With the Masters tournament scheduled for next week, unseasonal frost has reportedly decimated up to 90 per cent of the Augusta course's famed Azalea population. The historically vibrant setting has become a well-loved and instantly recognisable feature of the exclusive golf club.

The former plant nursery contains displays so distinctive, each of the 18 holes were named after the associated plantlife surrounding them.  

Speaking to the Augusta Chronicle, per The Sun, floral expert Campbell Vaughn described the unfortunate state of the usually vivid course: “The freeze beat them up bad – really bad.

“When it’s all said and done, I don’t believe there will be much colour left for Masters week."

Warmer temperatures triggered premature blossoming of the majority of the flowers, followed by frosty spells and sub-zero temperatures, which decimated many of them.

Gardners speak out

Several gardeners have reported their flowers being entirely ruined by the unpredictable change.

The course hasn't been the only area of Augusta experiencing horticultural challenges. Milledge Peterson, an employee of the local Bedford Greenhouses, described the winter as "unusual."

“What you see around town in similar to what’s happening inside Augusta National."

Owner of Nurseries Caroliniana, Gerald Stephens, expected the worst upon observing the sudden drop in temperatures:

“Our azaleas had already started to peak when the cold hit," he said. “They bloomed three weeks early to begin with, and when you combine that with the freeze, that’s not a good situation.”

With rain forecast for at least three to four days of the tournament, the woes appear to be far from over for Master's organisers.

Back in 2014, Rory McIlroy was forced to climb amongst the renowned displays to retrieve a overhit drive.

If reports are accurate, McIlroy, his fellow competitors and spectators will be set for a significantly more disappointing experience of the once picturesque site.