2022-04-01 Golf Magazine

0311 P Gen4 0311 XP Gen4 0311 ST Gen4

Player distance Game improvement Tour
3-GW; $2,241 per set 3-GW; $2,241 per set 3-GW; $2,691 per set

Our take: The 0311 P Tester’s take: “These Our take: The “ST”
irons are fit with propri- clubs raised my launch stands for “Super Tour,”
etary XCOR technology but not over-aggres- and if you don’t have
made specifically for sively. The spin was that type of game… well,
PXG irons. The polymer nicely controlled, and maybe you should try a
material is highly com- it never felt like a miss different set of PXGs.
pressible and makes for was going to hurt me.” These are the real deal.
a massive sweet spot.

The large weight in the
back of the head can
be adjusted in 2-gram
increments during the
fitting process.

PXG 0311 T Gen4 0211 DC 0211 Z

Tech on the outside or the inside: Take Player Game improvement Super game improvement
your pick with the elite 2022 PXG lineup 3-GW; $2,241 per set 4-LW; $790 per set 6-SW; $795 per set

The fourth generation of PXG’s flagship irons Tester’s take: “Confi- Tester’s take: “These Tester’s take: “The club
are packed with state-of-the-art technology, but dence comes to mind. irons feel so good. glides through the turf
it’s the 0311 P model that caught our eye. These I like that you can’t see I wouldn’t change a like a hybrid. I could see
“player” irons—hence the “P”—strike the perfect the tech, but it’s defi- thing about them. As how someone who was
balance between forgiveness and workability, and nitely there. Launches in soon as these are in my starting out would like
they do so without making any concessions. the perfect window.” bag, I’ll be taking money this look. It’s easy to hit
from my buddies.” and does what it intends
The 0311 Ps are fit with proprietary XCOR “I can’t to do.”
technology made of a highly compressible polymer believe how 0211 ST
material that provides a massive sweet spot. The good [the Scan this code
clubs are also fitted with Precision Weighting 0311 P] is. Tour to see additional gear
technology, featuring a large weight near the back Whenever 4-GW; $712 per set
of the clubhead that can be adjusted in 2-gram you hit a reviews, robot
increments during the fitting process to get bad shot, Our take: The 0211 STs testing videos and
the clubs dialed in to your exact specifications. you still get are blades, but PXG’s purchase options
And with a midsize head, topline, sole and offset, something repositioning of the at golf.com/clubtest
these irons give you a clean, blade-like look without out of it. mass throughout the
sacrificing performance. Looks good, clubhead provides in-
does good.” creased overall MOI for
“It has to be the best club in the world,” one optimal forgiveness.
of our testers said. “I can’t believe how good —GOLF ClubTester
it is. Whenever you hit a bad shot, you still get
something out of it. Looks good, does good.”
Now that’s high praise. —Zephyr Melton

51

Srixon

You can find the ZX irons in the bags ZX4 Get Help
of some of the best players in the world. From the
Can’t decide on one? Mix and match. Game improvement ClubTest
4-AW; $1,225 per set
Srixon has made significant inroads in practically Robot
every ball category in recent years. They aren’t Our take: They’re easy
new to the game by any means, but, seemingly with to hit, but they look like Are You Ready for
every new orbital iteration, it’s a step forward in player’s clubs, which, for Blade Irons?
the right direction. The exact same can be said us, is exactly the kind of
about its irons, especially when it comes to the not- iron most of us should YOU’RE PLAYING some of the best golf of
new-but-still-sublime ZX5 irons. The longer irons put in play. your life. You’re finally sniffing a single-
(3i-7i) employ a multi-piece construction made of digit handicap. The question then: “Should
a forged SUP10 clubface, a 1020 carbon-steel body ZX7 I switch to a set of blades?”
and a tungsten insert in the toe that blend together
to add more stability and forgiveness. Each iron Player Golf is a game in which everyone looks
in the line also comes with Srixon’s MainFrame 3-AW; $1,138 per set up the food chain to see what the better
tech—a milled pattern on the backside that pushes players are gaming. When you get to a
the COR up for more ball speed. Tester’s take: “I can see single-handicap level, it seems everyone is
right away why Brooks playing blades.
When it comes to the scoring clubs, the grooves Koepka chose these.
are configured differently in the shorter irons— They’re forgiving as The question, however, is are they right
they’re narrower and shorter for more spin. As far heck yet still have a for you? Before you decide, it’s important
as turf interaction is concerned, the mid-width V.T. premium look and feel.” to have some performance information.
sole doesn’t disappoint as it works hard to lessen The ClubTest robot is here to help. We test-
the likelihood of heavily hit shots. ed both a blade and a cavity-back iron on
shots hit in the center of the clubface, 0.5
Lastly, the ZX5 irons flow effortlessly into mixed inches and 0.75 inches toward the toe and
sets should you want one. You could squeeze in 0.5 inches and 0.75 inches toward the heel.
the more forgiving ZX4 as a long iron(s) or switch
out the short irons for the more streamlined ZX7. The data shows that on center hits both
Our recommendation? Stick with a full set of ZX5s clubs were equal. On heel hits, the blade
and get big distance and forgiveness in the longer had no drop-off when hit 0.5 inches and
irons while still being able to shape shots and attack 0.75 inches. Comparatively, the cavity-
more pins with the shorter ones. —R.N. back showed a 3- and 7-yard drop-off at
the same heel positions.
ZX5
The big difference came on toe hits. For
Player distance the blade, the drop-off was 10 yards at 0.5
3-AW; $1,225 per set and 17 yards at 0.75. The cavity-back?
Seven and 10 yards at the same positions.
Our take: It’s the
perfect Srixon iron Conclusion: If you’re a consistent ball
for the undecided or striker who can hit the ball in the center
those who want to hit or center heel, blades will give you great
straight shots most of performance with exceptional feel. If your
the time but still need miss, however, is more spread out with toe
to shape shots when and heel misses, then stick with cavity-
the moment calls for it. backs as they give you better overall dis-
tance loss across the face. —G.P.
The forged SUP10
face lends a faster ball
speed while the forged
carbon-steel body
absorbs vibration for a
super-soft feel.

52 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

GEAR: ClubTest

TaylorMade Stealth P7MC Iron-Buying
Tips From
A stellar tour and player iron lineup Game improvement Player a Trusted
adds a game-improvement model that, 4-LW; $1,000 per set 3-PW; $1,400 per set Clubfitter
despite its name, shouldn’t be missed
Tester’s take: “I don’t Tester’s take: “I’ve Manage
TaylorMade’s Stealth iron is categorized as a know if I’ve ever hit an been playing blades Spin
game-improvement model—a term that’s been iron this long. If this forever, but I could see Spin is your
used for years to describe clubs geared for the iron can give me one or myself going the P7MC friend. It’s what
mid- to high-handicap golfer who craves, most two less clubs into the route. They feel great gives you that
importantly, forgiveness and ball speed. green, I’m there. I love and were just as work- control compo-
the fact that you get able as my blades.” nent to keep the
Irons in this category of the industry have that much speed from ball in the air—
traditionally been bulky and slightly oversize to an iron that has a rea- P770 and in play.
achieve their stated goals, but, with a big assist sonable blade length.” Too much spin
from new technologies and computer-aided design, TM’s lone new game- Player distance is just as bad
it’s no longer a requirement to go up in size to gain improvement iron could 3-AW; $1,400 per set as not enough.
the forgiveness and speed you seek. be a game changer. Finding the
Our take: Think of the right spin for
To hammer this point home, TaylorMade reduced P7TW P770 as a slimmed-down your game
the number of models in its Stealth lineup to just a P790. The thin topline is part of the
single game-improvement model that’s designed Tour and reduced offset are equation when
to do it all, without the additional heft. 3-PW; $2,000 per set paired with hollow- you’re trying
bodied construction to find the best
A multi-material Cap Back design (initially Our take: For years, that bumps up speed. ballflight for
introduced with SIM) continues to allow the face Tiger’s been using your game.
to flex without affecting the overall center of P7TWs, developed P790 Many of today’s
gravity location. The design is focused around based on his exact pref- irons are stron-
a low-density polymer that supports the entire erences: longer blade Player distance ger lofted, but,
topline (heel to toe) and cavity, adding rigidity to lengths, thinner toplines 3-AW; $1,300 per set with a low and
the structure at impact. and traditional lofts. deep center of
Our take: The P790 is gravity, it’s pos-
Along with adding rigidity to the head, an active P7MB truly an iron for every sible to get the
Thru-Slot Speed Pocket enlarges the unsupported golfer. Better players right spin with a
area of the face, creating a larger sweet spot for Tour said that the reduced playable flight.
golfers who struggle with consistent contact. 3-PW; $1,400 per set offset and clean profile
matched their eye, while —Kris McCormack,
TaylorMade also added a new wrinkle to the Cap Tester’s take: “I proba- mid-handicappers mar- VP of tour and
Back design, removing 10 grams of mass from the bly shouldn’t be playing veled at the forgiveness. education,
toe and placing it deep in the head for a CG that’s an iron like this, but it True Spec Golf
0.8 millimeters lower. The end result is a higher calls your name when
launch that should make it easier to stop the ball you see it. You have to
on the green. —Jonathan Wall hit it. And when you pure
one, there’s really no
better feeling.”

53

Iron-Buying Titleist T100zS T100
Tips From
a Trusted The company continues to produce Player Player
Clubfitter irons with “tour” looks, but, this year, 3-GW; $1,488 per set 3-GW; $1,488 per set
there’s a model for everybody
Go-To Tester’s take: “Simply Our take: The T100
Launch Most days, the Titleist club development team is phenomenal. It powers marries the finest as-
Make sure you made of dreamers. When it comes time to design through the wind pects of both blade and
get the ball in a a new line of T-series irons, however, Titleist’s without much effort cavity-back offerings,
launch window engineers become, well, magicians. and feels like it’s one providing a sleek look
that produces of the longest irons and unrivaled feel with
an apex height They have to, of course. Magic is about the only on the block, just in surprising forgiveness.
that maximizes way to advance what’s already the most-played a smaller package.”
carry but still iron on the PGA Tour—a favorite of both Justin The S shares many of T300
produces a Thomas and Jordan Spieth, among many others. the T100’s features
landing angle but with lofts that are Game improvement
that gives you In the T-series’ newest iteration, Titleist filled 2 degrees stronger 4-GW; $1,144 per set
enough control its hat with not one but two rabbits: the Tour- across the board.
and stopping ready T100 and T100zS. The blade-adjacent T100 Our take: The T300 is
power coming features a new, streamlined design with added T200 nothing shy of a game-
into the green. weight in the toe for better turf interaction and improvement rocket
A fitter can 80 grams of tungsten, on average, to improve Player distance ship, delivering optimal
help you figure stability. Meanwhile, the bigger, badder T100zS 4-GW; $1,488 per set launch conditions for
out the best is built 2 degrees stronger across the board high handicappers in
launch for for better ball speed and added distance. With Tester’s take: “It’s an need of an added boost
your game 90 grams of added tungsten, on average, and a iron cheat code. It’s the throughout the bag.
because it “muscle channel” across the head, the T100zS is easiest iron to swing
really depends a perfect marriage for those looking to add a jolt by far. It’s confidence- 620 MB
on how fast of speed to a Tour-proven package. inspiring. It doesn’t look
you’re swinging like a player-distance Tour
the club. The result, Titleist insists, is smoke and mirror iron. It looks and feels 3-PW; $1,400 per set
free: the very best T-series irons they’ve ever like a player’s iron.”
—K.M. made. Now, back to dreaming... at least for the Our take: The process
time being. —J.C. 620 CB of building the 620 MB
is painstaking, as it is
Player forged from a single
3-PW; $1,400 per set piece of 1025 carbon
steel. The goal, however,
Our take: The 620 CBs was clear: Craft the
grade out decidedly ultimate player’s iron.
friendlier in terms of
forgiveness than the
MBs while still earning
high marks for shot-
making and distance
control.

54 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

GEAR: ClubTest

XXIO X Iron-Buying ClubTest
Tips From 2022 on
With a blend of craft and craftiness, Player a Trusted GOLF.com
XXIO continues to impress with clubs 5-PW; $1,350 per set Clubfitter
that are simply easier to swing faster ONE-STOP SHOPPING
Our take: Most irons Control Learn much more about
XXIO makes premium equipment with an emphasis designed for better Your Gaps the iron models covered
on top-tier performance and maximum weight players aren’t consid- This is essen- in this issue, plus hun-
displacement. It’s a fancy way of saying the ered lightweight irons, tially justifying dreds of drivers, woods,
company makes high-end lightweight sticks, and but the XXIO X irons a spot for hybrids, wedges and
the new X is carefully designed to help golfers stand alone as a solid every iron in putters, and then buy
boost their clubhead speed instantaneously. No, lightweight option that the bag. There them directly on
really—the X irons are like magic in that sense. better players might might not be GOLF.com through
When swinging a lighter club, or, more specifically, consider should they a necessity to our commerce partner
a light club that’s carefully balanced to feel a little also want to effortlessly play a 3-iron or Fairway Jockey.
heavier than it actually is, your clubhead speed will tack on extra clubhead even a 5-iron
increase with little to no extra effort. Furthermore, speed. if the distance EXCLUSIVE ROBOT
the X packs a Rebound Frame that employs a gapping isn’t TESTING
thinner face for more flex and added distance. 12 appropriate. Join our affordable, new
When you start membership program,
The center of gravity is lowered in the long irons Game improvement testing each InsideGOLF, for access
for more lift and higher in the shorter irons for 5-PW; $1,540 per set club—and you to unbiased gear data
more control. Also, as loft increases, the grooves should—the and research from Golf
get deeper and closer together for more spin, and Our take: XXIO is a carry-yardage Labs’ Gene Parente
the fine laser milling is applied vertically on the premium brand for loft gaps and his sweet-swinging
face to wick away moisture and debris at impact. discerning golfers who between each robot.
want quality clubs iron need to be
When it comes to weight, the X positions mass that are lightweight appropriate. PROVING GROUNDS
under the grip for a better feel, and there’s a and user-friendly. The The average In our popular new video
tungsten-nickel weight in the toe for improved 12 irons adhere to the male has a series, our equipment
stability. Underneath, the V-shaped sole helps mantra but with exotic, gap of about experts pit 2022 club
prevent fat shots. All said, these irons are ideal for high-performance 8 to 12 yards. models against previous
the player who wants more distance but doesn’t titanium faces. If it’s bigger or iterations to see if the
want to give up on craftsmanship and a killer profile smaller than new-and-improved tech
at address. The X offers ample game improvement XXIO that number, it lives up to its billing.
and power for the player who needs it but retains promises might be time
the look and feel of a gamer’s iron. —R.N. more dis- to take a closer FULLY EQUIPPED
tance and look before you PODCAST
playability buy a full set. Hosted by our resident
through gear whiz, Jonathan
lighter —K.M. Wall, GOLF.com’s
clubs. With weekly pod on all things
the X and equipment will take
the 12, the you deep inside the
company ClubTest process, from
delivers. how we did it to what
we learned.

Ready to take the 2022
crop of new irons for
a test spin? It’s as easy
as booking a fitting at
truespecgolf.com.

55

IT’S
TONY
TIME!

In the short span of 22
majors, Tony Finau—
likable and loooong—has
notched 11 top 15s, includ-
ing a trio of top 10s at the
Masters. With Augusta just
around the corner and a
bag of iron-play tricks up
his sleeve, he’s primed to
finally max out on his
massive potential. Same
goes for you.

By Luke Kerr-Dineen and Sean Zak

Photographs by Jeff Lipsky

Tony Finau has fought hard and risen through both the tency, accuracy, precision and finesse, especially with his
amateur and pro ranks to emerge as one of the most popular irons. The process took time—a slow but steady journey of
and powerful players in the game. His swing, once wild (“I had incremental improvements. The result? Call Tony a legit five-
to play a big slice to make it work”), seemed destined for the tool player and a fair bet to don a green jacket—and maybe
long-drive circuit. Wanting more, he enlisted the expertise more—in 2022. The lessons learned are requisite reading for
of GOLF Top 100 Teacher Boyd Summerhays, and together any player looking to reach their full potential and make play-
they drilled the needed parts to round out his game: consis- ing the game, as Tony does, a heckuva lot more fun.

56 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2



1 2

GET IN TOUCH— THINK MORE
AND SEE—YOUR ABOUT YOUR
STARTING LINE TORSO, NOT BALL
POSITION
You have to know where your irons
are going. One drill I do—and I do it The best ball position when hitting
constantly, for as long as I can remem- an iron is pretty much center. The fun-
ber—is practicing with an alignment ny thing, though, is that I don’t really
stick placed on my target line a few think about the exact location of the
yards ahead of my setup. It’s some- ball so much as I do where my ster-
thing I learned from none other than num is in relation to it. I focus more on
Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. where my center of gravity is located.
If my sternum is way behind the ball,
What this drill does, as my coach or too far in front, I’m probably going
Boyd Summerhays likes to say, is to shift around to compensate—not
“bring the target to you.” I find it easi- a good move when you’re looking for
er when my target—regardless of how consistency. The feeling I’m after is
far I carry the ball—is right in front my sternum on top of the ball, which
of me. Sometimes I won’t even use helps you properly hit down on it. Ev-
the stick. I picture it in my mind. I do it erybody talks about ball position, but
during actual rounds. With the start nobody knows where their weight is.
line in my mind, I’ve done my thinking.
Now it’s time to just hit the shot. Boyd’s take: Tony actually plays the
ball a little more up in his stance. Most
Boyd’s take: With this drill, Tony isn’t golfers do ball position in relation to
picking a specific spot. He’s placing the their feet; we do it in relation to Tony’s
ball and the shaft in line with his start sternum. Wedges are almost under
line. It creates a visual that simplifies his the sternum, and the ball gets slightly
process, and he aims a little left or right more forward as the club gets longer.
of it when it’s time to shape a shot.

58 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

From left: Steph Chambers/Getty Images; Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images; Christian Petersen/Getty Images What Tony’s Wearing
(previous spread):
Nike True Retro 72 Cap
($35); The Nike Polo
Shirt ($65); Nike NSW
Swoosh Bomber Jacket
($170); Nike Sportswear
Club Fleece Joggers
($55); Nike Air Max 90
Premium Shoes ($150)

3

MATCH YOUR
WRIST SET TO
YOUR SWING

I have long arms, so, at times, I feel
like I struggle to “set” the club on my
backswing. If I don’t set it early, I’ll
need to do it later in my swing—
another thing that robs me of
consistency. The feeling I strive for is
in my right wrist. Use it as a trigger:
Set the club early by hinging your
right wrist, and then lay the club
“down.” If you get your right wrist
in the proper position, the face will
follow suit.
Boyd’s take: Tony allows the clubface
to open on his takeaway. It adds loft,
which is necessary for him because he
bows his left wrist as he starts down
from the top, which closes and delofts
the clubface. It’s a natural move that
works for him.

59

4 From left: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images; Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images;
Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour/Getty Images
GET THE BENEFITS
OF A SHORT AND
QUICK BACKSWING

I have a short swing. If you do too,
I suggest you make it quicker, other-
wise you won’t be able to generate
enough speed to get the yards you’re
looking for. Check out my backswing,
or even Jon Rahm’s: They’re short but
very quick. How else are you going to
generate force, right? The difference
between me and Jon is that he bows
his wrist at the top of the backswing;
I bow mine on the way down. I just
need to make sure the club is in the
right spot: slightly flat and the face a
little open. If it’s in that slot, the rest
is easy.
Boyd’s take: Because Tony bows his
wrist coming down, he can’t get the
clubface too closed at the top, like
Rahm does. If he does, he’ll close it
even more and hit shots left. The key,
regardless of your swing pattern, is
to strive for a neutral clubface by the
time you reach impact.

Learn more about
Tony’s swing—and
what you can borrow

to hit crisp and
consistent irons—in
a special video available
only on GOLF.com

PGA Tour professional Tony Finau has two wins and is currently ranked No. 19 in the OWGR. Boyd Summerhays is the director
of instruction at McDowell Mountain GC in Scottsdale, Ariz.

60 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

6 What’s In the Bag

FINISH ON YOUR Whether it’s crushing drives,
LEFT SIDE puring irons or finessing wedges

As Boyd says, I want my sternum and putts, Tony Finau relies
over the ball at setup and at im- on a heavy dose of proven PING
pact. By the time I reach the finish,
however, I want it over my front engineering.
foot. That’s proof to me that I fully
committed to the swing. When I hurt Driver
my ankle during the 2018 Masters, PING 425 LST; Mitsubishi
getting all the way over to my left Diamana White D+ 70TX
side became much more difficult. shaft; 9 degrees (7 degrees
I actually couldn’t put my entire
weight on that foot until more than of actual loft)
a year later. Now, when I’m hitting a
good shot, I’m looking at the target 3-wood
and have close to 90 percent of my PING G400 Stretch; Mitsubishi
weight on my left side.
Diamana D+ Limited 80TX
Boyd’s take: Tony was really good at shaft; 13 degrees (12.5 degrees
getting to his left side until he hurt
his ankle. It’s fully healed now, but a of actual loft)
lot of people don’t realize he played in
a good deal of pain for about a year, Irons
year and a half. It’s a testament to his PING Blueprint Forged;
resolve, toughness and competitive- Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 120TX
ness. Regardless, the lesson is simple: shafts; 4-PW (see p. 50)
To strike your irons pure, end up with
your weight on your front side.

5 Wedges
PING Glide Forged (50 and 56
AVOID THE
“CHICKEN WING” degrees) and Titleist Vokey
SM8 WedgeWorks (60 degrees,
One of my worst swing habits is
“chicken-winging,” or keeping my T grind); Nippon N.S. Pro
lead elbow bent, through impact. I’ve Modus3 125 shafts
battled it since I was a kid. It’s my
way of avoiding a hook, but when I’m Putter
playing my best it disappears, and PING PLD Anser 2D
that’s what I try to focus on. During Prototype; 37 inches (standard
practice, I’ll place a glove under my Anser 2 model shown)
left bicep. The goal: Swing without
the glove dropping to the ground Ball
until well after impact. It’s all about Titleist Pro V1
moving through the shot and turning
aggressively. 61

Boyd’s take: Tony tends to chicken-
wing to avoid a closed clubface at
impact. It’s especially important for
amateurs to avoid because they often
have an excessively open clubface
at impact and need to close it. The
farther Tony hangs back, the more he
needs to pull his left arm off his body.
That’s really where his chicken wing
comes from.

More grooves, more control.

©2022 PING | P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071 | GM322

A POWERFUL FEELING

Introducing the i525, a players-distance
iron that puts you in complete control.
More ball speed means higher-launching,
longer shots that land softly and closer
to the hole. More grooves mean more
consistency throughout the set.
It all adds up to a lot more fun.

More speed, more distance.

2022
Masters
Preview

Only at Augusta

The annual Masters Tournament electrifies us. Almost spiritually.
But why? More than it being the game’s first major played on a

course universally adored, golf’s most exalted event is one of a kind for
a reason: Tradition. Tradition. Tradition.

BY MICHAEL BAMBERGER PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEPHEN DENTON

Where to start at
the Masters? Signs
and morning sunlight
will show you the
way, but the first tee
is a guaranteed
exhilarating scene.

64 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2



TOM WATSON PLAYED IN his last Masters in Few things are
2016, and, ever since, people have been asking him more unmistakably
the same thing: Will you become one of the hon- Masters than the
orary starters? That is, will you join Jack Nicklaus tournament’s iconic
and Gary Player and make it a threesome again, as logo and top-tier
it was before Arnold Palmer hit his final first shot? players, ANGC’s
breathtaking
And Watson would say something like, “Why azaleas (here, on
would I want to do that? That’s for old people and No. 16), the patrons
has-beens.” Yes, he was joking. Watson is 72. He pinned year after
won his green coats in ’77 and ’81. But he wasn’t year to Amen Corner,
looking to make it a threesome. and the tradition
of the honorary
And then Fred Ridley, Augusta National’s starters, anchored
chairman, called. After a few minutes of small since 2010 by the
talk, Ridley popped the question: Would you like Golden Bear and,
to become one of the tournament’s honorary since 2012, the
starters, alongside Jack and Gary? forever-young
Black Knight.
“I’m not in the same league as those two guys,”
Watson said, now dead serious. “But I’m more
than happy to do it.”

Watson venerates tradition. That’s why he and
Augusta National are such a good match. The
club respects its history and those who made it.
You pass through the gates and enter a bubble
where the past is the present and the present is
the future. Augusta National celebrates that which
endures, starting with the game itself. Maybe
you’ve heard the club motto: This is how we do it,
baby. Of course Tom Watson said yes.

The custom of honorary starters, gathered on
the first tee at the start of the first round, goes
back to 1963. The tradition of giving a club coat to

66 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

Some Masters tradition comes from
people—fans, players—doing their
own thing. After the death of his
longtime caddie, Bruce Edwards, in
2004, Tom Watson started leaving an
egg-salad sandwich on the bench by
the 13th tee. It was a nod to Bruce.

the winner started in 1949 (Sam Snead that first par-3 event together. Watson saw that up close too.
year). The show-off custom of skipping practice- When Watson played in his first Masters—in
round tee shots across the pond in front of the
16th green began in 1972. Gary Cowan was the 1970, as an amateur—the honorary starters were
perpetrator, alongside Ben Crenshaw. Lee Tre- two emigrant Scots, Jock Hutchison, winner of
vino and Seve Ballesteros skipped later. Jon Rahm the 1920 PGA Championship, and Fred McLeod,
and Rory McIlroy came later. Augusta warps time. winner of the U.S. Open in... 1908! Watson met
McLeod. He stayed in the Crow’s Nest, the attic
There were years when Tom Watson would slip dorm in the clubhouse reserved for amateurs play-
over to the first tee Thursday morning and watch ing in the Masters. “Single bed, communal shower
Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson and Sam Snead like in high school and all the food you could want,
play their ceremonial first shots. And then they’d paid for by the club,” Watson said recently. “I think
play nine holes. The Palmer-Nicklaus-Player trio Lanny was up there.” Lanny Wadkins.
did not keep that play-the-front tradition going, but
for years they played in the Wednesday-afternoon Wadkins was invited to the 1970 Masters as a
member of the 1969 U.S. Walker Cup team. Wat-

68 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

“Working it” is a tradition at the Masters too, whether that means brokering deals
and golf gossip under “the tree,” angling for a seat on the clubhouse terrace,
shaping tee shots on the bending par-5 13th, sampling every surprisingly affordable
bit of concession-stand comfort food or literally working it, like the hundreds of
swarming grounds-crew volunteers and high-flying scoreboard Houdinis.

At Augusta, attention must be
paid. Patrons positioning chairs
for up-close views well before the
players turn Amen Corner, merch
mavens and Bogey Boys on their
best behavior. Caddies are counted
on to survey every lie, surface and
slope. That wayward grain of
sand? There’s no such thing as
perfection—except at the Masters.

70 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

You pass through the gates and son was invited as a top-eight finisher in the ’69
enter a bubble where the past is the U.S. Amateur. Those were automatic qualifying
present and the present is the future. marks then, customs that no longer exist. But the
Augusta National celebrates that tournament still celebrates amateurs and ama-
which endures. Maybe you’ve heard teurism. That’s a legacy of Bobby Jones, Augusta’s
its motto: This is how we do it, baby. cofounder and golf ’s greatest amateur.

SOME MASTERS TRADITION is codified. (Ama-
teurs bunking in the clubhouse; fans being called
patrons.) And some of it comes from people—fans,
players, caddies, members—just doing their own
thing.Afterthedeathof hislongtimecaddie,Bruce
Edwards, in 2004, Watson started leaving an egg-
salad sandwich on the pinewood bench by the
13th tee. It was a nod to Bruce, who’d often eat a
quick sandwich there as Watson waited for the fair-
way to clear. Augusta’s egg-salad sandwiches are
underrated, if you like yours on the mayonnaisey
side. That’s how they make them. Have forever.

Food and drink is a core value at the Masters.
In the Press Building, around 8 p.m. on Sunday,
with reporters on deadline writing up the new
winner, a club official announces over the PA
system, “The bar is now open.” The week begins
with a Monday-night dinner for amateur com-
petitors. Past champions have a Tuesday-night
dinner. Club members have a dinner on Sunday
night, during which the new winner is toasted.
Now, there’s a dinner for the competitors play-
ing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. A
new tradition, if those two words can cohabitate.

When Watson attended the Amateur Dinner
in 1970, he sat next to Billy Joe Patton, a lifelong
amateur who finished a stroke out of the Sam
Snead–Ben Hogan playoff in 1954. “I remem-
ber him telling me he hit his second on 11 to five
feet,” Watson said the other day. (Rare!) Patton
played his last Masters in 1966, but accomplished
ams are often invited back to the Masters, even
when they aren’t in the field, to give pep talks
and recall days gone by. When Watson hosted
the Champions Dinner for the first time, in 1978,
Ben Hogan attended it for the last time. Hogan
started the dinner in 1952.

On the Tuesday night of this year’s Masters,
Tom Watson will be at the Masters Club Dinner
(its formal name) for the 45th time. On Wednes-
day afternoon, he’ll play in the Par 3 Contest.
Again, familiar terrain. But, on Thursday morn-
ing, he’ll be a 72-year-old rookie as he stands on
the first tee with two other Augusta legends and
doffs his cap to the applauding patrons.

After bursting onto the scene as the next big
thing in shaft innovation, the LA Golf Putter is
sending shockwaves through the industry.

LA Golf partner Bryson DeChambeau’s phone rings as he’s A Board member asks Bryson what’s the next best putter
working out in his home gym in Dallas. on the market. DeChambeau answers emphatically, “There
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“What’s up, Reed?” all the same. This shaft combined with this face technology is a
“Hey man. Are you somewhere you can talk?” game changer.” Wie West, who recently tested the descending
“Just working out, what you got?” loft face with the LA Golf shaft, interjects, “Honestly my mind
“We’re gonna buy SIK and put their Descending Loft Tech- ZDV EORZQ ZKHQ , ILUVW WULHG LW ,W MXVW UROOV VR SXUH R WKH IDFH ²
nology in the face of a carbon head and make the sweet spot
RYHU ODUJHU , NQRZ \RXU R VHDVRQ´V FUD]\ EXW , QHHG While word had leaked early of the potential SIK acqui-
you to block out an extra day for a commercial shoot when sition – makers of DeChambeau’s beloved putter – no one
you come out for the Board meeting.” knew of LA Golf’s more ambitious plan: combine DeCham-
One month later, Dickens and DeChambeau are seated beau’s proprietary large diameter anti-vibration shaft and the
across from each other at 40,000 feet talking fast and furi- Descending Loft Technology into the face of a carbon head.
ously about their favorite topic: shaking up the golf industry’s
antiquated thinking. After landing in LA, the first item on the The Board unanimously approves the pending acquisition
agenda: dinner with the Board of Directors at Hollywood’s of SIK putters, and a mere few hours later across town, LA
A-lister hot spot, Craig’s, to welcome women’s golf icon Mi- Golf has shut down a couple blocks of Downtown LA to shoot
chelle Wie West as an LA Golf partner. a glamorous cinematic-style commercial starring LA Golf part-
Early the next morning, armed with initial positive feed- ners DeChambeau and Wie West. DeChambeau and Dickens’
EDFN IURP /$ *ROI´V +HDG RI 3URGXFW -H 0H\HU 'LFNHQV H[- 24-hour whirlwind could be a metaphor for just how fast LA
citedly calls the Board meeting to order. “Did you guys know Golf emerged as one of golf’s hottest new brands.
that even a scratch golfer misses the sweet spot on their put-
ter the vast majority of the time?” DeChambeau can barely &( # ( ' (I
contain himself and chimes in explaining that when a player
misses the sweet spot that the putter head wiggles and they Dickens had recently launched LA Golf when a friend brought
can lose up to 12 inches of roll, which alters the putt-line, to his attention that the assets of the only American-made shaft
ultimately causing them to miss a putt they should have made. manufacturer were on the auction block. After a cigar session
ZLWK IULHQG DQG LQYHVWRU 6WHYH 6XJDUPDQ 'LFNHQV UHDOL]HG

there was an opportunity to leverage the same playbook BACK-TO-BACK MAJOR MILESTONES
he had deployed as CEO of Marucci Sports that ultimately
dethroned legacy incumbent, Louisville Slugger. At Winged Foot in 2020, DeChambeau became the first
player to win a Major championship with 14 graphite
Soon after, Dickens partnered with DeChambeau, shafts, all designed by LA Golf. DeChambeau raised eye-
who majored in physics in college and earned the Tour brows when he was asked if he could overpower a U.S.
nickname, “The Scientist.” Renowned for his Tony-Stark- Open setup that typically punishes missing fairways. He
like approach to the game, DeChambeau had some ideas said he was going to “swing for the fences,” because he
on how to increase swing speed and add distance with- would rather have a wedge in his hand in the rough than
out increasing dispersion. On the first call with DeCham- a 7-iron from the fairway. This strategy was a new para-
beau, which lasted almost three hours, one LA Golf engi- digm for how young people are going to play the game
neer had to do additional research just to digest some of going forward, and that 2020 U.S. Open was a major
DeChambeau’s brainy ideas. validation for LA Golf. Pun intended.

LA Golf has been an integral partner for DeCham- One year later, after barely surviving COVID business
beau’s transformation and along the way has created shutdowns in California, the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey
what one TV analyst recently called a “unicorn product” Pines marked the next major milestone for LA Golf.
with a proprietary design structure that has challenged
and defied the industry’s all-too-common conventional The week began with LA Golf hosting a dinner for
WKLQNLQJ 7KH /$ *ROI VKDIW DOORZV SOD\HUV WR JR VWL HU Dustin Johnson’s team to celebrate a long-anticipated
but lighter, adding distance without losing accuracy. partnership announcing the current world number 1 as
the newest LA Golf partner. Johnson would be putting
Unless you are swinging an LA Golf shaft, made by hand LA Golf’s driver and putter shafts in play the next day
in sunny Southern California, your shaft is mass produced. and it was already creating chatter around the complex.

Why does that matter? Well, every major brand mass Johnson is head-to-toe TaylorMade and had been swing-
produces their shafts overseas, and that is not how you ing a Fujikura Speeder 661X for 13 years. As a notorious
achieve optimal performance, consistency, and ultimately “feel player”, any change is rare, because well, if it ain’t
results. Just ask anyone who has ever made…well…anything. EURNH¨%XW WKLV GULYHU VKDIW IHOW GL HUHQW ±)LUVW LI LW GLGQ´W
make me better, I wasn’t going to change. I told Reed that
LA Golf has a proprietary design process that lever- IURP WKH JHW JR $QG , KDYH QHYHU UHDOO\ VZXQJ R
ages exotic materials. The result? Exclusive design struc- WKH WHH EXW ZLWK WKLV /$ *ROI VKDIW , UHDOL]HG TXLFNO\ WKDW
tures that are finished by hand. So, when a player calls I can really go after it, and my misses are just so solid. I
– and yes, LA Golf’s partners often call from the course have had it in my bag ever since,” Johnson explained.
– that feedback is implemented into the next batch before
being delivered to you or your local fitter like Club Cham- Johnson had also been struggling with putting, so it
pion who carries LA Golf’s Signature Series. LA Golf was a good time to experiment with this putter shaft that
LV DOVR WKH RQO\ PDMRU EUDQG WKDW R HUV IXOO\ WLSSHG DQG KDG VR PXFK EX]] 0DMRU FKDPSLRQV KDG LW LQ SOD\ LQ
gripped shafts directly to consumers from their website. 2021 alone). His first weekend with the LA Golf shaft
in his trusted TaylorMade Spider putter, Johnson made
But why do most of the pros still use steel shafts in 145 feet of putts in the final round. Within six months,
their irons? A few reasons: A) Change is uncomfortable, Johnson had gone from 149th in strokes gained putting
B) While players have lots of data, it’s not all good or to 28th. The numbers spoke for themselves.
well interpreted data, and C) Some industry veterans are
threatened by changes in the game that aren’t their idea. As further validation, walking the course on the final
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There are mounds of data showing that the club face is longtime caddy) turned to Dickens and said, “I have been
delivered more consistently with a graphite shaft in your on Tour for 12 years and I have never heard players men-
irons, and with LA Golf’s shafts, the club face corrects on tion their putter shaft before LA Golf.”
contact 100% of the time. LA Golf also has a proprietary
material that absorbs the vibration or negative feedback Another U.S. Open was in the books and LA Golf
making the shaft more stable. Put simply: if anyone else was no longer just “Bryson’s shaft.” The narrative had
tries to replicate it, it will feel hard as a rock. Case in flipped. As one media analyst said it best, “I keep hearing
point, Fujikura picked a social media spat with LA Golf that some people in the industry are nervous about LA
LQ DERXW KDYLQJ D SXWWHU VKDIW VOLJKWO\ VWL HU 7KH Golf. They should be.”
problem? Independent blind tests showed LA Golf drub-
bing the competitors in “feel”.

Tiger’s bag from
his historic 1997
Masters win—
where is it? Who
has it? Michael
Bamberger
provides clues in
a special report
available only for
InsideGolf subscrib-
ers. Scan the code
for the true scoop.

2022

Masters

Tiger.Preview

Twenty-five years ago, HE HOOKED HIS FIRST tee shot into
21-year-old Tiger Woods the trees. He bogeyed four of his first
crushed the field at the nine holes. He limped to the 10th at
Masters. Then he Augusta National with a 40. And on
thumped them again. April 10, 1997, in his first round at
And again. And again. the Masters as a professional, Tiger
Six pros talk about what Woods still bettered his playing
it’s like to go toe-to-toe partner, defending champion Nick
with the menace in red. Faldo, by a stroke on the front nine.
Of course, you likely know what
As told to Ryan Asselta and Nick Piastowski happened three days and 63 holes
later. A quarter century ago, Woods
won the Masters Tournament by 12
strokes—and the margin remains
the standard for domination over a
Masters field. You also likely know
he’s won the event four more times.
But those who stood next to Woods
tee-to-green know the story best.
To commemorate the 25th anniver-
sary of Woods’ first green-jacket
win, we’ve collected stories from the
players paired with him in the final
rounds of his five victories. So, “Fore,
please! Tony Finau, Francesco
Molinari, Chris DiMarco,
Retief Goosen, Phil Mickelson
and Constantino Rocca,
now driving.”

75

2022 Masters Preview

1997 MASTERS

FINAL-ROUND PAIRING:

TIGER WOODS (–15)
CONSTANTINO ROCCA (–6)

WOODS’ WINNING SCORE: 270 (–18)

His margin of victory was 12 strokes—which remains a Masters record. But Tiger
still had work to do heading into the final round: win his first major and, at age 21,
put every Tour player on notice for the next two decades.

Rocca: “When you start the fourth round at Augusta National with a nine-shot lead,

it’s still not a sure win at the Masters. That day, Tiger was the best player. Even with

that lead, he was attacking the course, playing without fear. For the first nine holes, he

was nearly perfect. I was playing well, but

it was extremely difficult to try to catch

him. We didn’t have much conversation,

but there was great respect. Every well-

played shot was complimented with ‘good

shot.’ On the final nine holes, the people

supported him like crazy. I don’t know

if anyone even remembers I was on the

course! The thing that impressed me most

about Tiger that day, and at that point

2001 MASTERS in his young career, was that he didn’t

FINAL-ROUND PAIRING: play like a 21-year-old; he played like a

TIGER WOODS (–12 ) much more experienced golfer. It was
PHIL MICKELSON (–11)
the most dominating performance I had
WOODS’ WINNING SCORE: 272 (–16)
ever seen. Playing with Tiger at Augusta

was a fantastic experience, but on that 2002 MASTERS
day no one could have beat him.”

FINAL-ROUND PAIRING:

Tiger’s second Masters win—and sixth major in four years—required some digging TIGER WOODS (–11)
out. He was T-15 after the first round. But a personal piece of history was on the line. RETIEF GOOSEN (–11)

What didn’t this pairing have? For Woods, a win would complete the Tiger Slam, as he WOODS’ WINNING SCORE: 276 (–12)
had won the previous year’s U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship.
To add to the hype, Woods, ranked No. 1 in the world at the time, was squaring off with A searing, third-round 66 set up Woods
the World No. 2. Woods’ margin of victory would turn out to be modest—two better for a stirring finale—win and he’d become
than David Duval, three better than Mickelson—but, inevitably, a little stinging to Lefty. only the third player in Masters history
(after Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo) to
At his post-tournament presser, go back-to-back at Augusta.
Mickelson was asked if he was playing
his best golf “at the wrong time in Goosen: “It’s exciting to play with Tiger,
history.” “No,” he replied. “Not really. because it usually means you’re playing
Not yet.” He was also asked if he felt well. But it’s not easy playing with him.
he’d gotten beat by Woods, or if he The crowd was always behind him, and
played well enough to win, but it just it’s tough to block out the noise. But,
got away. His response was typical of somehow, he managed to tune out the
the public stance he’d take for years distractions. A major is always difficult to
to come about his rival: never give in. close out, and Tiger made a few mistakes,
but his recoveries were amazing. After
“My game,” he said, “is to a point missing the green on 6, he ends up chipping
where I feel like I can finally win in for birdie. On 15, he hit his drive into the
these tournaments and contend in trees and had to lay up. I left myself 20 feet
them regularly. I really do have that for eagle, and he almost holes his third
confidence. When I look back on this shot to equal my birdie. I’ve noticed that all
week, though, if I’m going to win with the greats are able to do that. Jack, Ben—
Tiger in the field, I cannot make the they all were able to hit the right shot at
mistakes that I have been making.... the right moment. That’s what Tiger did.
But, all in all, I don’t feel as though Even in defeat, I was motivated by him to
I’m that far off.” Three years later, try and win more major championships.”
Mickelson broke through to win the
first of his three green jackets. —N.P.

76 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

Previous page: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images; This page, from left: Augusta National/Getty Images; Phil Sheldon/ 2005 MASTERS 2019 MASTERS
Popperfoto/Getty Images; Getty Images; Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media/Getty Images; Augusta National/Getty Images
FINAL-ROUND PAIRING: FINAL-ROUND PAIRING:

TIGER WOODS (–11) FRANCESCO MOLINARI (–13)
CHRIS DIMARCO (–8) TONY FINAU (–11)
TIGER WOODS (–11)
WOODS’ WINNING SCORE (PLAYOFF): 276 (–12)
WOODS’ WINNING SCORE: 275 (–13)
After darkness suspended third-round play, Woods faced a
27-hole Sunday, which a gritty Chris DiMarco pushed to 28. A forecast of thunderstorms forced the green jackets to
send out threesomes on Sunday. At age 43, on the comeback
DiMarco: “Tiger was always so business-like when we played trail after multiple surgeries and scandals, and 11 years
together. I remember one year, my Florida Gators had just won removed from his last (and 14th) major win, Woods entered
the National Championship. To lighten the mood a bit, I wrote the final round with one impossible-to-fathom prospect: 15!
‘Go Gators’ on a ball and chipped it over to him on the range. He
picked it up and wrote ‘F#$% the Gators’ and chipped it back Molinari: “Playing with Tiger on a Sunday, especially in a major, he
to me! Very business-like. And it was no different that Sunday is all business. That day, in 2019, was very similar to when we were
at the 2005 Masters. I remember him being in this cocoon of paired together for the final round of the Open Championship
focus, though his game wasn’t perfect. Tiger had been going at Carnoustie in 2018. Tiger got the lead after the front nine, he
through a swing change that year, and down the stretch you made a mistake on 11 and I had a strong finish. At the Masters,
could see some uncomfortableness with his golf swing. He wasn’t it went the other way: I made the mistake on 12, and he grabbed
trusting it, especially the swing on the par-3 16th. When he hit the lead and closed it out. I remember Tiger being frustrated.
the famous chip on 16, I was doing everything in my power to Then my mistake on 12 gave him a lot of energy. He saw the door
blow that ball up the hill instead of down the hill. But, of course, opening and grabbed it with two hands. His tee shot on 17 was
we just watched the ball trickle in and fall over the edge. The massive, which gave him some cushion to play 18 without any
crowd noise was so loud, I had to yell ‘Great shot!’ three or four worry. I think some day, when I stop playing, I will look back and
times for him to hear me. Tiger is a ruthless winner, and that’s say, ‘That was cool to be a part of.’ But now—it’s still too early.
what made him the greatest of all time. But he’s a very gracious Me and probably three other people in the whole world wish it
winner to the guys he beats. He wanted to step on my neck that had gone the other way.”
day, but he loved me for going the distance and for pushing him
all the way to a playoff.” Finau: “I was in my zone trying to win the tournament, but
I think I was able to enjoy it. I definitely felt the magnitude of
the moment. Tiger had fallen off physically and had his personal
life absolutely destroyed. I had a front-row seat to witness, in
my opinion, the greatest comeback sports story of all time. The
anticipation on the 18th green was amazing. I was the first one
to congratulate Tiger when he won. I told him how proud I was
of him, as a fan and as a person. He didn’t need to win another
Masters to prove anything, but that victory shows he is truly
the greatest who’s played our game.”

77

What

2022
Masters

It’sPreview
Really
Like...

Just as Augusta National is the ultimate insiders’ club,
the Masters is the ultimate insiders’ tournament.

Nearly nine decades after the storied venue was founded,

the Augusta Experience has remained

shrouded in mystery. Until now.

REPORTING BY MICHAEL ARKUSH, JESSICA MARKSBURY AND JOSH SENS

78 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

Wallace

From left: Phil Sheldon/Popperfoto/Getty Images; Andrew Redington/Getty Images Gentle Ben, Langer and the ’94 menu. The second time, I went with the one went a long way. It came on the 8th
typical Thanksgiving meal: turkey, hole, which is about 120 yards. I can’t
…to pick the menu mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry remember what club I hit. Probably a
for the Champions sauce—the works. I didn’t pick that meal gap wedge of some kind.
Dinner only because I loved the food. I picked
it because I wanted to give thanks to It was kind of like we wanted to try to
BY BERNHARD LANGER the country that had become my new make an ace for all the patrons around
home—I had lived in America for about there. It was good fun. When it went in,
Being fortunate to win the green a decade by then—and to the Lord. I had we went mental.
jacket on two occasions, in 1985 and become a Christian by 1994. The food
1993, I had two opportunities to pick the on this occasion was just as incredible. But do you know what’s better than
menu for my fellow winners. The choices making a hole in one? Making a hole
I made both times said a lot about where The bill for the two meals was quite in one when you have a pre-round bet
I was in my life. hefty, especially when you add in the with Danny Willett and Eddie Pepperell
drinks, but I didn’t mind one bit. I’m that hung $500 off them. When you got
The first time, I selected sauerbra- sure that’s how every champion feels. a little side bet going on, yeah, it mat-
ten, my favorite German dish. The key I remember sitting in that room the first ters. I had to eek my winnings out of
is to marinate the beef for two or three time realizing that I was going to be part them, though!
days so that it is so soft and tender you of this for the rest of my life.
won’t even need a knife. The meal also …to work on the
included red cabbage and an incredibly …to make a hole in Masters grounds crew
delicious dumpling known as spaetzle. one in the Par 3
If you haven’t had spaetzle, you have Contest BY ANONYMOUS
really been missing something. Then
I topped it off with Black Forest cake. My BY MATT WALLACE (A FORMER GROUNDS-CREW
mom made an awesome Black Forest
cake when I was a kid. That year, 2019, was my first time VOLUNTEER)
playing the Par 3 Contest, and I went on
The chefs at Augusta were just as to win it, beating Sandy Lyle on the third For several years, I worked on the
awesome. They really did their home- hole of a playoff. So, yeah, the hole in volunteer grounds crew at Augusta, one
work to make sure every part of the meal of about 100 superintendents who wing
was authentic. I was thrilled when the in from around the country to help
guys told me how much they enjoyed it. during tournament week. Unlike most
Nobody turned it down. unpaid jobs, it’s not an easy gig to get.
You write a letter, and there’s a wait list.
If they think you’re up to snuff, they put
you in the bullpen in case a spot opens.

I’ve worked multiple U.S. and Brit-
ish Opens, too, and I would say that
Augusta has about double the manpower

79

2022 Masters Preview

Koch

Player

and maintenance fleet of those events. they talked about the greens over the …to hit a ceremonial
I worked fairway duty, part of a fleet of radio they used code. One time I was in opening tee shot on
14 mowers. To put that in perspective, the maintenance shop and an assistant Thursday morning
most top-shelf clubs use one, maybe two walked through. He was wearing an ear-
mowers. Starting early in the morning, piece, but it somehow got unplugged BY G A RY P L AY E R
we’d mow the driving range and the so we could hear what was being said.
chipping area, then we’d split into two The 8th green needed “a procedure.” I’ve had the amazing honor, every
teams, one for each nine, and mow the Thursday morning since 2012, of hitting
fairways in an offset conga-line for- I wondered what that meant. The the ceremonial tee shot at the Masters,
mation, always in one direction, from maintenance building is close to the and it never gets old. As a matter of fact,
green to tee. That’s mostly for presen- 8th green, so I walked out for a look. I have no doubt that, once again this
tation. They want a uniform look, with- It turned out the green needed what’s year, I will feel the same butterflies I’ve
out stripes. Some people also say that known as an Augusta double cut, where always felt. And I’ve been coming to
mowing the grass against the direction they mow back and forth over the exact Augusta National since Dwight D. Eisen-
of play minimizes rollout. But I’m not same path. Two guys do the double cut- hower was president!
sure that makes a difference given how ting, each mowing twice over the same
tight they cut those fairways. area, which means they’re basically cut- My favorite part of the day is the walk
ting the green four times. They want the from the clubhouse to the first tee. I’m
How low do they go? I once asked putting surfaces running at “champion- so moved by the patrons who come out
my supervisor, and he said he could tell ship speed.” that early to cheer on me and Jack. I’m
me only that they had the knife beds getting emotional right now even think-
on the mowers set to a quarter inch. They won’t tell you how fast they ing about it. People want to slap my hand
That’s extremely short, maybe twice stimp, but one year during volunteer and I’m happy to accommodate them.
as low as the average course. week, when they let you play the course, I’m so grateful for their support and for
I put a stimpmeter in my bag. I knew the memories I have of this remarkable
“So, we’re mowing to a quarter I couldn’t let anyone see me, so I had to tournament, win or lose. Each year, I’m
inch?” I asked incredulously. wait for an opportunity. Finally, when we more grateful than the year before.
got to the 15th green and it looked like
“I didn’t say that,” my supervisor no one else was around, I went to a rel- As for the tee shot itself, I take it very
replied with a wink. atively level area at the back left of the seriously. This is my one shot of the
green. It was stimping at 14. And that’s whole week, and I want to hit a good one.
At Augusta, they play everything during volunteer week! I will practice for over 30 minutes that
close to the vest, and they keep every- morning, much of it in the dark. Finally,
thing they can out of sight. Their pump Just as I got the reading, I noticed that after Chairman Ridley calls my name and
station is massive, and it’s underground. a bunch of other supers in other groups I acknowledge the applause, I step to the
That’s unusual. And they have a backup were watching and heading over to me. tee and let it rip. The ball doesn’t go very
system just like it. But they’re probably They weren’t mad. They were curious. far, as you’re hitting right into the steep
most secretive about their greens. In I didn’t get reported. Otherwise, no way bank on hole No. 1. Normally my drives
my stints there, only full-time staffers I would have been invited back. these days go to about 240 yards. Not
and interns got to work them, and when

80 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

Ghim

From left: Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images; UAA Communications; Patrick Smith/Getty Images; Augusta National/Getty Images; Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images The Crow’s Nest

bad. I’m 86 years old! And as competitive Barnes …to stay in the
as ever. I’m proud to say that I now out- Crow’s Nest
drive Jack. I know it irritates him because like to hit the first shot on Thursday.
he’s so competitive, but he hit it way past I looked down to the left of 18 and BY RICKY BARNES
me in our prime, so I’m glad I can now
give him a little of his own medicine. saw a big open area where, back then, AND DOUG GHIM
they allowed players to hit balls. There
Of all the honors I’ve had in this game was one guy hitting shots to his caddie Barnes: There is no point in burying
that has been my life, hitting the ceremo- who was a couple hundred yards away— the lede: In 2003, when I stayed at the
nial tee shot at the Masters ranks right up high, towering iron shots that required Crow’s Nest after having won the U.S.
there. I can’t see stopping any time soon. the caddie to take only one step to his Amateur the year before, I snuck into
right or one to his left or maybe one step the Champions locker room.
…to be a Masters straight ahead to retrieve the ball. I kept
rookie shaking my head, thinking, I’ve never hit And with a vodka in my hand.
one shot that looked like those. How could Let me be clear: I wasn’t up to any real
BY GARY KOCH I ever beat this guy? I sat there mesmer- mischief. Along with the British Ama-
ized for about 10 minutes and walked teur champ Alejandro Larrazabal, I was
Arriving in my old Dodge Dart on back up the hill to the clubhouse, my con- just doing some innocent exploring on
the Saturday afternoon before the first fidence clearly shaken. It was definitely the Sunday night after the tournament
round in 1974—I was a kid from the time to reevaluate my expectations for ended. No one else was around. We were
University of Florida, for goodness my first Masters. curious. We were young.
sake—I was totally in awe. So much so At one point, Alejandro tried on the
that I drove as slow as humanly possi- The guy was Tom Weiskopf, who green jacket that had been worn by the
ble, soaking up every moment. The way wound up tying for second that year two-time champ José María Olazábal.
I was looking around, it’s a wonder behind Gary Player. “You got to put one on,” he told me.
I didn’t crash into something. That “No way,” I told him. “Not until I get
would have been some kind of Masters I missed the cut. back here one day and hoist one.”
debut, wouldn’t it? The two of us laughed so hard that
night, soaking it all in. We finally shut
Anyway, on my left side, I saw a few it down around 3 a.m.
pros hitting balls to their caddies. I tried to Ghim: I stayed only one of the nights
see who they were, but I was too far away. because I was staying with my fam-
ily for the week in a rental home. But
Shortly afterward, I checked into I thought it was important to do it at least
the Crow’s Nest. I decided I would hit once, to get a good feel for it. The year
balls instead of going on the course. was 2018, and all the amateurs decided
I messed around for a bit on the putting to stay there the same night, on Mon-
green and then walked over to the first day, because that was when they have
tee, trying to imagine what it would be the dinner for the amateurs. We all got

81

2022 Masters Preview

Sneds and Angel Cabrera,
his 54-hole coleader.

dressed up, went out and then came back When I went back to Augusta National Nelson
and watched the national championship to play in the 2010 Masters, I poked my
game for college basketball. head into the Crow’s Nest. just all nerves. You want to get going.
Barnes: As for the accommodations You try to stay busy. Anything to keep
themselves, it wasn’t exactly The Four “You like the small quarters up here?” your mind off it.
Seasons. There was one little TV, one I joked with a couple of the amateurs.
small bathroom and a couch that had Ghim: It’s almost like you’re in a time …to rinse a ball on
upholstery from 1965. I thought to capsule. We heard a story that someone No. 12 with the green
myself, If you have four grown men in tried to donate a big TV, and they said, jacket on the line
here at once, there is practically no place “If we wanted a bigger TV, we would
to sit. And, being 6 foot 3, my feet were have one.” BY LARRY NELSON
definitely hanging off the bed when
I slept. …to hold the 54-hole People ask me all the time: If you
Ghim: Yeah, it’s not very big, and it’s lead at the Masters had one shot to do over in your career,
pretty cold up there. But it’s so cool what would it be? The answer is always
because you definitely feel like it hasn’t BY BRANDT SNEDEKER the same: I would have played it safe at
changed over the years. No. 12.
When you’re out there playing the
It’s like one big room with five beds Masters with a lead, it doesn’t ever really The year was 1984. As I stood on the
separated by dividing walls, which don’t hit you because you’re just in the mid- tee on Sunday afternoon, I trailed Ben
go all the way up to the ceiling. On the dle of it. You’re trying to get through it. Crenshaw by only one shot. I felt invin-
walls, they have all the pictures of, like, The course is so demanding, you’re cible, having just made a birdie at No. 11,
Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus and all really focused in. the most difficult hole on the course,
of that. And then the bathroom is a very after hitting a 4-iron to about 12 feet.
vintage-tiled bathroom. The shower’s But sleeping on the 54-hole lead, as
tight. One of the ams, who was pretty I did in 2013, is different. It’s tough. You And that was my problem. One
tall, had to kind of crouch. never sleep well. You’re definitely not should never feel invincible at Augusta
putting in a nice 10 hours. Maybe four National. That’s usually when you make
You can definitely tell that they tried or five. Nerves are going. your most costly mistakes.
hard to keep it the same way for a very
long time. I was in the last group on Sunday. Instead of hitting a 7-iron to the mid-
Barnes: I wouldn’t have changed one I tried to stay up as late as I could the
thing about staying there that week. night before and sleep in as late as
That was an incredibly special time in I could. I did a workout in the morning.
my life, with wonderful memories and You want to do all the little things, find
stories that will last forever. Besides, some way to kind of keep your mind
I was in college at the time. It wasn’t like off what’s going on. With those late tee
I’d been living a lavish lifestyle. times, it’s that downtime that’ll get you.
You’re not stressing about it, but you’re

82 GOLF.COM / A p r i l 2 0 2 2

Watson and Scott Crenshaw

From left: Harry How/Getty Images; Augusta National/Getty Images; Streeter Lecka/Getty Images; Augusta National/Getty Images dle of the green and being satisfied At times, my mind drifted. How …to hang in Butler Cabin
walking away with a 3—that’s what Jack could it not? This was the Masters,
Nicklaus and all the veterans usually the tournament I watched every year BY BEN CRENSHAW
did—I tried to cut a 6-iron to the tradi- as a kid, the tournament where I felt
tional back-right pin position. I failed, I knew pretty much every hole by heart. The year was 1972, and I had just fin-
and I knew it right away. I hit it so fat And now here I was, not as a specta- ished as the low amateur with rounds of
that I didn’t know whether to tell the tor but as the caddie of a guy who had 73, 74, 74 and 74, finishing nine shots
ball to get up or get down, as there was a chance to win this thing. I felt like behind the winner, Jack Nicklaus. Which
a chance it might not even make it to I was in a movie. meant I would head into Butler Cabin
the water. for the post-round interview with the
Fast-forward to the Sunday playoff club chairman, Clifford Roberts. Was
It did, of course, and I wound up with against Louis Oosthuizen. People were I nervous? Oh my God, yes. I was petri-
a double bogey. I still wasn’t out of it, as blown away by how Bubba was able to fied. I had passed by the place a few times
Ben still had to get through 11 and 12. hook his gap wedge shot onto the green earlier that week. But Butler Cabin wasn’t
I certainly had my chances coming in (see p. 22). I was not. I had been around somewhere you casually went in; it was
but couldn’t make anything. Ultimately, Bubba long enough to know the guy had somewhere you were invited to go in.
I finished fifth, four strokes behind Ben. the shot. He has a million shots! Noth-
Given that I’m from Georgia, the victory ing he ever did surprised me. At least my hair was short when I went
would have been that much sweeter. in, which was a big deal for Mr. Roberts.
Even so, when it was over, I was Earlier that week, when I first met him,
Even so, at the age of 36, I figured almost in a state of shock. I asked myself he started off by telling me how fond
I would have at least a few more good that night, and on many occasions later: the folks at Augusta were of Texans. He
chances to get the green jacket before Did this really happen? Did my guy win mentioned Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan,
my career was over. I didn’t. My chance the Masters? Jimmy Demaret and Jackie Burke.
was in 1984, and, because of the shot at
12, I didn’t take advantage of it. Well, I didn’t sleep at all that night. Then came the line I’ll never forget:
There must have been hundreds of calls “By the way, Ben, do you know we have a
…to caddie for a or texts on my phone, and I felt I owed barbershop on the grounds?” I immedi-
Masters champion a response to everyone who had been ately found the shop and got the haircut.
kind enough to reach out. I don’t think
BY TED SCOTT I finished until 6 or 7 in the morning, In the cabin that afternoon, I don’t
maybe later. recall him mentioning my hair. To be
I won’t lie. I won’t pretend that work- honest, I don’t recall anything anyone
ing as Bubba Watson’s caddie down the Two years later, in 2014, when Bubba said. I was too much in awe.
stretch of the 2012 Masters was like any captured his second green jacket in his
other time with the bag. I was acutely battle with Jordan Spieth, it was just as I was invited back in 1973, when I was
aware of what was at stake, of how exciting. Yes, the pressure was a little the low amateur again, and as the cham-
important it was that I do my job well. less because he had already won one, pion in 1984 and ’95. Not for one moment
but this was the Masters, where win- did I lose that sense of awe. That goes for
ning could never get old. Butler Cabin and everything else about
Augusta National.

83

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