Opinion & Analysis
The Wedge Guy: Random thoughts on the Masters
The first major of the year is history now, and true to form, it did not disappoint. Augusta National so often seems to find a way to deliver real drama and so many storylines right out of fantasy.
Tiger Woods has long been a polarizing figure in the game, it seems. But there is no denying that he combined shotmaking skills and steadiness under pressure …and more than just a bit of Augusta National savvy to earn this victory.
His shot to No. 12 showed that more than just about any other. How many times have we witnessed Masters rookies and relative rookies dunk their tee shot there by going at that right pin position? So Tiger watches Molinari, Koepka, and Finau make that mistake and takes the water completely out of play with his approach.
But what impressed me more about Tiger (or failed to impress by the others) was his ability to hit quality golf shots when it counted. How many of the others just could not put their drives in the fairway to give themselves good looks with their approaches? And how many hit below-average-to-poor approach shots to take birdie out of the picture and put bogey in it?
True to Masters form, we witnessed the drama of those who fired and fell back, giving us thrills and heartache along the way — Cantlay, Schauffele, Koepka. As is so often the case, the Masters is as much about who lost it as who won it.
Kudos to Tiger Woods for clawing his way back to the top of the heap in professional golf. Whether you like him or not, there’s no denying he played the golf course better than all the others. He never made the big mistakes and he hit the shots he needed too when he had to hit them. That’s the mark of a champion, right?
I read last night that he led the field in greens-in-regulation and was T1 in fairways. What a concept — hitting quality golf shots to beat a golf course!! He also stated that he had finally gotten his driver to where he could work it both ways with confidence. He always was a phenomenal iron player, with a scary short game and deadly putter. If he is feeling that way about his driver, the rest of this PGA Tour season might be one for the ages.
So now for some questions.
Watching this Masters for so many hours continued to punctuate how different the professional game is today than in the past, and how completely different it is from the one we recreational golfers play. Let me offer some observations as I watched the Masters unfold once again.
Understand, I’ve been watching this first major on the same course for well over 50 years, so I have a pretty deep pool of reference. With that in mind, might I ask some questions for us all to ponder?
- What really defines a “par 5” hole? Historically, it meant a “three shotter,” but strategically-placed reachable par fives have always delivered drama. Bobby Jones said courses should have one or two of those, but that they should require a perfect high-risk drive to give the player that option. I really don’t think he envisioned “par 5s” that were reachable by the majority of the field with a medium to short iron. With players routinely hitting those to #13 and #15, can they really still be called “par five holes”? And how many true “par 5s” are there on the tour anymore? Aren’t these guys really playing courses that should have a par of 69 or 70?
- Historically, at least through the 1990s, Augusta was a mid-to-long iron golf course. Greg Norman lost to Nicklaus in 1986 by flaring a 4-iron right on 18– when was the last time we saw that club for an approach there, except after a terrible drive? Is it the same challenge to play a course where the majority of approach shots are with a 7-iron or less in the golfers’ hands, as it is when the typical approach is with a 6-iron or longer?
- But then, does that really matter? If you are hitting a 7-iron from 200, is it the same difficulty of a shot as if you have a 4-iron in your hand? What’s y’all’s take on that?
- Just how good are these guys’ short games? It seems like they get up-and-down from everywhere, creating and executing an unimaginable variety of shots. At one point mid-way through the round, Molinari was a perfect 18-for-18 in saves this week! That is unbelievable, isn’t it? Do these short game skills make golf courses essentially defenseless unless they are tricked up? And do we really want to see that happen?
Those are my questions. I hope many of you will sound off with your take on them so I can learn from you.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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CG
Apr 18, 2019 at 6:23 pm
Raymond Floyd won the Masters in 1975 with 17 under. The course was over 7,000 yards. He was hitting a wood driver and fairway woods that were 2-3 inches shorter (I recall the famous 4 wood). He used wound balata balls that were marshmallows compared to today’s model, and irons that had shorter shafts with less loft throughout the set. Tiger just won with -13 on a course that’s about 400 yards longer today (about 22-23 per hole) and yet players these days hit drivers well over 300 when back then, 275 was a big hit. I think many people are over reacting.
Odie
Apr 18, 2019 at 12:50 pm
Regarding distance, if the PGA Tour (not USGA) wants to do something about it they should have a “tour version” of current balls on the market that go 10-15% shorter. Now the tour pro flies it 270 vs 300. You can bring more “classic” courses back into play and recreational players can better relate to the tour pros they follow.
Bring strategy and shotmaking back to the tour.
golfraven
Apr 18, 2019 at 7:29 am
One question really strikes me. Why were there three guys with leaf blowers and referees suddenly on the 12the green when Tiger was about to hit his putt? Have not seen this on any other tournament since I can remember watching golf? What did they discuss? Nobody seem to be mentioning this scenario?
Why is the 12th such a myth? Folks seem to be dropping balls into water more in the last round. Can someone clarify this for me please?
Ace
Apr 18, 2019 at 8:35 am
This happens all the time, clearing sand or debris from the green from previous players or if a gust of wind brought stuff onto the green. Tour events are meticulously maintained for the pros.
Daniel Kidd
Apr 18, 2019 at 6:32 am
I’ll comment on the distance players are hitting it and how that gives the player a shorter iron into the green. Golf is always changing and technology causes much of that change. The players used to play hickory shafts and some felt like it was cheating to use steel. This change completely changed the game. How much has the ball changed since the days of stuffing it full of feathers?
Technology has always changed the game and it will continue to. I don’t know what the answer to this is…do we stop innovation so it all stays the same? I’m glad I’m not swinging hickory shafts and putting on furry greens that require mostly luck to bounce a long putt into the hole. But at the same time, I don’t want to hit driver lob wedge into every par 4. Obviously we can’t make all courses longer to accommodate distance gains.
To me, the distance problem is really only a problem at the professional level. Most of the guys I play with struggle to reach a 400 yd par 4.
Joseph Greenberg
Apr 17, 2019 at 6:01 pm
Augusta mows the green surrounds so that contestants almost always have to hit into the grain. The greens are recognized as the most challenging to putt in the world. So if Francesco and his ilk go 18 for 18 in saves, bless and praise them. Also recognize that the greens couldn’t firm up, that your wedge gurus are making pros smarter by the month (DJ competing with Rickie, Jordan and Justin with a wedge in his mitts is Exhibit 1), and that metrics guys are pushing for concentrating more and more practice time around the green
Mardukes
Apr 17, 2019 at 11:02 pm
The pond next to the 11th green. When was the last time someone put s ball in it? IIRC it used to cause problems.
Pelling
Apr 18, 2019 at 8:29 am
It seemed like Tiger and Phil hit it way right off #11 tee and always ending up on that hard pan with a clear shot to the green! What’s up with that?
IAIN HUTCHINSON
Apr 18, 2019 at 3:40 am
I am not sure if I agree with this statement. I read an article just before this years masters which said that the greens are amongst the highest in first putt success but also the highest is 3 putts. So if the read is right they are true and will hole out. But if you miss they are very difficult to stop and produce the greatest number of 3 putts. Would be interested is hearing what the pro’s say about this interesting statistical conundrum
Mario B
Apr 18, 2019 at 6:12 pm
Mostly because the holes are often in a small depression and all shots on the right side of a ridge will feed towards it but shots reaching the wrong part of the green will get a strong slope on the last few yards making 3 putts quite common (13, 14, 16, 18 for example)
Bob Jones
Apr 17, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Augusta National is becoming obsolete, just like St. Andrews Old is. In his book, Golf is My Game, Bobby Jones described how to play the course during tournament time. For example, No. 16 was a 2, 3, or 4-iron. I remember seeing that on TV. Today it’s a 7, 8, or 9-iron. No. 13 used to be a 3-shotter because few players wanted to risk going for it in two. Now, who doesn’t do that, which is why the club bought land from neighboring Augusta CC to lengthen it, and they hit the green easily in two. Etc. In 10-15 years, if that long, ANGC will be exposed beyond fixing.
As for the hole values, you could call every hole a par 4 and the total scores would be the same. Like they say, par is just a number.
Gary Maxwell
Apr 17, 2019 at 6:08 pm
I don’t think Augusta is obsolete. I do think they should acknowledge the fact that there are no par 5s on the course during the tournament.
just a thought
Apr 17, 2019 at 5:03 pm
I don’t want the technology or equipment advances taken away… the advancement of the game is not decided by the 150 best in the world.
At 250 yds begin tightening the fairway till it is no more 20-25 steps wide at 300… reward the long straight tee shot but punish the hell out of the player that isn’t so straight.
When it’s all said and done their greatest skill arrives from 100 yards in….they are phenomenal
Howard Clark
Apr 17, 2019 at 4:40 pm
The “second cut”, as the inane announcers continue to call it, was fairway height at many courses. No rough, no golf.
Brad
Apr 17, 2019 at 3:09 pm
The Masters and the Open should be played with drivers having a maximum size of 275cc or made of actual wood. Let’s see how the pros play these courses without the massive boom stick in their hands…
Rev G
Apr 17, 2019 at 8:23 am
I think there is some truth to saying that a 200 yard shot with a 4 iron in the past is similar to a 200 yard shot with a 7 iron in today’s game. Especially when you consider that the lofts of today’s 7 iron is between a 5 iron and 6 iron of the past. And then you factor in today’s ball that spins so much less, you need more loft to get the ball up in the air.
Augusta is so perfectly manicured, the greens are so smooth – it really makes it much easier for the pros – and as noted above, the fairways roll out so much, giving the pros even more length.
One of the other golf websites, showed a statistic saying that the pros putt much better at Augusta from inside of ten feet than at the average tour stop. That can only be accounted for by the fact that the greens are so smooth and true. They do tend to have on average more 3 putts, but that is not surprising considering the large slopes on the Augusta greens. But the pin placements are usually in relatively flatter spots.
I think if you slowed the fairways and greens, grew up some more rough you could definitely make it longer and tougher.
But should they make it tougher, it sure is fun to watch, and the best golfer for the week won. Tiger hit the most fairways and greens and simply out smarted the rest. It was great theatre.
Pelling
Apr 18, 2019 at 8:34 am
If you look at the conditioning of today’s golfers (Tiger, DJ, Adam Scott, etc.) and compare it with players in years past, there is no mystery why the ball goes farther…
John
Apr 16, 2019 at 9:25 pm
One word. “Merion”. Pros were torched at that too short of US Open ourse
Bob Jones
Apr 17, 2019 at 5:14 pm
Yes, because the USGA had it unbelievable tricked up with really narrow fairways and rough the height of which hadn’t been seen before. It was an admission that unless the course was later beyond recognition it wouldn’t stand up to the modern player.
lee kocanda
Apr 16, 2019 at 8:47 pm
I totally agree.coursesfor tour players are to easy for todays pros .tighten fairway landing areas and grow the rough. make these guys grind .myself and my golfing buddies love u,s.opens where par is good. it seems to me that the tour hierarchy think people like seeing a bob hope birdie fest .
Lash
Apr 16, 2019 at 7:10 pm
Everyone always talks about what Bobby Jones envisioned…what club should be hit into which green. And if that is still the goal, there is a solution. The fairways back in the day, didn’t have 50 yard roll outs, and the greens weren’t 11-13 on the stimpmeter either. Yeah, a 4 iron into the green is a great shot, but back in his day a green would hold the shot because it was more receptive. They have added slope and made them faster that what Mr. Jones also envisioned. If you want the players hitting longer irons in, take the course back to the way it was….a little slower, and a little furrier. Also pinch in the landing areas and grow the rough. Things can be done without adding more length.
But you can’t have it both ways….folks like the long ball, and a lot of folks don’t want to see pros embarrassed ( hear me USGA). They want to see great golf, great towering shots, great approach shots rewarded, no courses tricked up, and golfer rewarded for great shots, creativity, and for getting g hot at the right time.
Jeff Baldwin
Apr 16, 2019 at 4:57 pm
Good questions!
My opinions only:
1. “Par” is just a number. To win, you shoot a lower score than everyone else. I would say that right now the par 5 holes are more like the difficult par 4s, but does it matter? then again, 13 under isn’t a demolition of the course, and not a new low score, even though the course was soft. True, there have been adjustments over the years, but I don’t see a problem.
2. Obviously, the equipment has changed the game. But the old 4 iron isn’t that much different from today’s 6, so perhaps the difference is not as much as it sounds like. Sticking an approach from 200 still isn’t an easy task, is it? Which leads to…
3. To me it doesn’t really matter. They still have to make the shot. They can’t hit 12 from 150, so…
4. Yes, their short games are crazy. I think that emphasis on the short game has really gone up as more statistics have been available, rather than just “feeling”. I sure hope people don’t see that as a driver to trick things up. Perhaps a little fluffier rough, and things like that, but if you are near, but not on the green, you should not be penalized more than if you were farther out, right? I think the amazing and imaginative short game shots are the most fun to watch! It’s not a totally recent thing, Watson’s Open, Tiger a bunch of times over two decades, Seve, the list does go on. Bottom line is that, yes, these guys are good!
Hrannar
Apr 17, 2019 at 5:54 am
Well in most tour pros bag are blades with traditional lofts. My guess is that Tigers 7 iron is not much different than a 30 year old 7 iron blade. Similar design and same loft. It still is a stroke play game and the best score wins. It however doesn’t make discussion of how the course plays and is set up mute. They do drive 40-50 yards longer and have shorter approach shots as a result. Why not make the par 5 holes play a 5 like they were meant to in the beginning. I also think the second cut was too short, almost no penalty not hitting the fairway. The Majors should be hard.
DB
Apr 16, 2019 at 2:49 pm
If they wanted to make the Par 5s harder all they would have to do is narrow the fairways and let the rough grow longer. They didn’t do that so obviously they like the way it’s going.
Also I’m not terribly concerned about players hitting 7-iron instead of 4-iron. Like you said, in the old days 4-iron was a 200-yard shot. Now for most players that is 6 or even 7-iron. But also the old irons were lofted weak. A 4-iron was probably 26+ degrees. Ironically it seems like the only person still playing the older lofts is Tiger.
Lance
Apr 16, 2019 at 10:04 pm
Generally the older long irons were 2 iron at 18 degrees 3 iron at 21 degrees 4 iron 24 degrees
dat
Apr 16, 2019 at 2:30 pm
I get that everyone is in shape, better ball, better equipment – but these courses are just too short for these guys. Look at #5, where they lengthened the hole – and it played at par. That’s about how all the holes should be, but not every course has the kind of money AGNC has. And that’s part of the problem. If one course can arbitrarily extend a hole or two, but others cannot, the only equalizer then is the golf ball.
Steven M
Apr 17, 2019 at 7:16 am
No it isn’t. This drives me mad. The ball isn’t the problem. Grow the grass longer, make the course tighter. People understand how to hit it longer thanks to TM/GC Quad. Along with a change in approach as to how they play golf now. They’re not tickling it around like the days of Faldo who plotted his way around. They go for broke and hit it hard.
Tighten the course up, and watch people plot they’re way round again.
Ben
Apr 16, 2019 at 2:02 pm
I guess you have to look at it from two points of view. Course design or competition. Yes the course is designed in relation to par and for pros that is mostly a non factor. They shoot under par everywhere. But they are competing for the lowest score, so the score is in relation to each other not designated par. Stress of competition becomes the course they are playing. As we all seen on Sunday and past masters hole 12, a short iron par 3 closed the door on many. That’s a relatively simple shot on any other day of the year. I wouldn’t get too caught up on how long the courses are, what clubs are being played or what par is. Lowest score wins.
PSG
Apr 16, 2019 at 1:48 pm
Its silly to adjust the “par” of holes to the score average. Wait, #12 at TPC Louisiana plays to a score average of 4.67 during the Zurich Classic. Make it a par 5! You’ll never get it 100% right, so don’t try. Its fine the way it is.
And given that the scoring average on tour is 71.57, par 72 seems exactly right.
Ace
Apr 18, 2019 at 8:33 am
Get outta here with your facts and data!
Good point though, sometimes the players get hot at the right time like Tiger winning majors by over 12 strokes or Rory winning by a ton while the rest of the field is struggling for par.
percy freeman
Apr 16, 2019 at 11:41 am
Terry,
If they don’t change the ball for the pros then the only defense Augusta could have would be to grow REAL ROUGH and tighten the landing areas (see US Open rough).
what else is there? they are out of real estate…..
Johnny Penso
Apr 16, 2019 at 2:11 pm
Longer par 5’s and riskier tee shots are what is needed to bring a bit more of the challenge back to golf tournaments. Laying it out there 320 with little fear of trouble, getting a 30 yard roll and hitting a 9 iron in, is a par 4 not a par 5. Narrow the fairway at 280-350, put in some trees and bunkers and make the tee shot risky. Some par 5’s should have smaller greens with a narrow path to roll the ball up if necessary. No par 5 should be under 550 yards these days, making even a perfect tee shot leave at least a 200 yard approach and the player who plays safe off the tee not able to reach the green in two. The whole idea of risk/reward is gone on most par 5s these days.