The drivers Nicklaus, Player, and Watson used to kick off the Masters

There is nothing quite like the Masters honorary starters ceremony featuring former Masters champions and legends of the game. This year Gary Players literally kicked things off, followed by Jack Nicklaus and finally Tom Watson.

Between the three of them, they hold more than a decade’s worth of Masters wins — 11 total — and these are the drivers they used off the first tee.

Jack Nicklaus

With Barbara at his side, Jack teed off with a TaylorMade Qi10 LS and after picking up his tee joyously declared to the large crowd “I hit it”, which had the patrons around the tee erupt into laughter.

TaylorMade Qi10 LS Custom Driver

$629.99

Qi10 LS delivers a lower spin and lower launch that is engineered to optimize performance for fast swing speed players. With a deep face and a more compact overall head shape, it is the preferred driver for Team TaylorMade Tour athletes including Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. NEW INFINITY CARBON CROWN An Infinity Carbon Crown covers 97% of the total crown area, creating a strategic advantage for mass redistribution and enhanced forgiveness. At address, it delivers a sleek and clean view that pairs with subtle alignment cues, setting the stage for confidence and success. REIMAGINED SLIDING WEIGHT DESIGN A new, more efficient moveable weight features an 18g steel sliding weight housed by an innovative track system. The redesigned structure allows the adjustable weight to move farther forward and lower compared to Stealth 2 Plus, resulting in a more forgiving low-spin experience. 

Buy Now

View Product

Gary Player

Gary teed off with PXG’s newest Black Opps driver and then enthusiastically, in what’s become a tradition of his, kicked the air to celebrate the moment.

PXG 0311 Black Ops Custom Driver

$599.99

AMF Face Technology PXG 0311 Black Ops Drivers deliver big distance gains using a propriety high strength, and more flexible, Titanium Alloy face material thatsupports increased face deflection during impact. High Strength Composite Contruction Lightweight crown and sole inserts, made from high-grade carbon fiber using advanced compression molding, enable optimal weight distribution in the clubhead. This enhances the moment of inertia (MOI), shifts the center of gravity (CG) lower and farther back, resulting in improved distance and forgiveness. Non-Uniform Buldge and Roll Face The face design supports enhanced forgiveness and improves overall performance by optimizing the club’s reaction to off-center hits.

Buy Now

View Product

Tom Watson

Even with access to whatever gear he could possibly choose, the third and final ceremonial tee shot hit by Mr. Watson was with a Callaway Epic Sub-Zero from 2019. The Sub-Zero was a precursor to the triple diamond, the more compact and lower-spin model in Callaway’s lineup.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke TD Custom Driver

$599.99

Ai SMOKE TD DRIVER The new Paradym Ai Smoke driver represents a quantum leap forward in Callaway’s Ai journey. This new family of drivers feature the most sophisticated driver face in Callaway history, the Ai Smart Face. World’s First Ai Smart Face™ The all-new Ai Smart Face optimizes driver performance using swing dynamics from thousands of real golfers. This promotes optimal launch conditions and tight downrange dispersion. Workable Shape for Better Players Shaped with a neutral-to-fade biased face progression and a compact overall head size, Triple Diamond model will suit better players looking for workability off the tee. For players looking to increase ball speed and lower spin, a 14g weight can easily be repositioned from the rear to the front.

Buy Now

View Product

Want to overhaul your bag for 2024? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Golf.com Editor

Ryan Barath is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s senior editor for equipment. He has an extensive club-fitting and -building background with more than 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. Before joining the staff, he was the lead content strategist for Tour Experience Golf, in Toronto, Canada.

• Author Twitter Account
• Author Instagram Account