Masters 2012: Power Ranking the Most Picturesque Holes at Augusta

The 2012 Masters tournament is underway, and we have already been blessed with a beautiful first round of golf. After 18 holes, Lee Westwood is leading the way at five under par. Tiger Woods sits at T-29 at even par, Rory McIlroy sits at T-14 at one under par and Phil Mickelson sits at T-55 at two over par.

While the 2012 Masters will end on Sunday, in which will likely be another storybook ending, the beauty of Augusta National will never fade. This course contains some of the most spectacular holes in all of golf. From the moment you first enter through Magnolia Lane (pictured), everything is picture perfect.

Let's power rank each hole to find out which one reigns supreme as the most picturesque hole of the Masters.

Chinese Fir (Hole 14)

The 14th hole at Augusta, or better known as Chinese Fir is a 440-yard, par-four. The only bunker, which guarded the right side of the green, was removed in 1952.  

It is now the only hole of the Masters tournament without a bunker. Instead, defending the flag is a large, terraced green making it one of the most difficult putting surfaces in the tournament.

The trick to the Chinese Fir is keeping your ball to the left on your drive. The left-to-right sloping green will cause balls to roll off the fairway and into shaded rough.

Simple, yet elegantly deceiving, Chinese Fir sits at the bottom of the list which testifies to the overall high standard of beauty of the course.

Flowering Crab Apple (Hole 4)

Flowering Crab Apple, the fourth hole at the Masters, is even more deceiving than Chinese Fir. The 240-yard, par-three generally requires a long iron and usually plays even longer due to a steady breeze from the hole.

The two bunkers guard which used to be a smaller and more boomerang-shaped green. The putting surface has since been widened out, though it still remains a very elusive target.

Due to the length and tricky winds, a sand wedge is a common sight on hole No. 4. 

Juniper (Hole 6)

The second par-three at Augusta, Juniper, is a good 70 yards shorter than Flowering Crab Apple. The elevated tee and only one bunker, located in front of the green, makes for a strong birdie chance.

Originally the hole had a stream located in front, which was then turned into a pond to add more difficulty. The pond rarely came into play and was therefore removed before 1960.

The removal of the water made this hole a little less worrisome, but caused it to slip in the picturesque rankings just a bit. Nevertheless, with blooming flowers and a beautiful view from the tee, Juniper has a strong footing at 16th in our rankings.

Pink Dogwood (Hole 2)

Pink Dogwood, named for the numerous Dogwood trees that line the fairway, is a 575-yard, par-five. A tee shot slightly down the left side will avoid the large fairway bunker and can create an eagle opportunity if the second shot avoids the two deep greenside bunkers.

In the first round of the 2012 Masters, multiple players were able to reach in two and complete successful eagle attempts.

The pink Dogwoods that surround this hole begin blooming in late-March, perfect timing for the early April start date. 

Pampas (Hole 7)

Pampas, the seventh hole, is named for the pampas grass which lies just left of the tee box. Native to Argentina, the grass begins blooming in August and continues all the way through the following spring.

The fairway of the seventh hole at Augusta is fairly straight with a slight incline. Accuracy on the second shot is of up-most importance as five large bunkers wait around the green to swallow anything wayward.

Originally lacking the five bunkers, Pampas has since been made more difficult. The addition of the hazards surrounding the green boosts the hole to 14th place.

Flowering Peach (Hole 3)

Flowering Peach, the third hole at Augusta National, is closest to its original design than any other hole. It is an average length par-four that has a cluster of fairway bunkers for a too-powerful tee shot. After hitting short of the bunkers, a longer shot is needed to get uphill and to the right of the greenside bunker.

The designers of Augusta National, Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie, thought the Flowering Peach was one of their best-designed holes and it certainly shows.

Tea Olive (Hole 1)

Tea Olive is the very first hole of Augusta National, on which the honorary tee shot takes place.

The fairway from the tee begins wide but bottlenecks and bends slightly right around a fairway bunker. The second shot must avoid the greenside bunker to the left and be able to make it up the undulating green. 

Bunkers have been added, moved and taken away from the fairway of the first tee, but that hasn't stopped it from being inside the cut of the top dozen most picturesque.

Carolina Cherry (Hole 9)

The last hole before making the turn is Carolina Cherry, a 460-yard dogleg left.

With two greenside bunkers threatening the left side, players often drive down the right. The second shot is uphill and must be placed higher than the pin before the back-to-front slope takes over.

Carolina Cherry serves as one of the last of the less difficult holes before heading into Amen Corner and the rest of the back nine.

Yellow Jasmine (Hole 8)

Yellow Jasmine is the second par-five on the front nine and is much more difficult to reach for an eagle opportunity. 

From the tee, the fairway bends slightly right around a fairway bunker before curving back to the left where the bunkerless green is found.

Although sand does not come into play once the fairway bunker is cleared, the distinct mounds that guard the green have proven to be equally challenging.

Magnolia (Hole 5)

Breaking into the top half of our rankings is Magnolia, a 455-yard, par-four. It is a uphill dogleg left that requires a very accurate tee shot.

A pair of fairway bunkers lie just in the middle of the turn. The drive off the tee must either be kept to the right or have at least 320 yards of distance in the air. 

Once this difficult shot is made, the second must be placed higher than the pin to account for the back-to-front slope. Balls hit too long will have a sandy landing in the only greenside bunker, located behind the green.

While designing the hole, Bobby Jones drew a lot of detail from the 17th at St. Andrew's.

Holly (Hole 18)

Holly, the final hole at Augusta National, is a steep climb to a small green. The dogleg right requires two very good shots to reach the green, which is part of the reason why it is one of the most fantastic finishes in all of golf.

The tee shot, ideally would have a slight slice as to avoid the cluster of deep fairway bunkers. Too much slice and your with the numerous variations of Holly from which the hole was named. 

The second shot is, once again, an uphill shot. Avoiding the two huge greenside bunkers, and making it onto the small green will end your day on a high point at Augusta.

Nandina (Hole 17)

Before reaching the difficult 18th, players must first make their way past Nandina. 

The par-four 17th is home to a famous loblolly pine, the Eisenhower Tree. It earned its name because President Eisenhower's tee shot found its way into it so many times that he requested it be cut down.

While the Eisenhower Tree remains, bunkers have been added to the front of the green which have taken away the possibility of running up onto the green.

Easily one of the most demanding driving holes, Nandina has been a historical hole heading into the 18th.

White Dogwood (Hole 11)

White Dogwood is the first hole of Amen Corner. The 505-yard, par-four plays downhill which alleviates some of the length.

Rae's Creek used to run in front of the green but was replaced in 1950 by the larger pond to the left of the green.

Besides being a member of the treacherous Amen Corner lineup, White Dogwood is probably most famous for Larry Mize's chip-in during a playoff in the 1987 Masters.

Camellia (Hole 10)

Camellia is a long par-four and contains one of the largest fairway bunkers of the tournament. Until 1935, this was actually played as the first hole, making the first tee considerably more difficult.

Traditionally the toughest hole at Augusta, Camellia requires one of the most accurate drives and precise putting.

It has frequently been the cause of a poor start to the second half of the course which only gets more difficult as numerous water hazards await.

Azalea (Hole 13)

The top four most picturesque holes at Augusta National is where the competition truly gets fierce.

Azalea, the par-five 13th, serves as the exit from Amen Corner.

After an accurate tee shot, the player can try for the green in two but not with any risks.  Part of Rae's Creek runs directly in front of the green while four large bunkers line the back. It is the ultimate risk-reward hole come Sunday.

With numerous azaleas around the back of the bunker, it makes for a nice view when crossing the Byron Nelson Bridge to get out of Amen Corner.

Firethorn (Hole 15)

Much like Azalea, Firethorn's putting surface is safely guarded. 

Going for the green on your second shot on this par-five is perhaps even more risky. With water in front and behind along with a greenside bunker to the right, accuracy is key.

Though the hazards lurk all around the green, this has historically been one of the best-scoring holes in the Masters. It is the very hole that Gene Sarazen holed his second shot on with a four wood to score a double eagle on his way to victory in 1935. It quickly became known as "Shot Heard 'round the World."

With a rich history and a very reachable green, Firethorn has always provided intrigue on the final day of the tournament.

Redbud (Hole 16)

Redbud is the final par-three of Augusta National and is completely played over water. The three bunkers scattered about the green require a very precise tee shot in order to have a reasonable birdie chance.

In the 2012 Masters, Redbud has been particularly popular with Martin Kaymer skipping his tee shot along the water, onto the green and in the hole.

Although we probably won't see a shot like that during the tournament, Redbud will surely prove to be an important hole going into the final three at the 2012 Masters tournament.

Golden Bell (Hole 12)

If there has ever been a picture-perfect hole in golf, it is Golden Bell. The par-three member of Amen Corner, Golden Bell is fronted by Rae's Creek and shaded by beautiful loblolly pines.

However, it is as deadly as it is beautiful.

The swirling winds often makes club selection difficult which has sent many tee shots to a watery grave, ruining championship runs.