After watching seven hours of golf (I think that is a record for me) I found the first day at The Masters to be very typical. There were some highs, some lows, and some grinding. As always, Augusta National Golf Course was in fantastic shape and offered very little chances in the way of lucky breaks. I did notice that as the day progressed, the course became drier and tougher to play. This made for higher scores in the afternoon pairs. Good thing the the tee times are reversed tomorrow because the afternoon pairings will face much winder conditions. As always with The Masters, I did learn something valuable that will help my game.

First and for most, putting is the key to success at The Masters. There is no easy putt at Augusta National, so having the a putting stroke that can stand up to that type of pressure is critical. If you think I might be kidding, just ask Cameron Smith who had at least eight, one putts. Too bad he two doubles or he would have had a fantastic round.

Second, hitting our approach shot to the right spot on the green to allow for the greatest chance to make a birdie putt is all critical. Tyrrell Hatton hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation, but finished with a score of par. This tells me that he did not have a great putting day. I did not watch him play, but he likely was out of position on most approach shots which resulted in many two putts.

Just for fun, here is compilation of one shot from each player in the field. I found it interesting.

As always, I enjoyed watching The Masters. I learned some things, but mostly I enjoyed being in the moment watching lots of golf. I think today’s action will provide some interesting movement on the leaderboard, I guess I will have to watch and see.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!