-stroke lead in the final round of the 2005 Masters, but Chris DiMarco wasn’t going to go away lightly. After DiMarco put his tee shot on 16 on the green, Woods blew his eight-iron over the green. What seemed like an impossible up-and-down turned into one of the most incredible shots in Masters history.

Woods’ chip skirted left of the hole, took the ridge towards the hole, and the rest is history. Woods would beat Chris DiMarco in a thrilling playoff to win his fourth Green Jacket.

The 12th hole may take all the glory at the Masters, but the 16th hole is the most important hole on the golf course. You can afford to mess up on the 12 because you still have the entire back nine left, whereas if you find difficulties at 16, you have to deal with two long par-fours to finish.

Next. Stiff Upper Lips and Jolly Green Jackets: Augusta and the British. dark

The 16th at Augusta has seen its fair share of ups and downs, chip-ins, and aces. The 12th hole may have all the beauty and glory, but the 16th has all the excitement. What more do you need on a Sunday at the Masters?

Home/Golf History