Not only will Fleetwood and other golfers be challenged by Augusta’s wildly fast and massively sloping and undulating greens, but getting to those greens is harder than the average PGA Tour golf course.
According to golf-stat analyst Ron Klos, Augusta National sees golfers hit 72 percent of their approach shots from outside 150 yards versus just 64 percent on the PGA Tour. The biggest differences are that players hit 31.6 percent fewer shots from 100 to 150 yards than on the PGA Tour and a staggering 71 percent more shots from 225 to 250.
“Approach Distribution” rates at Augusta National since 2021 for The Masters and also compared to the PGA Tour course average.
That increase in shots hit from 225 to 250 yards essentially means one more of those per round. That’s often a yardage where pros are looking to simply minimize how many strokes they lose as opposed to attacking pins.
Those shots come on Augusta National’s four par-5s, which are all reachable in two for the game’s top players and the long par-3 4th, which is listed at 240 yards. A relatively shorter driver of the golf ball, like Fleetwood, might also have a 220+ yard approach on the 520-yard par-4 11th, especially if it’s into the wind.
“It’s a great 9-wood golf course,” Fleetwoos said Tuesday. “I think it’s always been — I can’t remember when I first put like a 9-wood in or a high lofted club, but it’s a perfect like 9-wood golf course.
“No, the bag setup stayed the same, really. So the way that I do set it up actually works very well for Augusta, so that’s great.”
The club covers roughly a 230-yard carry for him and that comes in handy when trying to bring the ball in high and soft on Augusta’s greens.
“The biggest thing is the 9-wood for me,” Fleetwood said. “If I can put myself in position on the par-5s or the 4th long par-3, like it — for me, I can’t really hit that high 4-iron, so 9-wood helps me a lot.”
TaylorMade Qi4D Custom Fairway Wood
PROVEN RECIPE
TaylorMade Fairways have dominated on Tour for over a decade because of their unique performance recipe, which enables maximum distance and versatility.
The Qi4D fairway is designed for golfers who want the most advanced technology while still prioritizing versatility and control with amazing distance.
ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE
Utilizing a single Trajectory Adjustment System weight (8g x1) provides the golfer a more mass efficient way to adjust flight, spin and swing weight.
4° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight and is available in all lofts.
REFINED ATTRIBUTES, BIG CHANGES
Engineers conducted an objective analysis of all the performance attributes and discovered new methods to enhance performance and confidence.
Sit points, lie angles, address views, and center of gravity locations were all updated based on Tour feedback and the expertise of leading fitters worldwide, ensuring the optimal fairway across skill levels.
TOUR-PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES
New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes.
Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation for TaylorMade fairway performance.
Twist Face™ features corrective face curvature designed to provide straighter shots on mishits.
Multi-Material Construction allows engineers to maximize performance by increasing discretionary weight.
The 9-wood has been growing in popularity since players like Fleetwood, Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson started putting them in bags a few years ago to try and get more height out and consistency of the 4-iron spot in their bags. But they’re still pretty much a niche club with most players still opting for either traditional 4-irons or utility iron replacement.
But if Fleetwood or another 9-wood user wears the Green Jacket come Sunday, it probably won’t stay a niche for long.
Tommy Fleetwood’s 9-wood specs
Head: TaylorMade Qi4D 24˚ Actual loft: 22.5˚ TAS Weight: 9 g Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage 80TX Tipping: 2″ Length: 41.5″ EOG Swingweight: D4
