News:

Welcome to the Golf Club Atlas Discussion Group!

Each user is approved by the Golf Club Atlas editorial staff. For any new inquiries, please contact us.


JHoulihan

  • Karma: +0/-0
Masters yardage book
« on: April 07, 2018, 01:28:59 AM »
I am just not sure if it exists. I know logistically almost impossible but there seems to be very little coverage of pre shot routine shown Masters week vs weekly play. I know there are many detail variations of yardage books , both with and without specific green maps and slopes. The slope and grade of the property add just another detail hard to distinguish on a 2d book vs 3d visual. Seems that this version could include an entire shortgame section showing the severe slopes/run off. Like the false front of 8 or 9 green many came up short on.  Or the 11 green where many use the right slope to not only avoid the water but to their advantage when landing the ball on the green surface could lead to a worse outcome than missing short and rolling forward.

Michael Wolf

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2018, 06:03:52 AM »

There are Augusta National yardage books.  Both the "pretty" versions normally sold in pro shops that make for nice souvenirs, and the "white" yardage books specifically created for Tour caddies and players. The Masters white yardage book does contain one VERY significant difference to a normal tour stops yardage book, in that it does not contain the +/- elevation changes in parenthesis next to the yardages. It's up to the players and caddie to develop and document that info and keep it up with the changes made year to year.


When one of the players I manage, Jim Herman, won the 2016 Houston Open, and the last golden ticket into Augusta, we were able to get he and his caddy Matt into Augusta by about 10am the following day. Jim had not played in the Masters before, but had played a very casual round at Augusta the previous November. Matt had caddied in several previous Masters, mostly I believe for Rocco Mediate.


While Jim spent most of Monday doing media and getting settled, Matt went out and walked, double checked, and added in elevation changes for the first 9 holes. This took him about 5 hours. The next day, after Jim had played an 18 hole practice round, Matt spent another 3-4 hours documenting the 9 he didn't do on Monday.


Some insights I remember when we looked at Matt's info: he measured the steepest grade on the property as the incline from the base of 8 fairway up to around 100 yards. He had it at around 10%, which is massive. By contrast 10 fairway only fell 8.5% at it's steepest. There were several (+/-) adjustments from the idea landing spots into the greens that were the opposite uphill/downhill than I'd have guessed from previously playing and walking Augusta myself. Off the top of my head 7 was less uphill on the approach to the green and 17 was more uphill.


And then finally Matt used Wednesday to try to get some "just in case" numbers that aren't in the book when you buy it.


The only surprise I remember Jim and Matt talking about after the event was the use (I think on Thursday?) of the up-up tee on 4. They thought the back tee box and the next one up would both be used, but one day the really up box left and below 3 green was used, cutting the hole by 50 yards.


Hope that answers your question?


Michael




Jeff Evagues

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2018, 10:13:06 AM »
A corollary to the yardage discussion. All the players are talking about the possible wind for Saturday. For 99% of these guys the only thing they've done their entire life is hit golf balls. They can't figure out what to do in whatever situation happens?
Be the ball

Michael Wolf

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2018, 11:00:43 AM »

Jeff,


I think what concerns the players is the inconsistency of the strength and direction of that wind. Making those judgements probably gets just a little exacerbated when playing for a rather important prize.


I'd venture most would rather play in a consistent 25mph breeze than a swirling 10mph one.


MW

MClutterbuck

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2018, 03:36:29 PM »

There are Augusta National yardage books.  Both the "pretty" versions normally sold in pro shops that make for nice souvenirs, and the "white" yardage books specifically created for Tour caddies and players. The Masters white yardage book does contain one VERY significant difference to a normal tour stops yardage book, in that it does not contain the +/- elevation changes in parenthesis next to the yardages. It's up to the players and caddie to develop and document that info and keep it up with the changes made year to year.




Michael, are these Masters yardage books or ANGC yardage books? I have not seen an ANGC one.

Michael Wolf

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2018, 04:12:56 PM »
The white one is definitely a standard "tourney" yardage book. Exact same look as the ones produced by Mark Long at most tour stops, except as I said, no elevation measurements. I can't remember the details on the color version. Thought I bought it in the pro shop during a non-tournament week visit? I'll see if I can find it and take a pic.

MClutterbuck

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2018, 04:21:03 PM »
The white one is definitely a standard "tourney" yardage book. Exact same look as the ones produced by Mark Long at most tour stops, except as I said, no elevation measurements. I can't remember the details on the color version. Thought I bought it in the pro shop during a non-tournament week visit? I'll see if I can find it and take a pic.


I collect yardage books, but missed this one at the pro shop!

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2018, 01:01:29 PM »
Interesting article on the "low-tech" Masters yardage book:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/07/sports/golf/masters-augusta-national.html

Michael Wolf

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2018, 02:29:37 PM »
Yes. Good article. If anyone is interested, the No Laying Up guys also posted hole by hole pictures from someone's ANGC yardage book on their Instagram feed.

Wade Whitehead

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Masters yardage book
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2018, 06:18:49 PM »
I was there last weekend and was amazed at how many players used books on the greens.

I don't know if an AimPoint book exists for ANGC, but it certainly looked like it does.

WW