In February, Mike Weir made his annual pre-Masters visit to Augusta National. Weir has now been part of the championship for more than two decades, and regularly visits in the late winter to see what’s new at the course. And for the past few years there’s almost always been something new, as the powers-that-be at Augusta National continue to tinker with the course to keep it from being overwhelmed by the longest hitters in the game.

“I buzzed over there to see it,” says Weir, a Golf Town Ambassador. “I’d usually get back, but I’ve been on the west coast with PGA Tour Champions, so time hasn’t been great.”

Thoughts on the alterations?

The changes to holes 11, 13, and 18 are, in Weir’s words, “very good.” But that doesn’t mean they help the 2003 Masters champion any. Weir was never a long hitter, and his win at Augusta highlighted his strengths, namely his remarkable short game and ability as a clutch putter.

Here’s what Weir had to say about the alterations:

Par 4 11^th, 535 yards

The 11^th hole, a downhill challenger, has been among the most difficult at Augusta since the decision to add trees to the right side in 2004. Weir says the hole has been opened up somewhat, but more yardage has been added, leaving the two-shot hole at 535 yards.

“For me, if I hit a 290-yard drive, I’m going to be left with a 3-wood or hybrid into a hole where you are going to struggle getting up-and-down from the right side, and can’t put it in the water on the left,” says Weir.

What’s the solution?

Weir says he might resort to simply hitting the ball close to the green and scrambling to get down from there. “I’d just rely on what I did really well in 2003,” Weir says.

Par 5 13^th, 545 yards

The 13^th hole, a famed par 5 which required players to hit a right-to-left draw, had become short over the years. Often big hitters could sling a 3-wood and short iron into the hole. That’s changed, and Weir says it is for the better.

“It had gotten too short,” the left-hander says. “I think now you’re going to see players have to hit at least mid-irons into a tough green. That’s a positive thing.”

Par 4, 18^th 473 yards

Weir said he noticed something a bit off when he reached the 18^th hole—it felt a little bit longer. He turned to his caddie who confirmed what Weir was already thinking—the 18^th hole had a few yards added, in this instance eight more. Already a challenging hole and one of the most famous finishers in golf, the uphill tee shot just got a little longer, perhaps in an attempt to get golfers to pull driver more off the tee, as many were using a 3-wood to come up short of the left fairway bunker.

Weir’s game

The former Masters winner has narrowly missed the cut in past years, including 2022 when he missed by a shot. Weir says there’s no reason he can’t make the cut, especially given that he’s played well on PGA Tour Champions to start the season, with two top 10 finishes. “If I play as well as I’m capable, I think I have what it takes to make the weekend,” says Weir. “And there’s only 40 players on the weekend, so you’re always in it. I think I can be competitive.”

Weir says his ambition is to continue to play at The Masters until he starts losing distance off the tee—something that’s yet to happen.

“I don’t want to be a ceremonial golfer, but I don’t think that’ll happen for a while,” he said, pointing to the fact that Mark O’Meara, who won in 1998, just stepped away from The Masters while in his mid-60s.