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3 shots Augusta National demands (and how to hit them)
The azaleas are in full bloom in Augusta, Ga., which means the Masters is upon us.
Golf fans are getting a sneak peak at Augusta National today as the ladies play the final round of ANWA, while the men with arrive early next week to prep for the 90th playing of the Masters.
If nearly a century of competitive golf being contested at Augusta National has taught us anything, it’s that there may be no better stage in the game to crown a champion.
Below are three shots that competitors at Augusta must have in their repertoire — and some tips on how you can hit them yourself.
3 shots needed to compete at Augusta National
1. Bump-and-check
Why it’s necessary: The bump-and-run is one of the most fundamental short-game shots in golf. But to compete at Augusta, you need to put a little twist on it. Instead of having the ball immediately roll out when it hits the green, it needs to instead hit, check and then roll out.
“Think about long of No. 15,” says GOLF Top 100 Teacher Parker McLachlin. “You’ve got to bump it into the hill, but it can’t be a bump-and-run. If it is, it’ll roll off into the water on the other side. And you can’t hit it high and stop it because you’re into the grain and you can’t spin it as much and landing on a downslope. So you have to hit a bump with a little check.”
How to hit it: Hitting this shot is similar to the traditional bump-and-run, but with a few key adjustments. Play the ball a bit back in your stance with your weight and the handle of the club leaning forward. Open the clubface a bit and then make an in-to-out swing path. If you catch it right, it should come out a little low and check on the second bounce.
2. High, soft pitch
Why it’s necessary: If you’ve watched the pros play Augusta, you know that there are plenty of bad places to miss around the greens. When you find yourself in these spots (particularly when you;re short-sided), you’ve got to know how to hit a pitch that lofts high and lands soft.
How to hit it: The key to hitting a high pitch that lands soft is combining a steep angle of attack with an open clubface. Grab a high-lofted wedge and set up with the face a bit open. Keep a neutral shaft angle and then focus on making a little longer backswing than normal with a bit more wrist hinge than normal. As you come through the impact zone, keep the clubhead moving with some speed. When you clip it clean, the ball will launch high and land soft with some spin.
3. Towering iron
Why it’s necessary: With the speed and firmness of Augusta’s greens, you’ve got to be able to hit your approaches high and land them soft. If you can’t do that, accessing many of the pins is tough.
How to hit it: Set up with the ball a little more forward in your stance and tilt your spine away from the target. This will help you increase the dynamic loft just a bit and create a higher launch. But don’t forget to hit down on the ball, either. A key ingredient of high shots is spin, so you’ll need to create ball-first contact to maximize that spin.
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