Missing the 11th green at Augusta in The Masters results in a very very difficult up and down. A slick chip over a grassy bank with a lake beckoning behind must make for a knee-knocking experience. When Greg Norman saw his opponent Larry Mize faced with exactly that shot on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff in 1987 he must have been confident of victory. Imagine then his thoughts as he watched Mize’s 140 foot chip skip twice before the green and then track straight into the hole. Norman couldn’t believe it and nor, I’m sure, could Mize. But, what an amazing golf shot with which to win a Major.
Everyone knows that when leading a Major going into the last round Tiger Woods wins, don’t they? Well someone must have forgotten to tell YE Yang! He trailed Woods by two shots going into the final round of the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine National GC, caught him by the turn, and was tied with five holes to play. It looked as though nerves were getting the better of him when he three-putted for bogey at the 17th but he produced the shot of his life down eighteen. From a lie in the semi on the left side of the fairway he needed to fly a tree and bunker to get at the flag, his 3-iron hybrid cleared a bunker and settled 12 feet away closing out a victory making him the first Asian born male player to win a Major.
Imagine leapfrogging the leaders of a Major championship with an eagle, albatross (double eagle) start!! A FIVE under par after 2 holes start for the final round catapulted Karen Stupples into the lead of the 2004 Women’s British Open at Sunningdale a lead that she held onto to win her first Major. The fireworks started early as Stupples knew they would need with a nice 15 feet eagle putt at the first hole settling her into the round but what happened next was incredible as her 5 iron approach to the second bounced short, rolled down the green, rattled the flagstick and into the cup. Stupples didn’t actually see the ball go in but the crowd’s reaction soon told her that she was the new tournament leader.
What do you do when your golf ball is stuck up against a tree? Close your eyes and have a wild slash at it hoping to make a decent contact without breaking your club and/or wrist? Of course you do! Particularly if your name is Sergio Garcia and you’re chasing Tiger Woods down the stretch in the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah CC. This fantastic golf shot really shot Garcia to prominence, the tree in question was on the sixteenth hole and Sergio’s slashing, eyes shut, open faced six iron shot is a classic. What makes it all the more memorable is his exuberant scampering after the ball, running and jumping to see the result of his ball making the green and then laughing with the gallery about closing his eyes.
Medinah Country Club is just one of the Major venues that features in the free golf download Golf Courses of the Majors that is a fully searchable database of every winner of every Major with links to the course website and player biographies. Download.
This is almost a re-creation of one of the best golf shots of all time. The 10th hole the Brabazon course at The Belfry is a classic “risk & reward” hole with water, overhanging trees and strategic bunkers protecting it’s honour. Only a short Par 4 often measuring less than 300 yards it demands a decision from the tee whether to lay up with a mid iron leaving a short pitch or to go for broke hitting a high fade hoping to miss the water and hold the green. In 1978 the first official tournament to be held there was the Hennessy Cup a competion between Great Britain and Europe. Seve Ballesteros was playing Nick Faldo, Faldo the master tactician went with a safe iron but Seve in true swashbuckling style went for the green with driver hitting a magnificent shot of fully 310 yards carry over the trees and onto the green, finishing only 8 feet from the hole. A plaque today commemorates the achievment.
This shot by Seve in the 1985 Ryder Cup show just what the shot entails, if you listen carefully you can hear the ball clip the trees as it lands on the green. A magnificent golf shot by one of the all time greats.
Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo are just two of the Major winners who feature in the free golf download Golf Courses of the Majors that is a fully searchable database of every winner of every Major with links to the course website and player biographies. Download.
For an amazing golf shot to be considered a truly “great” shot it must have context. Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus had some memorable tussles in Major championships of the late 1970s and early 80s and their encounter in the 1982 US Open at Pebble Beach was one of the best. Nicklaus, playing two holes ahead of Watson, fought his way into contention with a burst of 5 consecutive birdies early in the round and as he was completed at #18 Tom dropped a shot at #16 to fall to a tie with him. The 17th hole at Pebble Beach is a devilish 200 yard par 3 on the edge of the Pacific Ocean that requires a precise long iron to a shallow green protected by deep bunkers and thick rough. Watson’s 2 Iron tee shot looked good in the air but drew just too far, it hit the green but ran through into the deep wiry rough. Whilst this drama was being played out Nicklaus was watching on television and offered the opinion that Watson couldn’t get up and down. Legend has it that Tom’s caddy gave him his sand wedge and told him to “Get it close.” Watson is credited with replying “Bruce, I’m not trying to get this close. I’m going to make it”. Tom Watson was always a brisk player so after 2 quick practice stroke he popped the ball up with an open faced chop just onto the putting surface, it ran out to the hole, rattled the flag and dropped into the hole for birdie to take a one stroke lead. Watson went on the claim his only US Open title.
Phil Mickleson has a vast repertoire of amazing golf shots none more so than his famous “backwards” shot. Here Mickelson shows you how to play it, the question is; would you dare try it in a competition?
Should my descriptions of amazing golf shots be confined solely to tournament play? Hmmm! I’m not really sure but this is certainly worthy of being described as amazing. Briny Baird hit balls 230 yards from the roof of a 34 storey hotel into the San Diego Padres’ Petco Park baseball stadium. Aiming at a target Baird would raise for the San Diego Navy/ Marine Corps Relief Society $2,000 for a bulls eye, inner ring $1,000 and outer ring $500. He actually raised $17,500 for by “scoring” with 8 out of 10 shots! The event was also publicity for the China bistro P.F Chang’s who made the total up to $25,000.
The “Duel in the Sun” has gone down in folklore as the all time best head-to-head contest within a major golf championship. Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus slugged it out over the final round of the 1977 Open Championship at Turnberry, arriving at the 72nd hole with Watson leading by one. He hit a perfect 1 iron tee shot down the centre of the fairway but Nicklaus blocked his Driver down the right into an awful lie near gorse bushes. Tom played first from the fairway hitting an excellent shot to within 2 feet of the hole leaving Jack in trouble. It was doubtful he could get the ball out succesfully never mind onto the green but he smashed an incredible 8 iron onto the front corner of the green. Listen for the commentator describe it as “…one of the most powerful animalistic golf shots I have ever seen.” Of course Watson was still very much in the driving seat but somehow Nicklaus dredged up the most amazing golf shot I have ever seen as he holed the putt across the green to put the pressure back on Watson. Of course as we all know Tom knocked in the short putt to win the Claret Jug but Jack’s putt really is my favourite golf shot ever and I’m thrilled to have found footage online for it. Actually the whole video is on youtube starting here.
This amazing golf shot was delivered like a boxer’s knockout blow. In blustery conditions Padraig Harrington played percentage golf for much of the 2008 Open Championship but when opportunities presented themselves he took them. On the 71st #17 hole at Royal Birkdale two shots ahead of he field he took a calculated risk and hit a magnificent five wood 272 yards to the heart of the green, the ball finally rolling out to 6 feet, “That’s a ripper!” said Peter Alliss. Harrington inevitably holed out for his eagle, closed out his rivals and won his second Claret Jug.
