Yesterday, I reminisced about some of the worst shots played at the Masters.Now, how about a few of the best? Again, keep in mind these are some of theevents I remember, and not necessarily those that you might choose.
So what do you think the players would pick as the worst possible weather forthe golf tournament? I don't know if a poll has ever been conducted, but fromwhat I've seen over the years, gusty winds have to be at the top of the list.
Rain, especially if it is not too much, just softens up the greens making iteasier to score. When it's windy though, there is hell to pay at Augustaespecially down at Amen Corner. If there's any wind at all, it swirls around inall directions making club selection very difficult.
This brings to mind a rule that I would like to see changed. I believe itstates if the wind moves your ball while you are addressing it, it's a strokepenalty. Personally, I think that is ridiculous. It's not the player's faultthat the wind moved the ball, nor can the player judge when there is going tobe a strong gust.
What's your pick for the best shot ever in a clutch situation? I have severalfavorites, but my choice is Jack Nicklaus' tee shot to the par 3, 16th. Thatwas dead on line all the way to the green, hit just beyond the hole then drewback just missing an ace by inches. Though The Golden Bear had mounted a greatcharge over the past several holes, I don't think it was evident until thebirdie at 16 that he might actually win it.
I had to go with the pick above because I have always been a great fan of JackNicklaus. However, an equally spectacular shot at a crucial time was pulled offby Tiger Woods in the 2005 Masters. The 16th hole was again the stage for thedrama. Tiger Woods had hit his tee shot left of the green leaving himself in apretty bad place to make par. His chip shot was a superb effort skipping to apoint about 12 feet above the pin. Then all watched in amazement as the ballmade a sharp right-hand turn and trickled down into the cup. If that shot hadnot gone in, Tiger Woods would have lost to Chris DiMarco by a one stroke.
Okay, time for a weather check. Monday and Tuesday still look fine for thepractice rounds, and I am starting to think that most of Wednesday will also bedry. The most likely window for a few showers and thunderstorms is lateWednesday night and Thursday. This does not have the earmarks of a deluge ofrain, but there could be a temporary delay due to lightning. Dry conditionswill resume for the Friday and Saturday rounds. There could be a bit of abreeze Friday, but not enough to make scores skyrocket.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist John Kocet.
