The change: The tee on the 17th hole was moved back 25 yards and the new pine clusters right of the 15th fairway will also come into play right of the 17th fairway in the landing area. The hole will play 425 yards.
The effect: Of all the holes that were altered, this is the one that will surprise the Masters competitors the most. It's much tougher from 425 yards as opposed to its old yardage of 400 yards. Not only that, but the tee has been moved slightly to the left, making it more of a dogleg.
For the medium to short hitting pros, they're now going to have to worry about clearing the famous Eisenhower pine tree in the left-center of the fairway. If they bail out to the right, now they have to contend with the pine trees that have been planted to the right on the adjacent 15th hole. The added difficulty of this hole will added even more drama to Masters finishes.
Ironically, while the championship tee was moved back, the members' tee was moved forward from its old spot. Even Ike, who wanted the big pine tree cut down because he kept hitting it, could clear it with regularity now. The way to play the hole from the new tee is to hit a draw to the right of the Eisenhower pine.
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Nandina: Nandia domestica
