"Definitely harder": Scottie Scheffler reviews his approach to the 13th hole at Augusta National
Scottie Scheffler, a former Masters champion, took a scouting trip to Augusta National ahead of the 2023 Masters this spring. The 13th hole was adjusted, and Scheffler wanted to get a look at what he and his Masters counterparts are up against.
He was asked about the new hole, and he laughed before admitting that it was a much harder hole to hit on now.
Scottie Scheffler breaks down his new approach to the 13th hole at Augusta National. ✍️ https://t.co/w3dFkdoaKQ
Scheffler said he knew it would be longer and much more difficult:
"It's longer. It's a lot longer... Definitely harder. I think with modern technology and that tee shot... I could sling hook a three wood. I can't sling hook a driver on purpose, I'm not good enough. I could do it on accident. I can't quite sling it on purpose. I like to fade my driver more off the tee, so when it comes to that tee shot and hitting a hard hook with the driver, it's not really a shot that I'll try just because it's not worth the risk for me."
He continued:
"That hole was one I hit the same shot on 10 with a three wood. It has enough spin so the ball can actually stay in the air. With the driver, when I hook it, the ball doesn't have enough spin to where it can stay in the air and hook that much and kind of nosedive... that's really the biggest change for me. Now, I'll just kinda hit the driver out towards the corner and try and use more of the contour."
This will be a new and unique challenge for current Masters participants, and Scheffler knows that as well as anybody.
Scottie Scheffler reflects on the past and future at Augusta
Scottie Scheffler expounded further via Golf Channel:
“I think what they're trying to do now is still give an opportunity to hit a great shot, because that's a really special hole with the way the green is shaped and you have those two mounds in the front."
He continued:
“Before, when you hit it up the right, it was kind of an automatic chip-out. Unless you hit it like way, way right. Now, there's a little bit less luck involved. Now, if you hit it over to the right, you're going to be in the fairway still, but you have three trees in your way and you can hit it over the trees, under the trees and it leaves an opportunity for a great shot.”
Upon being back at Augusta, Scottie Scheffler finally felt like he'd won the tournament:
“That was really one of the first times where winning the Masters felt real. Because we got back on property, I'd just come off the win at The Players, so our celebration kind of was just going to play Augusta. That was really one of the first times where it felt real that I had won the Masters.”
Will he be able to repeat the feat when the world's best golfers reunite in early May? Or will someone else put an end to his dominant run of success?