I don’t know about you, but I feel like I know Augusta National as well as any golf course on the planet and I’ve never even set foot on the premises! The world-famous Georgia masterpiece presents some of the most unique challenges in professional golf, from the lightning-fast, undulating greens to the sharp doglegs and massive elevation changes. Because of the questions the course poses to the players, we often see some fairly significant equipment tweaks leading up to The Masters. Here are five to watch out for...
Adding a draw bias tee club (for a right-hander)
There are a few holes at Augusta National that become an awful lot easier for a right-handed golfer if they can turn the ball over with a draw flight. The par 5 2nd hole is one, the 9th, 10th, and 13th can also play an awful lot shorter with a right-to-left shot matching the shape of the hole. Even on the relatively straight 14th hole, a draw can help players hold the fairway that slopes pretty aggressively left to right. As such, many players try to add some more right-to-left bias at the top end of the bag.
They either do this by adjusting the weight settings or face angle on their driver or by doing the same on their 3 wood as - in the modern game - many right-handed players feel that it is a lot easier to draw the ball with a little more loft. Either way, a lot of the field will be looking for ways to encourage a draw flight at that end of the bag.
Adding a high-lofted fairway or hybrid
We’ve seen the par 5s play such a pivotal role in the outcome of so many Masters tournaments over the years and with the event on the line over the closing stretch, two of those (the 13th and 15th) require long carries over water onto firm fast greens. As such, many players who usually carry a 2 or 3 iron will switch this out in favor of one of the best hybrids or best fairway woods to provide more launch, peak height, and crucially a steeper descent angle. The right shot on those holes on a Sunday afternoon could be the difference so the players will need to be ready.
Brand new wedges
Tour pros generally differ greatly in how often they switch out their wedges. Some might only freshen them up once or twice a season, whereas others ask their manufacturers for new wedges almost every tournament they play. During Masters week, however, one of the most requested and built items on the tour trucks are wedges. With the premium on spin control and accuracy when hitting into those firm, undulating greens, players need to know that their spin levels are optimal with brand-new, fresh, sharp grooves. When facing a downhill pitch to a green running away from you at Augusta, you’d better be sure you’ve got as much spin as is possibly available!
Less loft on putters
This is a slightly less common change, but still one a few players will make. Thanks to ball roll analysis from launch monitors such as Quintic Ball Roll, we know that the best putters require some loft to get the ball launching above the grass and prevent snagging or bobbling. However, the amount of loft required will vary depending on the length and quality of the greens being putted. With Augusta National boasting some of the quickest, shortest-cut greens in golf, the need for loft is diminished and can actually be harmful. Too much loft can cause a ball to launch too high and bounce a little which will affect distance control, as such a number of players may tweak their putter loft down a little before the tournament starts.
Carrying more golf balls!
With a watery grave lurking on so many of the famous back 9 holes, such as the 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th, players would do well to ensure they have enough ammunition to complete their rounds! We can probably all remember many a tournament challenge being derailed by the H20 protecting Augusta National. Just ask Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy or Greg Norman to name but a few!
