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Welcome to The 2008 Masters
The 2008 Masters
The 2008 Masters Tournament This tournament drips with history and tradition. You could say that the Masters Tournament has truly defined the changing of eras among the game’s elite players. The tournament was born in 1934 and was won by Horton Smith. The great names of that era were capturing green jackets were Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, and Jimmy Demeret. Demeret won three times, 1940, 1947, and finally in 1950. It was this last win in ’50 that transitioned the first era of champion golf to the second which was dominated by Ben Hogan and Sam Snead. Snead won in 1949 and then the two legends traded victories until 1954.At the end of the 1950’s, Arnie's Army started its march toward 4 green jackets. How is this for the 3rd era of Championship golf? Palmer, Nicklaus, Player…the Big Three. They would win every jacket from 1960 to 1966. Player would go on and win in 1974 and 1978. Of course, Nicklaus would win in 1972, 1975, and the incredible win in 1986. A New Era
The next era for the Masters would see the beginning of the International players winning green jackets. From 1980 to 2000 the Masters would be won 12 times by someone outside the United States. Leading the International winning parade are Bernhard Langer, Seve Ballasteros, Nick Faldo and Jose Marie Olazabal. Each one of these great players won multiple championships during their era. Although he won his first in 1997, since 2000 this has been the Tiger Woods era. There is no one better right now. Phil Mickelson has made a push in this event as the two of them have won 5 of the 8 championships that have been contested in the new millennium. So the only question is…Does the Tiger era continue as he pushes towards Nicklaus’s records, or will another set of players step up and challenge his dominance and shift to a new era in golf? Augusta National Golf CourseNo other course in the world has gotten as much attention or been given as much criticism for the changes they have made to modernize their track. I think it is simply because although it is the youngest of the 4 majors, it is the only one played at the same course every year. For those of us watching it for many years, we want to be able to compare the past champions with the new ones. However, technology has made that impossible. The course now plays as a par 72 7,445 yard layout. Here are the keys to playing well at Augusta during the 2008 Masters:
I know…I know…you are thinking, is that all? The key holes are: All of them! You can’t let up on this golf course for a second. Every hole matters, and needs to be treated with respect. The greatest thing about this test of golf is that you need to shape your shots in both directions. The 13th needs a tee shot shaped right to left. While 18 needs a ball flight going left to right. If you decide to shape the other way then you had better be very precise. Key Shots at the 2008 Masters There are some critical approach shots on the back nine:
The greatest part of this tournament is being able to watch the greatest players on the planet take on a remarkable golf course. I hope that you enjoy this years Masters. Tiger's Preparation at the 2008 Masters Tiger prepares better than anyone in the world for every tournament he plays in, not to mention the majors. We don’t all have the time to prepare like he does, nor do we have the resources. However, if you play the same course often, keep a chart of the course and especially the greens. Mark down any tricky spots that surprised you, and then you know how to play that shot the next time. This is particularly important for putting. Tiger used to watch old footage of the Master’s tournaments to get a better understanding of the greens. Check out this video of Tiger from Youtube.com practicing at the 12th hole of Augusta. This is preparation. This is what gives him the best chance to win every time. The 2008 Masters Players to WatchWow…what else can you really say? I mean it’s the 2008 Masters. Tiger is going for the Slam, but he has a lot of work to do. Mickelson is giving chase. But it is Trevor Immelman and Brandt Snedeker who are pacing the field right now. The course is in great shape. The holes are playing tough, especially as the greens firm up. It is still anyone’s tournament as there is a lot of golf to be played. The Leader Board looks like this after 2 rounds:
Notable mention: Tiger Woods -1 Let’s start with our leader after two days: Trevor Immelman - 2008 Masters If you watched the coverage on Friday you may have seen a great interview with Gary Player. He set the record for the most Masters played in a row. 51! He shot 78 in the second round and said that he would be back next year to make it 52. He was asked about fellow South African Trevor Immelman. He paid the young pro a huge compliment saying only Ben Hogan was a better ball striker. When you watch Immelman, watch the length of his back swing. You will notice that his driver barely makes it parallel to the ground. In the video linked here he is hitting a hybrid and his stops well short of parallel. This just proves that it is not the length of your back swing but how you turn that creates great power. If you want to learn more on the back swing, please visit the Driver, Hybrid, and Irons sections. Brandt Snedeker - 2008 Masters If you follow golf you are probably saying…he won the Rookie of the Year last year. If not, you are saying…Snedewho? But he has played very well the first two days. Can he keep it going? The two things he will need to do are, maintain his rhythm for his downswing and keep the attitude he has had for the first two rounds. We can all learn from watching those two things. As the pressure mounts will he be able to keep a light and patient attitude. When we play we can only hit one shot at a time. The worst thing you can do is try and force a shot. Patience is another way of saying course management. You have seen Augusta…it is so tough. You can’t fire at every flag. You need to aim for a part of the green that will give you an easier putt. If you took that frame of mind to your own course you would lower your scores right away. As for his swing, watch the linked video. The video shows back to back swings during a practice round. The key is the transition from the top of his back swing into his downswing. In the first swing he makes a quick transition and he blocks the shot to the right. This is why he hits the second ball. On the second he is much smoother and hits a great shot. It is very important that the transition is smooth at the top. You don’t want to change speeds during that transition. Phil Mickelson - 2008 Masters Phil has a ton of power. He hits is a long way. When you watch Phil hit a tee shot this weekend check out how he makes the transition from his back swing to his downswing. There is a couple of things that he does very well that you should try and work on. His downswing starts from the ground up. This means that his feet, then knees, then hips initiate the move back to the golf ball. Watch how much his lower body leads the upper body.This can only work by keeping his upper body relaxed. He has no tension in his arms, shoulders, and chest. This is the key to hitting the ball longer with less effort. When he uses his lower body and keeps his upper body relaxed he can sling the club through the ball with incredible speed. If you get a chance to see it in slow motion you will see how his lower body makes the move and while that is happening, his hands and arms are falling into place. That falling action can only happen if he his tension free. Tiger Woods - 2008 Masters Watch the video link. See how there is a triangle formed by his arms and shoulders. Watch how long that triangle stays intact during his back swing. This is a great example of how smooth and sound his swing is. If that triangle breaks down early, it makes it much harder to make a consistent move back and through the ball. When he is featured this weekend watch how well he does this move for every swing. You will make your golf swing much easier to use if you can copy that triangle takeaway. Good luck with your practicing, playing and watching. May you ‘Play Your Golf Dreams’ sooner with the help of free-golf-lessons.com. I hope you enjoy one of the greatest tournaments in the world. The 2008 Masters… Return to the Home Page from the 2008 Masters
Return to the Watch the Pros Page from the 2008 Masters
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