Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. This week, we look back to our April 1985 issue when four former Masters champs provided breakdowns of their most epic shots at Augusta National.
The first major of the year is here — and the hype is palpable. With a green jacket on the line in northeast Georgia, it’s hard not to be excited.
Will Scottie Scheffler join the illustrious list of golfers with three Masters titles? Can Bryson DeChambeau finally break through at Augusta National? Does Rory McIlroy have a chance to go back-to-back? The storylines are seemingly endless.
As a primer for one of the greatest weeks on golf’s calendar, we are looking back to our April 1985 Masters preview issue of GOLF Magazine. In those pages, four previous Masters champs broke down the shots that helped them claim their green jackets — and provided some tips on how to hit them.
Claude Harmon, 1948
Situation: Final round. On the par-5 8th, Harmon faces a blind, uphill second shot from 260 yards.
Shot: Uphill 4-wood. “I was trying to lay up, so I selected a 4-wood and put a smooth, controlled swing on the ball. Next thing I heard was a roar from the crowd.” No wonder. Harmon’s clout finished two feet from the hole.
Technique: Because taking your stance for an uphill lie forces you to keep more weight on your right side, the tendency is to be lazy with the left side on the downswing. The right side takes over, and the result is a pull hook. You must offset the pull by putting a fade action into the swing.
Stand open. With the ball back in your stance, start the swing normally, but through impact keep the left hand driving toward the target to ensure square clubface-to-ball contact. Striving for a high finish — encourages you to accelerate the clubhead.
Arnold Palmer, 1958
Situation: Palmer needs to hit the par-5 13th in two and make birdie. A perfect drive leaves him 215 yards to the green. His lie is good, but he has to contend with a 10 mph headwind. With the pin cut on the top tier, Palmer must carry the water hazard guarding the front of the putting surface and land the ball on the green with enough juice to roll it up to the hole.
Shot: Drilled 1-iron. “I was afraid that a wood shot would get caught up in the wind or land on the green’s bottom tier and back up,”’ remarks Palmer. “I needed to hit the running wind cheater, so the 1-iron was the club.”
It sure was. Palmer made birdie and went on to win. He won again in ’60, ’62 and ’64.
Technique: With the ball played back slightly, stand square and keep the feet shoulder width apart. In the backswing, make a full pivot, shifting your weight from even balance to the right side. Remember to move your left shoulder under your chin. In the downswing, make a pronounced shift to the left side and drive your right shoulder under your chin. Hit down and through the ball, making no effort to help lift it in the air with the club.
Billy Casper, 1970
Situation: Generally regarded as one of the greatest putters in the game, Casper also gets the nod from his fellows for his expertise in sand. Good thing, because he needs birdie at the par-5 15th if he’s to catch the leader, Gene Littler. He goes for the green in two and misses. Although his lie is good and the lip low, he faces a diabolical shot from sand. He must shoot downhill to a flag cut 60 feet away on a fast-running surface.
Shot: Floating wedge. “Going downhill, I had to loft the ball high and judge the roll exactly right. To help me land the ball just on the green, I pretended the flag was cut 10 feet from the edge. Otherwise, it was all over for me.”
Casper’s strategy worked. The ball finished close to the hole. An easy birdie putt helped him tie Littler at the end of 72 holes. In the playoff the next day, Casper won by five strokes.
Technique: Stand open and open the clubface. With the ball played off your left heel, pick the club up quickly and swing back outside the target line using your hands and arms. Pull the club down with your left hand, hit two inches behind the ball, drive the clubface at the target and finish high.
Fuzzy Zoeller, 1979
Situation: Zoeller is the long-shot choice to win a playoff with Tom Watson and Ed Sneed. All three tie the first extra hole, the 10th. After a perfect drive up the 11th fairway, Fuzzy is 164 yards from the pin. He knows he must hit his second shot close because long putts are especially tricky on Augusta’s slick surfaces.
Shot: Soft 8-iron. “I usually hit a 7-iron from this distance, but with the adrenaline flowing, I chose my favorite club, the 8-iron.” Zoeller visualized the ball flying high and landing softly — close to the pin. His dream came true. His shot finished eight feet from the flag. A birdie conversion earned him victory.
Technique: Zoeller believes the game is almost 100-percent mental. He doesn’t preach any standard setup or swing to play the short irons. For him, comfort is the key, which is why he starts his swing with a push of the clubhead away from his body. For you, experiment with various stances, ball positions and swings. If one ball position makes you uncomfortable or if your practice swing feels awkward, go to an alternative technique. As Zoeller says: “If you’re not confident at address, it’s unlikely you’ll hit the shot you want to hit — especially under pressure.”
