Yikes! Augusta Greens giving players nightmares

It's not enough that the Masters is all about pressure and winning one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year (hence the name). It's not enough that the players are trying to overcome one of the hottest players of all time (Tiger Woods). The issue that has players fretting the beginning of the tournament is something else--the greens.

Why else would Retief Goosen go back to the same putter that he used in 2001 when he was playing arguably his best golf? Why else would Padraig Harrington spend four hours on the practice putting green? It's not like these guys have lost their edge--it's simply that they are trying to get an edge against the glassy greens that Augusta National seems to bring year in and year out.

It was so much of a concern to Ernie Els that he went to Augusta two weeks ago--and didn't even play--all he did was ask a local caddie to help him with the putting and to get a read on what things may be different now and things that he could use to give him an advantage. It again proves how complex and intricate the game of golf is, and it also shows that players are not about to bow down to Woods and just let him win. He hasn't won there since 2005, but we are talking about Tiger--he's the man. As one of the best putters in the game, it will take moves like what Els did to overcome the huge advantage Woods already has.

Picture Source: AP

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Yikes! Augusta Greens giving players nightmares

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