4 Masters Champions Explain Their Augusta National Big Shots

Golf instruction is always changing, but the best advice is timeless. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we highlight the greatest pieces of advice from teachers and players in the pages of GOLF Magazine. This week, we look back at our April 1985 issue where four former Masters champions gave a breakdown of their incredible shots at Augusta National.

The first headline of the year is here – and the hype is evident. With a green jacket on the line in northeast Georgia, it’s hard not to be excited.

Will Scottie Scheffler join the legendary list of golfers with three Masters titles? Could Bryson DeChambeau finally make it to Augusta National? Does Rory McIlroy have a chance to bounce back? The story lines seem endless.

As the start of one big week in the golf calendar, we look back at our April 1985 Masters preview issue. GOLF Magazine. In those pages, four former Masters champions break down the shots that helped them claim their green jackets — and offer tips on how to hit them.

Claude Harmon, 1948

Condition: The last round. On the par-5 8th, Harmon faces a blind, uphill tee shot from 260 yards.

shot: Climbing 4-wood. “I was trying to putt up, then I picked the 4-wood and put a smooth, controlled swing on the ball. The next thing I heard was the roar of the crowd.” It’s not surprising. Harmon’s clout finished two feet from the hole.

Plan: Because assuming your lying position forces you to keep more weight on your right side, the tendency is to sag with the left side when descending. The right side takes, and the result is a pull. You must close the drag by applying a fade action to the turn.

Stand open. Once the ball has returned to your position, start swinging normally, but with touch keep the left hand driving straight to your target to ensure square clubface-to-ball contact. Striving for a high finish – encourages you to accelerate the clubhead.

Arnold Palmer, 1958

Status: Palmer needs to hit the par-5 13th in two and make birdie. A perfect drive leaves him 215 yards to the green. His lie is good, but he has to contend with a 10 mph headwind. With the pin cut in the upper section, Palmer must carry the water hazard guarding the front of the putt and put the ball on the green with enough juice to roll it to the hole.

shot: Drilled 1-iron. “I was afraid that the wood would be blown away or sit on the green and come back up,” Palmer said. “I needed to hit a running cheat, so the one iron was the club.”

It was exactly like that. Palmer made birdie and went on to win. He also won in ’60, ’62 and ’64.

Plan: If the ball is played back a bit, stand square and keep your feet shoulder width apart. On the backswing, make a full pivot, shifting your weight off balance to the right. Remember to move your left shoulder under your chin. On the downswing, make a prominent shift to the left side and drive your right shoulder under your chin. Hit the ground and hit the ball, don’t try to lift it in the air with the club.

Billy Casper, 1970

Condition: Generally regarded as one of the best players in the game, Casper is also praised by his teammates for his skills on the sand. Good, because he needs a birdie on the 15th if he’s going to catch the leader, Gene Littler. He went to look for green twice and missed. Although his lies are good and his mouth is low, he is facing Satan’s gun in the sand. He must shoot down the slope to the checkered flag 60 meters in a fast run.

shot: A floating wedge. “I went downhill, I had to lift the ball up and judge the ball correctly. To help me put the ball on the green, I pretended the flag was cut 10 feet from the edge. Other than that, it was over for me.”

Casper’s strategy worked. The ball ends up near the hole. An easy birdie putt helped him tie Littler at the end of 72 holes. In the playoff the next day, Casper won by five strokes.

Plan: Stand wide and open the clubface. As the ball is played from your left heel, lift the club quickly and swing back out of the target line using your hands and arms. Pull the club down with your left hand, hit two inches behind the ball, drive the clubface towards your target and finish high.

Fuzzy Zoeller, 1979

Condition: Zoeller is a long-time pick to win the playoffs with Tom Watson and Ed Sneed. All three tied the first extra hole, the 10th. After a good drive down the 11th fairway, Fuzzy is 164 yards from the pin. He knows he has to hit his second shot close because long putts are especially tricky on Augusta’s grounds.

shot: Soft 8 iron. “I usually hit a 7-iron from this distance, but with the adrenaline flowing, I chose my favorite club, the 8-iron.” Zoeller envisioned the ball flying up and landing a little — near the pin. His dream came true. His shot finished eight feet from the flag. The transformation of the birds brought him victory.

Plan: Zoeller believes that the game is almost 100 percent mental. He does not preach any standard setup or swing to play short instruments. For him, comfort is key, which is why he starts his swing by pushing the clubhead away from his body. For yourself, try different poses, ball poses and swings. If one ball position makes you uncomfortable or if your swing practice feels uncomfortable, go the other way. As Zoeller says: “If you’re not confident at address, you’re less likely to hit the shots you want to hit – especially under pressure.”