DeChambeau told ESPN on Wednesday that he intends to play the Masters with a 5-iron that he fabricated himself with a 3D printer.

“That’s the plan as of now,” DeChambeau said.

We have a lot of questions, but let’s back up for a moment.

It’s no surprise DeChambeau has been in the lab concocting something new. His “Mad Scientist” tinkering was standard fare during stints under contract with Cobra and LA Golf (he split with LA back in February).

His current bag is a wild mix.

• Krank Golf Formula Fire Pro LD driver (6°) with a Project X HZRDUS T1100 shaft

• Krank Golf Formula Fire Fairway Wood (10° & 13°)

• Avoda Origin Curved Face irons with LA Golf Prototype BAD shafts

• Bettinardi HLX 5.0 wedges (50 @ 49º, 56 @ 55º) with LA Golf BAD Prototype Rebar shafts

• Ping Glide 4.0 wedge (60°) with LA Golf BAD Prototype Rebar shaft

• SIK Pro-C Series Armlock putter with a JumboFlat 17 grip

The Avoda irons—you can read a full Tony Covey breakdown right here—are 3D printed with faces that have bulge baked in. They are, of course, all one length.

The Bettinardi wedges, which DeChambeau put in play earlier this year, are also a rare find at the highest level. He previously said they have “almost a bubble on the bottom” with more head weight.

Now we’re talking about a 5-iron that he designed and printed himself.

As for the timing of why he would do this at the Masters, DeChambeau said the irons are “finally ready” and hinted that the full set was an improvement on his Avoda set.

“We’ll see where it goes. We’ll see where it takes me,” DeChambeau said. “All I could say now is, if I don’t put them in the bag, it’s my fault now.”

But why only a 5-iron? Has the USGA approved this club? Who actually made them?

DeChambeau was pressed about the possibility of new clubs during his Tuesday press conference but didn’t offer many details. He said he was building his own full set of clubs, including a new driver.

When asked which manufacturer he was building the clubs with, DeChambeau reiterated multiple times he was building them himself and offered no manufacturer name.

As of this writing, there was no confirmation that the USGA has approved the club for competition.

Why a 5-iron? One guess is that the 5-iron is a particularly crucial club around Augusta National given how many key shots players face in the 200-250-yard range. Testing and comfort level may have been fast-tracked for the 5-iron (which, though a 5-iron in name, acts more like a 3-iron).

There is certainly no doubt DeChambeau is willing to bet on himself and take a risk, even if it means gaming a new club going into a major.

“There’s this nature that I have about myself where innovation is a habit of mine, and I really find and take pride in that ability to learn—even through failure, even through making a bad decision or a good decision —what I can get from that,” DeChambeau said.

Top Photo Caption: DeChambeau practices on Monday at the Masters. (GETTY IMAGES)

The post Bryson Is Using A 3D-Printed Iron At The Masters… That He Built Himself? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

I’ve published more than a dozen stories on MyGolfSpy talking about how awesome the Masters is, and that includes this one-day itinerary that patrons are still emailing me about. Just search “Masters” on our site and you’ll find a treasure trove of Masters glazing.

So, hopefully, you can forgive me for talking about the few Masters traditions that are outdated, underwhelming or just plain overrated.

These five traditions don’t necessarily need to go the way of the persimmon driver but they are way overblown relative to the many, many awesome aspects of the Masters.

1. The Par-3 Contest

Low-hanging fruit here, but I’m on record as saying the Par-3 Contest is overrated.

I’ll preface this by saying that I appreciate the idea behind it. The afternoon is very cute and a great photo opportunity for families. It’s also a sweet way to include past champions. And I do think patrons attending on Wednesday should head over there for at least an hour to see it.

In theory, it’s really cool.

However, the overall patron experience is brutal. It’s insanely crowded. Most people can’t see anything. Every hole is interchangeable. And the majority of players aren’t posting a score or even trying to win the thing because there is the winner’s curse.

I’m glad this little event exists, but it just doesn’t do anything for me personally. I don’t need to watch.

2. Pimento cheese sandwiches

Some people are extremely anti-pimento cheese sandwich. I’m not going to go crazy here, but it’s fair to call this an overrated tradition.

This is literally just cheddar, mayo, cream cheese and pimentos mixed together on white bread. College kids in the South eat this on Sundays at noon after they wake up hungover.

It’s honestly kind of gross. Like a slice of deep dish pizza, it feels a little wrong to eat more than one.

I mean, even for a cheese lover like myself … this is so much cheese with nothing else going on. I’ll take down one per day just for the nostalgia factor, but I have to stop myself there.

Would most adults eat this outside of the Augusta National grounds or their Masters watch party?

Probably not.

There are also better options for sandwiches, including the egg salad and Masters Club.

3. The Butler Cabin interview with the winner

Another tradition that I like in theory is the Butler Cabin presentation where the winner gets the green jacket handed to him by the previous year’s winner.

The green jacket is maybe the single greatest tradition in golf, and it’s an amazing moment when the new winner gets to wear it for the first time—but it’s a much better moment when it happens outdoors in front of the members and patrons.

The Butler Cabin interview feels very forced and dated in a bad way. Have you ever tried putting a jacket on someone else? It’s a little awkward.

Doing it in total silence as millions watch on TV? Even more awkward.

4. The field size being limited

I wrote about this a couple years ago, but I’m a big proponent of expanding the Masters field.

I’m not saying we need to get 156 golfers out there, but it would be nice to open the gate to Magnolia Lane a little wider.

This year’s event has 91 players. And, let’s be honest, there are a lot of guys who have no shot of winning the tournament. There are past champions and amateurs who are not there to win the tournament.

The Masters is, technically speaking, the easiest major to win. The depth of competition is much greater at the other majors.

It would be cool to expand the field to around 100-110. It would add a little more depth and a little more golf without ruining that exclusive feel to the tournament.

5. The rigidity around Masters verbiage

I was trying to figure out a good way to articulate this (I guess a writer should know how to do this) but my final overrated Masters tradition is the shaming culture around saying the “wrong” term.

Fans are patrons. The rough is the second cut. The front nine/back nine is the first nine and second nine. Sand traps are bunkers.

To be clear, I enjoy these specific terms and like that the Masters has them. It’s kind of fun to have this unique lexicon that is totally separate from other golf tournaments.

What I don’t love is the strictness around the terms. It’s like the hardos who make a big deal about saying “playing golf” rather than “golfing”—the game should be inclusive to however you want to talk about it or play it.

There are people who get admonished for using the wrong word. Or for buying one of those hats with the word “PIMENTO” in capital letters on it.

Hey, let everyone enjoy the Masters as they want to enjoy it. Call them fans, if you want. Wear the hats, if you want.

I know I’m more of a traditionalist. That’s how I like to play golf, but I’m not going to gatekeep how someone else wants to do it. I think that same concept should extend to the Masters.

What are your thoughts? Are these overrated Masters traditions?

Let me know below in the comments.

Top Photo Caption: The pimento cheese sandwich is one of the few overrated Masters traditions. (GETTY IMAGES/Richard Heathcote)

The post The Only Five Overrated Masters Traditions appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

That’s been correct in recent years.

The last four winners—Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler (twice) and Jon Rahm—were all ranked third or better in the world rankings going into the week. We also had Dustin Johnson dominate in 2020 as world No. 1 and Tiger Woods take home the green jacket in 2019, with odds around 14/1.

That means six of the last seven winners have been among the top favorites heading into Augusta.

But it hasn’t always been the case. In fact, Augusta has been home to a ton of surprise winners throughout its history.

From 2007 to 2011, we saw four winners tee off at odds of more than 100/1. Zach Johnson (125/1) won in ’07 with a short-game master class. Trevor Immelman won the year after at 150/1 in one of the most shocking results in major championship history. Angel Cabrera followed that with a 125/1 win in a sudden-death playoff and Charl Schwartzel joined the crew two years later with an incredible finish to win at 100/1.

And even in more recent years, we’ve seen winners with decent odds. Hideki Matsuyama was as much as 60/1 before his 2021 victory. Danny Willett’s shocking final-round comeback in 2016 came at 50/1 and Patrick Reed was 40/1 for his 2018 win.

For the Masters, I consider long shots to start at 50/1 so let’s take a look at five players who could fit that bill and be a surprise winner of the green jacket in 2026.

These are five players I believe could absolutely contend this week.

All odds from DraftKings sportsbook (Win/Top 5/Top 10)

Adam Scott (+6200/+860/+365)

It wouldn’t feel right not to have a veteran in the group. While Augusta tends to favor long hitters in their prime, it’s also common to see some experienced players who know their way around the famous green complexes.

Adam Scott is just that. The Aussie is making his 25th start at the Masters and the 2013 champion is coming in with some of his best form in quite some time. Scott played wonderfully back home in Australia to end the year and he then posted a fourth at Riviera and 11th at Bay Hill to start his PGA Tour season strongly.

The numbers look great. Scott is hitting his irons very well, ranking fourth in SG: Approach in 2026. He’s also still plenty long, averaging 312.2 yards off the tee this year, 26th on Tour. The only thing that has slowed him down a bit is an inconsistent putter and inaccuracy off the tee. We know that Augusta can be kind to wayward tee shots so one decent week on the greens could put Scott back in contention.

Shockingly, he’s only logged one top 10 at Augusta since winning in 2013. I think that could change this week.

Nicolai Hojgaard (+8400/+1100/+465)

Nicolai Hojgaard has been a mainstay on my power rankings this year and he’ll be one of my favorite long shots this week. The Dane has climbed from outside the top 70 in the world to 36th with consistent play this season. He’s already logged three finishes of T6 or better going back to the Phoenix Open.

In Houston, he finished second. And while Memorial Park is no Augusta National, driving distance and scrambling on short grass do carry over. Although he missed the cut at Augusta last year, Hojgaard actually held the solo lead heading to the second nine on Saturday as a debutant in 2024.

He can build on that success from ’24 and take some wonderful form into this week. Hojgaard has been putting it beautifully and hitting his irons really well. Like Scott, wayward drives tend to be his downfall but that should be less penalizing this week, just as it was in Houston.

Akshay Bhatia (+6660/+900/+380)

This one feels obvious.

Akshay Bhatia has been one of the top players on Tour this year, winning at Bay Hill and contending at Scottsdale and Pebble Beach. He also posted solid finishes at Riviera and Sawgrass.

I’m not the biggest fan of his preparation coming in, which is my only gripe here. Bhatia recently traveled across the globe to play the Hero Indian Open and performed very poorly, missing the cut.

If we ignore that, though, Bhatia has been one of the steadiest players in golf lately. He’s also a left-hander which we know bodes well at ANGC. While he hasn’t contended in two tries at Augusta, finishes of T35 and T42 suggest he’s gotten in the reps needed to learn this place and has also performed well on and around the greens here.

The main thing to watch for with Bhatia is his scrambling. The ball striking and putting have been very strong in 2026 but if there’s one thing that can bite him, it tends to be mistakes around the greens.

Marco Penge (+16000/+1900/+770)

If you’re looking for a real long shot, I think Penge is your guy.

It’s hard to imagine any players at over 100/1 winning this tournament. So when I’m looking way down the board, I’m looking for upside and potential. Marco Penge is the best fit.

The obvious concern here is that Penge will be a debutant which means he’ll need to do something nobody has done since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. It’s unlikely, but that’s why he is 160/1 to win. Those top-five and top-10 prices look great, though.

Penge is one of the longest hitters in the world and currently trails only McIlroy in SG: Off the Tee. He showed some versatility when finishing T4 at the Valspar, a tournament that usually doesn’t get overpowered. He was also T16 at Riviera, a course that has some crossover success with Augusta.

Jacob Bridgeman (+9400/+1175/+485)

After taking some guys who can bomb the ball off the tee, I figured I’d have some balance by including Jacob Bridgeman.

I’ll be honest. Bridgeman is not usually the type of player I target at Augusta. He’s short off the tee and isn’t even a very good scrambler. But the truth of the matter is that he’s currently leading the FedEx Cup standings. Bridgeman just dominated at Riviera which, again, correlates to success at Augusta. He followed that up with a T5 at Sawgrass.

Bridgeman has yet to finish worse than T18 this year in eight starts. And each of the last three winners at the Masters were coming into the tournament as arguably the best players on Tour in that respective season.

So while Bridgeman doesn’t necessarily fit the profile of a player you look for this week, he’s been far too good this year to ignore at such a high price like this.

Who are favorite long shots this week? Let me know in the comments.

Top Photo Caption: Akshay Bhatia has the game to pull off a Masters upset. (GETTY IMAGES/Chris Condon)

The post I Love These Five Masters Long Shot Picks appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

But if you want to get to the heart of the matter, most people in the golf industry will tip their cap to the man they consider the Godfather of the modern wedge: Roger Cleveland.

After starting his eponymous company in 1979, Cleveland proceeded to redefine the wedge, from how it should be designed to how it should be played. He treated wedges as specialty tools, not just an extension of the rest of the set. Cleveland taught the golf industry that bounce is neither good nor bad, but something that should match swing style, angle of attack and turf conditions. 

Cleveland returned to Cleveland Golf last year but if you thought it was a golden watch/sunset kind of a deal, you probably don’t know Roger Cleveland. He’s forgotten more about wedges than most of us will ever know so when you get the chance to talk short game with him, you jump in without hesitation.

No, he won’t be wearing a tuxedo, petting a cat and granting favors on his daughter’s wedding day (that’s a different Godfather), but you will learn more than you could ever imagine.

So, without further ado, here’s what this wedge geek learned from his conversation with the Godfather.

The short game is ageless

“As you get older, you start to hear the ball land when you hit your driver,” because you lose distance with age, Cleveland told me during our chat at the PGA Show in January. “I really encourage seniors, especially, to get their short games right, because you can still score.

“I’m old, but I can get up and down well enough that while I may not hit as many greens, I can still make par. You just have to know your technique and the conditions you play in.”

Conditions are always the tricky part because, unless you play at the same course all the time, you’re never 100 percent sure. With that variable hanging over your head, knowing your technique becomes even more critical.

“If you’re steep, you’re going to need more bounce,” says Cleveland. “It’s not the best technique, though. Ideally, you want to be wide and shallow with your attack angle.”

Wide and shallow, he says, gives you more effective bounce with any sole while exposing more loft at the same time.

“The sole will act as a skid plate and is more forgiving so you don’t have to be perfect. Nobody’s perfect so you want to use that skid plate to your advantage. When you’re steep, you take it away.”

Feel, rhythm and “soft hands”

When it comes to a good short game, Cleveland believes anyone can do it properly.

“From 40 yards and in, you create width with your arms while speed comes from your rotation because you’re not swinging with your hands. You’re releasing the club head but you’re doing it with your body, not your hands.”

That gives you good feel, rhythm, and what’s commonly referred to as “soft hands.”

“As soft as you hold the club, you shouldn’t shake hands that soft,” he says. “Hold the club too tight and the muscles in your arms tighten up and you can get too quick. The softer you hold the club, the more rhythm you’ll get and you’ll take a backswing long enough to create the force you need for the shot.

“You don’t want to speed up or slow down with a short back swing.”

The art of sole grinds

The Cleveland 588 Tour Action wedge might be the most influential wedge this side of Sarazen’s sand wedge. Before the 588, most wedges were essentially short irons with wide, flat soles. Very little thought was given to how the sole interacted with the turf. Tour players knew, however, and they’d often hand-modify soles themselves.

Roger Cleveland recognized the sole as the most important performance feature of a wedge and that two wedges with the same bounce angle could play completely differently depending on sole width, camber and how much material could be removed from the toe, heel and trailing edge.

“There’s a misconception that the Tour plays low bounce. They don’t play low bounce. Their lob wedge bounce is around 12 to 14 degrees. Manufacturers may show a four-degree bounce on their wedges but it’s really 18 degrees of ‘effective’ bounce.

“When you add heel and toe relief, you’re adding bounce. You’re taking the bounce you had and you’re moving it back. That takes bounce off in the center. The sole is widest in the center anyway and gets narrower toward the heel and toe. That equates to less bounce when you open it up, since you don’t have the width in the sole.”

The importance of bounce in and out of the sand

The original 588, with its moderate bounce and rounded leading edge, showed that bounce could actually prevent digging and improve consistency on turf and in bunkers.

“In the sand, you want a wider stance and stand farther away from the ball. That gives you more room to release the club head down into the sand. You want to hit two or three inches behind the ball but you want to feel like the trailing edge is the first contact point in the sand. If the sand is firm, you’ll need less bounce. If it’s soft, you’ll need more bounce.

“You’ll dig into soft sand more with less bounce. I like to release the trailing edge into the sand behind the ball, with a wider stance and standing farther away from the ball. Your weight should be 70-30 on the front leg, with your front foot at a 45-degree angle.”

I had to ask him about skulled wedges as I had just sent one screaming into the parking lot the day before. Does that problem require a low-bounce wedge?

“What typically happens when you skull a wedge is that you’re trying to lift it. You probably bring the wedge too far inside and you change the plane. To get the loft, you wind up dropping your right shoulder.

“You want to get the club in front of you and swing it around you with your sternum ahead of the ball. It’s almost an out-to-in swing. Bring the club head out and keep it in front of you, not around you. When you rotate like that, you have width, loft and bounce. From there, you can swing the club head as you turn.”

Did you know …?

Did you know your wedges should probably have a flatter lie angle than the rest of your set? At least according to Roger Cleveland, they should.

“You want them a little flatter because you want to do different things with your hands. If you want to elevate the ball, lower your hands. Your wedges should be at least one degree flatter than the rest of your set, maybe two.

“That enables you to do some different things, like get out of funny lies and things you typically wouldn’t try to do with an iron.”

I think most golfers would agree that your performance from 110 yards and in will make or break your score. However, the clubs we use for those critical shots (our wedges and putters) are, statistically speaking, the ones we’re least likely to get fit for. Only between 18 and 22 percent of golfers studied have been custom fitted for wedges. That’s among avid golfers. If you add recreational golfers into the mix, that number falls below 10 percent.

“The most critical wedge to get right is your highest lofted one, whether it’s a 58 or 60,” Cleveland says. “You make that decision with your teacher or coach. They’ll know about the different grinds out there and can see your technique.” 

As my time with the Godfather of modern wedges came to a close, I was struck but not surprised (he is Roger Cleveland, after all) by how well he expressed a fundamental truth: The right short game tools are essential, but they still have to be used properly. Proper technique will unleash the full potential of the right sole grind for your game.

Ultimately, to paraphrase that other Godfather, you’ll be able to hit your approach shots close, and your chip shots closer.

The post If You Want To Talk Wedges, We Suggest Going To “The Godfather” appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

We could create an entire content series based on golf shit that shows up in my Facebook feed. Between the barrage of DTC ball (and now clubs) ads, the miracle training aids, and the putters (so, so, so many putters), the feed is an absolute minefield. But every once in a while, something shows up that makes me stop scrolling.

Neustryk was one of those things.

If you haven’t heard of it, that’s fine. I’m not sure anyone else has. The device isn’t scheduled to ship until September and the unknown, I suppose, is part of what makes this interesting.

The bigger picture

I’ve written before about what I call “closing the loop” in golf technology. The idea is simple enough: the data your launch monitor collects should inform your on-course decisions and your on-course results should feed back into your practice. A circle. A loop. An ecosystem, if we’re being generous with the term.

The reality is that most of our golf tech exists in silos. Until recently, your launch monitor couldn’t talk to your rangefinder. Your swing trainer has no idea what your shot tracker is doing. And nothing connects what happens in your hitting bay with what happens on the course. Foresight and Bushnell have started to bridge that gap with LINK-enabled technology and FlightScope is making similar moves, but we’re still well short of a fully formed closed loop.

Neustryk isn’t claiming to close it, either. But it is doing something that most launch monitors don’t even attempt. It’s connecting the movement data (what your body and the club are doing) directly to outcomes (what the ball does), and then layering AI-driven analysis on top to provide observations and, ultimately, opportunities for improvement. That’s a meaningful piece of the puzzle, even if it’s not the whole thing.

More for less (for once)

On the equipment side of the golf industry, clubs and balls keep getting more expensive. And with USGA limitations dictating what manufacturers can and can’t do, diminishing returns are an unavoidable part of the cost of doing business. You’re paying more. But you might not be getting more.

The technology space is moving in the opposite direction. As competition grows, manufacturers are bundling more features, more capability and more value into their offerings. Prices are coming down or holding steady while the feature sets expand. For golfers, it’s a rare opportunity to get more bang for the buck. And Neustryk, at least on paper, looks like a pretty compelling example of that trend.

So who is Neustryk?

Neustryk is the brainchild of Mark Roder, a former mini-tour pro and NCAA Division 1 golfer out of Hofstra, who’s TPI and TrackMan certified. The company started life as PureStryk Golf, an indoor golf and coaching studio on Long Island, N.Y. They now operate three locations in that state (Mineola, Melville, Smithtown), with a staff of four instructors, all former D1 collegiate athletes.

The studios use TrackMan simulators alongside Neustryk’s proprietary AI software. So, yes, the company building a launch monitor currently uses someone else’s launch monitor in its own facilities. Make of that what you will. But it also means Roder and his team have a front-row seat to what works, what doesn’t, and what’s missing in the current landscape. The indoor golf business appears to be the springboard for the hardware play and, honestly, that’s not the worst origin story.

The AI performance console

Neustryk bills itself as “The First AI Performance Console for Golf” and the pitch is straightforward: “Launch monitors give you numbers. Neustryk gives you answers.”

Bold? Sure. But here’s what they’re claiming.

The hardware is a four-camera unit with dual built-in touchscreens and an included pressure mat. It’s sticker-less, reading face angle, loft and lie directly off the clubface. No PC or GPU required. The whole thing is self-contained and Neustryk says it works with any ball (range balls, foam balls, premium) in just about any environment: home, net, range, sim bay.

On the data side, you’re getting the metrics you’d expect from a camera-based system: club path, face angle, attack angle, dynamic loft, lie angle, shaft lean, closure rate and strike location via heat map. Ball data includes spin and launch numbers. The pressure mat adds weight shift and body movement data, with a computer vision skeleton overlay tracking your biomechanics.

Where it gets more interesting is the AI layer. Rather than just dumping numbers on a screen and letting you figure out what they mean, Neustryk’s system is designed to spot faults in your swing, explain them in plain English and prescribe fixes.

Here’s an example of the kind of output Neustryk is showing on its website:

“You’re coming 5° over the top. The club is being dumped because you’re throwing out your shoulders before your hips. To stop coming over the top, let’s try a drill to sync them up.”

From there, the system assigns a structured drill (e.g., “Shallow Slot Drill, 20 balls with 7-iron”) with real-time pass/fail feedback. It also generates a proprietary STRYK Score, a 0-100 rating built around technique, consistency and contact quality, along with session history, trend charts and AI-identified focus areas.

How does it respond if you’re doing absolutely everything wrong? (Asking for a friend.)

There’s also a remote coaching component. Sessions can be streamed live and Neustryk is building a coach marketplace into the platform. The system includes GSPro cloud streaming (no gaming PC needed) and a GPS rangefinder feature with AI-powered club selection based on your actual swing data.

Again, this is how it’s being framed. How well all of this actually works is a question for another day.

What does it cost?

This is where it gets interesting for a different reason. Neustryk offers three tiers.

The Individual plan is $1,299 for the hardware with a $29/month subscription that kicks in after year one. The Full Ecosystem package is $2,499, which bundles the cameras, pressure mat, advanced biometrics and priority cloud rendering for $49/month (also after year one). The Coach plan is $1,299 for the hardware at $59 per seat per month.

A GCQuad is north of $15,000. TrackMan 4 is more expensive still. These are industry-standard tools with decades of proven accuracy, used not just by tour pros but by the biggest equipment manufacturers on the planet to develop the products that go in your bag. That reputation carries a price tag.

On the other end, you’ve got options like the FlightScope Mevo+ and SkyTrak+ in the $2,000-$2,500 range, Rapsodo MLMPRO sits around $800, while entry level units like the new Shot Scope LM1 are around $200.

In the middle, you’ll find prosumer offerings like the Bushnell LaunchPro, Garmin R50 and SkyTrak ST MAX.

Neustryk’s $1,299 entry point slots in below SkyTrak and Mevo+ while claiming a feature set that, on paper, reaches well beyond what most mid-range monitors offer. The Full Ecosystem at $2,499 is more than competitive if the technology delivers.

That’s the big “if.”

The fine print

To be clear, nobody at MyGolfSpy has tested this product. We haven’t touched it. We haven’t seen it in person. We don’t know if the accuracy holds up, if the AI coaching is genuinely useful or just a gimmick, or if the hardware is built to last. The shipping timeline is unclear and we haven’t found any independent reviews or major media coverage beyond a local Long Island press piece about the studio openings.

TrackMan and Foresight didn’t earn their reputations overnight. They earned them through years of consistent performance, R&D partnerships with major OEMs and validation at the highest levels of the sport. A $1,299 price tag and a slick website don’t get you that. Results do.

But here’s the thing. The launch monitor space is getting increasingly crowded, less expensive by the week, and it’s getting more interesting, too. The idea of a self-contained system that not only captures data but interprets it, explains it and prescribes actionable fixes is exactly the kind of thing this market needs more of. Whether Neustryk is the company that pulls it off remains to be seen.

We’re not endorsing it. We’re not telling you to buy it. We’re telling you it caught our attention and in a Facebook feed full of garbage, that maybe counts for something.

Interested? You can learn more or join the waitlist at ai.neustryk.com.

The post An AI-Powered Launch Monitor Showed Up In My Facebook Feed And I’m Intrigued appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Golf’s first major of the year returns to Augusta National this week, with the game’s best players chasing a green jacket at the most iconic venue in the sport. Whether you’re planning to post up on the couch all weekend or keep a stream open at your desk, here’s everything you need to know to watch the 2026 Masters.

How to Watch the Masters on TV

As always, Masters coverage is split between ESPN and CBS.

ESPN will handle the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday, while CBS takes over for the weekend coverage on Saturday and Sunday.

TV Schedule (ET)

Thursday, April 9
– First Round: ESPN

Friday, April 10
– Second Round: ESPN

Saturday, April 11
– Third Round: CBS

Sunday, April 12
– Final Round: CBS

CBS’s weekend broadcasts typically begin in the afternoon, with extended coverage leading into the evening finish.

How to Watch the 2026 Masters: TV Schedule, Streaming and Tee Times

The Masters is finally here.

Golf’s first major of the year returns to Augusta National this week, with the game’s best players chasing a green jacket at the most iconic venue in the sport. Whether you’re planning to post up on the couch all weekend or keep a stream open at your desk, here’s everything you need to know to watch the 2026 Masters.

How to Watch the Masters on TV

As always, Masters coverage is split between ESPN and CBS.

ESPN will handle the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday, while CBS takes over for the weekend coverage on Saturday and Sunday.

TV Schedule (ET)

Thursday, April 9
– First Round: ESPN

Friday, April 10
– Second Round: ESPN

Saturday, April 11
– Third Round: CBS

Sunday, April 12
– Final Round: CBS

CBS’s weekend broadcasts typically begin in the afternoon, with extended coverage leading into the evening finish.

How to Watch the Masters Online (Streaming)

If you want more than just the main broadcast, there are plenty of streaming options.

• Masters.com and the Masters app will have live coverage, including featured groups, Amen Corner, and select holes.
• ESPN+ will carry early-round coverage on Thursday and Friday
• Paramount+ will stream early weekend coverage before CBS takes over
• Prime Video will also provide additional early-round coverage from 1–3 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday

In other words, if you can’t find a way to watch the Masters in 2026, that’s on you.

2026 Masters Tee Times (Round 1 – ET)

2026 Masters tee times: Round 1 (ET)

Tee No. 1

7:40 a.m. – John Keefer, Haotong Li
7:50 a.m. – Naoyuki Kataoka, Max Homa, Carlos Ortiz
8:02 a.m. – José María Olazábal, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Aldrich Potgieter
8:14 a.m. – Angel Cabrera, Sami Valimaki, Jackson Herrington (A)
8:26 a.m. – Charl Schwartzel, Max Greyserman, Ryan Fox
8:38 a.m. – Vijay Singh, Matt McCarty, Rasmus Højgaard
8:50 a.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Kristoffer Reitan, Casey Jarvis
9:02 a.m. – Bubba Watson, Nicolas Echavarria, Brandon Holtz (A)
9:19 a.m. – Cameron Smith, Sam Burns, Jake Knapp
9:31 a.m. – Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Nick Taylor
9:43 a.m. – Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry, Jason Day
9:55 a.m. – Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood, Akshay Bhatia
10:07 a.m. – Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele
10:19 a.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley
10:31 a.m. – Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young, Mason Howell (A)
10:43 a.m. – Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren
11:03 a.m. – Samuel Stevens, Sungjae Im
11:15 a.m. – Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin, Brian Campbell
11:27 a.m. – Mike Weir, Wyndham Clark, Mateo Pulcini (A)
11:39 a.m. – Zach Johnson, Michael Kim, Nicolai Højgaard
11:51 a.m. – Danny Willett, Davis Riley, Ethan Fang (A)
12:03 p.m. – Adam Scott, Daniel Berger, Brian Harman
12:15 p.m. – Fred Couples, Min Woo Lee, Fifa Laopakdee (A)
12:27 p.m. – Sergio Garcia, Aaron Rai, Jacob Bridgeman
12:44 p.m. – Harry Hall, Corey Conners, Michael Brennan
12:56 p.m. – J.J. Spaun, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Hatton
1:08 p.m. – Jon Rahm, Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Åberg
1:20 p.m. – Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka
1:32 p.m. – Sepp Straka, Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas
1:44 p.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre, Gary Woodland
1:56 p.m. – Harris English, Marco Penge, Si Woo Kim

2026 Masters tee times: Round 2 (ET)

Tee No. 1

7:40 a.m. – Samuel Stevens, Sungjae Im
7:50 a.m. – Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin, Brian Campbell
8:02 a.m. – Mike Weir, Wyndham Clark, Mateo Pulcini (A)
8:14 a.m. – Zach Johnson, Michael Kim, Nicolai Højgaard
8:26 a.m. – Danny Willett, Davis Riley, Ethan Fang (A)
8:38 a.m. – Adam Scott, Daniel Berger, Brian Harman
8:50 a.m. – Fred Couples, Min Woo Lee, Fifa Laopakdee (A)
9:02 a.m. – Sergio Garcia, Aaron Rai, Jacob Bridgeman
9:19 a.m. – Harry Hall, Corey Conners, Michael Brennan
9:31 a.m. – J.J. Spaun, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Hatton
9:43 a.m. – Jon Rahm, Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Åberg
9:55 a.m. – Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka
10:07 a.m. – Sepp Straka, Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas
10:19 a.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre, Gary Woodland
10:31 a.m. – Harris English, Marco Penge, Si Woo Kim
10:51 a.m. – John Keefer, Haotong Li
11:03 a.m. – Naoyuki Kataoka, Max Homa, Carlos Ortiz
11:15 a.m. – José María Olazábal, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Aldrich Potgieter
11:27 a.m. – Angel Cabrera, Sami Valimaki, Jackson Herrington (A)
11:39 a.m. – Charl Schwartzel, Max Greyserman, Ryan Fox
11:51 a.m. – Vijay Singh, Matt McCarty, Rasmus Højgaard
12:03 p.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Kristoffer Reitan, Casey Jarvis
12:15 p.m. – Bubba Watson, Nicolas Echavarria, Brandon Holtz (A)
12:32 p.m. – Cameron Smith, Sam Burns, Jake Knapp
12:44 p.m. – Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Nick Taylor
12:56 p.m. – Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry, Jason Day
1:08 p.m. – Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood, Akshay Bhatia
1:20 p.m. – Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele
1:32 p.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley
1:44 p.m. – Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young, Mason Howell (A)
1:56 p.m. – Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren

2026 Masters tee times: Round 3 (ET)

(TBD)

2026 Masters tee times: Round 4 (ET)

(TBD)

Notable early groups include defending champion Rory McIlroy alongside Cameron Young, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler headlines the afternoon wave.

What to Watch This Week

The Masters always delivers, but this year feels especially loaded.

McIlroy returns as the defending champion after finally getting over the line at Augusta, while Scheffler continues his run as the most consistent player in the world. Add in names like Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, and Jordan Spieth, and you’ve got a field that feels as deep as ever.

And then there’s Augusta itself.

No matter how many times you watch it, there’s nothing quite like it—especially once we get to the back nine on Sunday.

Final Thoughts

The Masters doesn’t need much explaining. You already know where you’ll be this weekend.

Just make sure you know how to watch it.

The post How to Watch the 2026 Masters: TV Schedule, Streaming and Tee Times appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

That gives women golfers a much better benchmark for understanding where their game stands. Use these numbers as a general guideline to see if distance may be holding you back at your current handicap. There will always be variation in golf but having more distance off the tee and from the fairway tends to make the game easier. Shorter approach shots, more manageable clubs into greens and better gapping throughout the bag can all make a difference.

Here’s how women golfers stack up by handicap in 2026 and what stands out in each part of the bag.

Driver distance for women golfers

Driver is where the biggest gap shows up. There is an 85-yard difference between a scratch player and a 30-handicap player and even from 10 to 20 handicap the difference is 30 yards. If your number is well below the average for your handicap, that is one of the clearest signs that distance may be making the game harder than it needs to be.

Fairway wood distance for women golfers

The biggest takeaway here is how quickly fairway wood distances start to bunch together for higher-handicap players.

Fairway woods are supposed to give you clear spacing at the top of the bag. If they do not, you may be carrying multiple clubs that are doing nearly the same job. For better players, the separation is much more useful. A scratch player has a 29-yard gap between 3-wood and 7-wood, which makes those clubs easier to use strategically.

Hybrid distance for women golfers

Hybrid distances tell a similar story. The gap between 4-hybrid and 5-hybrid is 24 yards for a scratch player but falls to just two yards for a 30-handicap player.

Higher-lofted long clubs are often easier to launch and hit consistently than long irons. However, if your hybrids are only separated by a few yards, it is a sign to look more closely at your bag setup. You want these clubs to create shot options for you, not redundancy.

Iron distance for women golfers

A scratch golfer has consistent spacing from 5-iron through pitching wedge. As the handicap rises, the distances compress. That does not only mean less distance. It also means less separation between clubs and less margin for error when contact is not perfect. For higher-handicap players, hybrids are often a better, more consistent solution than long irons.

Wedge distance for women golfers

The wedge section is more about distance control than anything else. Even a lob wedge and a sand wedge, with little yardage separation, could be worth keeping in the bag. Most rounds of golf don’t call for full-swing lob wedge shots, but you’ll still need one for getting out of the bunker and hitting greenside shots.

Final thoughts

This women’s golf distance chart is best used as a checkpoint, not a rulebook.

Look at where your numbers fit. Pay attention to where your bag may be overlapping. Then decide whether the issue is speed, strike, launch or club setup. Distance is not the only thing that matters in golf but enough distance, and the right spacing between clubs, can make the game a lot easier.

The post Women’s Golf Distance Chart: How Far You Should Hit Each Club In 2026 appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

There is nothing like attending the Masters for the first time. 

Few sporting events live up to the hype but patrons usually agree that the Masters experience exceeds their expectations. It’s magical in a lot of ways, including how everyone attending is fully present. 

After attending the tournament seven times, I feel qualified to say the Masters is an even better experience if you have a plan. 

That’s not to say you can’t leave room for adventure—but getting a few of the key logistics right is going to help you enjoy the day a lot more than if you wing it. 

Many people only get one day at Augusta National. Take full advantage of that day. 

In this one-day itinerary, I’m going to walk you through what I would do (and have done). What day someone attends impacts the strategy so I’ll mention differences that may present themselves. 

Regardless of the day, I’m a big believer that everyone (assuming they only have one day) should check off all of these boxes: 

• Maximize your time by getting to the course early
• Hit the merch tent
• Enjoy as many different concession items as possible
• See all 18 holes plus the par-3 course (if applicable)
• Get a photo in front of the clubhouse at Founder’s Circle
• Spend ample time at Amen Corner and No. 16

Along the way, I will include some pro tips that go above and beyond in terms of preparedness. 

What to bring

Let’s start with some basics to know before you even leave your home. 

The Masters has a list of prohibited items that you should look over to confirm you aren’t bringing anything that isn’t allowed. 

The tournament famously does not allow phones or any other electronic devices capable of transmitting photos or video. This applies to all days. Electronic watches are allowed but can’t be used for calls, emails, texting and basically anything except telling the time. 

There is a zero tolerance policy on this end and violators will get removed—I’ve seen it happen. Leave your devices at home/hotel or in your car. If you need to make a call while on property, there are complimentary phone banks on site. 

Calling someone from the Masters is a cool experience with the caller ID showing up as Augusta National on the other end.

Cameras (still photography only, no video) are allowed Monday-Wednesday during practice rounds. Absolutely bring a camera if you are attending one of those days. It’s worth the hassle. 

One chair/seat per patron is allowed but chairs/seats with pointed ends, folding armchairs and rigid chairs are prohibited. In other words, you can bring your own armless chair. 

You can also buy chairs in the merch shop for roughly $30. 

Do you need one? It depends. 

You will be doing a ton of walking, there are grandstands everywhere and it is accepted that unused seats left by other patrons can be used by anyone until that person comes back to claim their chair. The chair the Masters sells is not particularly comfortable nor memorable outside of the fact it is a cool souvenir. 

However, if you would really like to spend a lot of time in one place, you do have the option of having a chair, sticking a business card in it and leaving it in your favorite spot so you’re all set once you return. 

Chairs are more helpful during tournament rounds when there are consistently large crowds around every green. I could see the argument for getting a chair, putting it down in a prime position early during a tournament round and then walking around until you get back to that spot. 

Yes, you can leave your chair for as long as you want (except overnight) and it will be there waiting for you! There might be someone sitting in it but that’s OK. Just let them know it is your chair. 

Some top picks for where to put your chair: 

• Anywhere around the 18th green
• Left of the 16th green 
• Behind the 7th green 
• Behind the 2nd green

If your top priority is to put your chair at Amen Corner, I would enter through the south gate (more on gates below) and head to No. 12 immediately. You need to be in the first few rows of chairs behind the tee for it to be worth it. 

I’m more of a roamer who doesn’t want to stay in one place for too long so I tend to skip the chair part. It’s not a necessity. 

What else do you need? 

If you are attending with a kid who wants autographs, you can bring a Sharpie. The only two areas to get autographs are the practice area (next to the putting green) and on the par-3 course during Wednesday’s Par 3 Contest. It is very limited. 

Golf attire isn’t mandatory but keep it classy and be mindful of the weather. Golf shoes with metal spikes are not allowed. I would opt for sneakers over golf shoes but go for whatever you think will bring maximum comfort. 

Backpacks, bags and purses (must be smaller than 10” x 10” x 12”) are an option. Don’t forget sunscreen. 

Pretty much any other item you would need will be available at the course. 

For other tips such as where to stay when attending, check out this story.

PRO TIP: Many patrons don’t realize that re-entry is allowed at the Masters. You have the option of leaving the property and returning, although you can only do that once. I would only recommend this option if you are spending multiple days at the tournament or there is some pressing reason to leave (such as the ability to meet someone else and give them their badge in the case that you’ve been holding onto their badge for some reason). 

Arrival time and starting your day

People come from all over the world to attend the Masters and stay in a variety of places in the Augusta area. 

No matter how you get there or where you stay, I recommend arriving at the expansive free parking area (yes, completely free, no parking pass needed) by 6:20 a.m. 

Traffic is reasonable at that time of the morning. It jams up a little more as the day goes on—particularly in the evening—but traffic is managed pretty well in my opinion. 

Lines always seem to move quickly at the Masters. 

Parking opens at 6 a.m. but you will be good if you get there around 6:20 a.m. If you are going on Saturday or Sunday, you can back this arrival time up slightly because tee times start later.

I prefer to park closer to the north gate. This gate, as you can see in the map below, is along Berckmans Road but closer to Washington Road. If you get confused, look for the iconic water tower which is on the corner of Berckmans and Washington (closer to the north gate). 

The north gate funnels patrons to the driving range, first hole, clubhouse, par-3 course, 10th tee, 18th green and ninth green. This is the cooler entrance in my opinion, especially for first-timers. For reasons I’ll explain in a moment, it’s the best way to start your day. 

The south gate funnels patrons to the fifth green, sixth tee and 16th hole. This gate is closer to Amen Corner. 

PRO TIP: If the weather forecast is sketchy, bring a cooler with beer, snacks, etc., and leave it in your car. During potential weather delays, you will have to evacuate the grounds and, in many cases, have nowhere to go except your car. If it’s not raining, it could turn into a tailgate. This happened in 2023. 

I like to give myself plenty of time to line up at the north gate. It opens at 7 a.m., which is almost exactly when the sun rises. It’s a sweet moment to be walking into the grounds at that time. 

A very critical note here: Lining up in the morning will feel overwhelming. You will see a massive line of people and start to panic as you trot to the back of the line. Do not panic.

The Masters uses a checkpoint system for entrance. The first gate towards the entrance will open and a ton of people will flood a “holding area” outside of security. You’re kept here for maybe 20 minutes in advance of when the property opens for patrons at 7 a.m. Then “waves” of people are let in through the security area (a few minutes at a time) where you pass through metal detectors and your badge is scanned.

Even being way back in the line, you are going to be totally fine.

Once you get through the gates, you will walk—remember there is no running at any point on property—past the media center and the practice area on the left. The stunning facility is worth a few minutes of appreciation. 

And then you will reach a point where you are in a line on the righthand side of the path. This is the line for merch.

Your first real decision of the day is whether to hit the merch shop early or late. I prefer going early but there is an argument to be made for going late.

Getting it first thing in the morning gives you the fullest possible selection, given that some items could sell out. I also find that the line moves very fast if you are among the first few hundred patrons.

(If you are showing up at 7 a.m. or later, I would say the early morning merch line will get too extreme to go first thing. You can probably wait until lunch or later in the day if you are arriving later).

It’s also important to get anything you might need for the day (chair, sunscreen, etc.). The gates to the course don’t open until 7:30 a.m. so doing the morning merch run maximizes your on-course time if you are following this itinerary. 

As strange as it sounds, I’ve always found that the merch shop requires energy and focus. It can get claustrophobic and deeply uncomfortable, which is not what you want to be dealing with later in the day. Get what you want and then either check it for later pickup (the check stand fills up quickly, which is another reason to do merch in the morning) or ship it using the mailing service. No need to lug your merch around all day. 

Merch shipping costs vary depending on the size of the box/number of boxes you need and the shipping destination. I tell people the cost is roughly around five percent of your merch value, which is a pretty conservative estimate in my experience—I would actually say it’s lower on average. It’s common for someone to spend $1,500 and have around $50 of shipping costs.

Here are some rough estimates of prices to give you an idea: 

• Quarter Zip ($100-120)
• Polo ($75-100)
• Hat ($28)
• T-Shirt ($30)
• Chair ($30)
• Flag ($25)
• Poster ($35)
• Gnome ($50)

You don’t need to rush your shopping experience given that you should have some 45 minutes to shop before gates to the actual course open. 

My favorite move from this point is to get a beer (or drink of choice) and a sandwich. Airport rules apply so a beer is totally acceptable. 

First-timers have to go with a pimento cheese sandwich to start unless cheese is not your thing. The egg salad and club sandwiches are also good. 

Quite famously, the concessions are cheap and extremely efficient. Don’t be afraid of long concession lines because you really fly through the line no matter what. It’s an impressive operation. 

Purchasing one of every concession item costs around $70! I say go nuts and try everything you can. Here is my breakdown of the 10 best concession items at the Masters (stay tuned for a Connor Lindeman review of the candy bar, the newest item for 2026).

Once the gate open, immediately take a left and head up the hill toward the first tee. Have a seat at the 18th green and take a moment to appreciate your first view of the course while you finish your food/drink. 

PRO TIP: Spend a few minutes along the rope line near the big oak tree that borders the clubhouse. Every important person in golf is there and you will see a ton of players, caddies, agents and anyone else you can name. 

Next? It’s a rite of passage to get a photo at Founder’s Circle. This is located around the right side of the clubhouse, as you are looking at it from the first tee or 18th green, in the direction of the par-3 course. You’ll get a peek down Magnolia Lane, arguably the most famous course entrance in golf. 

The Masters provides free photos here every day of the week but the schedule is incongruent due to a variety of factors. Of note, there is less time to get the photo on Wednesday due to the Par 3 Contest taking place. 

• Monday (8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
• Tuesday (8 a.m.-2 p.m.)
• Wednesday (8 a.m.-10 a.m.)
• Thursday (8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
• Friday (8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
• Saturday (8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
• Sunday (8 a.m.-5 p.m.)

Once your photo is taken, you’ll receive a card with a QR code to download your complimentary high-res photo. There are no personal photos allowed (meaning you can’t use your own camera). 

It’s a nice touch that patrons visiting for tournament rounds can still get a photo. 

After your photo, I recommend taking a quick stroll around the newly renovated par-3 course. It shouldn’t take too long (30 minutes max) and it’s cool to see. 

There are a couple caveats to this. One is that the par-3 course has typically been closed during tournament rounds, so this part is only for Monday-Wednesday patrons. Also, if you are going Wednesday, the Par 3 Contest takes place throughout the afternoon. 

My hot take is that the Par 3 Contest is significantly better on TV. It’s outrageously crowded, viewing is mediocre unless you are in a prime position and it’s just pitch-and-putt golf. 

Don’t get me wrong—it’s a sweet tradition. Great to watch legends who won’t be in the big tournament. Amazing to see it if you are attending with children. But if I were a first-time Masters patron going on Wednesday, I would dedicate no more than an hour to it. 

PRO TIP: While the Par 3 Contest takes place, go down to Amen Corner or other traditionally busy areas that might not be as crowded as they will be throughout other portions of the week. 

Now it’s time to walk the course

You’ve hit the merch shop, had a beer/sandwich, taken a photo outside the clubhouse and seen the par-3 course. 

That’s a good start. 

Now it’s time for what you’ve been waiting for. At roughly 9 a.m. or so, you will start to walk the course. 

There is a lot of debate about the best way to walk Augusta National as a patron who wants to see all 18 holes in the same day. 

Do you start on the first hole and walk it 1-18 like the course is played? Or do you start at 18 and walk backwards? 

Neither! I have an even better plan for you! 

I really think everyone should start off walking with a moment that screams, “I can’t believe this is happening!” 

That is why I would start on the 10th tee and walk down the insane ski slope of a fairway. It’s such a gorgeous view looking down to the green as you get closer. One of my main takeaways from my visits to Augusta National is just how incredible and under-appreciated the 10th hole is—its beauty is overwhelming. 

PRO TIP: Before your trip, YouTube Bubba Watson’s approach shot from the trees during his playoff victory in the 2012 Masters. It’s not too hard to find the spot he hit from. There will usually be people standing around the spot, and Augusta planted a tree in there. How he hooked a wedge onto the green from that position is incomprehensible. 

Another reason I like starting on the second nine is because you get the immediate payoff of seeing Amen Corner, beginning with walking all the way back to the 11th tee (yeah, come on, you have to see that tee shot) and then cresting the hill to see the most famous intersection in golf. 

If you’ve followed my itinerary, you will reach the 12th tee around 9:30 a.m.—it’s unlikely to be busy with players, especially during tournament rounds when they haven’t reached that part of the course. 

This is by design. Appreciating the view in relative solitude is worth it. This is also a phenomenal photo opportunity for those attending Monday-Wednesday. 

And don’t worry—you’ll be back again. You can’t just see Amen Corner only once. For that reason, you should leave the 12th hole by around 10 a.m. or so. 

Head over to the par-5 13th, arguably the most famous risk/reward hole in the world. The area to the right of the green is another great photo opportunity. The flowers are top-notch (Judge Smails’ voice) on this hole. 

The 14th hole deserves more love than it gets. You need at least 10 minutes around what is the most unique green on the course. 

Head to the par-5 15th hole and make sure to get another picture from the middle of the fairway while standing in the crosswalk. Course staff will allow this as long as there aren’t any players coming. 

Go around the left side of the 15th green and behind the 16th tee. There are a few interesting parts to this area of the property. 

There is a fountain with a plaque dedicated to Arnold Palmer. There will also be a small board where course staff are updating pairings for the practice round as they get knowledge of each group on the course. By this time (around 11 a.m.), the course will have plenty of players. There is also a (very) small merch booth with a few hats and shirts.

And if you take the path to the left of the tee, going up into the trees, you will reach a complimentary phone bank. As I mentioned previously, it’s worth making at least one call to a family member or friend.

It’s time for another stop at concessions. You’ve got one day so calories don’t count. May I interest you in a peach ice cream sandwich (the best concession item at the Masters)? Refuel with a moon pie? Go crazy.

Make yourself a little picnic by sitting left of the 16th green along the hill. This is a cool vantage point and I recommend coming back here later in the afternoon.

Head up the 17th hole and then make the trudge up the 18th, ensuring you stop at the tee to fully appreciate how narrow it is. 

By the time you are back at the clubhouse, it should be right around noon. You have officially walked nine holes at Augusta National.

How to spend the afternoon

You’ve seen a lot of the golf course but probably not a ton of the players at this point. Let’s change that. 

The first hour of the afternoon is great for resting at the practice range watching players hit balls—or heading to the Par 3 Contest if you are going on Wednesday. 

You realistically won’t be able to keep going non-stop throughout the day due to how physically demanding the walk is, so I’m building in mini breaks along the way. 

On your way back from the range, take another run at the merch shop or admire the Masters scoreboard along the first fairway. The latter is an absolute must during tournament days. 

Around 1:30 p.m. or so, it’s time to walk the remainder of the course while stopping at Amen Corner and the 16th hole for another stint. 

This time, we will start walking the course from the beginning. Start at the first tee and walk the first six holes until you are standing behind No. 6 green. 

Some of my favorite highlights in this section of the course: 

• Can you believe how steep it is to walk up the first fairway? Pretty cool. 
• Walking down the right hand side of No. 2 gives a great view of the approach shot. 
• The only way to see No. 3 is right of the green. It’s incredible how daunting that putting surface is. 
• No. 4 is not my favorite hole but spotting the lone palm tree (right of the green) is fun. 
• The fairway bunkers on No. 5 are enormous as is the undulating green. 
• No. 6 is a phenomenal hole. The green is hard to believe and it’s neat to sit below the tee and have players hit over your head. You’ll know what I mean when you’re there. 

I allot about two hours for this section. It’s awesome to watch a group practice around the green—or pick a hole and see the approach shots land. Take your time and enjoy it. 

The urge will be to finish out the nine holes—but I don’t recommend this for a couple of key reasons. 

You are already at one of the lowest levels of the property and you only want to walk back up to the clubhouse one more time to conserve energy. 

That’s why we are skipping across from No. 6 to No. 16, a wedge shot away. During practice-round days, you can watch players come through and skip balls across the water. It’s cool as hell. This is also one of the best holes to watch during tournament rounds. 

Spend as much time here as you want. There is plenty of room on that hill and you can play around with the angles by going up near the green or sitting in the grandstands next to the tee. It’s quite something. 

Now it’s time to go back to Amen Corner (you can walk from 16 tee right around the corner to 13 green). 

The area should be packed at this point, which is all a part of the experience. You’ve seen Amen Corner in relative solitude but now it’s time to be a part of the atmosphere. 

If you are attending during a tournament day, I would spend no less than an hour at Amen Corner. It’s not comfortable and the viewing isn’t necessarily great but it’s a religious experience to be among the masses. 

PRO TIP: Buy one BBQ sandwich and one pimento cheese sandwich. Open the BBQ bun and put the pimento cheese on top of the meat. Yes, you heard me correctly.

I’m going to say that between the 16th hole and Amen Corner, you will be ready to move on to other areas of the course by 5 p.m.

Now it’s time for one final trek up the hill but this one will come in a different form. 

Head on over to No. 7, right next to No. 16 green. It might be my least favorite hole on the course but the green is known for offering an interesting vantage point. It’s worth watching a few approach shots come in to see how balls react on that green. 

No. 8 is a poor spectator hole outside of patrons being in the grandstands behind the green. It’s worth waiting for a spot there to get a good feel for the length of that narrow green. The second shot is completely blind and you will see why after walking up the hill. 

No. 9 is one of the most visually striking holes on the property. It’s worth spending 20 minutes around that green. 

The course officially closes at 8 p.m. on tournament days and around 6:30 p.m. on practice round days so feel free to stay as late as you can. Many will be ready for dinner or have a long drive back to their hotel so it’s understandable if you want to leave a little earlier. 

Yes, this itinerary is exhausting. Walking Augusta National is exhausting. It’s worth it.

No matter how much you prepare for it mentally, you will inevitably be surprised at just how much elevation change there is on property. It’s truly something you have to experience to fully understand.

Best dinner/bar options

I get this question a lot so I figured it’s worth mentioning a few night options. 

Dive bar with surprisingly good food: Tipsey McStumbles. They have a Golden Tee. 

Great vibes: Rhinehart’s Oyster Bar. The boiled shrimp slaps. 

Relaxing stop for drinks: Metro Coffee House. Not just coffee. 

Great food: Sole. Best sushi in Augusta. 

Classiest establishments: Hooters or Twin Peaks. Just kidding. 

Closing thoughts

I’ve been fortunate to attend a variety of sporting events in my life but nothing is like the Masters. 

I’m confident it’s the best sporting event in the world to attend. Everything is so organized and the course exceeds any expectation you could have. No result could take that away except for the weather. 

Even if you don’t follow this itinerary, figure out a plan that works for you. Have a blast. 

If you want to ask me more specific questions about attending, email me at sean.fairholm@mygolfspy.com or leave a comment below. 

Top Photo Caption: Patrons watch Tiger Woods near the green at the par-5 2nd. (GETTY IMAGES/Warren Little)

The post The Perfect One-Day Itinerary For First-Time Masters Patrons appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

That is the problem Stix solves with their new junior set. These are built with the same performance DNA as the adult Stix sets, which have held up well in our own testing, and at $279 without the bag and $350 with it, they sit in a sweet spot between a cheap starter set and the premium options like US Kids Golf or PING Prodi G.

What you get

The Stix Junior Set is a five-club setup. You get a lightweight 12.5-degree driver built for easy launch, a 21-degree 4-hybrid that is forgiving off any lie, a 31-degree 7-iron, a 46-degree pitching wedge, and a putter. The bag from Sunday Golf is well made and should hold up to whatever your kid does to it.

What makes these different

The same Stix design philosophy that helps their adult clubs perform above their price point carries over here. These clubs are light, easy to swing, genuinely forgiving, and built with enough technology that a kid who puts in some effort can develop real ball-striking ability with them.

The other thing Stix gets right is how they look.

That sounds like a small thing until you watch a kid pick up a club they think looks cool versus one they don’t. The Stix Junior Set looks like a real set of golf clubs. My kids noticed immediately.

What we liked

The driver is the standout. It is lightweight, launches easily, and gave my kids real confidence off the tee which is exactly what you want when a kid is just learning. The 4-hybrid is forgiving off any lie and is probably going to be the club they reach for most on the course.

The 7-iron is easy to hit cleanly and the putter sets up nicely and is easy to line up.

The extra money for the Sunday Golf bag is worth it.

What could be better

The wedge situation is my biggest issue with this set. You get a pitching wedge, which works fine for approach shots, but is not going to help a kid escape a bunker. A sand wedge would serve a beginner far better around the greens and getting out of sand.

If your kid is going to spend time at camp or on a real course this summer, I would strongly consider picking up an additional wedge separately. To me, this is the biggest gap in an otherwise well thought-out set.

Sizing covers ages 8 to 12 and from my testing that feels about right. It ran a little long for my shorter 9-year-old and a touch short for my taller 12-year-old. A short and tall option would go a long way for future sets from Stix. An inch of adjustment either way would make this set work for a wider range of kids.

This is Stix’s first junior release so I am hopeful that is coming.

Pros and cons

The bottom line

If you need a summer camp solution or you have a kid who thinks they may be interested in the game, I’d give you a green light on the Stix junior set. Serious juniors should still stick with the PING in my opinion, and if you’re really just want to get a kid started swinging a club, purchase a single 7-iron or fairway driver from U.S. Kids.

Hope this helps and if you have specific questions about the set just let me know in the comments.

The post Your Kid Wants To Try Golf This Summer? Here’s A Junior Golf Set That Just Makes Sense appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

I’ve often said if I wasn’t writing about golf shoes, I’d be writing about headphones, handhelds and other dope tech.

So when I had a chance to try out the new Garmin Approach G82, a two-in-one GPS and launch monitor, I promptly put on one of my 75 pairs of golf shoes and whisked off to the course.

And after using the Garmin Approach G82 across several rounds of golf and multiple practice sessions, I’m left somehow more disappointed than I am satisfied.

Let me explain.

Sum it up for me, champ!

In case you don’t want to read the whole piece, here’s the skinny on what I liked and disliked about the Approach G82:

Likes

• Beautiful display
• Excellent battery life
• Accurate GPS numbers
• Strong magnet to attach to the golf cart
• Intuitive user interface

Dislikes

• Launch monitor numbers were iffy
• Is a little too bulky to carry around in a pocket`

Let’s dive in

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk in a little more detail about why the G82 left me wanting more.

First and foremost, the device itself is well-crafted. It feels premium and looks premium. The five-inch touchscreen is the perfect amount of real estate for doing things like surveying hole maps, pinpointing hazards and more. It’s plenty responsive, plenty bright and managed to work almost flawlessly from a GPS standpoint.

If you are looking at this device only as a GPS or rangefinder alternative, you’re going to be very happy with it. I’ve been using a Garmin GPS watch for the better part of the past three years and I’ve found myself opting for the bigger, brighter and more usable display of the G82 over the last few weeks.

But if you’re also shelling out the $599 to get a usable launch monitor, you’re going to find yourself a bit disappointed.

Not because it doesn’t work. But because it just doesn’t work well enough.

As is the case with many radar-based launch monitors, the Approach G82 struggles to capture accurate distances. It does, for the most part, do well with ball speed and club speed.

Setting it up and using it is as easy as plopping it down next to your ball (about a foot away) and turning it on. From there, you’ve got a few modes to choose from. I had a blast with the “target practice” mode, which prompts you to set a target distance.

I probably spent three hours on the range total with the device and it only failed to register a shot twice, which is great.

It’s just that the numbers I care about, like carry distance, aren’t very accurate. In fact, more often than not it was about seven to10 yards off when compared to the industry standard in the GC4.

Sometimes, it was more than that.

Weirdly, the number the G82 offered as the total distance was more in line with my actual carry distance.

Better than nothing?

Yeah, probably. Especially if you’ve never been on a launch monitor before and have no idea how far you hit each club, at least the G82 can help you figure out something in the ballpark of what you’re working with.

And, honestly, for someone who tends to just beat balls on the range with no practice plan, I found using the target practice mode on the G82 greatly improved how purposeful my practice was. So that’s cool, too.

But if you’re buying this device with the idea that you’re getting a great two-in-one GPS and launch monitor, you’re going to feel the same as me: disappointed, wanting more.

It’s more of a one-and-a-half device, with a great, feature-rich GPS and half-baked launch monitor that is, of all things, still better than your buddy trying to gauge how far you’re hitting it with a tuning fork.

The post This Budget Launch Monitor Left Me A Little Disappointed appeared first on MyGolfSpy.