Every player with a golf handicap has heard of Amen Corner. This storied section of Augusta National golf Club is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Amen Corner is among the most famous pieces of real estate in golf. It's also one of its toughest to play. It's taught many a player a golf lesson or two. In fact, quite a few players have faltered coming around this corner, only to drop out of contention.
Amen Corner has also been the site of controversy in the Masters. In fact, that's how it got its name. It was there that Arnold Palmer took the lead-and some say won the 1958 Masters-on a controversial shot, one that never sat well with runner up, Ken Venturi. The shot eventually led to Palmer's first Masters win. While many golfers know of Amen Corner and its place in golf history, few are aware of how it really got its name.
Naming Amen Corner
The name Amen Corner refers to holes No. 11,12,13. Herbert Warren Wind coined the name in a 1958 article for Sports Illustrated, in which he wrote that Amen Corner included the second half of 11 and all of 12 and 13. Wind borrowed the name from an old jazz recording called "Shoutin' at Amen Corner." Amen Corner was a section of New York City that was the hub for the production of Bibles.
Wind named that section of Augusta after witnessing the seemingly miraculous way in which Arnold Palmer played the three holes on the final day of the '58 Masters. The official website of The Masters describes the happenings this way:
"Saturday evening in 1958, heavy rains soaked the course. For Sunday's round, a local rule was adopted allowing a player whose ball was embedded to lift and drop it without penalty.
Sunday on No. 12, Arnold Palmer hit his ball over the green and the ball embedded in the steep bank behind it. Being uncertain about the applicability of the local rule, the official on the hole and Palmer agreed that the ball should be played as it lay and that Palmer could play a second ball, which he dropped. Palmer holed out for a 5 with the original ball and a 3 with the second ball. The committee was asked to decide if the local rule was applicable and if so, which score should count.
"At No. 13, still unsure of what his score was at 12, Palmer sank an 18-foot putt for eagle 3. When he was playing No. 15, Palmer was told his drop at 12 was proper and that his score on the hole was 3, leading to his first major victory."
Ties To Early American History
In addition to being the site of Palmer's controversial actions, Amen Corner has some ties to early American history, as the location of Rae's Creek is situated at this spot. Named after John Rae, who died in 1789, Rae's Creek runs in front of the green on 12th, has a tributary leading to the tee at No.13, and flows at the back of the green at No.11.
It was Rae's house that was a secondary fortress up the Savannah River from Fort Augusta. The house kept resident's safe during Indian attacks when the fort was out of reach. Hogan Bridge, named after golfing legend Ben Hogan, is also part of Amen Corner.
Internet Coverage
Amen Corner is so prestigious a piece of golf real estate that last year it got its own Internet coverage. As was the case in 2007, Amen Corner Live will again feature live streaming video of the 11th, 12th, and 13th, holes from Augusta National Golf Club. Amen Corner Live will be available free of charge at http://www.cbs.sportsline.com all four days of the tournament. In total, there will be more than 26 hours of live video from Augusta.
This year CBS is adding holes 15 and 16 to the coverage. In 2007, users of Amen Corner Live viewed over four million video streams of live golf action with an average time spent viewing of approximately three hours per visit.
Online coverage of the Masters Tournament on CBSSports.com debuted in 2006 with Amen Corner Live, live streaming video of the 11th, 12th and 13th holes from the Augusta National Golf Club. Amen Corner Live returned in 2007 and was joined by Masters Extra, live streaming video of the entire field and course from the Masters Tournament for one hour prior to television coverage.
In addition, ESPN.com offers a slide show commemorating 50 years of Amen Corner. If you're a fan of golf, you won't want to miss coverage of this year's Masters. You'll not only enjoy watching it, you might pick up a golf tip or two that will help with your golf handicap.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. Free weekly newsletter available with the latest golf tips, lessons and instructions.
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