Firethorn is a reachable par 5 that plays up over a ridge around 350 yards from the tee, where the fairway tightens dramatically. It then plays down into a green guarded by a large yellow-penalty-area water hazard and bunker combination. Due to the forced carry, any chance at getting on in two depends on a strong, accurate tee shot. If the tee shot is too far left or short, the player can lay up, though many can be tempted into longer approach shots that might not reach or hold the front of the green.
“The elevation is the hardest thing to understand. The tee shot is pretty flat, but the second shot is downhill a good ways. The green is not that deep, even on the right side, because the first eight paces — if your ball lands there, it comes back into the water.”
“You have to hit the fairway on the right side, because if you hit it down the left side, you have to lay up. Then you have a wedge shot, off a downslope, to an elevated green. That’s difficult. Now, if you do go for it [in two] and go long, I’ve seen so many guys then chip it back and long and it goes in the water [in front of the green]. Next thing you know, you’re dropping. It’s probably the hardest par 5 on the golf course. It’s the most penalizing one on the golf course. The wedge shot into 15 is so penalizing if you don’t know your yardages, can’t control your spin, if you’re not making perfect contact.”
Changes for 2022: Masters tees moved back 20 yards and fairway recontoured.