The Masters, Part II, Golf (Video) - by Pete Styles
The Masters, Part II, Golf (Video) - by Pete Styles

The other thing we can really appreciate when we watch the players play the Augusta National every year in The Masters is that there is more than one way of playing the golf course. We look at the multiple winners for the clues here. A lot of the multiple winners are big long hitters - Tiger Woods and Nicklaus have won around that quite a few times where they can really crush the ball around and take advantage of the par five. But then you look at somebody like Gary Player, Zach Johnson, won a round there a couple of times, won around that, once each, not hitting the ball such a long way, playing a little bit more of a conservative approach to get around the golf course. So, that can be a clue to have. You can tailor your game even if you are not the longest hitter, you’ve got to tailor your games, play the right shots at the right time to get on your golf course as well.

The other thing we see at the Augusta National as well is the course management that is affected by the wind. It’s a very windy golf course around there, sometimes often always played in April. So, the wind combination is going to affect how the ball will fly. It’s often windy at that time of year. The biggest problem around Augusta is because it’s very hilly golf course, very tree-line golf course, the wind is inconsistent. One day, I’ll come in from the left, the next day I’ll come in from the right, and even hole-to-hole. You can see the players standing on one hole playing and this way when the wind coming in that way, they turn around to play the other way, and it feels like it is completely switch around them. There is probably more grass throwing and in looking at each other caddy with a bit of disbelief in fate of that tournament and any of a tournament, and that is really epitomized by Amen Corner. It is a big dip down into Amen Corner, big high trees all around it. You are looking at 12th hole. It’s a 155 yards, for most of the top players, probably one of the easiest shots they would come across, a 9 iron from the tee.

But they are playing into a very, very narrow green, all through down the front, big high trees with lots of wind, and soon it makes it a very, very difficult shot. That’s really the skill of a good course architect and a good course design is that it brings up different challenges for the players in every single shot. It’s not just a normal pompon in the middle of the green and it’s a flat green as well. The 12th hole really epitomizes good course management and how you have to think your way through each shot.

The other thing that really works nice around Augusta is playing the ball quite high, a high ball flight, and high landing it softly on the greens. Clearing the water hazards, putting enough spin and check on the ball, to get it to stop on the greens as well so, you often see big hitters, high hitters, and people that can control their golf ball really nicely with wind around Augusta. The people like to Player and Zach Johnson proved that it’s not just a big bomber’s paradise. You can use your course management and use your skills to play around the golf course quite nicely as well.

So, if you want to see the players really put to that test, you see the best players playing their best golf. Watch the golf tournaments Augusta National every April playing The Masters and you really see the golfers thinking their way around the golf course and you can apply that to your own game. Next time you’re playing your own club golf course, imagine it as Augusta and think about how the course management will affect the way you play.

 2012-05-31

The other thing we can really appreciate when we watch the players play the Augusta National every year in The Masters is that there is more than one way of playing the golf course. We look at the multiple winners for the clues here. A lot of the multiple winners are big long hitters – Tiger Woods and Nicklaus have won around that quite a few times where they can really crush the ball around and take advantage of the par five. But then you look at somebody like Gary Player, Zach Johnson, won a round there a couple of times, won around that, once each, not hitting the ball such a long way, playing a little bit more of a conservative approach to get around the golf course. So, that can be a clue to have. You can tailor your game even if you are not the longest hitter, you’ve got to tailor your games, play the right shots at the right time to get on your golf course as well.

The other thing we see at the Augusta National as well is the course management that is affected by the wind. It’s a very windy golf course around there, sometimes often always played in April. So, the wind combination is going to affect how the ball will fly. It’s often windy at that time of year. The biggest problem around Augusta is because it’s very hilly golf course, very tree-line golf course, the wind is inconsistent. One day, I’ll come in from the left, the next day I’ll come in from the right, and even hole-to-hole. You can see the players standing on one hole playing and this way when the wind coming in that way, they turn around to play the other way, and it feels like it is completely switch around them. There is probably more grass throwing and in looking at each other caddy with a bit of disbelief in fate of that tournament and any of a tournament, and that is really epitomized by Amen Corner. It is a big dip down into Amen Corner, big high trees all around it. You are looking at 12th hole. It’s a 155 yards, for most of the top players, probably one of the easiest shots they would come across, a 9 iron from the tee.

But they are playing into a very, very narrow green, all through down the front, big high trees with lots of wind, and soon it makes it a very, very difficult shot. That’s really the skill of a good course architect and a good course design is that it brings up different challenges for the players in every single shot. It’s not just a normal pompon in the middle of the green and it’s a flat green as well. The 12th hole really epitomizes good course management and how you have to think your way through each shot.

The other thing that really works nice around Augusta is playing the ball quite high, a high ball flight, and high landing it softly on the greens. Clearing the water hazards, putting enough spin and check on the ball, to get it to stop on the greens as well so, you often see big hitters, high hitters, and people that can control their golf ball really nicely with wind around Augusta. The people like to Player and Zach Johnson proved that it’s not just a big bomber’s paradise. You can use your course management and use your skills to play around the golf course quite nicely as well.

So, if you want to see the players really put to that test, you see the best players playing their best golf. Watch the golf tournaments Augusta National every April playing The Masters and you really see the golfers thinking their way around the golf course and you can apply that to your own game. Next time you’re playing your own club golf course, imagine it as Augusta and think about how the course management will affect the way you play.