Today, the long approach shot hardly exists. Without extreme weather, only on par fives -- and those that are ridiculously long by historical standards at that -- extremely long par threes and 'drivable' par fours, a class of hole that basically did not exist until ten or fifteen years ago, are the top players required to hit a long iron or a 'wooden' club into the green. And that is the single biggest difference in championship golf between this generation and every other one that has preceded it.
Correct..... as a matter of fact hole 4 which played 240 yards some rounds during this year's masters is regarded as one of the toughest on the course.
Jason Dufner said, "I'm usually hitting a 3-iron, sometimes a 5-wood. It's probably the toughest hole on the golf course, to be honest. I'm just trying to get it on the green. That front-right bunker plays OK to a couple of the hole locations. You're not going to make worse than a 4 from the front-right bunker, and you'll have a pretty good chance at 3. It's just one of those holes where you're trying to make par. I think I made birdie once.
"The front-left pin is extremely tough. It's not very wide, maybe 12 to 14 paces at the most. You're probably better off in that left bunker when the pin is in the front."
However I think the long hitters were hitting 4 and I think DJ had 5 iron into that green for the same flag.