The Art of Second Shot Strategy at Augusta
Six months ago, we experienced one of the most unique tournaments the sport had ever seen… an autumn Masters. The conditions invited a very different game, without the usual roll offered by the overseeded Perennial Ryegrass delivering a little more forgiveness on approach to the greens – something DJ was able to capitalise on as noted in the tournament’s record score. Fast forward to today… and the challenge of a Spring Augusta returns, taking the reins from its predecessor’s autumnal forgiveness and re-establishing a firm, fast golf course (weather dependent, of course). But one thing that will remain is the necessity of finding the right positions at Augusta.
The wide and generous fairways, often undulating to gift a few extra yards, and a lack of thick rough are indeed an appetising sight from the tee, however the nuance of finding the ‘right’ position is acute and understated. A real testament to the course’s design.
As Jack Nicklaus says, 10 to 15 yards can make all the difference at Augusta, with slightly wayward drives finding penalising pine straw and trees or forcing a far from favourable angle to the green, and more specifically to the pin. The 9th is a fantastic example of this in action. Too long and straight and the pine straw comes into play, left and you’re faced with a punishing wedge shot in, too safe and short down the fairway and the longer iron required is as tough as it comes to find the small green. For a hole that seemingly offers a generous target from the tee, actually presents very few options if you’re going to find a front foot position for the second shot in.
It’s no secret the softer conditions in November helped DJ to his record win, but it is equally true that hitting 60 out of 72 greens in regulation at Augusta is a sure-fire way to place yourself in contention and give yourself the available scoring opportunities. Look at past champions… in 2019 Tiger topped GIR, Garcia in 2017 ranked 2nd, Spieth ranked 2nd in 2015. Even back in 1996 our very own Sir Nick Faldo ranked 4th in GIR! The trend isn’t completely synonymous with wins, but ensuring you have given yourself an opportunity to access the greens at Augusta National clearly has a steep impact on the outcome of the leaderboard at the end of the week.
As the game evolves, the pursuit of distance is bolstering players’ arsenals, and the feats of Bryson and Co looking to bomb their way around the self-proclaimed par-67 course often portrays a dismissive view of this traditional strategic positioning, with preferred determination to ‘get it up there’ from the tee. Particularly when playing firm, being on the shorter grass is critical for spin control and failing to do so often leaves players under scrutiny on their greenside short game. There is no question, poor positioning, no matter how close you are, can make these greens almost untouchable.
Take the 14th for example. No bunkers, no water, just a green that asks questions and requires intelligent answers which start at the position of attack. The greens are as much a critical strategic element at Augusta as they are an iconic feature, often asking players to work backwards to decide where they need to position themselves to find the right angle in.
Speaking with Sir Nick who has front row seats this week, he said, “Positioning will be crucial this week, with the greens so hard! Players will need to come in from the right angle and allow the ball to bounce and release – don’t be surprised on two to see some balls landing on the green and bouncing some 20 yards!”
There are very few things you can be sure about at The Masters, but players who are uncompromising in their positioning and are diligent in their approach strategy will certainly be in contention for the prestigious Green Jacket. Either way, come Thursday, you can be sure that I will have strategically positioned myself safely in the middle of the living room and immersed in the coverage from Augusta National once again.
Gareth Williams