If you think that the Masters hasn't been the same the last few years, you're not alone. Many observers feel that the tournament has lost something. Some attribute the loss to changes made at Augusta National the last few years by the country club. They're hoping that some of the course changes will eventually be reversed, boosting excitement and spiking interest. But even if they're aren't, playing Augusta National still offers golf lessons for players looking to trim their golf handicaps.
Take the par-5 13th and the par-5 15th holes. Previously, these holes made for the biggest Sunday stroke swings in major championship golf. Both were two of the world's best tournament holes. Both had the potential for dramatic game-changing shots, such as when Byron Nelson eagled both to win by two in 1937. And both featured water hazards that create the potential for heartbreaking, tournament-losing bogeys. But lengthening these holes has greatly altered them, draining them of excitement and drama.
Changes Affect The Ebb and Flow
Lengthening the holes skewed their risk-reward equations. Before, many players could reach these holes in two. Tiger once hit a wedge for his second shot to the 15th hole. But the changes have today's players rethinking this strategy on these holes. The holes' lengths (510 yards and 530 yards) plus other factors, like drivers with titanium faces and multilayer balls that spin less, encourage players to lay up. Going for it on these holes just doesn’t pay off. Unfortunately, laying up while smart for players is boring for fans.
This scenario begs the question: When should you lay up? This decision plagues all golfers sooner or later. In my golf instruction sessions, I tell students that there will be times when you must go for it. Let's say you're playing in a tournament and you're down two strokes in the final round. Playing aggressively in this situation makes sense. But often deciding when to play it safe is a judgment call. The key to making the call is to know when to play it safe and when to go for it.
Decision Is Different For Everybody
If you're not sure about this, try this exercise. Split your strategies during the next several rounds. In the first round, play the front nine conservatively. Hit driver only on open holes. Playing for the fat part of every green. Laying-up on par fives, unless you have a mid-iron shot or less to the green. Then play aggressively on the back nine. Hit driver on every par four and par five. Shoot for the pin, regardless of the difficulty. And go for every par five on your second shot.
Do the opposite in the next round. Play aggressively on the front nine and conservatively on the back nine. Do this for several rounds and then compare scores. Comparing scores will tells you if playing aggressively or conservatively will pay off.
But don't use the results to determine if you should always play either conservatively or aggressively. Instead, use them to help decide what your strategy should be when you're not sure how to play a specific hole or course. If you're the type of player who gains nothing by being aggressive, then play conservatively instead. If you are the type of player who gains by playing aggressively, then do so. This strategy will keep those big numbers off your scorecard.
Some experts believe that the Masters has lost its luster. If it has, recent changes to Augusta National may be the cause. These changes have more and more players playing conservatively, draining excitement from the tournament. For players serious about chopping strokes off their golf handicaps, there's a golf lesson here. Playing safe dispels some of the excitement from the game, but its often playing smart as well. And playing smart, as many pros say, cuts strokes from your scores.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book
How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. Free weekly newsletter available with the latest
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