The Five Holes that Will Decide the Masters

Before the start of any golf tournament you can take a look at the course and find the holes that will decide the winner, and the Masters is no different. This year the holes at Augusta National have not gone through any major changes as they have in some recent years. As with any golf course, weather conditions will play a big role in determining whether greens play hard and fast or soft and inviting. Here we will take a look at the five holes the players will need to manage in order to take home the 2010 green jacket.

Hole number one, Tea Olive: A 445 yard par 4 hole Tea Olive is a slight dog leg right. The approach shot is the key shot on this hole as you want to shoot for the center of the wavy green, to set up a two putt. During the 2009 Masters it ranked as the fourth hardest hole on the course, and no one posted better than a par in the third round. It is a tough hole to open up a round and many will be quite happy to walk away with par.

Hole number four, Flowering Crab Apple: A 240 yard par 3 hole Flowering Crab Apple is a long par three with a nasty greenside bunker on the right preventing a straight shot to most of the green. The green is two tiered and it is often hard to stop your ball on the correct tier because you have to approach with a long iron off the tee. In 2009 it ranked as the sixth hardest hole and surrendered just four birdies in the final round.

Hole number nine, Carolina Cherry: A 460 yard par 4 hole Carolina Cherry is a hole where the drive is key. You want to set yourself up down the right hand side to take the two greenside bunkers out of play. The second will be into a green that slopes from the back to the front. The fifth hardest hole in 2009 only four combined birdies were registered in the final two rounds. Once again players will be happy with a par here to close out the back nine.

Hole number ten, Camellia: A 495 yard par 4 hole Camellia plays downhill so that will help some with the yardage. The tee shot will need to be to the left or down the center to have a good shot at the green. The green slopes from right to left and and trouble lurks all around the green so players want to make sure they don't miss their second shot. Traditionally the hardest hole on the course, it was a little bit kinder in 2009 ranking as only the third hardest.

Hole number eleven, White Dogwood: A 505 yard par 4 hole White Dogwood this hole also plays downhill, but the wind often makes this hole even more difficult. A tight fairway that has trees on the right and pine straw on the left will greet the players. A mound in front of the green makes the approach shot more difficult. This was ranked the hardest hole in 2009. This is the hole that Larry Mize birdied in 1987 to defeat Greg Norman.

So there you have it the five holes that will more than likely decide the 2010 Masters champion. If one can survive the treacherous three hole stretch that is nine, ten, and eleven at even par than fate may just bring them a green jacket on Sunday.