By Phil Casey, PA Sport, Augusta

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Jack Nicklaus feels players will have to hit it 'gorilla style.' Arnold Palmer thinks the course is playing 1,000 yards longer than normal.

Ernie Els thinks Augusta National is playing 7,600 yards and Phil Mickelson has never seen the course play any longer.

Whoever you ask, the answer is the same; the winner of the US Masters on Sunday evening, weather permitting, will be one of the longest hitters in the game.

Almost four inches of rain since Sunday evening led to the postponement of the opening round for the first time since 1939 on Thursday, and has left the course playing far longer than its official yardage of 7,290.

Any player not able to hit the ball around 300 yards off the tee, and the vast majority of that distance through the air, is at a serious disadvantage, and it is difficult to see past the likes of Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Phil Mickelson, Darren Clarke, Adam Scott and local star Charles Howell as potential winners.

"I came down on three different occasions last month and played the course," revealed Nicklaus, who missed last year's tournament with a back injury. "And I hit the ball plenty far enough to play the golf course.

"Of course, it wasn't the conditions we have got today and the golf course is very long right now. It's going to be difficult for anybody who does not hit it gorilla style."

Palmer will be making his 49th consecutive appearance at the Masters after being instrumental in ensuring the rule giving former champions a lifetime exemption, regardless of age, was re-instated.

But the 73-year-old admitted he may come to regret that decision now. "It's that hard," Palmer admitted. "It is very hard and long. But I'm going to tee it up because I said I would. I've made mistakes before!

"On the first hole the other day I hit a drive, which I didn't hit all that good but not too badly, and a three-wood second shot. And I was short.

"With the golf course as it is and the cold air, you could probably take the 7,000 yards that we played this golf course at for many years and add another thousand yards to it. I really believe that."

Even the likes of Sergio Garcia have had their work cut out on several holes in the damp and cold conditions, the Spaniard needing a drive and two iron to reach the green on the 18th. Last week it was a drive and eight iron to the front pin position used on the final round.

One of the factors behind defending champion Woods' success over the past few years has been his ability to overpower courses without having to use his driver too often or hit shots at 100%.

However, after seeing the weather forecast for this week, the world number one spent plenty of time practising with the longest club in the bag at home in Florida last week.

"I hit a lot of drivers because if it's going to be this wet I won't be able to hit as many three woods as last year," said Woods, who has battled tough conditions during all three of his tournament wins this year - those three victories coming in his first four events back since knee surgery late last year.

"These conditions favour someone who is hitting the ball high and long and straight. You've got to be in the fairway but you've got to get it out there.

"I do like playing in tough conditions. I enjoy that challenge. It's not something that I get bummed out by. You have to suck it up and play the best you can.

"Last year it rained quite a bit in the second round and you just had to gut it out. Everybody has to deal with it and you know that."