No. 12 can blow away hopes of jacket

Augusta National Golf Club’s Golden Bell is one of the most famous holes in golf, drawing big crowds and being the subject of numerous paintings over the years.

The 12th hole plays 155 yards, a number that never changes on the scorecard, but swirling winds on the short par-3 often cause indecision and havoc.

“You hear guys saying, don’t pull a club on 12 until you see both flags on 11 and 12 are moving in the same direction,” Tiger Woods said Tuesday. “They are never, ever moving the same direction. I’ve played 11, 12 and 13 either all downwind or all into the wind. How does that work? You know, you get
down there and Bobby Jones has turned this fan on down there and it swirls.”

The signature hole of Amen Corner, No. 12 is the shortest one on the course. Clubs tend to range from 6- to 9-irons, and a small green means an incorrect club off the tee can hurt.

“I know a solid 8-iron with no wind is middle of the green for me,” John Peterson said. “Usually, when you get there you have a little adrenaline, so you kind of have to back off a little bit.”

The 12th hole is tied for third-toughest on the course historically, at 3.29. It ranked 13th in 2012 at 3.06, but it ranked fifth and fourth over the first two rounds of this year’s Masters Tournament, totaling 19 birdies. It averaged 3.07 on Saturday with 11 birdies.

There have been three holes-in-one at Golden Bell. Claude Harmon used a 7-iron to ace it in 1947, William Hyndman used a 6-iron in 1959, and Curtis Strange used a 7-iron in 1988 – all from 155 yards.

Only one player has birdied the hole all four rounds of one Masters: Scott Verplank in 2003.

“The hole is always playing tough,” said Thorbjorn Olesen, who birdied it Satur­day. “It’s a small green, and the wind is tricky down there.”

Rae’s Creek, a bunker between the creek and green, and the embankment behind the green that includes two bunkers have claimed victims over the years. A signature spot of Augusta National is the Ben Hogan Bridge, which players use to walk across Rae’s Creek.

Because of its historic nature, little has changed at No. 12. The most dramatic change occurred in 1990 when Rae’s Creek flooded, causing damage to the green and necessitating a rebuilding effort. The flood also destroyed the 11th green.

Another change occurred in 1951 when the green was extended to the right by 18 feet.

Pin placements have remained consistent at No. 12 through the years. Today’s pin is expected to be on the right side, bringing the creek well into play.