What Is Par at Augusta National Golf Course?

The official scorecard at Augusta National Golf Course lists par as 72. But as any golf fan knows, that number simply doesn't capture the whole picture of what it takes to navigate a round at the home of the Masters. This guide will break down the hole-by-hole par, explain why shooting even par at Augusta is one of the toughest tests in golf, and give you an insider's look into the challenge behind that simple number: 72.

The Official Scorecard: A Par 72 Layout

On paper, Augusta National is a traditional par-72 championship course. This means a player is expected to complete the 18 holes in 72 strokes. Like most classic designs, the nines are balanced, with both the front and back adding up to a par of 36. This symmetry is created by including two par-3s, five par-4s, and two par-5s on each side.

• The Front Nine: Par 36
• The Back Nine: Par 36
• Total Par: 72

For the Masters Tournament, the course typically plays to a length of around 7,555 yards. But par isn't just about length. At Augusta, par represents a battle fought on every shot against severe elevation changes, sloping fairways, and, most famously, the most treacherous green complexes in the world. Merely hitting 18 greens in regulation doesn't guarantee a round of par golfer, it just gives you 18 chances to three-putt.

A Hole-by-Hole Guide to Par at Augusta

To truly understand par at Augusta, you have to look hole by hole. Each one presents a unique challenge where making a "4" on a par-4 can feel entirely different depending on which hole you're on.

The Front Nine: Setting the Stage (Par 36)

The front nine lulls many players into a false sense of security. While it appears more straightforward than the famous back nine, it contains a series of stern tests that can wreck a round before a player even thinks about Amen Corner.

• Hole 1 (Tea Olive): Par 4. A tough opening hole. An elevated green means the approach shot is blind and difficult to judge. A starting par feels like a birdie.
• Hole 2 (Pink Dogwood): Par 5. The first legitimate birdie - or even eagle - opportunity. A well-struck drive down the left side can give players a chance to go for the green in two.
• Hole 3 (Flowering Peach): Par 4. A classic short par-4, but the pear-shaped green is severely sloped and devilishly hard to hold.
• Hole 4 (Flowering Crab Apple): Par 3. An absolute beast of a long par-3. It often requires a long iron or hybrid to a green defended by two massive bunkers. Par here is an outstanding score.
• Hole 5 (Magnolia): Par 4. Lengthened significantly over the years, this has become one of the most difficult par-4s on the course. Par is a great result.
• Hole 6 (Juniper): Par 3. An "easy" looking hole on the scorecard, this severely downhill par-3 provides some of the trickiest pin placements on the course. That massive tiered green creates a puzzle.
• Hole 7 (Pampas): Par 4. A tight, narrow hole where the premium is on finding the fairway to setup an approach to a tiny, elevated green surrounded by bunkers.
• Hole 8 (Yellow Jasmine): Par 5. The second par-5 gives players another chance to attack. An uphill hole where an accurate second shot can lead to a simple third and a good look at birdie.
• Hole 9 (Carolina Cherry): Par 4. The approach shot here is famously challenging, as you hit into a severely three-tiered green that slopes dramatically from back to front. Leaving the ball below the hole is the only way to have a realistic chance at making par.

The Back Nine: Where Legends are Made (Par 36)

This is it. The most famous stretch of holes in golf. The back nine at Augusta is synonymous with Masters Sunday drama, where players must navigate immense pressure and risk-reward decisions.

• Hole 10 (Camellia): Par 4. Historically the most difficult hole on the course. A twisting, downhill par-4 where everything slopes to the right. Players gladly take a 4 and run to the 11th tee.
• Hole 11 (White Dogwood): Par 4. The start of Amen Corner. A long par-4 with water guarding the left of the green. Bailing out to the right is safe but leaves a delicate chip shot, making par a very difficult score to achieve.
• Hole 12 (Golden Bell): Par 3. Probably the most famous par-3 on the planet. Barely 155 yards, it's a test of nerve over ball-striking. Swirling winds and a razor-thin green make walking away with a 3 a massive emotional victory.
• Hole 13 (Azalea): Par 5. The classic risk-reward closing hole of Amen Corner. A sharp dogleg left where a good drive brings the momentous "go for it" decision into play over Rae’s Creek. A potential eagle, but also a potential disaster. Par can feel like a letdown here.
• Hole 14 (Chinese Fir): Par 4. The only hole on the course without a single bunker. Its defense is a wildly complex green with huge contours that repel poorly struck approach shots.
• Hole 15 (Firethorn): Par 5. The last "guaranteed" birdie/eagle opportunity. Another risk-reward par-5 where players often go for the green over the pond in front. We've seen tournament-winning eagles and soul-crushing big numbers here.
• Hole 16 (Redbud): Par 3. A beautiful but dangerous hole played entirely over water. The green slopes severely toward the water, creating iconic Sunday pin placements that funnel balls toward the hole.
• Hole 17 (Nandina): Par 4. Home of the famous Eisenhower Tree (before its removal), this par-4 demands an accurate tee shot to navigate the undulating fairway.
• Hole 18 (Holly): Par 4. A truly iconic finishing hole. An uphill climb through a narrow chute of trees to reach one last challenging green. A par here to win The Masters is the stuff of dreams.

The Augusta A-Factor: Why Par Here Is So Demanding

You can see the scorecard and know the pars, but you can’t fully appreciate the difficulty without understanding the terrain itself. Par at Augusta is elusive because the course design factors in elements that go way beyond simple distance and accuracy.

Drastic Elevation Changes

TV flattens Augusta National. In reality, the course is built on a piece of property with dramatic hills and slopes. Players face severely uneven lies and uphill or downhill approach shots constantly. The 10th hole, for example, drops more than 100 feet from tee to green. This elevation makes club selection an exercise in guesswork and calculation, directly impacting a player's ability to hit a Green in Regulation (GIR) and have a stress-free chance at par.

The Infamous Green Complexes

Augusta National's ultimate defense is its putting surfaces. The greens are famously fast, but it's the severe undulation that makes them so tough. They are composed of small sections and dramatic tiers, where being on the wrong side of a ridge can mean a guaranteed three-putt. A player can hit a fantastic iron shot that lands just 20 feet from the hole and watch in horror as it trickles off the green or leaves an impossibly breaking putt. Securing a par often depends more on where you leave your approach shot than how close it is to the pin opening.

A Living Scorecard: The Evolution of Par at Augusta

While the par has been 72 since 1940, the course itself has been anything but static. Co-founder Bobby Jones always intended for Augusta to evolve. Over the decades, small tweaks and major changes have been made to maintain the course's challenge against advancements in golf equipment and player athleticism.

The most famous series of changes occurred in the early 2000s, often called "Tiger-proofing." Multiple holes were lengthened to put driver back in the hands of the world's longest hitters, making it harder to reach the par-5s in two and requiring longer irons into the demanding par-4s. So, while a hole like the 5th (Magnolia) is still listed as a par 4, playing it at nearly 500 yards has turned it into one of the most feared holes on the property. Par remains 72, but the work required to achieve it has grown substantially.

Final Thoughts

So, we know par at Augusta National is officially 72, but recognize that number fails to tell the full story. It’s a dynamic score that represents a constant test against audacious green complexes, dramatic course contours, and immense pressure, making every single par a hard-earned victory.

Understanding the strategy behind each par - knowing when to attack and when to play for the middle of the green - is what makes golf so interesting. On any course, making the right decisions can be difficult, which is exactly why our team built Caddie AI. Our app delivers smart, simple guidance, helping you build a sound strategy for every hole or get a recommendation for a tricky shot you might face. It serves as your personal 24/7 caddie and coach, so you feel prepared and more confident over every swing.