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Augusta National Golf Club isn’t just the most famous golf course in the world. It’s one of the most visually stunning pieces of land you’ll find on this earth. Every blade of grass on the property is perfectly manicured, and the beautiful array of trees and flowers can distract even the most talented PGA Tour players if they aren’t careful.

Every hole at Augusta National has its own nickname based on a tree or flowering shrub on the course, but why is that and where did they come from?

Augusta National used to be a plant nursery

Azaleas at Augusta National Golf Club.
A general view of the azalea flowers on the 10th hole at Augusta National Golf Club | Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Before Augusta National became a world-famous golf course and the host of The Masters Tournament, it was actually a plant nursery.

In 1857, Louis and Prosper Berckman purchased the property and named it Fruitland Nurseries. They also built Fruitland Manor, which eventually became the clubhouse at Augusta National.

In 1931, after the Berckmans had passed away, Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts purchased the land for $70,000 and began construction on Augusta. They had to dig up most of the land to build the course, but they kept all the plants they could to honor the nursery that stood before them.

Every hole at Augusta National is named after a tree or flower

Whenever you watch the Masters broadcast every year, you might notice ESPN or CBS show a nickname below a hole while showing a preview. Every one of the 18 holes at Augusta National has a unique nickname associated with a tree or flowering shrub, and the names can be traced back to Fruitland Nurseries.

The nicknames are based off the plants still on the course, so every hole is named after a tree or flower that is located somewhere on the hole itself. You can check out all the holes and their nicknames below:

Hole 1: Tea Olive, Par 4, 445 yards

Hole 2: Pink Dogwood, Par 5, 575 yards

Hole 3: Flowering Peach, Par 4, 350 yards

Hole 4: Flowering Crab Apple, Par 3, 240 yards

Hole 5: Magnolia, Par 4, 495 yards

Hole 6: Juniper, Par 3, 180 yards

Hole 7: Pampas, Par 4, 450 yards

Hole 8: Yellow Jasmine, Par 5, 570 yards

Hole 9: Carolina Cherry, Par 4, 460 yards

Hole 10: Camellia, Par 4, 495 yards

Hole 11: White Dogwood, Par 4, 520 yards

Hole 12: Golden Bell, Par 3, 155 yards

Hole 13: Azalea, Par 5, 510 yards

Hole 14: Chinese Fir, Par 4, 440 yards

Hole 15: Firethorn, Par 5, 550 yards

Hole 16: Redbud, Par 3, 170 yards

Hole 17: Nandina, Par 4, 440 yards

Hole 18: Holly, Par 4, 465 yards

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.