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Play the "Augusta of the North" + How to Score with Flighted Knock-Down Wedges
Wild Golf
April 02, 2024
Happy Tuesday all - it’s almost Masters week and we can’t get enough Augusta content, so we continue to dive down rabbit holes.
If you hadn’t heard, 13 LIV golfers have been invited to this year’s tournament, most notable among the group perhaps being Talor Gooch, who has dominated the LIV Tour recently. He was outspoken about not receiving an invite, claiming to be a top 5 player in the world. Back in February, he was on record saying If Rory McIlroy goes and completes his [career] Grand Slam without some of the best players in the world, there's just going to be an asterisk… that’s just the reality.” But apparently the squeaky wheel gets the grease. His performance should be popcorn-worthy drama next week.
In today’s newsletter…
✅ TIPS & DRILLS: Having a knock-down wedge shot in your bag is a fantastic tool if you want to hit it close and score. Popular online instructor Bryce Cope shows you his favorite drill.
✅ COURSES: Although it’s unlikely that you’ll ever get an invite down to Georgia, the “Augusta of the North” is a great substitute if you’re passing through Delaware.
✅ STATISTICS: A 5-handicap is a really good player but this stat about their scores from 75 yards out surprised us. Check it out below.
✅ TRIVIA: During the 2018 season, one player destroyed the field in approach shot proximity from 75-100 yards. Who was it? Answer for a chance to win a Kraken Limited Edition Masters Jacket x Tommy Fleetwood Ball Marker (1 of 89 ever made)!
Let’s go!
TIPS & DRILLS
How to Score with Flighted Knock-down Wedges
Popular Online Instructor Bryce Cope demonstrates
To Recap…
If you want to make birdies, you need to control your wedge trajectories. Bryce Cope give you a simple drill to make this possible:
-STEP 1: With a wedge in your hands, place a towel under both of your arms (wrapping it around your chest or back, either way works).
-STEP 2: Practice hitting ¾ shots by simply rotating your chest & torso back and through.
-STEP 3: If the towel falls down, you’re using too much arm and/or wrist movement. Focus solely on chest rotation as much as possible.
Do not hinge your wrists as it leaves you more prone to mis-hits and overall inconsistency. Simply make a natural body turn and keep your arms as “connected” to your body as possible.
COURSES
The “Augusta of the North”
Rated the #2 Course in Delaware in 2022
Baywood Greens
Long Neck, DE
Given its size, Delaware isn’t often thought of as a hotbed for great golf. Baywood Greens is one of the best public courses around, made up of two unique 9s- the Woodside & the Waterside. The course has a top-notch practice facility and is impeccably manicured, with more than 200,000 flowers, plants, shrubs & trees. Every hole is visually distinct and 92.3% of golfers on GolfPass.com recommend the course. But the best part is the price- in the northeastern corridor, it’s hard to find a public course in fantastic condition that offers peak weekend tee times (with carts) below $130. But Baywood Greens does just that as the majority of their rates are $129 and under.
Rates: $80 - $150 during peak season
Check out this rundown from @coursesyouneedtoplay
STATISTICS
Stat of the Day: 5-Handicap Scores from 75 yards
presented by…
The Stat: A 5-handicap player is 2x more likely to make a bogey (22%) than a birdie (11%) from 75 yards out, on average.
The Takeaway: This one surprised us. A 5-handicap is a darn good player, and although it can be a tricky distance, 75 yards is not the worst shot you can leave yourself. The median score is naturally going to be par in this situation, but as good as a 5-handicap is relative to the population, they are still prone to mistakes even at close distances.
A 75 yard shot does not always mean “try to knock it close.” You must decide for yourself when to attack and when to play it safe.
TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win a Kraken Limited Edition Masters Jacket x Tommy Fleetwood Ball Marker (1 of 89 ever made)
(1 winner chosen on 4/30/24 across all April trivia entries, 1,000 respondents minimum)
 |  |
On approach shots from 75-100 yards during the 2018 season, which player led the Tour by 3.1 feet (!!!) in proximity to the hole?(winning avg. proximity of 10'4") |
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