Jeff Sluman was incredulous.

They've got bridges for Hogan, Nelson and Sarazen. They've got water fountains for Palmer and Nicklaus.

Shouldn't Augusta National Golf Club at least bury a plaque in the vicinity of the former No. 4 tee box marking the lone ace in the history of that hole at the Masters Tournament?

"You mean they haven't?" he said in mock disbelief. "That's unbelievable. Of all the good things that have happened there, that's as good as any ever. I thought it was recognized as a win. Only a couple guys placed ahead of me. It was a mental win."

Sluman jarred a 4-iron from 213 yards on the fourth hole in the first round of the 1992 Masters. His opening 65 shared the lead, and he finished in a tie for fourth, five shots behind Fred Couples.

In 69 Masters, nobody else has picked up a piece of crystal from Augusta National's toughest par 3.

Now that the tee has been pushed back 35 yards to measure 240, Sluman's ace might be as safe a record as the course-record 63s posted by Greg Norman and Nick Price.

"The most important is the hole-in-one on No. 4," Sluman said in his feat's defense. "Not many guys make holes-in-one with drivers. There probably will be about three of them this year. Nothing surprises me anymore. Anything is possible."

Sluman counts nine career aces, including four on the PGA Tour. One of his casual-round aces also occurred at Augusta National, in a practice round a couple of years earlier when he was partnered in a friendly game with Curtis Strange.

"He's a notorious bad practice-round player," Sluman said of Strange. "He's getting on me for not playing as well as I needed to play to carry him. Then I eagled 15 and aced 16 and said, 'How's that for you?'"

His ace at No. 4 and the "beautiful piece of glass" he received for it still stand out as his finest. Though he didn't qualify for this year's Masters, Sluman doesn't envy the players having to face that shot from the new tee.

"That's probably the last time I hit that green in regulation," he said. "It's such a difficult golf hole. The winds blowing everywhere. You make three there, you're walking to the next tee happy."

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.