Amazing Golf Shots » augusta

Jack Nicklaus – 1986 Masters – #17 Augusta National

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:22:59 +0000

All golf fans have seen the iconic photograph of Jack Nicklaus, putter outstretched towards the hole as he holed for birdie on the seventeenth at Augusta National in 1986. This was a run of eagle-birdie-birdie that saw him take the lead at the 71st hole of the tournament.
Generally written off by pundits prior to the championship The Golden Bear was goaded into action by an article in Atlanta Journal-Constitution calling Nicklaus “done, washed up, through” and giving him no chance to win.
A final par 4 saw Nicklaus close with a 65, 7 under for the final 10 holes, 30 for the back 9 and an ultimately winning score of -9 to win his 18th Major title and a record six green jackets.
The round has gone down in history as one of the greatest of all time.

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Technorati Tags: #17, 18th major, 1986 masters, augusta, jack nicklaus

Gene Sarazen – #15 Augusta National – 1935 Masters

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:55:59 +0000

No account of great golf shots should omit Gene Sarazen’s double eagle (albatross) on the 15th at Augusta National in the 1935 US Masters. Dubbed “the shot heard around the world” it has gone down in folklore. Unfortunately no footage of the shot was taken and other than Sarazen, his playing partner Walter Hagen, their caddies and probably 25 other hardy souls no one else saw it, so fortunately for history one of those souls was Bobby Jones.
There is no doubt that the context of the shot makes it one of the most legendary shots in golf. Sarazen did say later that over the years he met about 20,000 people who claimed to be there at the critical moment. When standing on the tee at #15 Sarazen thought he would need to birdie 3 of the last 4 holes to catch Craig Wood who himself had birdied the 18th posting a clubhouse score of 282. Television coverage of The Masters has made #15 a familiar hole with a lake in front of the green sowing seeds of doubt in the mind of a golfer wanting to go for it in two. Sarazen knew that this hole was critical if he was to catch Wood so he just had to go for the green.
Following a drive of 255 yards he still had 232 to go, over water from a lie that was sitting down in the grass and to a slick putting surface. After consulting with his caddie, who thought he needed a 3 wood, Sarazen decided on a 4 wood but toed it in for a little more distance, it’s a good job he did because his ball barely cleared the lake guarding the green, skimmed low onto the green, rolled out to the flag at the right back of the green and dropped in for a double eagle.
Can you imagine the pandemonium, fist pumps and high fives that such a shot would create today? Sarazen was much more phlegmatic, calculating only what he needed to do to catch Craig Wood. He subsequently parred the last three holes, by all accounts with difficult putts, to force a 36 hole play off the following day. It was obviously pre-ordained that he would win claim the title as he triumphed by 5 shots.

Even though there is no actual recording of the historic shot I thought you might like to see some archive footage of Gene Sarazen’s swing.

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Technorati Tags: #15, 15th, 1935 masters, albatross, augusta, bobby jones, double eagle, gene sarazen, the masters, the shot heard around the world, walter hagen

Larry Mize – #11 Augusta – 1987 Masters Play Off

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:59:59 +0000

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.

Technorati Tags: #11, 1987, augusta, chip in, greg norman, larry mize, masters, playoff, the masters

Vijay Singh Masters Practice #16 Skip Hole in One

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:36:59 +0000

The practice days at The Masters are famous for the light hearted banter on hole #16. Players are encouraged to have a go at skipping the ball across the water “bouncing bomb” style and onto the green. This amazing golf shot by Viyay Singh came during practice for the 2009 tournament, not only did he achieve the feat but the ball took a break and curled straight into the hole for an unbelievable hole in one.

See three great different views of this amazing golf shot!!!

I was alerted to another video of the same shot, this time from behind the tee, that also shows the great cameraderie of the players. Many thanks to Barb for taking time to comment, much appreciated.

Yet another view of this amazing golf shot. You get an incredible view of the ball skimming the water from this angle.

Technorati Tags: #16, 16th, augusta, bouncing, masters, skip hole in one, vijay singh, water

Tiger Woods – 2005 Masters – Hole #16 Chip In

admin — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:07:59 +0000

Of all the amazing golf shots that Tiger Woods has played in his career this shot stands out as probably the most memorable.

Let me take you back; Tiger led Chris DiMarco by three shots going into the final round of the 2005 Masters tournament but that lead had been whittled away to a single stroke as they stood on the tee of the par three sixteenth at the Augusta National Golf Club.

The pin was in its traditional Sunday placement, on the left side of the green at the bottom of the slope encouraging an attacking shot to the heart of the green that will run down to the flag for a possible birdie two. DiMarco played a good shot that left him a very holeable eighteen foot putt for birdie but Tiger pulled his eight-iron tee shot long and left of the green and his ball nestled up against the second cut of rough.

This awkward lie forced Woods into playing a low running chip across the incredibly fast green away from the flag before it took the slope and curved down to the right and towards the hole. The shot was judged to perfection, as it trickled nearer to the hole the ball momentarily stopped on the edge of the cup before taking one more half turn, displaying it’s Nike swoosh, and tumbling into the bottom of the hole whilst the gallery, Woods and caddy Steve Williams erupted into pandemonium. DiMarco subsequently missed his own putt and Tiger’s one stroke advantage was preserved.

Of all the amazing golf shots over the years this is destined to become the most iconic of the digital age. Nike, Tiger’s sponsors, were delighted with that serendipitous last turn of the ball and converted footage of the shot into a ubiquitous advertisement that captures the drama of the event including CBS commentator Verne Lundquist’s immortal lines “Oh my goodness! Oh Wow!! In your life, have you seen anything like that?” as the ball edges ever nearer the hole and drops in.

Whilst this one shot doesn’t tell the full story of the 2005 Masters, DiMarco caught Tiger and forced a playoff, it is certainly what the tournament will ultimately remembered for.

Technorati Tags: #16, augusta, chip in, chris dimarco, the masters 2005, tiger woods, tiger woods masters #16 chip in