Opinion & Analysis

The death of the 3-iron and what it means for your bag setup

Published

3 years ago

Jan 16, 2021

The 3-iron is almost extinct. It sounds like an odd statement, but it’s very true. Don’t believe me? Go try and buy one in a set. They are not easily found.

As we evaluate this topic, I’ll refrain from specs from “players” clubs as these are not the irons normally purchased. Yeah, it might skew the data, but even the players capable of playing the long irons are opting out of the 3 iron. And let’s be honest, should any of us be playing a blade 3-iron?

Mizuno only offers 4-PW in the JPX line now. Titleist only offers a 3-iron in T100s, while the rest are void of 3-irons. TaylorMade provides 4-PW in the P790, P790Ti, and P770. Callaway has done the same, only offering a 3-iron in the “players line” of clubs, while the rest is again void of the-iron. Cobra golf has also followed suit.

So are 3-irons just too hard to hit? Is that why no one is buying them, thus causing the OEMs to stop making them? The only ones left to buy are the “players” 3 irons, and those aren’t even reasonable unless you’re a professional.

What if I told you we were being deceived? What if I told you the 3-iron is still very much alive in all the iron sets available but under the guise of a different number?

Let’s hop into the “wayback machine” and take a quick look at the history of iron lofts.

The year is 1970, and the vast majority of irons available are blades. You know, the razor-sharp leading edges that are ready to break your wrist with a deep divot.

The image above is an actual snippet from a catalog from the ’70s. At this point, the 1-iron was virtually extinct, and in 1975, Lee Trevino was immortalized by his joke about how God couldn’t hit a 1-iron, which typically fell in the 18-degree range at the time. 2-irons were standard issue in the set, and the lowest loft you might find is 20 degrees.

Then the ’80s came, and things started to progress. As you might expect, lofts started to decrease. It wasn’t because of flight windows, or launch numbers, because they didn’t have that kind of technology readily available to measure those attributes. It was simply a quest for distance.

Then in the ’90s, you’d pretty much see all iron sets with 21-degree 3-irons, down to 48-degree PW’s, and 21 degrees being the norm for the lowest lofted 3-iron. 2-irons at this time were typically 18 degrees and available by request only.

Then came the 2000’s, an era we all should be familiar with. This is where things started to get interesting. Not only because lofts continued to be strengthened, but because the hybrid became a new option to replace the long irons. Adams Golf made a killing as it perfected this golf club, creating the Idea line that was in the bags of most of the senior tour players and many of the PGA Tour players. These were a fan favorite at retail too. The hybrid was an easy long iron to hit and quickly started to replace 3-irons in golf bags across the country and even on tour.

By this time the pitching wedge lofts started to get pushed to 46 degrees, which was a big jump, to be honest. In the 1970s, MacGregor was making pitching wedges with 49 degrees of loft. So, for the 90’s to be around 48 degrees, it wasn’t too much of a shock. But in the 2000s, we now saw PW’s drop to 46 degrees; a half club stronger. This is where the downfall began, in my opinion.

The first decade of the 21st century needed the gap wedge, also known as the approach wedge or utility wedge or just plain old “wedge.” Now, keep in mind, this club wasn’t anything new. The gap wedge existed ever since the beginning because at 50-52 degrees it was simply a pitching wedge from the ’70s. But it became a necessary element for the bag since the lofts of every iron were starting to move farther and farther away from the sand wedge.

Now in 2020, the average loft of the PW is 43.5 degrees, and the average 4-iron loft is 20.6 degrees. Turns out, the 4-iron from 2020 is .3 degrees stronger than the average 2-iron (20.9 degrees) from 1970. We have come full circle! Instead of maintaining those classic numbers, of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, the new sets are labeled 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, P, G.

I wonder how many golfers out there carry a 4-iron thinking it’s a club they can hit? Probably too many! Obviously, the 3-iron is dead at this point, since it would actually carry the loft of the elusive 1-iron Trevino claimed was unhittable!

Now, it’s time to discuss how we got to this point. You’ll hear a lot of companies talk about “flight windows” or “launch angles” and how it was changed by engineering, lowering CG’s, and increasing speed through thin faces. Some will talk about how the ball has changed, and it just launches higher, and it requires the lofts to be strengthened, or it will just go too high!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that is all a bunch of baloney, and here is why: They started making gap wedges as part of the set. If the launch was too high or the window was too different, why make a matching gap wedge with the same technology and have the loft of a pitching wedge from the 1990s? Wouldn’t that launch or window then be too high for that club too? And yet you still need to buy another gap wedge to fit the 52-degree range. If the average golfer bought a 2020 game improvement set today, they would find the set make up to be 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW (43.5 degrees), Gap #1 (48.6 degrees), Gap #2 (52 degrees). That means if you happen to carry a 56 and a 60 degree, you now have the same amount of label wedges (5) as you do irons (5)!

Five wedges in the bag! Does anyone think this is weird?

Furthermore, when was a higher launching iron shot a bad thing? Wouldn’t average golfers benefit from a steeper angle of descent so the golf ball stops quicker on the green?

I conducted a study where I tested a Titleist 716 MB 8-iron with 39 degrees of loft to a TaylorMade P790 9-iron with 40 degrees of loft. All the data was captured on the Foresight GC2 launch monitor. It wasn’t a perfect test since they didn’t have the same shaft or loft, but my findings were surprising none the less. They went the same distance, almost down to the decimal. The Titleist went 165.2 yards, and the TaylorMade went 165.1 yards. Launch was only .6 degrees different while peak height was less than four feet different. So, unless you are Tiger Woods, you are not noticing a difference out on the golf course.

Some of you might think, “so, the label on the bottom of the club changed, it’s all going the same distance. So, what’s the big deal?” To me, it’s the confusion it creates more than anything. By decreasing the lofts, you’re just making the numbered iron go farther, and you are creating even bigger problems by having large gaps with the sand wedge when all amateurs need those clubs. It’s also putting clubs into the hands of golfers when they have no business hitting, like the 4-iron with 20 degrees of loft. Titleist has already made a T400 5-iron with 20 degrees of loft, and that’s just silly.

There also is the argument that golfers love distance, and when they start playing and can hit a 7-iron relatively far, it helps grow the game. Growing the game isn’t a bad thing, but if they are new to the game, they shouldn’t have any preconceived notions of how far to hit a 7-iron, and that means loft at that point becomes irrelevant.

I will not refute that a 40-degree lofted game improvement iron will be slightly longer than an identical lofted players club, but I think you’d be surprised to see the actual difference is a maximum of about three yards longer. The technology works, but by no means is it so substantial that we need to change the label on the bottom of the golf club.

The bottom line is that loft is king, regardless of the technology involved, and I have seen, but one equipment company make a change backwards! This is TaylorMade with their P770 irons. In comparison the P790, they increased the loft by one degree in the short irons and up to two degrees in the long irons, to add height and spin to the irons to improve performance. Imagine that, more spin and height are an advantage! And that was backed by their testing and their data.

Now to even further nail down my point, it is worth noting that TaylorMade Golf offers the highest lofted Pitching Wedge in the industry at 49 degree, which are in the Tiger lofts of the P7TW irons. That same iron set has a 22.5-degree 3-iron. At 22.5 degrees, it is typically the lowest-lofted iron in the golf bag of the best iron player on the PGA Tour in 2019. Of course, he has the skill to play an iron with lower loft, but the point that history reveals to us is that the effective loft of playability for an iron is about 22 degrees and higher. Anything lower lofted than that is typically replaced with a hybrid. This is not just a trend for the amateur golfer either, and it is even happening on tour with the best players in the world.

We will probably never see the lofts rolled back, but the least we can do is update Lee Trevino’s quote, “if you ever find yourself in a thunderstorm, lift up your 4-iron, because not even God can hit a 4-iron.”

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Weston Maughan

Weston Maughan is a golf equipment designer and collegiate champion golfer who has played the game for over 20 years. He worked in the golf industry for over a decade as a golf professional, PGA Tour caddie, custom fitter, and technical staff representative for a major manufacturer. He was a final contestant on the Golf Channel's Wilson's Driver vs Driver season one, and a guest on the Gear Dive podcast from GolfWRX. He received his undergrad from Brigham Young University in business management and his graduate degree from the Academy of Art University in Digital Communications. Now an amateur golfer with a +1.3 handicap, he resides in Utah and works as a software sales manager at Awardco while raising 5 children with his amazing wife. You can find Weston on Instagram at @westonmaughangolf where he posts about golf equipment, products, tips, and experiences.

57 Comments

HfJeff

Feb 23, 2023 at 2:10 pm

I am a below average golfer and love the 3 iron. Not getting into the weeds of angles and loft and shifting weight, I hit it straighter and further than hybrids on the long fairway shots. I know it is a matter of practice makes perfect, but this old Dunlop 3 iron is coming along for the ride if I get a new set.

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Kevin

Feb 9, 2022 at 1:01 am

What does it all matter.Just use the club that goes the required distance no matter what the number on the bottom of the club says.It seems that most club makers are selling to your ego .

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Todd

Apr 15, 2021 at 4:56 am

Best thing I’ve read in awhile. I’ve been trying to tell people this when we stand on a par 3 and I grab my Ping Eye 2 5-iron and they are pulling 7 and looking at me funny. People just don’t get it. This quest for “who can hit their irons the longest” is beyond silly. After driver (and arguably 3-wood, to reach long par 5’s in two), it’s distance CONTROL that is most important. If I need the ball to travel 165 yards to the pin, I don’t care if it says 6,7,8,9 or elephant on the bottom. It’s whatever implement gets the job done. If I knock my “6” iron stiff, and your “8” iron (which is the same club as my 6 with a different number stamped on the bottom), and you blow it over the green or sideways, what good did that do you?

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TW

Mar 4, 2021 at 5:59 pm

I think they need to stop making sets in numbers. An ideal set for me would be driver, 3 wood at 14 degrees, 5 wood at 18 degrees. Then irons spaced out in 5 degree gaps, 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60.. Putter to finish! I think that is 13 clubs but who cares, lighter for the caddy! It would remove ego as golfers would accept that some use the 40 degree iron to reach that 150 whereas some use the 35 or 30 iron! If golfers wanted to stop their set with the longest iron being 25 or 30 thats fine they can adopt a 25 degree fairway wood/hybrid! no marketing & no ego, simple really!

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AMG PUMA

Feb 15, 2021 at 7:08 pm

A cavity back or whatever head shape golf club set with PW or GW stamped in the sole wont ever be a wedge. A wedge club has its own design.

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HKO

Feb 13, 2021 at 1:44 am

almost the best article on WRX ’til the P770 part. why’d you ruin such good one with a silly shill at the end?

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Mo

Feb 2, 2021 at 12:12 pm

@Taylormade for shame 42* pw? 18* 4i iron?
Utter joke

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- Rick
  
  Feb 3, 2021 at 10:39 am
  
  Sorry that club died 10 years ago
  
  Reply Report comment
Tony Wright

Feb 1, 2021 at 7:40 am

Great article thanks!

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Shallowface

Jan 31, 2021 at 2:15 pm

Perhaps it is time we did away with the terms woods, hybrids, and irons, and just referred to everything as a “club.” Driving club. 2 club, 13 degrees. 3 club 15 degrees. 4 club 18 degrees, whether wood, hybrid or iron. 5 club, 21 degrees, which is where some current 5 irons are starting to fall, and so on until you get to the wedges.

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Benjamin Hendricks

Jan 31, 2021 at 9:04 am

I hit long irons well and have the speed to use them. My current 4 iron is 1* weak of standard at 23* and it goes as far as my 2 iron did in the 90’s. It at times is tough to stop on greens because the ball we play doesn’t spin as much on longer shots AND greens have gotten firmer and faster in the last 20 years. I used to hit 2 iron into greens and not worry about stopping the ball (balata days). Really the issue is #1 the ball doesn’t spin enough on long iron shots #2 greens are firmer and faster than ever and a WAY distant #3 is the clubs themselves. the reason good players are ditching long irons are #1 and #2, not the clubs themselves. irons are more accurate for high speed/high spin players usually, a hybrid or high lofted wood is only necessary because of the ball and conditions. We are being forced to stop the ball with height/angle of descent more and more every year.

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- Chris
  
  Mar 12, 2021 at 5:05 pm
  
  Your 4 iron is weak of standard. What standard is that? There your issue. There is NO standard in golf. It’s the worst used word ever.
  
  Reply Report comment
iLovett

Jan 29, 2021 at 6:19 am

Also, that quote wasn’t about a 4 iron

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iLovett

Jan 29, 2021 at 6:17 am

That’s weird, I have a new Taylormade P770 3 iron… it’s 19.5 degrees stock.

With the post-modern lofts it’s arguable that at 20-22 degree 4 irons are actually high launching 3 irons that stop. If you have speed and want some roll, you need a low spin 2 iron these days

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James

Jan 26, 2021 at 6:04 pm

I absolutely love my Mavrik Pro 21 degree loft 4 Iron. Absolute go-to fairway finder. Way easier to hit and launch than older gear.

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Bud

Jan 25, 2021 at 3:47 pm

Thank you for doing this article. I get tired of golf club sales people trying to compare my Ping eye2 + to there modern 7iron and telling me I hit theirs further.

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Beeno

Jan 25, 2021 at 4:52 am

A few points as a counter argument:
1. You are still limited to 14 clubs in your bag and except for the driver and putter, the rest of the clubs need to travel an exact distance every time and all the time. The only thing the driver needs to do is travel as far as possible and land in a good spot for a second shot.
2. You mention most clubs sold in the 70’s were MB blades. The lofts on blades have not changed much even for today’s modern blades. These clubs are meant for good ball strikers and the reason elite golfers prefer to play them is distance and direction control. (There might be other reasons)
3. Your so called loft jacked clubs (GI and SGI) are meant for mid to high handicap players that need help with distance and elevation. If all these modern clubs with higher MOI and lower CG still had traditional lofts, the ball would go nowhere and too high for a slow swinging high handicap player and an elite player will struggle to get consistent yardages.
4. If you removed the numbers on all the irons and just added degrees of loft, your set make-up will still look the same as you are only allowed 14 clubs. Depending on your skill level, the type of club will obviously perform different for different types of players.
5. Because elite golfers are murdering golf courses, today’s courses are playing much longer for the average golfer. The modern golf ball can be blamed for this. The modern golf ball is designed for elite players with high swing speeds.
6. I’m sure if you have a bit of talent, put in the time to practice and hone your skills, get properly fit for your clubs and get lessons so someone can keep you in check, you will be able to hit any club produced (even a 1970’s 2-iron). Unfortunately we live in an era where we want things easily and we want it now and we don’t care about the cost to get it.

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- Shallowface
  
  Jan 31, 2021 at 2:08 pm
  
  The thing is, CGs are not lower today than they were several years ago. Check out the MPF measurements on The Golfworks website. Regardless of whether or not you agree with how they weigh the various factors to compe up with a points rating, the actual physical measurements of the clubheads DO NOT LIE.
  
  Reply Report comment
Euan Hardman

Jan 22, 2021 at 11:20 am

Basically, what this excellent article is saying is that all the irons should have been re-stamped 2 numbers lower. The PW is actually an 8 iron and we have to buy a 48 AW (9 iron) and 52 GW (PW) to fill the gap.
Now I know why I have trouble with my 4 (2!) iron.

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ChipNRun

Jan 18, 2021 at 7:30 pm

I carry a 22* CB Pro Tungsten set 4i (hollow head) refitted w/ a hybrid shaft. It’s a driving iron now, and gives a low fairly hot draw – one club that flies low when needed.

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Kevin Ricciardelli

Jan 18, 2021 at 7:20 pm

The clubs could not be “jack-up” if the ball didn’t fly higher. Balata balls from the 70’s back, simply flew lower. Blade clubs flew lower due to higher COG. The lofts are stronger because they can still be playable. Look at the 3 iron lofts available from Ping. Standard, Power and Retro.

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Karaten’s Ghost

Jan 18, 2021 at 4:17 pm

Everyone talks about loft-up like distances aren’t different.

Why does no one address that the ball goes further today all on its own? Test some of the jacked lofts with balata, and you may realise this isn’t just marketing.

Also, there’s more margin on a $300 hybrid than a $130 iron.

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Cody Reeder

Jan 18, 2021 at 1:02 pm

Well written Weston,

Thanks!

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Mark Paschal

Jan 18, 2021 at 7:00 am

This article ignores the other changes that go along with modern clubs that allow for higher launch angles and steeper descent angles. If you really just changed the numbers on 70’s clubs you would have much lower ball flight, less forgiveness, less solid contact due to the longer shafts. There is much more to an iron than loft, and comparing irons from different manufacturers with similar lofts doesn’t render the other variables moot. This was an enjoyable read but definitely from the “equipment hasn’t improved” camp.

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- Weston Maughan
  
  Jan 19, 2021 at 11:33 am
  
  I would probably need to write another 2 or 3 articles to cover all the aspects, but to say I’m from the camp that golf clubs haven’t improved is a stretch. It wasn’t an article discussing forgiveness of iron design, which we both know countless studies confirm low CG and perimeter weighting has become better each year.
  
  Take into account all the other changes… golf ball, improvement of irons designs, low CG’s and shaft lengths increasing… regardless of all the factors you throw at it, every golf club since the inception of the game has had a loft between 8° and 62° and you can call them what ever you want, but you still need them in a consistent gapping.
  
  Lastly, the rational of needing to preserve flights and trajectories appears to be a logical discussion. But how has this necessary change never touched the sand wedge. It’s some how avoided the changes all together and sits at 56°. If the preservation of flight due to ball changes and club design are true, we would need to have 50° sand wedges by now. Thoughts?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Ken
    
    Jan 26, 2021 at 5:25 pm
    
    Weston, you are spot on. I had two sets of irons, CDI 990 and JPZ-EZ identical lofts through the set just different numbers on the sole. I hit them the same distances even though one was an all steel players cavity and the other had plutonium embedded somewhere. Anyway truth be told the old clubs flew straighter because the lower MOI made them easier to square up at impact. Resistance to twisting at impact also means resistance to squaring up at impact. That’s why even pros don’t like to turn over their current drivers and use a 3 wood for that instead.
    
    An additional issue with new clubs, an amateur does an online club fitting and they are asked how far they hit their 7 iron and they respond with the yardage their current 7-iron, which was a 5 iron at the time the fitting algorithm was created and they wind up with a shaft flex that is too stiff.
    
    Reply Report comment
gregory aziz

Jan 17, 2021 at 9:04 pm

Well researched and enjoyable article but the author omitted the BEN HOGAN FORT WORTH 15 model,
which addressed this weighty subject of loft strengthening in 2015.
I am on my 2nd set and have not looked back.

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- Al Fiscus
  
  Jan 25, 2021 at 9:42 am
  
  Exactly- still on my first !! The undiscovered blessing of sets with 44 degree PW’s is that we GET TO fill in the 48 & 52, hopefully matching our 56 & 60.. Blades are far superior in ALL 4 of the upper lofts.. SCOR proved that, & they’re still in my bag..
  
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Roy

Jan 17, 2021 at 9:00 pm

Best article on WRX in a long time – thanks!

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- Jake DeJong
  
  Jan 18, 2021 at 10:07 am
  
  Agreed. Thoroughly researched and well written.
  
  Anyone in disagreement is just an ostrich.
  
  Reply Report comment
Milo

Jan 17, 2021 at 8:28 pm

I’m gonna buy a 12.5° Lynx Prowler driving iron. Thoughts?

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Micheal

Jan 17, 2021 at 2:43 pm

Your information is incorrect, I just bought a set of Taylormade P790’s 3 iron though pitching wedge.

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Bob

Jan 17, 2021 at 1:15 pm

The 3-iron didn’t die. It was just given a different number. Please stop with the drama.

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Dwight L. Cramer

Jan 17, 2021 at 11:08 am

The same thing has happened with fly fishing line weights. If you fly fish, you know that the line and the rod must match up (i.e., a 4 wt. line for a 4 wt. rod, a 6 wt. line for a 6 wt. rod). But, in the universal quest for distance (not just golfers have that obsession), the line manufacturers have embraced ‘technology’ to create a marketing advantage, and it’s taken them in one direction, while the rod manufacturers have done the same, and headed off elsewhere. In other words a brand xx line rated as 4 wt. and a brand yy rod rated at 4 wt. may not be compatible. This creates real confusion for the fisherman, especially the newbie, or the guy who’s more into fishing that gear. (Free hint for newbies to fly fishing–buy the Orvis entry level set up and be done with it.)

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A golfer

Jan 17, 2021 at 10:54 am

This is a great article and I really appreciate the historical data provided. The one counter argument I would make is that the “long irons” in many of these sets look and behave very similarly to hybrids. I would bet that a 20* Hot Metal or Mavrik, for example, would launch materially higher than a 20* blade, unlike the 39-40* example provided.

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- A golfer
  
  Jan 17, 2021 at 11:12 am
  
  The other important counterpoint is that jacked lofts in game improvement sets are a way of helping offset the early extension and flip that poor players almost universally exhibit. These players present way too much loft at impact, so they may actually have less of an issue launching the ball up at any given loft and swing speed level.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Paolo
    
    Jan 25, 2021 at 1:48 pm
    
    This is the only advantage . To strengthening lofts .
    Forget numbering irons just put the lofts on them .
    
    Reply Report comment
A Golfer

Jan 17, 2021 at 10:49 am

This is a great article and I really appreciate the historical documents pulled out. The one counterpoint I would make on the long end, is that many of these sets have “long irons” that look and behave very much like hybrids. I think if you took a 20* Hot Metal or Mavrik and put it against a 20* blade you would see a material difference in launch angle, unlike with the 39-40* example you provided.

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Webster

Jan 17, 2021 at 9:07 am

It’s all about the loft/length relationship to me. My 150 yd club has pretty much always had 40* loft and 36″ length. Started playing seriously in the mid-90’s and that was pretty much the std for an 8 iron. Today I’m playing X-hot Pros that have a 40*, 36″ club…it just happens to have a 9 stamped on it; still goes 150yds.

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John Little

Jan 17, 2021 at 6:52 am

Instead of iron numbers why not just stamp loft numbers. 4 degrees apart. A typical conversation might be.I made the par 3 7th with my 38 degree. Oh really! I did it with my 42.

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Munter

Jan 17, 2021 at 4:16 am

Not sure about all this “loft jacking” ballyhoo.

I replaced half my AP2s with Mizuno JPX Hot Metal Pros a few months ago – 4i to 7i. Best upgrade I’ve ever made. Literally. Period.

OK, so actually now I have two 7 irons. The AP2 is still used a lot, it goes about 145m. Pretty standard for a 14 handicap, right?

The amazing thing is this: the JPXs go loooong. I now pull out 4i on any hole where I need to go 180-190m. Sometimes it rolls out past 200m. Where I would have sprayed my 3-hybrid, now I pull out my 5i, with a LOT more confidence it will go straight and looong.

So, with all respect, i now play much better golf, not because my lofts are jacked, but because the “hot” technology actually works. Forgiveness + cranking distance when you middle it. This *cannot* simply be about lofts, otherwise I would have been getting the same results with my AP2s, just one club less.

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- Jake DeJong
  
  Jan 18, 2021 at 10:09 am
  
  Anecdotal. No facts. Come back with launch monitor results?
  
  Reply Report comment
Nate

Jan 17, 2021 at 1:21 am

I read a lot of these articles from Golfwrx. This is a stand out. Nice work.

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Reece

Jan 16, 2021 at 11:40 pm

I bought a brand new set p790’s this last week and it came with a 3 iron. In left hand no less.

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Lefthack

Jan 16, 2021 at 9:21 pm

Great article. My newish irons were a 5-PW set of Nike Vapor Pro Combos and I’ve been on the search for the 3 and 4 (the 2 is only available in right hand). I scored a 3 off the classified that is 20 degrees and can’t wait to hit it. I have no issues hitting my 3h and 4h but they take up more room in the bag than irons would.

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Rich Douglas

Jan 16, 2021 at 7:02 pm

I’ve always maintained the theory of “loft deflation,” even when countered with the launch angle issue.

But if you keep your head about you, it really doesn’t matter. The numbers on the clubs have shifted, but it’s still the same 14 clubs, more or less. So I don’t have a 3-iron, but everything is shift down and I fill the gap between the PW and the SW with a wedge. It’s still the same number of clubs doing the exact same things.

Two advantages here: First, it’s not just lower lofts. A 4-iron with a 3-iron’s loft is still a 4-iron in length. It’s 1/2-inch shorter and, thus, easier to hit on center. That makes the entire set easier to hit than before.

Second, low-lofted irons are being replaced with hybrids, which have better perimeter weighting, lower CGs, and are easier to hit and to loft.

But if everything shifts down, doesn’t that create a gap between the 3-wood and the rest of the set? Yes, but who cares? Most players cover it with a hybrid, better to hit than a true 3-iron. Besides, most players can’t hit the ball well enough for that gap to matter anyway.

I haven’t carried a 3-iron in nearly two decades, and I dumped my 4-iron recently. That’s because I went to single-length irons built at 36.5″ (8-iron length). You just can’t generate enough clubhead speed to get a 4-iron to gap properly anyway. But the advantages of single-length irons–so much more consistent–outweigh having to swap the 4-iron for the hybrid.

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- Frank
  
  Jan 16, 2021 at 7:07 pm
  
  I beg to differ on the 4-iron length with 3-iron loft, I have a set of Hogan blades from the 60s and the 2-iron is 38.75″ which is in between today’s 3-iron and 4-iron “standard” length. They’re not just decreasing the loft, they’re increasing the length, too.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Rich Douglas
    
    Jan 16, 2021 at 7:08 pm
    
    Not if you’re paying attention. And it certainly isn’t an industry trend.
    
    Reply Report comment
KP

Jan 16, 2021 at 5:00 pm

Great article. I always feel like manufacturers use their marketing to trick people into thinking that they’ve engineered something special that gives players more distance and forgiveness. Fact is they’re bs’ing us into buying new equipment every year. Crossfield and Shiels have done many videos that demonstrate how little difference there is in golf equipment year to year.

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- Rich Douglas
  
  Jan 16, 2021 at 7:07 pm
  
  Especially in irons. There have been only a handful of useful developments since the days of forged blades and nothing else:
  
  — Perimeter-weighted cast irons (starting with Ping)
  
  — Perimeter-weighted forged irons (starting with Hogan Edge)
  
  — Multi-metal designs (allowing for higher COR on faces, more extreme perimeter weighting, and altered CGs)
  
  — Graphite shafts good enough for irons
  
  That’s about it. That Nike sling thingy, the twice-a-year TM bouncy clubs, or anything else are just derivatives from the above.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Jon Barton
  
  Jan 16, 2021 at 7:20 pm
  
  The manufacturers have been very clever. They have slowly turned a set of 3iron to SW (9clubs) into a set of 5,6,7,8,9.W. (6 clubs) with an option to add a 4i and in some cases a 3i. Great deal for them 6clubs for the price of 9.
  The SW is usually not included in a modern set.
  So we golfers also get to choose an extra 3 wedges, lucky us. But just a minute, that means we now buy an extra 3.
  So the original 9 shrinks to 6. With an option of buying an extra 5.
  So we now buy 11 for the price 14!
  Oh, and maybe a utility or two as well. ?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Michael R Geiger
    
    Feb 14, 2021 at 7:22 am
    
    100% spot on!
    
    Reply Report comment
Brandon

Jan 16, 2021 at 4:43 pm

In my opinion, a set that starts with a 22* 4 iron and stops at a 46* pw is perfect. 4 degree gaps between each club. Carry a 18 or 19* 5w,hybrid, or utility iron. Whatever 3 wedges you want above your pw. If I played a set with a 43* pw I’d need 2 gap wedges, which is just ridiculous. I think loft jacking is just to pad the ego of the short hitter who thinks he is hitting his pw as far as a player hits their 8 or 9 iron.

Reply Report comment
Ben Wallace

Jan 16, 2021 at 4:37 pm

True. However, it doesn’t matter what the club is designated so long as the player can hit the club and knows the carry numbers for the club. I don’t care if the clubs have a number, symbol, degree listing, letters of the alphabet, or names of rock and roll bands as the club’s designation so long as I know which club I am pulling out the bag. I won’t be reaching for a long iron anyway. I play driver, 3w, 5w, 7w, 4h, 5i-PW, 54, 60, and putter.

Reply Report comment
- Bas
  
  Jan 19, 2021 at 5:17 am
  
  Same, but I play 4w, 7w. And my irons are GI, so the lofts are probably a bit stronger, so they are 6i-AW (26-49 degrees).
  
  I can’t hit an iron with a loft below 26 degrees.
  
  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

1 day 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

1 day 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

1 week 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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