Do Lefties Have an Advantage at Augusta National? l The Game Plan l Golf Digest

Augusta National Golf Club is one of the most studied and analyzed golf courses in the world. And every year, it remains one of the most challenging and difficult places for TOUR Pros to play. Why is that? In this episode of The Game Plan, Golf Digest Senior Editor Luke Kerr-Dineen dives into the often unrealized strategy tour pros use week-to-week to discover why a majority of them struggle when they step through the gates of Augusta National-and how lefties come out ahead.
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[@sahilmansuri1]

Brb putting $500 on Harman

[@TheEdiaz91]

I’m waiting and hoping akshay gets the invite. That kids got GAME!

[@JordanOvr56]

Doesn’t Harman play a draw off the tee??

[@mre_man]

I hope not. Harman in the final round with his waggles would ruin it for me!

[@txterbug]

Harman hits a draw 😂 he’s not a fade guy.

[@Mharsneen1999]

@@TheEdiaz91he won’t unfortunately unless he wins this week

[@JamesBeattie-lz9cc]

Brian Harman watched this video and said ….”hold my beer” … and then somehow he dropped the beer in the water instead 😂

[@ethanweissman7681]

Akshay Bhatia just qualified and he is lefty!

[@RyanRioFitness]

I just put a bet on him to win the masters 😂

[@KidsLearnHTML]

Shhhh 🤫

[@swampsoup20]

@@RyanRioFitness i bet on koepka. atleast mine makes sense. have fun losing money im right there with you

[@calross7143]

This should actually fir Bryson like a clove...since he started playing with his current driver in 2023, he is very consistent with his draw. If he can get that going and together with his distance, he might be able to play himself into contention this year!

[@korbinsworld24]

This feels like a Bryson year. If he can make some putts, he should be able to run away with it with his current shot shape.

[@TaroZak]

Akshay Bhatia has entered the chat👀👀😮‍💨

[@ChaseTheCoder]

That’s what I’m saying!

[@commentsboardreferee7434]

Who?

[@ChaseTheCoder]

@@commentsboardreferee7434 just won PGA Vaspero to get an invitation to the masters.

[@peterlivengood553]

Wonder if any right handed pros today would consider a 2 driver set up like Phil used to win in 2006? One designed to hit cuts, one to hit draws. Also, I think it is worth mentioning that Phil, Tiger, and Bubba are legendary shot shapers. Their creativity and ability to curve the ball both ways really benefit them compared to golfers that play stock shot shapes all the time. Tiger is a righty, but plays better than most becuase of his shot shaping ability. Agreed?

[@Asqry]

Add +1 to the list of lefties for Bhatia

[@spectrum7virkeytroni]

This is wild. I had no idea that tour pros had switched to fades. When I was growing up in the '70s, I remember that Jack Nicklaus was one of the few pros who predominantly played a fade. What we learned back then was that amateurs played fades because that's all we could play, but that pros were good enough to play draws.

[@muggrullen]

I love this series, please keep it coming

[@dabdias]

I find the argument that somewhat random changes in equipment made a course that was initially better suited for righties that are drawers to become better suited for lefties that are faders quite interesting and compelling (just imagine if driver head size had been limited at 250cc instead of 460cc? maybe modern equipment would have still favored drawers). With the upcoming changes in ball characteristics, I wonder if manufacturers opt for higher spinning balls as a way to reduce distance will have more players playing draws with driver in the future (and the lefties advantage at Augusta may be gone).

[@Jorge_Alvarez1]

Wow 12 was not the first hole to come to mind for a lefty advantage but Phil’s explanation really illustrated it

[@atfinthehouse8631]

Bryson has an amazing ability to hit draws and fades. As well as hit long high balls to clear trees and obstacles. His shot distance is fairly consistent so a lot of blind spots he can hit by just knowing the distance. Will be interesting to see how he attacks it. But, I bet you would find lefty righty advantages for doglegs on most courses for varieties of holes. Augustus may just be laid out that way a bit more than others that favors lefties. Lefties are such a small percentage of golfers. So it’s a bit odd with many of the older Augusta tournaments there weren’t really very many lefty winners. Or were they discouraged back in those days, and lefties actually played righty golf. Someone should look at all those in those long ago Augusta tournaments and see how many of the players were actually lefty but played righty.

[@scottfawcett3290]

He exclusively draws the driver. As for lefties back in the day, modern equipment is what is making fades the go to stock shot of most good players off the tee. Past generations couldn't fit drivers using launch monitors so many did tend to favor a draw, not because it was easier to hit, but because it had less spin and thus went further. Now that you can using tech to get identical spin rates for either shape there isn't a distance advantage for a draw over a fade.

[@williamcastillo5470]

16 is absolutely not easier as a lefty. It’s the reverse of 12 and the righty now has the short and right bailout

[@scottfawcett3290]

I don't disagree and would not have included that in the final version, BUT, the difference is 12 is 11 yards deep where the back right pin is and 16 is nearly 40 yards deep. A righty has a real issue playing a fade on 12 because there is no margin for error on distance control whereas 16 does have quite a bit for a lefty fade.

[@myousickoflife]

2:33 great pictures you found there 🤣🤣

[@nyyfanful]

Some pros do hit draws could have been interesting to include right-handed drawers of the golf ball, like Cam Young finished t9 last year and I think he does draw it

[@kennykim.1227]

In a similar way, I think Xander might have a chance at Augusta since he often draws too

[@oahujuniorgolfassociationc6656]

@@kennykim.1227and his boy cantlay.

[@ryrysmoke1426]

You wouldn’t want to include them in this analysis though. The entire video talks about the lefty’s ability to control the right to left shot shape as they can hit it with greater control due to a higher spin rate leading to a tighter dispersion. When a right handed golfer hits that same shot shape, especially with longer clubs, the ball begins to knuckleball which is uncontrollable leading to a lefty advantage

[@scottfawcett3290]

Cam fades driver as his stock shot.

[@jacobwilson5584]

God these videos are good

[@dso1986]

I like the ball rollback also they should make the maximum driver head size 380cc

[@scottfawcett3290]

agreed. Also a fix for the putter debate is simply writing a rule that says the putter must be the shortest club in the bag. Due anything you want to with it, but it has to be the shortest club in the bag.

[@57JimboSlice]

Id say it pretty equal, August isnt known to be hard for tee-shots, its the greens that do damage to players, its an interesting topic but theres plenty of situations where RH faders have an advantage too

[@avy2084]

Bryson loves his draw plays into his hands

[@lkae4]

I didn't know pros follow the dry route. I definitely try to but I consistently hit topped runners.

[@CharlesFromage]

Spurious correlation if you ask me. Recent righty winner have all been faders. If this were true you’d think guys who hit draws off the tee would outperform (McIlroy, Dechambeau, Fleetwood, etc.). My read would be that Mikelson and Watson were just really good and, to some extent, the event is easier for past champions to win again since the field is more limited relative to other majors. Otherwise this seems like an over read of small sample size.

[@ryrysmoke1426]

Your third sentence is exactly why they’re saying it favors left handed golfers. The course biases a right to left shot on a majority of the holes, especially tee shots. So logically it would favor a drawer of the ball if you’re a righty. The problem with being a drawer is when you over draw the ball as it begins to knuckle ball and result in a miss nearly twice the size. So, a 15 yard miss off the tee for a righty on a hole that doesn’t favor them is still a better miss than a lefty missing by 30 yards on a hole that does favor them. That’s why DJ ran away with it a couple years ago as he was hitting a tight fade, that didn’t fit the course, but was still accurate enough to hit the shot he needed to but not miss big enough to get in trouble. So the times when a lefty can hit that exact same tight fade on a course that does favor them, they’re going to gain a significant amount of strokes off the tee

[@scottfawcett3290]

modern drivers favor a fade, period. Obviously some righties will win the event since they make up the majority of the field and since the majority of righties move the ball left to right off the tee there will be faders that win. The point is those faders also drop back to three wood on 2, 5, 10, and 13 which costs them several shots over the course of the event making their wins even more impressive.

[@scottfawcett3290]

@@ryrysmoke1426 don't forget DJ and other righties often drop back to three wood on holes like 2, 5, 10, and 13. Three wood is easier to draw due to ball position, loft, and a smaller head than driver.

[@oahujuniorgolfassociationc6656]

Great as always but it is a mistake to omit the shots Phil talks about as being tough for lefties. 16 is both easy and hard for lefties. They could spin it short left in the water or more likely hook it or pull it long right and be in big trouble up there. Especially to those right pins. Also I don’t know how weir did it. Zack won thanks to horrible weather and that magic strategy of laying up on every hole. But bubba and Phil’s games, not just the power, are made for Augusta. They can both shape it both ways. They have great touch around the greens. And I think Bubbas over delicate pitting helps at Augusta sometimes, it kind of helped Sergio as well. Augusta could use another shot or two favoring righties over lefties, but it’s by far the best test in golf imho.

[@scottfawcett3290]

Zach's strategy wasn't a strategy, it was a necessity. As you say, the weather we terrible that week. He didn't win because he laid up, he won because EVERYONE laid up. His winning score was +1, not the -20 that DJ won at.

[@scottfawcett3290]

Mike Weir also won in a year where only 7 players broke par. Quite a few in the top 10 were shorter hitters because once you keep the bombers at bay it does become more of a wedge contest. Weir, Furyk, Byrd, & Toms finished 8th or better.

[@Charles_bowen]

5 left handed players

[@sa_maccas2266]

That's what needs to change, rather than the ball rollback, making holes and courses that require more skill or shot shaping not just smash a big fade down the fairway than have a wedge, there should also be different strategies

[@ajjohnson2295]

Yes, Instead of making small production changes let’s carve out restructure dozens of courses that will eventually be solved by players regardless.

[@sa_maccas2266]

@@ajjohnson2295 small production changes really, the big golf brands are already doing R&D for the new golf balls and the ball rollback also only makes sense for the pro's, regular golfer don't hit the ball far enough. We already pay ridiculous prices for golf balls, now we'll have to pay the same for balls that essentially don't even perform that well

[@yoshigg]

14 Stimp greens with a 5 sq ft area where the ball won't roll off.

[@yoshigg]

That's not golf.

[@sa_maccas2266]

@@yoshigg never said they should do that but anyways

[@seancook2264]

By this logic Bryson who as a right hander and hits a stock draw should fair well at Augusta…..a fiver each way on Bryson and Harman it is then!

[@gasperstarina9837]

Is not a rule, if it was only right hand drawers and lefties would be able to win..but statistic says what it does and there are reasons..good ones

[@gasperstarina9837]

And also draw has different flight and especially rollout, its not near same on 12th hole if rightie draw it or leftie fade..the flight is very different

[@rekababa6671]

how many lefty golfers existed back during the great depression??? I don't think Bobby Jones had a crystal ball in Butler cabin 🤣

[@ryrysmoke1426]

But Bobby Jones designed it for a right-handed drawer not a fader, which they state in the video. So now that equipment favors a fade, the lefty’s now have an advantage not the righty’s

[@Dawgnation4o]

Lefty gang🤙🏼

[@rhysscott2457]

Can we appreciate the irony that Bubba Watson hit a huge sweeping hook out of the trees to win The Masters? But hey its probably just because the tee shot on 10 doesn't favor a lefty (oh wait)... what about the other 9 holes not discussed in this video?

[@untexan]

“Can we appreciate the fact” = guaranteed troll bot and hitting right to left is a fade for lefties

[@scottfawcett3290]

can you appreciate we are talking about off the tee?

[@johnnystir9796]

Cool piece. I really think current technology has made it difficult to be a shotmaker.

[@Ri_Guy]

So I was made to play the masters is what you’re saying.

[@bertblue9683]

Makes me wonder if they should swap one of their clubs for a driver that is say 15 years old where it would allow for a better draw for the right hand player

[@corbin6304]

They could easily get a modern high lofter draw biased driver too. I believe Phil even carried two drivers one year he played the Masters for each shot shape.

[@KyKicks23]

Love this series @golfdigest

[@fiodarmelnikau5204]

5* lefties now

[@headintheclouds6935]

So the course could in theory favour a right handed draw player? Assuming they have previously built their game around draws?

[@esoteridactyl]

Drivers just arent made to draw anymore. But sure a righty that has worked a lot on their draw should help

[@jordandouvartzidis1745]

I’m a left handed 8-10 handicap and every hole on every course scares me😂

[@jwilder2251]

Phil and Bubba were also two of the longest hitters

[@relphyboy7533]

All I’m hearing is become left handed for the micro chance of playing Augusta

[@dabeamer42]

It's a little disappointing that the left-to-right *history* wasn't mentioned. 20-30-40-50 years ago, the commentators would all say how Bobby Jones designed the course so that golfers (pretty much all right-handed at the time) would _have_ to hit a bunch of draws. I remember the repeated chorus every year when I was watching way back then. Nowadays, pro (right-handed) golfers don't have reliable draws, so they have to go against what Jones' original plan was. Or die trying. (Or lose to a lefty.)

[@hustlr23]

I'm going to make a youtube video analyzing why their are so many right handed winners on the PGA tour. :-)

[@gerrycahill9069]

I'm backing Brian Harman on the nose, 😂

[@scottfawcett3290]

The key that most in the comments seem to be missing is modern drivers are fit for one specific shape. If that is a fade for righties their attempts at draws will be mid 1k spin knuckle balls and if they are fit for draws their attempts at fades will be spiny flares. Modern larger drivers are also more difficult to draw for both lefties and righties as the further the center of mass is off the shaft the harder that club is to draw. Add to that you can't change ball position much with driver due to lack of loft and you get players being forced, by the equipment, to be very one-dimensional off the tee.

[@The-New-Age]

Why don’t they just get a draw biased driver and use it for the masters

[@scottfawcett3290]

@@The-New-Age because fade is what does their eyes and moving weights around to impact shape is something done more for amateurs who can’t really feel the club face anyways. Getting the toe to pass the heel for a fade player is a VERY ODD feeling regardless or weights etc.

[@olivierkepo]

@@The-New-AgeCameron Young has a 2 wood in his bag this week which he says he can turn right to left a bit easier and it goes about 20 yards shorter than driver. Something to watch. He said he’s gonna hit it on 1, 10, 14 and the second shot on 8.

[@bryanduchane2371]

Well done.... Modern pros are all buying a slight fade

[@MRthekilla34]

Me a lefty knowing I’ll never play there: 😎

[@timbynum]

Fellow lefty golfer!

[@parkersnure2283]

Basically the exact opposite logic when they talk about 12 and 17. 17 works more for a right handers dispersion and they can fade it into the hill and kill the momentum. A lefty fade will get too much speed going down that hill.

[@sammaier4485]

I've been saying this for years. The course obviously favors left handed dispersion.

[@user-bc3ho9yv5g]

Place bet for Mike weir ✅

[@HuntsT]

Why not just carry two drivers, one fitted for a draw and one fitted for a fade when playing Augusta Nationals? Give up a less used club or take out the fade driver.

[@scottfawcett3290]

Modern drivers are more difficult to draw due to the center of mass being further off the shaft. I try to get players to use a mini driver though for the reason you state. The additional loft allows them to play it back in their stance and the smaller head isn't as difficult to draw.

[@HuntsT]

@@scottfawcett3290 they can have the weights balanced in such a way to aid in a draw. Plus nothing says they have to use a modern driver. Draws were a thing until just a few years ago. Weight manipulation on these heads goes a long ways in and of itself.

[@scottfawcett3290]

@@HuntsT not really. The further the center of mass is off the shaft the harder that club is to draw. Shifting of weights is more of an aid to amateurs than Tour players, not to mention shifting weights around for one specific week is a bad idea for a variety of other reasons.

[@HuntsT]

@@scottfawcett3290 I totally disagree. Additionally, if you don’t think that manufacturers can produce a specific club for their top tour pros to use at the masters, you are mistaken.

[@SiLoMixMaster]

Excellent video. Phil finishing 2nd last year and Rory missing the cut was hilarious, karma at it's finest. Maybe a leftie like Brian Harman can finish top 5 or win it this year, Harman was 1 shot off a playoff at The Players so his form has been promising this year.

[@robertott9925]

Mini driver???? Easier to draw??

[@dabdias]

Yes!

[@ThinkHarderr]

well phil mickelson won alot of other majors too not just augusta same with bubba

[@sa_maccas2266]

Those were Bubba's only 2 Majors buddy

[@Joel.Stickland]

Mike Weir preferred a draw though

[@JMoney615]

2:28 five now because bhatia

[@drgolfpro6264]

I love being early enough to the comments to see all the horrible takes

[@scottfawcett3290]

Imagine being part of the video and coming to try to help people understand the point if confused and seeing them! Just brutal.

[@drgolfpro6264]

@@scottfawcett3290 so ridiculous! So many “this is was Augusta is a dog track” comments or “well what it a righty hits a draw” just completely missing the point

[@ddddggjgjhjhjhjk]

Sheffler, Rahm (except on a couple of tee shots), DJ, Tiger, Sergio all won in recent years hitting fades off the tee

[@seancook2264]

Jack hit a stock push fade his whole career……6 jackets suggests it was not too much of problem….

[@thegolfdude]

@@seancook2264 only guy as clutch as Jack is Tiger, bad example

[@scottfawcett3290]

@@seancook2264 I didn't realize he played with modern equipment back in the day.

[@scottfawcett3290]

and they all drop back to a different club on the holes we are discussing. Also, we didn't say lefties win exclusively, but they do win disproportionately.

[@patatta_azada]

So Akshay might win the masters one day

[@gasperstarina9837]

100% and lets be honest at Masters pretty much every player playing can pull of the win...also Bubba, Phil-Phil having bad year but he knows Augusta and even if all LIV field is in better he can pull of win in 2024 still, same last year-years def came to him and if older golfers can overcome their worse putting they are pretty much in game with experiences

[@turdferguson2839]

Fact is most golf courses favor right handed golfers or are designed for right handed golfers and lefties are always left out and having to make difficult shots, Augusta is one of the few courses that really challenges left and right handed golfer's equally.

[@oahujuniorgolfassociationc6656]

Agreed. Phil also talks about the disadvantages for lefties.

[@bingham7957]

You can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen.

[@Jeffybeffyog]

I bet harman 3 weeks ago 60-1.. he is a sketchy putter though.. misses a lot of 5 footers

[@SiLoMixMaster]

'he is a sketchy putter though.. misses a lot of 5 footers' That's Scottie Scheffler you're thinking of 😂

[@djones3291]

I get the argument when it’s a dogleg left off the tee. You can’t really have it both ways though, like saying a right hander doesn’t want to start their fade over the water on 16, but then saying it’s an advantage for a lefty to fade it over the water on 12?

[@Mcbeef34]

Lefties have a good time at 12 because their dispersion patter allows them to still hit the green on both mishits, either the long pull or the short push. Opposite for righties. If you aim at the right side of the green on 12 and hit a weak fade it will absolutely find the water no questions asked

[@scottfawcett3290]

12 is about 11 yards deep where the back right pin is. 16 is nearly 40 yards deep.

[@noahthomas4341]

Ironic how LiV broadcast prompts this video

[@AlonsoRules]

what about the lefties being better putters

[@touristguy87]

Only astonishing that they win 6 of 22 masters after 2022 because there are relatively few left-handed players. It's a sign that the game is becoming more bourgeoise. Also that you don't have Tiger, Jack and a whole host of top flight right handers with dozens of Masters wins between them. Or you can say that right handers won at an astonishing rate with the course set up for left handers. See above.

[@calvinprest]

Who are righty’s that like to hit a draw besides PReed?

[@ThatGolfGuy431]

Chris Kirk does it really well

[@JManningSkate]

Rory

[@jonjonesiii8619]

Or just learn how to draw the ball! Always wanted to play there cause I draw most shots....

[@TheConza10]

whats funny is that when youre talking about the 12th, and you show phil and Anna Davis, Anna is CLEARLY aiming hard left, playing a draw into the pin.

[@dabdias]

She still has a short left long right shot pattern that fits the green on 12, it’s true that she is hitting a draw there, but her shot pattern is the typical of a lefty, regardless of being a fader or a drawer of the ball.

[@docriley7837]

Trouble is finding left handed sticks

[@edge21str]

Tell me about it. I'm lefty but I trained right handed for convenience and lower cost.

[@petermcgill1315]

I appreciate the difference in the standard of play for the pros, but being a lefty who cannot hit a controlled fade to save his life, I hate standing on the tee and someone pipes up with insightful “oh, this hole made for you lefties!”

[@bhobg]

I don't get how 16 favors lefties

[@bradleynicholson2425]

If 12 favors a lefty then 16 does not. The video has got it wrong. Even Phil describe this in his LIV interview that the video itself uses.

[@ryrysmoke1426]

It didn’t say that 16 outright favored a lefty. It’s says that the famous Sunday pin location does because….well….it does. For a lefty, an overcut still gets down in the bowl without the help of the slope, and an undercut just barely catches the slope and ring it down. Now for a right an overcut will either barely catch the slope or miss above the bowl, and an undercut will miss left, most likely go long, and has no slope to feed it to the hole. That being said, a pull being long, and a push being short in shot dispersion helps a righty, but with the way the slope is it still favors a lefty miss

[@scottfawcett3290]

the green on 12 is only 11 yards deep where the back right pin is whereas 16 is nearly 40 yards deep. The precision and penalty for distance control is vastly different for the two holes.

[@myousickoflife]

As a lefty I am offended.

[@Teddy-kv5ns]

5 lefties in 2024 field, Akshay

[@xBLACKMAMBA21]

this makes rory not having a jacket even more puzzeling.

[@Admiller2008]

rewatch the 2011 masters and youll see why lol. that would haunt me to this day.

[@sa_maccas2266]

He hits more of a fade now, thats why

[@GreenNgold7]

Brian harman will never win there though as he draws the ball

[@bradleynicholson2425]

The fade bias that has come into favor for pros has been in the last 10 or so years. That doesn’t account for Phil’s and Mikes wins.

[@scottfawcett3290]

the fade bias has been around for nearly 25 years since driver heads became larger.

[@sinkingputts]

It’s weird to remember a time when Phil was the most loved golfer on the planet

[@chevy4x466]

Shows the power of the media to paint anyone as a demon. Phil still remains a good family man and good to fans. He just joined a different golf league that pays him more

[@Playstation1235]

I mean I wouldn’t say that LIV is the only thing you can point to as something that has potentially sullied his reputation. His long time gambling partner Billy Walters literally released an entire book last year detailing Phil’s gambling antics during the prime of his career, him trying to bet on a Ryder Cup he was playing in, him leaving Billy high and dry to take the fall for legal issues, etc. Phil joining LIV potentially has a lot to due with the financial situations he has put himself in over the years as well.

[@chevy4x466]

@@Playstation1235 gambling is not particularly uncommon for atheletes. I am a career casino dealer, many successful people gamble. Not saying it’s a great habit, but not that big of a deal.

[@Playstation1235]

@@chevy4x466 I totally agree with you there. I wouldn’t say it’s fair for someone to call gambling morally unethical or criticize someone purely for participating in it either. I think it’s more some of the more questionable things Phil got himself involved in like that he reportedly tried betting on an event he had a bearing on the outcome of (Ryder Cup) and how he let a long time friend go to jail as not to get himself involved, even though he could have absolved him of wrong doing, that have hurt his image in some people’s eyes. I say this as someone who likes Phil still as well and think he is generally a good guy.

[@gazmc10]

Oh god the apostrophes at 2:13, how embarrassing for a publication.

[@Jeff-fx7bh]

That's common practice for multiples of acronyms...

[@Wes-10]

@@Jeff-fx7bhOpen isn’t an acronym chief.

[@grindsmygearsAU]

This video is just left hander golf propaganda to try and convert right handed golfers over to the bad side of golf.

[@ScrewyDriverTheMan]

You mean dudes who can hit the ball right to left? LMAO

[@oahujuniorgolfassociationc6656]

It’s not just right to left. Hitting it right to left as a draw compared to a fade are two very different things because of spin and other factors.

[@ScrewyDriverTheMan]

@@oahujuniorgolfassociationc6656 No sh1T!!!! Duh!!!! But with dudes who can hit sky high draws these days, it's not a problem. Unless, of course, Augusta decides to turn the greens into concrete to prevent any scoring LMAO

[@scottfawcett3290]

@@ScrewyDriverTheMan they cannot hit sky high draws with drivers fit to fade. I mean, sure they can do it, and they will also hit knuckle balls that could go anywhere.

[@ScrewyDriverTheMan]

Errrrrr have you not been watching BRYSON????? lmao

[@ScrewyDriverTheMan]

Errrrrr. BRYSON????? lmao

[@CHRISBROGAN-ce2wn]

sounds like a media narrative piece.........inventing stories

[@scottfawcett3290]

ok...what's your explanation of their success at Augusta?

[@RobertSkene-qw3ob]

Do not ask about or remind TIGER about his prowess OFF The Golf Course at the Master's Dinner nor ask for his autograph!! Do not ask him how his love life is going unless you want one of his golf clubs as a permanently imbedded souvenir!!!🇨🇦🤣

[@buckfan1969]

Nicklaus always hit a fade, and he won the Masters 6 times.

[@aidangriffiths5075]

No, he played a draw around augusta, he would begin practicing it leading into the tournament. Said so in his book

[@scottfawcett3290]

we are specifically talking about the modern era when driver heads became larger and harder to draw as a result.

[@LeftyGolfGroup]

Nah

[@MinKyuPark-ym5gp]

Not a single use of data or rigorous evidence in general to back up these claims. Neat idea but clearly a lack of rigor

[@haswel22]

Agreed. There has to be more compelling stats out there if it’s really an advantage

[@scottfawcett3290]

there is only so much you can do without ShotLink setup. It's pretty obvious based on the win rate something is going on and I'm all ears if you have a better idea of what that is.

[@haswel22]

@@scottfawcett3290 is there not compelling strokes gained data that could have been used? Even just number of fairways? If it’s an advantage it should have some data

[@scottfawcett3290]

@@haswel22 I think you're overthinking the point of the video. The win rate is all the data we need to consider for the point we are making. Basic strokes gained data confirms it all since being closer is an obvious advantage and hitting 3--5 more drivers PER ROUND is a massive edge. Fairways hit is a highly misleading stat without far more information, especially at Augusta.

[@haswel22]

@@scottfawcett3290 I am definitely overthinking it, but I do not find five male lefty wins (only three unique winners) since 2003 in a tournament that has been on substantially the same course for decades compelling in any sense. Why no lefty winners before 2003? Couldn’t even give a number for the top tens? What does the basic strokes gained data say? I understand the course design speaks for itself in some sense, but there has to be more empirical evidence for this advantage if it truly exists, in my opinion.

[@TimG--]

A joke. !!! Stop the click bait

[@anakaoka]

could be that the lefties in the field are just the best of the best..

[@seanquinn8969]

The analysis in this video is completely asinine. The author’s arguments for a lefty advantage at 12 should fail at 16 because the hole is canted the opposite direction, but he spins the story to fit his thesis. Same with the tee shot at 15 and 17. There may be a few holes at ANGC that fit the typical lefty’s eye better than the typical righty’s eye, but that’s no reason to confuse correlation and causation.

[@evandh1989]

This guy’s analysis on almost every topic he covers is bad.

[@scottfawcett3290]

number 12 is 11 yards deep. 16 is nearly 40. THAT'S the difference.

[@31mbur]

This is why Augusta isn’t the greatest course in the world.

[@JustusSeiber]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but yours is wrong

[@untexan]

They have an advantage but Augusta National definitely was not made for lefties. When the course was built, being left-handed was widely discouraged (in some countries it was actually a crime). A lot of natural lefties were made to do everything right-handed by teachers who were either religious or superstitious or just too lazy to teach them the "wrong" way.

[@ryrysmoke1426]

But it was built for a good right handed golfer, who at that time all favored a draw. So now that drivers a built to fade, a lefty hit a fade on a hole built for a righty draw gives them an advantage.

[@untexan]

Very true, righties gave up their edge on this course by bowing to technology and simplicity

[@scottfawcett3290]

ok, it was made for modern lefties. You're giving that phrase a bit too literal of a reading.

[@scottfawcett3290]

@@untexan it's not bowing to technology, it's that the tech is simply easier to fade due to the center of mass being further off the shaft than older, smaller equipment.

[@jadesmith6823]

I just want a LIV lad to win it 😂

[@colestaton9055]

NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND THIS GUY TALKING

[@KazingaD]

aw, you've never left your hometown

[@AP2020_Outdoors]

@Golf Digest No. Back when Augusta National was designed. The majority of right handed golfers were hitting draws. Your analogy is FLAWED in that, today a lot of right handed players play a FADE to eliminate the left side of the golf course. When Augusta National was designed, no one knew or even dreamt that right handed players would migrate towards hitting fades. And there were a very small minority of left handed golfers, if any existed at that PGA Tour skill level.

[@jackbsyme2271]

That's exactly what they're saying, it is an advantage now, not then

[@ItsThatMilkshake]

Watch the video again lol. Jesus

[@19maurice66]

2:28 it's pretty embarrassing that a company that writes articles doesn't know where to use an apostrophe

[@sa_maccas2266]

I think they are correct actually buddy, focus on the video rather

[@swampsoup20]

no one has an advantage on anything at any golf course

[@gavinpearce8064]

you don’t understand golf do you buddy

[@dwells3536]

That’s just a lie lol

[@Ozkqrr]

Did you even watch the video?

[@mavallarino]

Another video stating obvious

[@chrisbates7743]

Huh total bollocks

[@ynkybomber]

"Hidden" Tour pros love power fades. But rightys with a natural draw are the most advantageous.

[@scottfawcett3290]

almost every elite modern driver fades the ball. Why would one shape, on average, not at Augusta, favor a draw?

[@ynkybomber]

@scottfawcett3290 Draws naturally go further and get more run but not everyone can do them with the consistency which is required at the pro level.

[@scottfawcett3290]

@@ynkybomber that is not correct with proper fitting. Historically draws did because they had a lower, more optimal, spin rate vs a fade. Now with driver and ball fitting, shape is irrelevant for total distance.

[@Moishe555]

BS

[@cp90_]

Wow so insightful, please dazzle us more with your golfing knowledge.

[@lkae4]

They gave all kinds of stats and stories and that's your reply? Lol.

[@federationspace5264]

100% BS i concur

[@cp90_]

@@lkae4 you can't fix stupid