'Integrity' of course kept, Johnson says

The 70th Masters Tournament gets under way this week on an Augusta National Golf Club layout that has been beefed up since Tiger Woods won his fourth green jacket a year ago.

Six holes were tweaked for this year's Masters, adding 155 yards to the course and bringing Augusta National's overall length to 7,445 yards. Patrons will have limited seating between the putting green and the No. 1 tee.

A new crosswalk has been added for this year on No. 1, near where the old tee was, and the traditional crosswalk on the No. 1 fairway will remain.

The changes to holes Nos. 4, 7, 11 and 15 also will give patrons new and expanded viewing areas.

Augusta National and Masters Chairman Hootie Johnson said the changes were designed to keep the original intent of course designers Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie. But player reaction has been critical to some of the changes, which are the most sweeping at Augusta National since nine holes were lengthened nearly 300 yards in 2002.

Before this week's tournament, Mr. Johnson answered questions about the course changes.

Question: Are you satisfied that the course changes reflect what the club set out to do, which you said was to maintain the integrity and shot values of the golf course?

Mr. Johnson: We are satisfied that the changes made this year, together with those made in recent years, are appropriate for today's game. I think we met our objective of maintaining the integrity and shot values of the golf course as envisioned by Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie. We also continued our goal of placing a premium on accuracy off the tee. I think one example is No. 4, where in 1959 Bobby Jones said that this shot is usually a strong iron or even a 4- or 3-wood. I do think we have returned the hole to the way it was meant to be played.

Q: Was there one shot or particular moment that prompted the latest changes (i.e., Phil Mickelson's drive on No. 11 a few years ago)?

Mr. Johnson: No, there really wasn't one specific shot. We evaluate the performance of every hole every year. I do think it's telling that in two of the last three Masters an amateur has led the field in driving. We strongly believe this is the future of the game.

Q: Player reaction has been critical of some of the changes, particularly Nos. 7 and 11. Are the players overreacting?

Mr. Johnson: These are the best players in the world, and I'm certain they will figure out a way to play the holes that have changed.

Q: No. 11 has been changed three times in the last five years, with numerous trees planted and the hole lengthened. Are you satisfied you have it right now?

Mr. Johnson: Originally, No. 11 was a drive followed by a relatively easy pitch shot. In the early 1950s, Bobby Jones added a pond and moved the tee adding 35 yards to the scorecard. Later, in Golf Is My Game (written in 1960), Bob described the second shot on 11 as one "... usually played with a 3-iron or a stronger club" when the pin is to the rear of the green. We think that the recent changes to the 11th have properly restored the hole to that which Jones intended - a demanding tee shot followed by a long-iron second, played to a well-guarded green.

Q: Has there been any thought to seeing how the course plays under dry conditions before making additional changes?

Mr. Johnson: While we have had some rain in the past several years, we have had enough dry conditions to monitor the golf course in order to know these changes were warranted for today's game. Our goal has always been to keep the course firm and fast, but we have the flexibility to adjust our course setup based on predicted weather conditions.

Q: If conditions are firm and dry this year, what range would you expect for the winning score?

Mr. Johnson: I wouldn't want to guess on a score, but it is important to remember that we have never been worried about scores. As Bobby Jones said, "...we are quite willing to have low scores made during the tournament. ... It is our feeling that there is something wrong with a golf course which will not yield a score in the sixties to a player who has played well enough to deserve it." Our greatest concern has always been that the course be kept current with the times.

Q: Fourteen holes have changed under your watch as chairman. What can we expect for Nos. 3, 6, 12 and 16 in the future?

Mr. Johnson: The golf course is the way we want it to be this year. We will continue to study possible improvements.