Brennans Caddy Report-The Masters

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We are back to one of our most memorable places on Tour, Augusta Georgia for the Masters.  This is a very special week for us with Mike having won here in 2003.  When we are walking the fairways we get to re-live each shot in our minds from when he won here, and it's an amazing experience to be here all week. 

I spent the weekend in St. Louis attending a friends wedding and arrived to the course Sunday night.  Monday we played nine holes by ourselves which was fun and very productive for us to prepare for the week ahead of us.  On Tuesday we played 18 holes with Olazabal, Jimenez, and Clay Ogden, a sophomore and one of Mike's friends from BYU.

Augusta is a unique course to play on tour as it is the major that is played at a the same course year after year.  Of course you have heard by now that there have been a lot of changes to the course, mostly in length.  The changes have made the course much longer and tighter than last year, adding distance and trees to many holes.  The added trees on holes 11 and 7 have put a premium on driving accuracy.  It is very important to find the fairways on these holes to set up for a good approach shot.

The new holes this year that have been lengthened are holes 1, 4, 7, 11, and 15. 

Hole number 1 probably plays 2 clubs longer now on the approach shot, and I don't expect there to be as many birdies on this hole anymore as there were in the past.  Hole 4 is now a 245 yard par 3 that will play significantly different than last year.  It has always had a very tricky green, and now the tee shot will be much tougher as Mike will use a wood instead of a mid iron.  Depending on the wind, you might even see some players using driver on this hole.

Number 7 is probably the biggest change this year.  What use to be a short par 4 with a small sloppy green is now a long hole with very tight fairways.  They have added lots of length and planted all kinds of trees on both sides of the fairway.  It is now mandatory to hit the fairway with your drive to have any chance of getting it close on your approach.   Par 4 is a good score on this hole.  Personally, I am not a big fan of the changes on this hole at all, and most agree with me.  They have taken all the imagination and creativity out of the hole with the changes.

Hole 15 is 20 yards longer than last year, a significant amount that will force a lot more guys to lay up rather than go for it.  I think they should have left the old tee where it was so that it gives everyone a chance to go for the green in 2, making it much more exciting for everyone!

Aside from all of these changes, the course is in fantastic shape as Augusta always is.  It is playing hard and fast this year so I don't think we will see very many low scores.

Mike is paired with Retief Goosen and Todd Hamilton this week, and I think it is a great pairing.  Retief is a great player and usually a contender in the Majors which will make him good company to play with.

Mike's game is very solid right now and I really think he will have a good week out here.  Augusta tends to bring out the best in his game, and I would love nothing more than to capture our second green jacket this week!

Thanks for reading,

Brennan Little

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