Golf Digest Masters 2016

Chairman and Editor-in-Chief This will be my 38th Masters, which means I’ve spent about nine months on the grounds of the Augusta National, although some of the ones I remember best came on TV as a kid. I watched from my dorm at Northwestern when Jack Nicklaus holed that monster putt at 16 to devastate Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller in 1975. In the tower, Henry Longhurst intoned, “I never saw such a putt in my life.” Jim Nantz of CBS is now one of the traditions of the Masters (see his My Shot with Senior Writer Guy Yocom on page 106), and so is his oft-repeated line: “a tradition unlike any other.” The fact is, there are many traditions at the Masters, and that’s what makes the first full week in…

I’ve always loved playing from bunkers, and bunkers have usually loved me back. Sometimes I get frustrated by the shots that put me in the sand, but once I’m there, I embrace the opportunity. Your goal on any bunker shot should be to have a comfortable blend of technique and attitude. If your technique is sound, you’ll get good results, which in turn will lift your confidence. I’m going to show you how I play three common shots: the greenside splash shot, the iron from a fairway bunker and the toughest shot of all—the 50-yarder from the sand. How will you know when they’re working? When, like me, you find yourself smiling when you walk into the bunker. —with Guy Yocom Hold your chin up at address, and don’t rush the swing. FAIRWAY…

“Augusta has six shots you can’t take off.” In most courses, there are only five or six shots where you need to really pay attention and play conservative. In these volatile little spots a certain mistake will result in a big number. Add to this maybe three or four treacherous pin locations each day. So, over 18 holes, you might need to protect yourself only about 10 times. This is pretty clean golf, of course. On wild days we all encounter a few more of these “special moments.” But the truth is, not many more. Strong, fair golf courses have only so many highly penal areas. By my accounting, Augusta National has six shots you can’t take off. The tee shot on the par-5 second hole (illustrated), the second shot on No. 11,…

Which of these clubs is most reliable for you? ▶ 7-iron ▶ Putter ▶ Driver ▶ Hybrid SOURCE: GOLF DIGEST READERS The movement of the hips is important for generating clubhead speed at impact. But most golf instruction focuses on how the hips unwind as the club swings into the ball. Not to be ignored is how they should rotate on the backswing. The hands, arms and shoulders start the swing, which in turn gets the hips to rotate. Notice I said “rotate.” You don’t want the hips to slide. Brace on the inside of your right foot, and turn your right butt cheek behind you. Remember these keys: The right hip turns back, and the left knee moves toward the ball (below). That combination lets you fully wind the upper body, storing power that you’ll use to…

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have figured into the story at the Masters just about every year for the past 20. They’ve won more titles—Tiger with four, Phil with three—than any other active players, and each has 11 top-fives since 1995. Why have these guys been so effective at Augusta? Their games fit the course perfectly, and they know nothing sets up a great year like grabbing the first major. On the technique side, they’re high-ball hitters who create tons of spin, which gives them distance control, allowing them to hit—and hold—the correct part of the green. That’s big at Augusta. When they do miss shots, they show the skill and bravado to recover, even shine. And then we get to the greens. If I had to choose one player to get…

MARC LEISHMAN AGE 32 LIVES Virginia Beach STORY Lost in a playoff at the 2015 British Open; No. 27 in the world. PRESIDENTIAL PREP I played on my second Presidents Cup team in 2015, and the difference in the team room this time around was enormous. We’ve grown together as a group, and so I’m excited to see what we can do at Liberty National in 2017. MAKING A ROYAL EXIT Reflecting on it now, I don’t feel like I lost at St. Andrews last year. Zach Johnson really played well in the playoff. I know my game is good enough to win majors now, and that has me excited for this year. CLUB YARDS* DRIVER 290 4-WOOD 265 7-WOOD 250 3-IRON 240 4-IRON 226 5-IRON 213 6-IRON 199 7-IRON 186 8-IRON 170 9-IRON 153 PW 131 SW 120 LW 109 *CARRY DISTANCE C’mon, Aussie! Like any Australian, I have intense pride in…