On Masters Sunday, Andy Johnson of The Fried Egg Explains Augusta National's Genius Design

Augusta National Golf Club has long been an iconic – if not the most iconic – of global golf courses. Even if you’ve never had the opportunity to play the Georgia peach, it’s likely you know plenty of the holes already. Drama, excitement, conditioning. Pines. Flowers. Slopes. Creek.

With the final round of the Masters underway now, you’ve likely noticed there’s been one big change to the golf course for 2023 (more on that later). And while there are plenty of reasons to love the Masters, the golf course is always the big one.

But how did it get to be that way?

“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” said founder of The Fried Egg and authoritative architecture expert Andy Johnson, “but if you think of the real basic aspect of it, it’s a magnificent golf design on a really fascinating piece of land.

“You think about the best courses in the world … they usually combine great land with great design, and that’s here.”

Founded in 1932 by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, the club – designed by Jones and Dr. Alister MacKenzie – opened in 1932. The first Masters Tournament was contested in 1934. The course, formerly a plant nursery, features each hole being named for a flower. Iconic moments have occurred on basically all of them. It measures 7,545 yards and plays to a par of 72.

Johnson says there are two things that stand out the most about Augusta National – the greens and the routing.

“The greens are probably the among the, if not the, greatest set of 18 greens (in the world),” said Johnson. “Gil Hanse often says that greens are the faces of a portrait, so greens are so important. That’s what drives everything back to the tee.

“Here you’ve got arguably the best set of greens in the world and they’re the star of the show.”

The routing of the course provides for pockets of energy, and that’s why those “Augusta National roars” are so familiar to folks on TV and the on-site patrons.

“The reason you can hear the roars is because there is this massive property, but the way the course is laid on the ground, it’s very intimate,” says Johnson. You get these pockets, like 15, 16, six and 17 tee plus 17 green, seven green – two green right by each other there. You have these areas that create these roars. It’s very intentional.

“The way this golf course is big yet close together makes the energy so electric on the weekend.”

There are subtle changes made to Augusta National almost each year, but sometimes there are major changes that come along, too.

This year, Augusta National added 35 yards to No. 13. Last year, it was one of the easiest holes on the course, playing to an average of just 4.8 strokes. The club raised the tee box, which eliminated the opportunity to cut off a lot of yards around the corner, making it a more difficult shot into the green. There are plenty of options now.

Given golfers’ lengths these days, Johnson believes the change needed to be done.

“These last few years everyone romanticized about the Bobby Jones ‘momentous decision’ (but) if they hit the fairway it was an auto conclusion they would hit the green. Now, are you going to lay up if you’re two back on Sunday? That’s the decision. It’ll be different,” says Johnson. “Some people might think it’s less interesting on Friday if people aren’t going for it, but if someone is coming down on Sunday, then we’re going to say it was worth it for that. What (Augusta National is) going for is a variety of decisions to be made.”

Augusta National has been set up to provide a wide range of outcomes on every hole for the best in the world, according to Johnson. There are so many holes at Augusta National where guys could make three, but a six is also readily available.

There continues to be plenty of reasons for why this golf course is so special to so many people, but part of the allure of Augusta National – and the Masters as a whole – is how so many styles of golfers could win.

“One of the things about this place is, yes, you need to have some power. You need to be a great approach player or have a great approach week. But it doesn’t necessarily discriminate against a certain type of player,” says Johnson. “Anyone can play a good round because it’s wide enough, so it doesn’t become a power test. A more accurate player can hit every fairway and say, ‘I’m going to shoot a good round.’ And then a power player can say, ‘well I can get over those hills and have shorter clubs in my hands.’ ”

“Every player comes here thinking they can put good rounds together at Augusta National if they play well.”

So, while a star will be bestowed a Green Jacket on Sunday evening, the green grass of Augusta National will – now and always – be the true star every April.