Opinion & Analysis

Hello USGA, we need to talk….

Published

6 years ago

Dec 8, 2017

It’s me, the amateur golfer.

We haven’t spoken in a while and I’ve been trying to reach you. I know you’ve had a lot on your mind lately and I feel like maybe I’m not at the top of the list of your callbacks, so I decided to send you this letter. I hope it finds you well.

You know and I know that people can drift apart sometimes. I know you’ve had a lot going on lately with work. First, I’d like to congratulate you on all of your recent success. I watched your U.S. Open this year where the winner, Brooks Koepka, earned $2.16 million. I read that this is the first time a winner’s share in any major tournament had exceeded $2 million! And in your Open! That is an impressive amount! I also read the total purse was more than $12 million. That’s also getting up there, isn’t it? I mean in 1996, the year before Tiger Woods won his first major, the total purse was only $2.4 million and the winner’s share was a hair over $400K.

You’re primetime now. Places like Chambers Bay and Erin Hills basically build courses just for you. You’ve really made it when guys start doing that, and now with that TV and sponsorship money… I mean five times the purse from ’96! Wow! And it’s not just Koepka! I read in Forbes that Roger Federer recently surpassed our old friend Tiger Woods as the top earner in individual sports with more than $110 million in tournament earnings. Tiger hasn’t even played much since 2009 and he was still No. 1 eight years later! Pros in your sport are doing really well. LOTS of money out there in the pro game. Your game, after all.

But it’s just… I feel like you don’t notice me anymore no matter what I do. I didn’t want your public success to affect the nice thing we had going, but lately that’s what it feels like. You’ve been making these comments; you’ve been talking to our friends like the media and saying hurtful things. You never did this in 1996, and your research printed in Golf Digest shows I wasn’t all that different back then. Please know that I have been trying to better myself though. For instance, I started using wider and squarer grooves hoping to get better for you… but I really didn’t. You didn’t notice my grooves though until THEY started using them. THEY started calling it things like “bomb and gouge” and saying it changed things. I never felt it changed things for me, and I didn’t think it changed things between us. Then you stuck the dagger in me again USGA, because for years I’d been trying to better myself by anchoring putters to my body. Again, not much success.

In 20+ years, my average index dropped from 16 to 14.5. That’s progress, but not enough to change me completely. I didn’t think it was enough for you to notice. But you noticed Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott for using anchored putters, didn’t you? Then you told me it wasn’t working out for us.

I have to be honest. It hurts. But again, I try to stay positive and think there is a future here. But now I see you in the press saying that I hit the ball too far and this is ruining things again. Talk about sending me mixed messages! Didn’t you tell me last year that I should “Tee It Forward” to help things between us? The next year you’re telling our friends that I hit it too far and am causing a “horrible impact” on your game because you have to lengthen courses? Why was I teeing it forward? Trackman says my average drive is 214 yards! Or were you talking about THEM again? Do you remember me USGA? Do you think about me anymore? Because I’ve been to all of your 11,000 public courses. Tell me how many of those you’ve lengthened because of me.

It’s not like I don’t do anything for you, USGA. I spend more than $2.5 billion on your game. You want to ignore me for the glitz and glamour of THEM, but it’s me who makes you what you are. Without me, you don’t have your sport. You don’t have your TV crews or your U.S. Open bids. You don’t have your “open doctors” adding 600 yards to a course that you’ll eventually say “I” made you lengthen. And you know what? There are 20 million of me, and it’s ME who generates interest in your game. I got 2.2 million people trying your game for the first time in 2015. I got 37 million people saying they were interested in playing your game that same year. These are some of the highest numbers ever, and you ignore ME? You ignore me for Dustin and Jordan and Rory?

Don’t push me anymore USGA. People change and things can change, but remember I was there for you in the beginning and helped get us to where we are. Please remember that before you do anything that really hurts me.

Sincerely,

The Amateur Golfer

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Jeff Singer

Jeff Singer was born and still resides in Montreal, Canada. Though it is a passion for him today, he wasn't a golfer until fairly recently in life. In his younger years Jeff played collegiate basketball and football and grew up hoping to play the latter professionally. Upon joining the workforce, Jeff picked up golf and currently plays at a private course in the Montreal area while working in marketing. He has been a member of GolfWRX since 2008

71 Comments

Donn Rutkoff

Dec 14, 2017 at 2:49 pm

Since you are Canadian you might under appreciate the following.

I think the USGA which holds about 5 national championship events (men, women, junior, amateur etc.) should Fly The Flag of the U.S.A. and start the tournament with playing The National Anthem. (Colin Winkydink of the NFL go take a leap. Tiger is no angel but he gives back to the community more, way more, than selfish Colin.)

A player should NEVER go backwards to play from previous spot. Just drop a ball take a stroke no matter what happened to the shot in question.

And USGA and PGA should NOT let Charlie Hoffman merely take a drop in sand due to whatever reason. He should play from a same lie. The official should have been authorized to bury his new lie in the sand the same depth he moved from.

Reply Report comment
Eric

Dec 11, 2017 at 7:45 am

LOL. What a funny article. I don’t think the author of this needs to complain about belly putters, square grooves, or longer distances when he has improved his handicap by 1.5 over a 20 year period. My best advice is to head to the putting green with a regulation putter for an hour or two whenever you feel like writing a sorry message to the USGA again

Reply Report comment
Norman Light

Dec 11, 2017 at 12:53 am

What we really need to talk about is the cost of golf. Golf companies are making the game for the rich people not the average person. One company you could buy a set of clubs for $20,000 And all the other companies you could pay between $900-$2000 what average American has that kind of money with a family of four this is totally totally stupid company need to get real and quit making millions and millions of dollars on the golf world thank you

Reply Report comment
Underachiever

Dec 9, 2017 at 9:51 am

I wish I hit the ball too far…

Reply Report comment
Michael

Dec 9, 2017 at 8:34 am

Excellent letter. All the golfers here who claim to be single digit should take note too. WE ARE ALL the game, not just one segment. The changes coming in 2019 are great, but there is no excuse for it to have taken this long. In the same vein, what is wrong with certain rules regarding the ball and other equipment that apply to the pros or USGA sanctioned championships?

Reply Report comment
Bob Racho

Dec 9, 2017 at 7:58 am

Good letter. I am an 80 year old golfer and love the sport. I have decided to F the rules, and play according to mine. They are common sense rules that all of us senior golfers should be happy with. Anchoring the putter helps my back and will let me play a few years longer. I do not wish to hit out of a bad lie, so I move the ball a few inches to a better one. I value my clubs and do not wish to ruin them by hitting a tree, so I move that ball to get away from that problem. I play from the forward tees and have enjoyment from hitting some clubs that I haven’t hit in years. I now use ALL of my clubs including my wedges.
I play public course and respect them all even if they aren’t as pristine as the private courses that the pro’s play on. I repair my ball marks and two others on each green, and divots as well. If our players did this our courses would be in way better shape and approach the private courses that are so pristine. I count my shots. The most important thing to me is to play with integrity to the sport that I wish to play, and that includes the changing of some idiotic rules for us older golfers that will allow us to play will into our 80’s.
So, to the USGA, you best make a change in the rules for the older golfers who are an integral part of keeping public golf courses open.

Reply Report comment
- AJ
  
  Dec 9, 2017 at 4:52 pm
  
  Way to go Bob. I’m in the same mood as Bob is. However, I accept the challenge of honest play and do not
  Move my ball regardless. Exception: local rules. Perhaps in 10 years I will agree with Bob completely.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Lock
  
  Dec 14, 2017 at 6:06 am
  
  “Make Golf Fun Again”
  
  Reply Report comment
- Crazy About Golf
  
  Dec 14, 2017 at 11:34 pm
  
  Bob, you’re the man! I agree….unless you are recording a score for handicap purposes or playing in a tournament (or for money with your buddies), play by YOUR rules (within reason). If you want to improve your lie in the rough, do it. If you want to move your ball out of a divot, do it. If you prefer to pick up when you’re within 2 feet of the cup, knock yourself out! This game is also meant to be enjoyed. Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously and it seems that the USGA isn’t helping.
  
  Reply Report comment
Paul

Dec 9, 2017 at 6:16 am

When it rains at my course and the ball gets a bit dirty, I have to ‘play it as it lies’. How come THEY get Lift, Clean and Place whenever conditions aren’t perfect?
Have you ever noticed that you never see TV dootage of them cleaning their ball on the fairway?

Reply Report comment
Joe sixpack

Dec 8, 2017 at 6:31 pm

I agree with the spirit of this article. And I would add a couple things to it. First, equipment. The reason courses are too short for the pros now is because the usga totally failed to prevent drivers and balls from going way the f— too far. Changing the grooves on wedges was a moronic approach to this issue. The usga is in bed with the equipment companies and they need promises of greater distance to sell new drivers every six months. The usga allowing this is a corruption of the game. Second, technology. The usga have been Luddites when it comes to understanding and embracing technology. For years they kept distance measuring devices illegal. Why? Is pacing off yardages from sprinkler heads a skill that golf should test? Just let everyone use a laser and speed things up. They seem to understand this finally but it took 20 years. Technology isn’t going to slow down. New stuff is coming constantly and they’re too old and stuck in their ways to get out in front of it and make informed choices about which technologies are good or bad for the game.

Reply Report comment
Bill F

Dec 8, 2017 at 5:32 pm

I wish we could all sign that letter and truly send it!

Reply Report comment
Marc Halley

Dec 8, 2017 at 5:14 pm

Excellent article. Right on the money. Thanks much.

Reply Report comment
DaveT

Dec 8, 2017 at 3:26 pm

The article says, “USGA, you only care about the professionals.” Those disagreeing with the articles are mostly saying, “Stop feeling so important. You’re not. The professionals are. Don’t like the USGA rules? Play whatever rules or non-rules you want.” OK, let’s go with the idea that both are correct. The obvious response is for only the professionals to pay USGA dues. If the USGA does nothing for the duffers, seniors, and mid to high HCP — seems agreed by both sides — then let’s see how they get along without them.

Reply Report comment
- Robert Roy
  
  Dec 9, 2017 at 9:09 am
  
  I would not pay money to watch professional golfers hit 260 yard drives. I want to see them bomb it 300+ because bit is what makes them special. Leave the ball issue alone or I think you will lose even more players and interest. The USGA needs to stop speaking for golfers without knowing our feeling.
  
  Reply Report comment
JDMasur

Dec 8, 2017 at 2:40 pm

Time is the biggest detriment. 3 6s, not 2 9s would make it easier to introduce spouses and kids.play 6, or 12 or 18.

Reply Report comment
- mM
  
  Dec 9, 2017 at 10:47 am
  
  Or, you can just quit golf, and make it easier on yourself and your family.
  
  Reply Report comment
Sean Foster-Nolan

Dec 8, 2017 at 2:17 pm

Well done Jeff. You have echoed many of my comments, but in a more elegant way.

Reply Report comment
jd57

Dec 8, 2017 at 2:04 pm

Blaming the USGA for ruining your local round of golf is like blaming the NFL for ruining your neighborhood game of football. Has literally no effect on you. They’re a professional sports governing body, not the local gestapo policing your round.

Reply Report comment
- Scrubby
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 3:24 pm
  
  Not exactly. The PGA governs the pros. The USGA is for all of us.
  
  Reply Report comment
- John Uphoff
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 6:51 pm
  
  PGA governs the tours
  USGA and R&A govern all golf
  Bifercation is present in many sports. Metal bats in amateur baseball
  The shorter distance on extra points in football
  Several different rules in basketball
  No fighting in amateur hockey etc
  Golf isn’t for the professional golfer only a very small % of golfers ever shoot par most never break 90
  
  Reply Report comment
- George
  
  Dec 9, 2017 at 10:23 am
  
  Yeah and the should not be. A amateur organization running a professional event is a JOKE.
  
  Reply Report comment
dbleAGLE

Dec 8, 2017 at 1:54 pm

If you really want to help the rest of us give us a little book of slopes for every green we play and a caddy to confirm the break.

Pros make tons of putts but then again…Pros get tons of info about EVERY putt we lemmings dont.

Dilly Dilly Indeed

Reply Report comment
- mM
  
  Dec 9, 2017 at 10:51 am
  
  Yeah? But then Pros usually don’t ever play as a 4some as we do on public courses, and some public courses send out 5somes. And, the Pros are still playing their rounds in 5 hours with a 3some. With a 4some, it’s a guaranteed 6 hour round. When they play with Ams at places like Pebble Beach in the Pro-Am all the way thru to the weekend, their rounds take 6.5 hours. You really want us Ams to carry AIM point maps? Your weekend rounds will take 7 hours with your regular 4somes.
  
  Reply Report comment
Chris Carpenter

Dec 8, 2017 at 1:08 pm

If you aren’t using your 14 handicap to pay your mortgage, speaking as “Everyman” may be a bit of a stretch. I’m guessing if [generic] you wanted to anchor your putter to eek out an 86, nobody would care. If [generic] you wanted to hit from a forward set of tees to enjoy your round and leverage your lower irons during a round rather than mid to high, that would be okay too.

Amateurs are not pros and we don’t have to play under the same scrutiny or tight guardrails if we don’t want to. Play a breakfast ball. Carry 17 clubs. Anchor your putter. Play whatever tees you want. [Generic] We may need to take ourselves a bit less seriously as amateurs and remember to just play. If you’re playing in a tournament, play by the rules. Otherwise, literally everything you do on a course is just practice for the sheer enjoyment of the game. My opinion (worth about $0.03) has changed significantly since playing NCAA golf 20 years ago and being a middle-aged father of 3 who just wants to get a round in when I can now.

Reply Report comment
- Oscar Farley
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 2:00 pm
  
  The USGA should take 15 percent of what they give out to the already millionaire winners of tournaments and help supplement green fees for those of us that simply want to feed our families instead of paying jacked up weekend green fees.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - George
    
    Dec 9, 2017 at 10:26 am
    
    Great, Just what the game needs. A Obama spread the wealth solution. The USGA nor anyone else you be paying to supplement anything in your life PERIOD.
    
    Reply Report comment
Michael

Dec 8, 2017 at 1:08 pm

How about the “Game we call penalties on our selves” A game of honor, integrity and sportsmanship.
Then they say you can’ post your solo games for a handicap!!
So much for trust.

Reply Report comment
- Darryl
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 1:40 pm
  
  Sorry, I agree with the USGA on that one. When you play alone you’re not playing you’re practicing and those scores shouldn’t count.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - B Johnson
    
    Dec 8, 2017 at 1:56 pm
    
    golf is an individual sport, but you cant play a legitimate round by yourself?
    anybody who wants to phoney their handicap still can do so
    I dropped the handicap …. dont miss it…it is just as legitimate to give a truthful answer to the question “what do you hope to shoot?“ on the first tee
    
    Reply Report comment
  - OB
    
    Dec 8, 2017 at 2:30 pm
    
    I agree that solo golf is only a practice round and not playing to register a score with other golfers according to the Rules of Golf.
    I play a lot of solo golf in the evenings and I usually play with a 6/7/8/or 9-iron and lob wedge and play 6-12 balls to sharpen my short game. I do carry a full set too, but I play 3 balls over 9 holes (3 x 9 = 27 equivalent holes) because I already know how to walk! And when I do play 3 balls I can play scratch golf, but not with the same ball!!!
    😉
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Steve S
    
    Dec 9, 2017 at 8:58 am
    
    I play a lot of solo golf. I’m retired and most of my golfing friends still work. That and I really don’t like people. They tend to distract me and ruin the round. Plus I can play much faster which is more fun and better exercise. If I want to register my handicap I will since I count all my strokes and play the ball as it lies. Makes the occasional sub 80 round that much more enjoyable and feel like I actually accomplished something. I’m a member of the USGA…mostly just to get the “free” US Open hat.
    
    Reply Report comment
Vic Man

Dec 8, 2017 at 12:52 pm

Dilly Dilly! Absolutely agree.

Reply Report comment
Ma Ja

Dec 8, 2017 at 12:27 pm

My main issue with courses that are pushing the ” Play 9″ initiative is that they want us to play 9, but they want to charge us for 18!!! How about “Play 9, Pay 9”???

Reply Report comment
- Scott
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 12:31 pm
  
  +1
  
  Reply Report comment
- Al
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 12:32 pm
  
  I think you need to take that up with your club not the uSGA.
  
  Reply Report comment
CB

Dec 8, 2017 at 12:22 pm

Jeff, you forgot to say:
It’s me, the Amateur, who pays the greens fees at all the courses and support the courses from closing and help the professionals who run the courses and help them make money from teaching at the courses and driving ranges all across the country.

Reply Report comment
JJVas

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:57 am

As a 2 hcp, I completely agree. Tee it forward and play fast enough to not enjoy the $$$ you’re putting down… on a course that is now longer and tougher than ever before… but feel bad about your technology while you only get 20 yards on me when you need 60 to compete. Sound right?

Don’t worry, just because every other professional sport is smart enough to have their own rules, doesn’t mean we have to be. As an added bonus, some 25-year old wearing Rickie Fowler pants who gave this a “shank” will always have his lecture ready for you because he has “perspective”. Good luck!

Reply Report comment
Doug Stiles

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:56 am

Be nice to see what idea he has for USGA to do something better. What exactly have they done wrong. do you want them to send some of the money Koepka won to you so you can play for free???

You are picking low hanging fruit – Go play golf and enjoy the time away from real life.

Reply Report comment
- Chris Carpenter
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 1:10 pm
  
  Yes. This.
  
  Reply Report comment
Stephen

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:52 am

Each one of us should Play from the correct Tee box according to our abilities and then it doesn’t matter about course length. I am not in favor of making the size of the hole bigger. If your ball stops within 3 feet of the hole, pick up your ball and pretend your next putt went in and move on to the next hole like most average golfers do or should do, and quit slowing course play for the rest. If you hit eight strokes on any hole, and there are people waiting behind you to play, pick up your ball and move to the next Tee box. Not rocket science. Oh and get take a few lessons, and go to the golf range and practice your putting and hitting other clubs in your bag.

Reply Report comment
- CB
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 12:25 pm
  
  Or, America could be a bit more responsible like some other countries and force people to have to have licenses to play the game, after having gone through a quick test of their abilities and basic knowledge of the rules and etiquette of the game before they are even allowed to step onto a full-sized golf course.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Shawshankapotomus
    
    Dec 8, 2017 at 12:41 pm
    
    That’s it. let’s create a new licensing bureaucracy. That’s what we need. You can’t be serious.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - CB
      
      Dec 8, 2017 at 1:42 pm
      
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_license
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Shawshankapotomus
        
        Dec 8, 2017 at 9:17 pm
        
        I wasn’t questioning whether Europe does it or not. I was questioning whether you seriously want to make a game that already has accessibility issues even more inaccessible. I find the idea of a golf license repugnant.
        
        Reply Report comment
    - CB
      
      Dec 8, 2017 at 1:46 pm
      
      https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/germany/lifestyle/sports-leisure/golf
      
      Reply Report comment
- DoubleMochaMan
  
  Dec 9, 2017 at 12:23 am
  
  Cool. If I didn’t have to putt out my 3-footers I’d shoot about 8 strokes lower.
  
  Reply Report comment
Bob

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:35 am

The USGA is disingenuous about moving up. I am 70 years old and have moved to the senior tees. After hitting a 200 yard dive from the senior tee I am still 30 yards behind a 45 year old hitting from the white tees. I am hitting a 7 wood to the greens d the 45 year old is hitting a 7 iron. Yet the USGA in their wisdom requires that I lower my handicap by three strokes when playing against this guy. Thanks for making your game even harder for senior players. Several of my fellow senior players and Ihave Idropped our USGA membership and are not planning on rejoining soon. But as the author said they just don’t care about older players.

Reply Report comment
- Another Bob
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 12:06 pm
  
  Amen. This could hVe been written by me.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Scott
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 12:29 pm
  
  Bob, First, it is called a handicap not a handbobmymoney. You get more strokes if you are a worse player. If you like to rake in putts from everywhere and like to have a vanity handicap, then you will pay the price when you bet. And if you play the course shorter you change angles, hazard distances, strategy, etc. Distance is not the only factor. Second, every golfer has strengths and weaknesses. Maybe the guy who hits it further is more wild or has a worse short game. Stop whining about giving up strokes when you are playing an entirely different course, no matter how far you hit it.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Murv
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 12:46 pm
  
  I agree completely.
  
  Reply Report comment
HDTVMAN

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:24 am

Just like the NCAA. They are a bunch of know-nothing sliver-spoon-fed high society MORONS who are in it just for their EXCLUSIVE clicky country club trash buddies. They need to go away!

Reply Report comment
- Joseph dreitler
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 11:47 am
  
  Sorry, but they do nothing special for those of us fortunate enough to belong to private clubs. Until people are willing to accept that the game THEY play is a different game than WE play, it is all talk. If we bad amateurs need to be able to say our equipment must be the same as theirs, we will pound 210 yard drives and flail 5 woods at greens while they hit it 340 with their drivers. MLB players need to use wooden bats because if they did not the ballparks would all have to be extended and rebuilt to 430 feet down the lines and 520 to dead center.
  
  Reply Report comment
Regis

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:21 am

No one says that the author or anyone else has to play golf by USGA rules. No one says anyone has to even keep score. If your not in a tournament play whatever game you want. I’ve been a member of the USGA since 1986. I’d wager the author has never plunked down the 20 bucks to join. Not even for the free hat. I have some issues with some of ru!ings of the USGA (and the R and A -let’s not forget it’s a joint venture) but overall they do a great job. This “article” is just mean spirited and the fact that the author took up golf fairly recently should surprise no one

Reply Report comment
- Chris Carpenter
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 1:27 pm
  
  Well said. Not keeping score forces a significant shift in perspective about the game. There are times that it is relevant to score your round, but there are also times when the big picture of a course, layout, how your shots feel, what you are grateful for, etc…is less about score and more about taking in the whole experience and not just 86 measurements of it (if you’re a 14).
  
  Reply Report comment
- Uhit
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 3:14 pm
  
  How big is the market for non conforming golf equipment (driver, wedges, balls)?
  
  B.t.w.
  If you want to grow the game, then you have to listen to the ones, who are the growth:
  
  The newcomers, who joined recently…
  …lets say, within the last decade.
  
  And I think it is no good idea, to touch the balls, they grew up with.
  
  Reply Report comment
ron

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:18 am

The USGA is doing just fine The PROS deserve all the money they earn !! Check out other sports!!
Anchoring is cheating … and never should have been allowed

Reply Report comment
Steve Cantwell

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:18 am

Leave it to a Canadian to come up with such a far-fetched fairytale!

Reply Report comment
- Philip
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 12:18 pm
  
  Seriously, as if Americans have never had some pretty far-fetched fairytales … keep countries out of it …
  
  Reply Report comment
Tbone

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:12 am

Jeff plays at a private course. Enough said!

Reply Report comment
Wyomick

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:11 am

The USGA are a bunch of Twits. I stopped dating her when she said I couldn’t use my 10 year old clubs in her tournaments. I wasn’t going to buy new ones just so she’d go out with me. I don’t spend any more money on HER anymore.

Reply Report comment
Bill

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:10 am

If the USGA wants to help amateur golfers, why not make the hole just a little bit bigger. Most of us play on muni courses that have greens that the pros never see. I understand the cost factor with maintaining great greens,but why no help is a little with the size of the hole. It could easily improve scores, which improves interest.

Reply Report comment
- Aggowl
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 1:39 pm
  
  The pros SHOULD play on imperfect course. They did years ago. NO ONE talks about the course condition being a factor in scoring, NO ONE. IT IS. Look at how putts had to be hit 30 to 40 years ago. It truly is a PUTTING SURFACE. RIDICULOUS!
  
  Reply Report comment
Paul Vicary

Dec 8, 2017 at 11:01 am

Great article and oh so true. You can see where this is all heading. I see the cliff and hear the roar of the ocean.

Reply Report comment
Matt

Dec 8, 2017 at 10:58 am

No one at the USGA is saying you, the 14 handicap, hits the ball too far. That argument is so bad it must be purposefully disingenuous.

Reply Report comment
- Chuck
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 11:20 am
  
  Exactly! And the USGA didn’t want to take your old square grooves away, either. You were allowed to keep them. Because they didn’t even matter, when like most average retail amateur golfers, you were buying Surlyn and Ionomer (not expensive tour-level Urethane) golf balls.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Jody
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 11:36 am
  
  Yet before long they will change the ball and or the rules because .05% of golfers in the world hit the ball too far. They’ll say it’s in order to uphold the integrity of the game when in all reality they will just be making the sport harder for the majority. Then we’ll again be hearing the apocalyptic whistle about needing to grow the game, all while the USGA is being a major part of the problem! Football, baseball, and basketball all have different rules for the professionals and it doesn’t belittle the game or effect how most people view these sports. Why should golf be different?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Tal
    
    Dec 11, 2017 at 2:41 am
    
    Golf is different because you play the course, not the man so you can directly compare your game to the pros. It loses some magic without being able to do that.
    
    Reply Report comment
Rich

Dec 8, 2017 at 10:24 am

Right, because they haven’t just spent the last ~5 years rewriting the rulebook to make the game you enjoy easier.

Reply Report comment
- John B
  
  Dec 8, 2017 at 11:01 am
  
  If the USGA is so into the anchoring ban why aren’t they enforcing the rule. It’s quite clear they are still anchoring their forearm to their body. Read the rule, it’s a violation.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Rich
    
    Dec 9, 2017 at 5:57 pm
    
    Oh for goodness sake, give it a rest! 4 stroke penalties are being given out in professional golf costing players tournaments. I hardly think they are going to let players continually violate a rule week in week out withouth penalty.
    
    Reply Report comment

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle

Published

18 hours ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

Published

21 hours ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

Published

7 days ago

Apr 9, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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.

RELATED: Vincenzi’s 2024 Masters betting preview: Niemann to play star role at Augusta National

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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