You’ve all seen the replay of Bubba Watson’s snap-hook shot from the trees on No. 10, the second playoff hole, to beat Louis Oosthuizen and win the 2012 Masters. Well, one more time:
It was difficult, however, to grasp exactly how ridiculous it was from the TV angle. Thanks to readers Nick and Jim for passing along this aerial map diagramming The Shot…
Wow.
The aerial diagram gives an impression that Bubba can hit a shot that snap hooks and then goes straight. LOL IMPOSSIBLE but we get the point.
Precisely. That shot represents a 70 degree hook that did all it’s hooking in the first 50 yards. Take nothing away from the shot Bubba pulled off, but this overdramatizes it.
I wonder how many left handed pros would even think about trying a shot like that
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The devil’s advocate got the better of me on this one. I agree that it was a truly remarkable shot, but I don’t think this photo is correct. Bubba said that he had 135 yards to the front and 164 to the hole. If you look at an aerial photo of #10, he would have had to be well back from the front of the bunker when he hit his second shot for those yardages to be correct. I don’t think that bunker is ever even close to coming in play off the drive, even with the longest hitters. If he was where the photo showed, he would have hit a 410 yard drive – that might have been a bigger story than hit second shot! All that being said, it was still one of the most amazing shots I have ever seen, especially under the conditions.
His drive did hit some trees. I don’t know which way it bounced, but theoretically it could have bounced forward I suppose.
You are right that Watson’s shot must have come from further back than is illustrated in this picture. The large Mackenzie bunker is out of play, unreachable for even the longest hitters, and is retained only out of tradition. The shot shown (physics problems with the drawn path notwithstanding) would have been less than 90 yards on this 495-yard hole, and Watson has said that he was much further back.
It was a sweet shot, though I’ve seen Tiger and Phil hit similar shots. Tiger implied in his analysis of it that he wasn’t that impressed.
The ONLY way he pulls the shot off is by being a lefty. It set up perfect for HIM. But I don’t think there are many IF any righties that could hit a slice off of that lie and stayed with it. He seized the moment that was a perfect fit for HIM.
If you can’t hit that shot you have no business playing on the tour. The real question is how many guys can pull that off with the pressure of winning their first major? That is what really makes the shot great.
Mike Weir can hit a hook like that right now, but not on purpose.
THAT is very true!!!
The part I really don’t understand is that he said he hit it with a 62 degree wedge (correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that’s what he said). I can hit a 40 yard rope hook. I think pretty much any decent player that knows how to work the ball can. I just don’t see how it is possible to hit a low hook off of pine straw 150+ yards with a lob wedge. I know he de-lofts quite a bit in the down swing. I just can’t fathom him hitting it that far with that club, and keeping it on the green.
MW – I read on SI that it was a 54 degree.
That’s still pretty unbelievable.
I wonder if it’s the finest (or to be the most famous) shot in golf.
A great shot qualifies not only because of the execution but the significance and the pressure involved.
In the last few years Sandy Lyle’s bunker shot at 18 to win has been considered the best but this shot by Bubba to win the Masters surely takes it.
I still think that Phil’s shot on 13 was a better and more difficult shot to pull off with the pressure. He was staring down a creek he had to “look it in the eye”. There was no fear for Bubba if he missed the green since Oosty was in trouble also.
Rich – They say it’s not a great shot if you don’t make the putt.
Tiger’s “better than most” putt is probably the most famous modern day shot.
go tiger
Bubba called it his gap wedge fyi..
I’ll bet Bubba wasn’t overly impressed with Tiger’s best shots Master’s weekend either…
I love that we finally get to see the graphic. We had to write about it as well. http://threeguysgolfblog.com/bubba-watsons-master-shot/
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The other roar that was drowned out by that of the gallery– oops, Patrons– was Frank Chirkinian screaming from his grave, “where’s the GD blimp?” Drones anyone?
Ridiculous diagram! Spun shots always turn more in the latter parts of their flights, not at their beginnings. I don’t see it as a particularly difficult shot at all. The only impressive thing was that it happened to put him in a better position than his opponent and led to him winning one of the most sought-after titles. It very well could have turned either less or more and landed in a spot that would have required at least one more shot – it was just good fortune that it landed where it did and rolled to where it did. It sure made the ending of the tournament amazing to watch – but too bad for Louis that he had to mess up so much.
The shot was fantastic, but the aerial view diagram is off. A hook or slice doesn’t straighten out half way out. The diagram should show a more rounded curve all the way to the landing on the green. Someone make a better diagram, please.
I think we can see the bunker looking out from the trees before he hits.
When the ball is landing (.26 secs)we can see Luis and caddy near the bunker – just like in the aerial.
If Bubba can see the bunker from further back then he has a much straighter line.
If we draw a straight line thru the bunker to a right angel from the pin it looks like less than twice the distance to the pin as it is back to the shot – so 40 yard hook to the pin – less than 80 back to the shot – which = less than 120 which = less yet as the crow flies.
He was probably further back with a straighter looking shot than this appears.
The questionable accuracy of the supposed trajectory aside, I am impressed by the awsomeness of the lie that Bubba found. Nice clean lie in the centre of a clear path back to the fairway in the midst of rough bush and trees. What spectacular luck. Hmmm – no chance that perhaps there was a little help from gallery members in positioning the ball? Reminds me of all the times that Tiger was so accountably lucky when is ball looped into the gallery to suddenly appear in the short rough with a good lie. Naw, just “awesome” luck.
Ian, I never have lucky lies like that – usually I can never find my ball…period. It sure is nice to have 5000 people around to find your ball for you!
Dude, I was there in person. In fact, my nephew is the SI cover shot, and we can say for a fact that nobody in the gallery touched the ball. The ball rolled behind our position along the rope line and went roughly 30 yards after it passed us, with my nephew chasing it down the full 30 yards. The TV camera tower was directly between his ball and the pin, if that helps any. I really thought he would ask for a drop & was shocked that he didn’t… Until he hit the shot.
To all you egomaniacs who are saying that it wasn’t that impressive of a shot… I’d like to put you all in those trees with a bucket of balls… nobody watching… all the time in the world… and see how many times you’d pull it off. Now add the most pressure that you can possibly be under with a few million people waiting and watching and not only would you not make the shot you’d probably wet yourselves.
Another thought. If you look where he hit his tee shot in 10 during regulation, you can get a better idea of where he was. His playoff shot was from about 25 yards farther right and a little back of where he was in regulation. And FYI, if you ever get a chance to go to the Masters, TAKE IT!!! It was awesome!!!
Nice try on the diagram, but if you examine the video from the camera angle, you can see the ball actually track OVER the fairway bunker, not inside it; indicating a continuous, but wider arc in the trajectory. That means the ball actually hooked on more of an acute angle from point of contact to the landing spot than the diagram shows. Incredible shot.
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[...] also has the ability to hit a miracle hook from the pines to save his tournament, as he did in winning the green jacket last year. There [...]
[...] also has the ability to hit a miracle hook from the pines to save his tournament, as he did in winning the green jacket last year. There [...]
[...] also has the ability to hit a miracle hook from the pines to save his tournament, as he did in winning the green jacket last year. There [...]
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