Golf Australia – April 2018

ther than the fact, of course, that

they both have Green Jackets

hanging in their no doubt expansive

t is di cult to assert too many

ties between Bubba Watson and

Spieth. The 2012 and 2014 Masters

on Watson is a tall, lean, self-taught

o invokes incredulity with the

of his driving and the extremity of

shaping. In many ways, he is the

of the modern big-hitting Tour pro

bring even the longest course to its

ith his raw power. Watson is also

al, tetchy and, dare we say, at times a

precious.

15 Masters champion Spieth is

late, impeccably mannered

e-darling poster boy of the modern

wever, his af able demeanour disguises

e killer instinct. Fellow Texan Ben

Crenshaw’s fi rst encounter with a 20-year-old

Spieth left the 1984 and 1995 Masters champion

refl ecting that it was like “looking into the eyes of

Wyatt Earp”. Spieth cannot overpower a course

like Watson, and so relies on good old-fashioned

preparation and course management to build

a score. Blessed with a stunning short-game

and a putting stroke to die for, he’s at his most

comfortable on and around the greens.

It’s not surprising, then, to discover that

Watson and Spieth take wildly contrasting

approaches to overcoming the challenges

provided by an often uncompromising Augusta

National. Brian Wacker caught up with Watson

and Spieth in Hawaii last month to talk to both

players about how they play each and every hole.

Over the next six pages, you’re given an all-access

pass into the minds of two of the game’s modern

greats and an invaluable lesson in strategy and

course management.

how TO

ugusta

ubba Watson and Jordan Spieth have won three

the past fi ve Masters. So who better to guide you

rough the intricacies of Augusta National than

the 2012, 2014 and 2015 champions?

AUGUSTA 2018

BBA & JORDAN

golf australia | APRIL 2018 45