The walk from the Augusta National Golf Club practice putting green to the first tee is 14 paces. That's not very far, which is probably a good thing.

The less time players have to think about what they're about to encounter at the start of today's first round of the 73rd Masters Tournament, the better.

Since 1994, the first hole has ranked among the toughest six on the course in every Masters but one (it was the 10th-hardest in 2002). It was the hardest hole in 1998 and 2004 and the second-toughest in 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2007. Last year, the 455-yard par-4 ranked as the fourth-toughest on the course, with a scoring average of 4.245. The ranking could change this year, because the hole was shortened 10 yards to be more golfer-friendly.

"It's one of the toughest opening holes anywhere," Brandt Snedeker said.

"Sometimes we play tough ones (opening holes) in the British Open, but yes, it's in the top five," Ernie Els said.

Stewart Cink calls it "among the tougher ones (opening holes), but it's not as hard as Muirfield in Scotland or Oakmont."

At some courses, the opening hole is fairly easy; the idea is to help the player ease his way into the round. Not so at Augusta National.

"It makes you focus right off the bat," Nick Watney said. "You better be ready or you could make a score on the first hole."

Said Ben Curtis: "It gets your attention quick; that's for sure."

Snedeker believes "if you play that hole 1-over for the week, you're really not giving anything up to the field. It's just a tough way to start a round."

Augusta National's first hole is a bear, but it wasn't supposed to be the opening hole. It was the 10th hole when the course opened.

Even though 10 yards have been taken off this year, most players still won't be able to fly the gaping bunker that hugs the fairway's right side. It takes a drive of 309 yards to carry the bunker, according to the Augusta National yardage book.

In his prime, Greg Norman would take it over the bunker. The hole is only 10 yards longer than when he last played the Masters in 2002, but they are big yards.

"The thought of driving it over the bunker on the first hole is gone," Norman said.

In a recent visit to the course, Norman said, he had 176 yards into the green with his second shot.

"Back in the other days, it was 120 yards," he said. "So there's 50 yards just on the first tee shot alone."

What's more, it's not easy to get the drive to the flat area of the fairway, which is about 300 yards from the tee.

"One year I played, it was so cold and windy nobody got to the flat," Carl Pettersson said. "To get up top, you've got to hit a good one."

The green is also a challenge, with a swale in the left front.

"The problem with that hole is the middle of the green funnels all the way back offshore (to the front)," Justin Rose said. "You either have to hit it back right, back left or middle left. That's why it's been such a tricky hole over the years."

"I've seen guys hit it in the middle of the green with that left pin and putted it off the green and walk away with five or six," Curtis said.

"The second shot is usually half blind, and it's a very difficult green, said Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters champion. "You can see part of the flag, but you can't see the green. ..."

Added Els: "All you want to do is make par. It settles you so much more and you don't have to try to chase a birdie on No. 2. ..."

Reach David Westin at (706) 823-3224 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.