Editing Masters Tournament (section)

===Course adjustments===
As with many other courses, Augusta National's championship setup was lengthened in recent years. In [[2001 Masters Tournament|2001]], the course measured {{convert|6925|yd}} and was extended to {{convert|7270|yd|0}} for 2002, and again in [[2006 Masters Tournament|2006]] to {{convert|7445|yd}}; {{convert|520|yd|0}} longer than the 2001 course.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/low/golf/1479540.stm |title=Changes afoot at Augusta |work=BBC Sport |access-date=January 30, 2008 |date=August 7, 2001 |archive-date=December 27, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021227122744/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/low/golf/1479540.stm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/masters/2005-06-28-augusta-changes_x.htm |newspaper=USA Today |title=Augusta National plans to add length |last=Spousta |first=Tom |access-date=January 30, 2008 |date=June 29, 2005 |archive-date=May 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510070543/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/masters/2005-06-28-augusta-changes_x.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> The changes attracted many critics, including the most successful players in Masters history, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tiger Woods. Woods claimed that the "shorter hitters are going to struggle". Augusta National chairman [[William "Hootie" Johnson|Hootie Johnson]] was unperturbed, stating, "We are comfortable with what we are doing with the golf course."  After a practice round, Gary Player defended the changes, saying, "There have been a lot of criticisms, but I think unjustly so, now I've played it.... The guys are basically having to hit the same second shots that Jack Nicklaus had to hit (in his prime)".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/4876844.stm |title=Row over Augusta changes goes on |work=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=January 21, 2008 |date=April 5, 2006 |archive-date=April 12, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060412102446/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/4876844.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>

The first hole was shortened by {{convert|10|yd|0}} for the [[2009 Masters Tournament]].  For the [[2019 Masters Tournament]], the fifth hole was lengthened by {{convert|40|yd}} from 455 yards to 495 yards, with two new gaping bunkers on the left side of the fairway.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/25892523/augusta-national-lengthens-fifth-hole-ahead-2019-masters |work=ESPN |title=Augusta National lengthens fifth hole ahead of 2019 Masters |first=Bob |last=Harig |date=January 31, 2019 |access-date=January 31, 2019 |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201013143/http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/25892523/augusta-national-lengthens-fifth-hole-ahead-2019-masters |url-status=live}}</ref> The length of the course is {{convert|7475|yd}}.

Originally, the grass on the putting greens was wide-bladed [[Bermuda grass|Bermuda]]. The greens lost speed, especially during the late 1970s, after the introduction of a healthier strain of narrow-bladed Bermuda, which thrived and grew thicker. In 1978, the greens on the par 3 course were reconstructed with [[bentgrass]], a narrow-bladed species that could be mowed shorter, eliminating grain.<ref name=bent/> After this test run, the greens on the main course were replaced with bentgrass in time for the 1981 Masters. The bentgrass resulted in significantly faster putting surfaces, which has required a reduction in some of the contours of the greens over time.<ref name=bent>{{cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/augusta/news/2001/03/28/greens_bentgrass/ |title=Desire for faster greens led to use of Bentgrass |work=CNNSI.com & The Augusta Chronicle |last=Westin |first=David |date=March 28, 2001 |access-date=January 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425205409/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/augusta/news/2001/03/28/greens_bentgrass/ |archive-date=April 25, 2009}}</ref>

Just before the 1975 tournament, the common beige sand in the bunkers was replaced with the now-signature white feldspar. It is a [[quartz]] derivative of the mining of [[feldspar]] and is shipped in from [[North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sportsline.com/golf/tournaments/masters/course/changes |work=CBS Sports |title=Golf Course Guide |access-date=January 26, 2008 |archive-date=September 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915034541/http://www.sportsline.com/golf/tournaments/masters/course/changes |url-status=live}}</ref>