Opinion & Analysis
The importance of the wedge game is vastly overrated by golfers
As I have discussed frequently in my GolfWRX columns, the wedge game is vastly overrated by golfers. That’s because many golfers often judge what is important in their golf game by how often they are hitting shots from a certain distance. When we take a deeper look at where strokes are lost or gained, however, we often find that frequency does not always relate to importance in the outcome of a round.
With my Tour clients, I pinpoint the areas of the game that will most likely influence their performance in the next event. A great example is TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, where shots from 150-175 yards usually play a big role in how well a player performs. Other courses like Riviera tend to force the issue from 175-225 yards and putting from 5-10 feet. A course like Colonial typically stresses the driver.
Having examined where players tend to lose or gain the most shots on particular courses, I’ve found that it usually comes down to two factors: frequency and deviation.
Deviation is the measurement of all shots and how large of a difference there is within those shots from the mean. Frequency is what I just discussed: the amount of shots that are hit from a certain area. Typically, deviation plays a much bigger role in determining importance outcome than frequency. If there is a large deviation in shots from say, 240-260 yards, but that shot is only hit on average one time per round for the entire four rounds of an event, that distance range will not likely play much of a role in a player’s success in the event compared to shots from 125-150 yards where the deviation is smaller, but the frequency is much larger. This is why I hate seeing the statistic of make percentages on all putts from inside 10 feet.
Currently, the Tour average make percentage on all putts from inside 10 feet is 87.6 percent. This creates an inaccurate perception of a Tour player’s putting skill from inside 10 feet, because it doesn’t account for the high percentage of those putts being tap-ins.
Here’s a look at last season’s PGA Tour data on putts from inside 10 feet.
Nearly 60 percent of the putts from inside 10 feet were tap-ins, which Tour players were making nearly 100 percent of the time. That’s not to say that Tour players are not good putters, but it is to point out that the putts that matter most from inside 10 feet are putts from 5-10 feet because the deviation is larger, especially on a tournament basis.
If a tournament averages the same percentage of putts made in the table above, the player who can make 100 percent of their putts from 5-10 feet gains more strokes over the field than the player who makes 100 percent of their putts from 3-5 feet. That’s why the old adage, “putting is 40 percent of your score,” is not an accurate statement given all of the tap-ins a golfer is likely to have.
IN ORDER TO GET BETTER, A GOLFER HAS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING MARKEDLY BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE, AND BECAUSE TAP-INS ARE MADE AT SUCH A HIGH PERCENTAGE, THEY SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FOR GOLFERS WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO IMPROVE.
The same applies to the theory of improving a player’s wedge game from 125 yards and in. The deviation in outcomes is smaller as the shots get closer to the hole. Here is a table using last season’s PGA Tour averages to illustrate the point:
The most important column to look at is difference in feet, which is on the far right. This shows the difference in total feet per round that better players will hit their approach shot to the hole versus lesser players. This is essentially the likely deviation per round from those distance ranges.
The difference gets incrementally larger as the shots are farther away from the cup, however, and that changes when the shot distance goes from 175-200 yards to 200-225 yards. If we analyze that a bit further, we see that the average Tour player hits many more shots from 150-175 yards (2.939 vs. 1.727), but the deviation is far greater from 200-225 yards (3.387 feet vs. 1.875 feet) and the average proximity to the cup is much longer (45.104 feet vs. 30.942 feet).
While I enjoy analyzing the statistics of the game, I am more interested in understanding why great players come to their own conclusions. This helps me understand future Tour clients better and I can always check to see if I may have made an oversight in my analysis. I recently saw a tweet from Keegan Bradley, in which he supported the importance of the wedge game to his score. And I think Keegan’s metrics in his PGA Tour career points to the misunderstanding he has been making.
Keegan Bradley’s stats from 2011-2015
Over his career, Bradley’s strength has been the long game, particularly his driving of the ball and Red Zone play (shots from 175-225 yards). His weaknesses have been shots from 75-175 yards, and while he’s been a pretty good putter he’s been inconsistent with his short game play. This season Bradley has had his finest year from the Yellow Zone (125-175 yards), but it has coincided with his worst season putting the ball, his worst season from the Green Zone (75-125 yards) and his worst season with his short game.
The reason why Bradley has not won more often is in large part due to shots from inside 125 yards. However, the reason why he has been such a good Tour player over the past five years is due to him excelling at the parts of the game that count the most on Tour: Red Zone play, Driving and Putts Gained.
I feel that the average golfer can take note of this and use it to improve their game. Realize that the area where you most frequently hit shots may not be the most important part to lowering your handicap. Often times, the area where a golfer most frequently hits shots is the result of hitting poor shots from a more important area. If an amateur chunks 160-yard approach shots repeatedly, they may be left with more 40-yard shots into the green. They could improve their scores more rapidly by learning to hit the 160-yard shots better, instead of focusing on the leftover 40-yard shots.
Analyzing these statistics can also serve as a way to determine a golfer’s best bag setup. Perhaps golfers may want to leave that gap wedge at home in order to carry that extra long iron or hybrid so they are properly gapped on their long approach shots. And it can help the golfer understand what exact length putts are more important in lowering their scores, too.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle
Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.
Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.
The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.
Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.
Past Winners at Harbour Town
- 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
- 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
- 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
- 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
- 2019: CT Pan (-12)
- 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
- 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
- 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
- 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Harbour Town
Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
- Tom Hoge (+1.27)
- Corey Conners (+1.16)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
- Cameron Young (+0.93)
Good Drive %
The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.
Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds
- Brice Garnett (88.8%)
- Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
- Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
- Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
- Sepp Straka (+85.1%)
Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs
Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.
SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:
- Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
- Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
- Brian Harman (+1.89)
- Sungjae Im (+1.58)
4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)
Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.
SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds
- Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
- Taylor Moore (+1.02)
- Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
- Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
- Andrew Putnam (+0.83)
5. Greens in Regulation %
The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.
Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:
- Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
- Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
- Corey Conners (+69.0%)
- Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
- Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)
6. Course History
Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.
Course History over past 24 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
- Cam Davis (+2.05)
- J.T. Poston (+1.69)
- Justin Rose (+1.68)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)
The RBC Heritage Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)
- Shane Lowry
- Russell Henley
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Corey Conners
- Wyndham Clark
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Cameron Young
- Ludvig Aberg
2024 RBC Heritage Picks
Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)
With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.
Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).
Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.
Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)
I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.
The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.
Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)
Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.
Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.
Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)
Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.
In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.
Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.
Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)
When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.
Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.
Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.
Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)
This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.
Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.
Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi: The 6 biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters
The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.
Scheffler In a League of His Own
In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.
For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.
The Future is Now
Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.
With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Nostalgia Wins
I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.
Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.
The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.
Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.
Bryson Moves the Needle
Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.
It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.
Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.
LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed
Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.
The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.
This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.
Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.
Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.
To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.
With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.
Rory’s Struggles Continues
Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.
I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.
McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.
Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi: The 8 best prop bets for the 2024 Masters
We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.
In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.
Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.
Placement Bets:
Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):
I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.
In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.
Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):
Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.
In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).
Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.
Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.
Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.
Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):
The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.
This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.
Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.
Top Nationalities:
Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):
I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.
I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.
This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.
Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):
While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.
He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.
Tournament Head-to-Heads:
Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa
JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).
Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.
Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark
I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.
Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.
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myron miller
Sep 22, 2015 at 10:22 am
I too feel this article is not well suited to the amateur golfer. I carry a 9 handicap. But I only average 1-2 greens in regulation. So 16-17 times per round I have a shot of 10-40 yards to the green. If I get up and down 8 times I shoot 80-84 depending on other mistakes and penalties. If I get up and down 12 times I shoot low to mid 70s. If i only get up and down 4 times, then I’ll shoot upper 80s to low 90s.
Yes, working on hitting the green more would help. But physically I can’t hit the ball that far (i’m in my 70s and severely disabled). So on most par 4s I’m laying up (have 175-225 left) to a wedge distance or missing the green close by. I’d love to be inside 175 most of the time to shoot at the green but generally i’m 200-225 left and that just isn’t in my wheel house when my drive was only 180 or less.
Each round I keep track of where I lose shots to par and i’ve found that generally its the wedge shot inside 75 yards that isn’t close enough to one putt. I lose more shots there than anywhere else, so of course, I spend way more time there than anywhere else. That makes the wedge game by far the most important for me (and I’m pretty typical of most seniors and super-seniors. Saying the longer irons and driver is more important may be fine for pros but those of us who can’t hit it as far and therefore don’t hit as many greens in regulation from the whites find that wedge play is by far the most important part of the green. And we can prove by statisstics. (but do statistics tell the entire story (as another said there are lies, damn lies and statistics. (and yes, I am a trained professional statistician so I do know statistics pretty well). But they can be miss used. And just because some stats apply to one group that doesn’t mean they apply to other groups as well.
Ben
Sep 14, 2015 at 2:06 am
I’m a real fan of cerebral topics when it comes to golf but this goes against what I consider correct. I don’t have real time stat numbers to back this up bu the majority of my knowledge for the game “125 yards and in” is derived from Pelz’s “Short Game Bible”. Putting it in my own words. Pelz studied hundreds of rounds of golf and found that for the average tour player-grant it this was 15+ years ago-took the maority of their shots from 125yds and in. He then took this further by making the point that a mishit with a 3 wood would be much more off target than a mishit with a pitching wedge. For example, take 10 shots with a wedge from 100 yards and measure how far each ball lands from your intended target(i.e. the exact point where you wanted the ball to land). Then take a wood from 215 yards and do the same thing. Take the average distances from both sets and you’ll find that your average distance with the wedge makes for a much tighter grouping of shots. This is because any swing errors you make are exentuated with the more club you have in your hand. Now this being said, I think this applies more to competitive amatuers and professionals. The only reason I wouldn’t include the weekend golfer is because of the overwhelming damage that any innacuracy off the tee can have for a player who doesn’t know the first thing about controlling the ball with their stance, target line, swing path, etc.. If the proper mechanics and skill aren’t there and a golfer’s failing to consistenly make at least decent contact then they’ll be struggling to even find their ball, let alone putting themselves in a position to make a hittable approach shot. Now it applies for Pros because they’re the most consistent of the flights. This consistency and the fact that the majority of shots are taken from 125 yards and in, means that Pros would rather take their chances of hitting it up close with a 125 yard wedge shot opposed to a 175 yard 7 iron. In my opinion, some of the ideas/theories are concrete but the wrong conclusions were made. I’m not trying to be argumentative nor do I deny that what was stated couldn’t be true. Golf is relative to each individual. Every golfer has the ability to choose his or her own thought path when it comes to the game. Read everything you can get your hands on and make your own informed decisions about how you should be approaching your game.
Big Man
Sep 10, 2015 at 4:28 pm
The comments here show a lack of reading comprehension and an inability to apply things one reads correctly. Of course, Richie is correct. The problem is that many of you assume a bogey golfer will be (or should be) playing from the same tees as a scratch golfer or a tour caliber player.
I don’t think Richie or anyone else would offer that as a suggestion. Point is yardages, etc. are all relative but the underlying result is consistent. That is, focusing on wedge play at the expense of ones long game is an ineffective use of time.
Rich
Sep 10, 2015 at 9:50 am
The problem I have with this article and many that you do Rich is that you use tour statistics to prove a point for the average player. While I understand what you are getting at here, your logic of using tour stats to lead to a conclusion for the average player regarding short game vs long game is rubbish. No good being on the green from 160 out if you’re just going to three putt.
uda
Sep 10, 2015 at 3:48 am
Lets all be Gents here and be honest.
90% of general public golfers just don’t have the time to hone their skills. They would rather just get out and play the course and have a good time.
And show me a cheap local muni in a metropolitan area that most people play that might have a good enough chipping/pitching/sand area to actually work on said short game! From my own personal experience, even some of the more expensive golf courses open to the public barely have a good enough area to pitch or hit sand shots 50 yards or 80 yards to real greens!
apl
Sep 10, 2015 at 1:40 pm
Yup…. REAL practice greens running at and playing the same speed and condition as the course is the key. Most Average Joe doesn’t get enough practice seeing how the ball reacts, using the ball they would use on the course. Cheap range balls just don’t cut it. Show me an Average Joe who can afford to have a bucket of 100 of their playing balls they would use for practice; you might only see that with somebody who kept all his old balls for the past 5 to 10 years.
Jm
Sep 9, 2015 at 11:00 pm
As it relates to tour players maybe not but to regular golfers they have a different set of variables to consider. First of all for tour players it is hard to gain strokes in the short game because they are all very proficient at the short game relative to each other. They can separate themselves through the long game because as the actual distance of the shot increases the difference in actual feet away from the hole increases as it relates to % error becuse the ball travels further so if one player has a 3% error and another has a 5% error as distance of shot increases so does the distance between their misses.
For an average golfer they simply cannot (physical and time limitations, etc) or do not want to spend the time it would take to increase proficiency from 150-225 yards. It would probably be easier for them to work on the short game for a short time to simply hone their feel for a shot they have a decent chance of executing (chip/pitch/putt) than to work on getting better from 150-225 which is basically just a measure of how good their swing is.
Just My opinion, but just because it could potentially impact scores more if improvement could be made in the long game you also need to consider how long it would take to improve in that area and if improvement would be hindered by physical limitations, time constraints, etc
Ryan
Sep 9, 2015 at 4:52 pm
Also debunks the theory about laying up to a full wedge distance (100, 110 whatever it may be) on an unreachable par 5. Seems like Avg Prox 2 Hole is much lower the closer you are. Do you have any data for 50-75yrds?
Rob
Sep 9, 2015 at 11:31 am
I think it would have been beneficial if it had been mentioned that the yardages for red, yellow, and green zones can be scaled down for amateur golfers. Each player will have their own Red, Yellow, and Green zone yardages based on how far they hit the ball. Track your approach shots over the course of a few rounds. After your drive record your shortest approach yardage and longest approach yardage on the par 4’s and divide it up into 3 zones. If you do this, the same principles that apply to tour pros, now apply to you as well.
Ryan
Sep 9, 2015 at 10:40 am
While I agree that this may not be terribly relevant to the “average golfer”, I see parallels to higher-level amateur play here. Basically he’s saying all good players hit their wedges fairly close. Additionally, they all have good chipping/pitching games and all putt pretty well from inside five feet – therefore there is little to be gained, against the field average, on putting a ton of effort into making an incremental improvement in those areas. To truly differentiate you need to get better than the average at the longer shots, where incremental improvement will “gain” you more against the average due to the higher deviation. It does make sense. I’m not a long hitter but compete very well in our Am Tour’s Champ Flight for that very reason – straight balls and hitting lots of greens with mid irons and hybrids. Thanks for a different, and interesting, take on this.
Mat
Sep 10, 2015 at 10:17 am
This. It’s relevant, but it’s mostly an article making the case of how to go from an 8 to scratch. It’s NOT about “average” golfers. Average players (think 18-28 caps) need to get their short game in order to reach single digits. THEN, this is all relevant.
Scott
Oct 1, 2015 at 11:16 am
Ryan is right. If you constantly miss greens from 150 yards, you need to practice 150 yard shots. Most amateurs have a better chance two putting from the green then getting up and down from off of it.
Jafar
Sep 9, 2015 at 2:31 am
Impressive analysis and much food for thought.
Chris C.
Sep 8, 2015 at 9:33 pm
For my own game, the short game is everything and it is not even close. My drives rarely get me into trouble. When my approach irons are hot I may see a two shot improvement in my score. When my short game is hot I may see four shot improvement in my score. If I had the short game of one of the more senior members of my group, my handicap would be closer to 4 rather than my current 8.
8thehardway
Sep 8, 2015 at 9:17 pm
I have 200 yard drives and average 77 from the White tees (6000 yards) and 72 from the Yellow tees (5500 yards). You’d think that longer drives would be the fastest way to lower scores from the Whites, but I (and most armatures) have a problem the pros don’t… if I added 50 yards to my drives I’d have to play from the Blue tees and I’d be in the same boat, maybe worse because then I’d have to learn to hit all my other clubs longer.
My analysis suggests adding no more than 8 – 10 yards to my drives (so I’ll need one club less on approach shots) which will allow me to enjoy myself at the Whites without upsetting my golf buddies and continue to chip away at my handicap with wedges and putter; starting tomorrow I’ll do some push-ups and see how things work out.
birly-shirly
Sep 8, 2015 at 4:27 pm
Just don’t know how well this applies to amateur golfers. Red zone play differentiates between tour pros because from that range, good players hit to where they can consistently get down in 2 and poorer players more often take 3.
But it seems likely to me that amateur, handicap golfers will find it much easier than pros to find a competitive edge against the field MUCH closer to the cup.
There are 4 par 5s on my course, and 3 or 4 short par 4s. With reasonable drives and second shots, I’m unlikely to putt for eagle very often but very likely to have wedge shots to the green. Wedge shots, to the par 5s and short par 4s are easily my best chance at making birdie – but only if I hit those wedges pretty damned well.
I understand the importance of driving the ball consistently enough to be in position to hit those wedge approach shots, but without sharp wedge shots you’re looking at a 2-putt par and no significant advantage over other players hitting relatively poor quality approaches, or hitting from further back or out of the rough.
Josh
Sep 8, 2015 at 2:45 pm
Rich, how as an amateur golfer can you track your stats like this?
dapadre
Sep 8, 2015 at 10:42 am
I think that most people arent reading carefully what the writer is trying to say. The title says : VASTLY OVERRATED. Its doesnt say not important, not need, dont require a short game etc. Overrated, meaning the importance placed on it is more than it should be and he is backing this with hard facts whereas most arguments I see/read are based on subjective opinions backed by incidental occurrences etc.
How many times have you not heard someone ask how can I get my handicap lower and the answer: work on your short game. I know I have, until I started chatting with a fellow young golfer here in Holland with great potential.
I have known him since he was 11 ( he is now 16) and has a HCP of 1.1. When he started at 11 he was around a HCP 20 and steadily dropped his HCP. The last couple of years he has gotten down to his 1.1, since in Europe you can only drop your HCP past 4.0 by playing in tournaments. To make a long story short I was chatting with him looking for advice and he actually said exactly what this writer is saying. He got a new coach about a year ago and this coach focused more on scoring than the short game. From 100, 125, 150, 175. he would pay more attention and craft drills around hitting in from these yardages. He also got the boys in his squad to work on hitting the driver farther. This chap was hitting around 260/275 prior and he now averages around 290. I know we get the fish stories on here but I have played rounds with him and I can vouch that when we play he is always around that 300 yds with the occasional 320+ blast. Anyways I started working on this approach and I can only tell you that I have seen a steady improvement in my game. I still keep my short game warm, but with focusing more on my Driver and importantly that second shot from 100,125, 150, 175 I have seen tremendous improvement.
marten swe
Sep 8, 2015 at 2:55 am
Interesting and fact-based article. However, I think one very important part is omitted: how should/could we as recreational golfers get to a similar fact&data based analysis looking at our own game? Every one of us is likely to fall into the same “trap” as Keegan: we THINK or FEEL that one group of shot is more important than the other, without KNOWing the actual data. The PGA guys have access to all the data in the world and still have trouble pinpointing their actual weaknesses.
Graham
Sep 8, 2015 at 2:47 am
Rich, not to be argumentative, but don’t you need to multiply the “low deviation” and “high deviation” columns by the average 1-putt (and 3-putt as well though for tour players tends to be negligible) frequencies for the analysis to be worth anything? My point being that sure over the course of any given round a player more skilled with a long iron is saving himself more feet in proximity to the hole, but at the end of the day the only number being recorded is the score. If the make percentage from 30 and 40 feet are roughly identical (which they are) but the make percentages between 8 and 12 feet vary pretty significantly (which they also do), the case could certainly be made that the 4 feet saved with the wedge are actually much more significant than the 10 feet with the 4-iron…
Progolfer
Sep 8, 2015 at 1:48 am
I also forgot to say I think golfers waste too much time on wedge play. I saw a golfer practicing 40-50 yard pitch shots for hours while I was practicing putting, and I thought to myself, “How many times do you face a 40-50 yard pitch in a round of golf?!” Practice the shots that matter, folks.
Scooter McGavin
Sep 8, 2015 at 1:56 pm
If he is a below average golfer that doesn’t hit the green, he may face those shots quite often. Using myself as an example, when I played at a par 3 course recently, I only hit two or three greens. Granted, it was a long part 3 course, and probably 3 or 4 holes were over 200 yaeds, but still, I found myself facing 20-50 yard pitches, that I would need to get close if I wanted a par. Could I work on my iron play in order to hit more greens? Sure, but I have found that it’s easier and cheaper to go out to a practice green or my back yard and practice chips and pitches than it is to buy numerous buckets of balls per week to practice my irons. Everyone is different when it comes to what works best for them to lower their score.
Progolfer
Sep 8, 2015 at 1:44 am
Rich, this is the best article you’ve ever written. It’s clear, concise, and pertinent. Well done, and thank you for the information!!
Brandon
Sep 7, 2015 at 8:25 pm
I think most people are taking the article a little too literal. Although the stats of tour players are being used, it still applies to the amateur’s game. When I started golf, short game work is how I got from the mid 90s to an average score of 80-83, BUT it wasn’t until I started hitting more greens, especially from 125-200 yards, I was finally able to dip into the 70s. GIR and putts are the key to going low. Chips, pitches and bunker shots prevent bogey but birdie opportunities come from GIR.
To me the article is saying, spend more time on your ballstriking so that you can have more birdie opportunities instead of so much emphasis on short game practice to just save par.
Greens equal birdies and pars, missed greens equal pars and bogeys.
Choose a side
patricknorm
Sep 7, 2015 at 7:41 pm
Rich, another excellent article. For those of you who have not studied statistics in school then I can sort of understand your disbelief. What Rich does with these articles is present facts from numbers collected on tour. If you are a tour pro and wondering why you are not scoring well then its pretty simple to collect statistics collected by the PGA, hand them over to a statistician like Rich and he will give you an interpretation and hence a solution.
For those of us who play in the amateur ranks, what first must be done is to track your own individual statistics and then make the necessary adjustments.
There’s a saying in pro sports that can often be applied to amateur sports and that is ” the numbers never lie”.
Jason
Sep 7, 2015 at 7:36 pm
Mat–you are dead on! Average players don’t play from the same distances as pros–and if they are then Tee it Forward for the love of god!
Mat
Sep 7, 2015 at 6:31 pm
This is rigged.
If you want to get from high-to-medium, you have to hit better short game shots.
If you want to get from medium-to-low, you have to hit better approach shots.
If you want to get from low-to-scratch, you have to start sinking longer putts, and scrambling at a high percentage.
This article is “how to get from high handicap to single digits in one statistic”. Sure, if you did that, it would work until it doesn’t. If the golfer portrayed here was to suddenly get better from 200 out, they’d still suffer from a poor short game. But the biggest miss on these stats is just way, way off. If you are a weekend player, and you’re in areas where 200 yard approach shots are consistently presented, you either are teeing off with a wedge, or you are playing the WRONG DAMN TEES. No setup within any common sense will have white tees with a consistent 175-225 approach. It just doesn’t happen.
This is why these statistics don’t relate to anyone with double-digit caps – it isn’t the same game. If you are a double-digit handicap, please play the “whites”. Then your wedges will in fact be important, you’ll start to score better, etc. etc., and eventually these statistics might apply.
other paul
Sep 10, 2015 at 8:07 am
You got it. I can’t remember the last time I had a 225 yard approach (I have a lay up on par 5 policy). So my 100 yard game is something I really work on. When I have a normal round I shoot mid 80s and a great round can get me near par. And I just learned to hit it a lot farther. Once my accuracy catches up again I will really start lowering my score again.
Duncan Castles
Oct 2, 2015 at 4:14 am
It’s not rigged; the analysis works. And I believe Rich has comparable figures for amateur golfers.
Forget about how many 175-225 approaches a course requires a player to make (and some require a good number of these in these days of long-yardage courses), the take-home message is simple.
The longer your shot into the hole is, the longer the distance you are likely to leave it from hole, and – critically – the more variation in performance between a skilled and less skilled golfer.
Therefore improving your long-game performance delivers more of an advantage over other golfers (and against the course) than improving your performance with wedge shots.
In numbers, the best PGA Tour wedge player ends up an average of 4.1 ft closer to the hole than the worst PGA Tour wedge player on 75-100 yard shots. The best PGA Tour long-game player earns up an average of 11 ft closer to the hole than the worst PGA Tour long-game player on 150-175 yard shots. And hits three times as many of those shots a round. That’s a 33 ft of shorter putts to hole a round – a significant advantage.
As PGA Tour players are all very good by definition, you would expect there to be a far greater range of variation in amateur performance on the long game. If that’s the case then the advantage of being a more skilled than average long game amateur will be greater than for professionals, offering even more of an incentive to target more of our practise on the long game…
Man
Sep 7, 2015 at 5:54 pm
Manure
Munihack
Sep 7, 2015 at 5:08 pm
Years ago Hogan said the key to scoring in golf is turning 3 shots into 2. For different skill levels that means different shots. The stat world the pros live in applies only to their world. For other players those three shots are many times within 100 yards so the wedge, chipping and putting should be a big focus. The driver of course sets the tone so you have to work on that. That is the long and short of it for over 90 percent of players.
Chuck
Sep 7, 2015 at 4:48 pm
Just my opinion….
It’s dangerous to compare (or base decisions) on the strengths, weakness or equipment choices of professional goflers. Aside from the “WRX effect” where seemingly 99% of members here drive 50 yards longer than the PGA tour average, the vast majority of golfers do not play a game in the same league (figuratively) as pros. Having said that…
Quoting:
“The reason why Bradley has not won more often is in large part due to shots from inside 125 yards. However, the reason why he has been such a good Tour player over the past five years is due to him excelling at the parts of the game that count the most on Tour: Red Zone play, Driving and Putts Gained.”
This statement seems to state that winning is based on wedge play, but playing well is not (at the professional level). Again, in my opinion that type of reasoning based on statistical analysis would lead a player (in this case Bradley) to NOT work on a portion of his game where it is proven statistically that he needs work, and instead work on the part of his game where he is seemingly playing well.
If I play well with my mid-irons (which I do) but suck rocks with my wedges (which I do) my scores week in and week out will suffer. My “living” in this game is to play all aspects of it as well as I can, beat my buddies and the course. Poor play in a specific area becomes a focus for instruction and practice. That (at least to me) is just common sense.
Joe
Sep 7, 2015 at 3:59 pm
There are lies, damn lies, and …..statistics.
Desmond
Sep 7, 2015 at 2:56 pm
Yep, agree. For best long term results, focus on the long game.
A good short game can’t overcome a poor long game, not over a period of time.
Progolfer
Sep 8, 2015 at 1:52 am
Exactly. Trevino said it best: “There are two things that won’t last in this world, and that’s dogs chasing cars and pro’s putting for pars.”
Dpavs
Sep 7, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Unfortunately this is a classic case of over analysis and statistical suicide. Further the article probably should have been titled “The importance of the wedge game is vastly overrated by professional golfers”. First let’s agree on something simple – PGA statistics are completely irrelevant in regards to the average golfers game. You and I don’t play to the level of Rory, Jordan, Jason, etc. Nuff said right?
That said I will go on to what I think is applicable and why the wedge game is more important to me and probably to you as an average Joe. It’s pretty simple really. I don’t hit most greens in regulation landing inside of 10 feet from the pin. I’m also not hitting 85%+ of my putts from that distance. In fact I miss a lot of greens close either being just short or just long. So unless we are saying that chipping is not part of the wedge game… which I think is not appropriate to me the wedge game includes full shots, pitch shots, chip shots and all are equally part of it. So given all this why is the wedge game important? It’s simple…it’s called saving par. And for the average guy a good wedge game is often times the difference between saving par or suffering a bogey.
Golfraven
Sep 7, 2015 at 3:43 pm
I agree. While playing on weekend in my club championship I had fairly poor long game (or just call it inconsistent) but my wedge game kept me alive and I came still 3rd. I shot chip and pitch shots almost pin high after missing greens or after laying up after poor tee shot. 1-2 three-putt less and I was close winning it.
Andrew S
Sep 9, 2015 at 2:32 am
I would take it a step further. I would title the article, “The importance of the wedge game is overrated for some golfers.” Not all tour players play the same kind of game and neither do amateurs. Keegan Bradley does not play the same type of game as someone like a Luke Donald or other shorter hitters. While Keegan may only be 170 to the flag, shorter hitters will be 200+ to the flag making it more difficult to hit the green in regulation. This will put stress on their wedge game to be able to get up and down. The example also works in my amateur scenario. I play in a men’s 9 hole league where we play from the blue tees (just under 6400 yards). I am one of the short hitters in the league and their are a couple long par 4’s where it would take a herculean shot for me to hit the green in 2. Even on the shorter par 4’s the longer hitters will have wedges for approach where I will have at least an 8 iron. The 8 iron is definitely not an automatic for me to hit the green in regulation which means my scrambling will be tested more than some of my playing partners.
John
Sep 7, 2015 at 1:37 pm
While it makes sense that it might not SAVE your game, it’s probably one of the easiest places to kill your game. So many amateurs don’t know how to get out of greenside bunkers or rough areas. They don’t know how to play shots that require a lot of precision. That’s where the wedge game is so important, not approach wedges from the fairway.
Brad Ingarfield
Sep 7, 2015 at 12:51 pm
Another great article from Rich Hunt. Looking forward to this year’s Pro Golf synopsis.
Kevin
Sep 7, 2015 at 12:32 pm
Loved this one. Easy to follow. Made tremendous sense to me. Thanks