It’s that time of year again. The fresh cut grass. Amen Corner. The green jacket. The PGA Tour is descending on Augusta National for the Masters, the first major championship of the season, and as always, this year has the chance to be an exciting one, with a crop of talented golfers going after the title. But every year—both at Augusta and throughout the professional game—some shots manage to stand out. We put together the best golf shots to get ready for it all.
Golf is always greatest when competitors are forced to rise to the occasion, beat the odds, and prove they belong among the true champions of the game.
Here’s a look at 27 of those moments.
Jack Nicklaus, 1975 Masters
The Golden Bear on the 16th hole with a 40-foot putt:
Tiger Woods, 2005 Masters
Tiger’s shot seems to balance on hole at the 16th green before going in:
Bubba Watson, 2012 Masters
Bubba’s hook shot far away from hole beautifully sets up his putt:
Phil Mickelson, 2010 Masters
Mickelson’s 200-yard shot from behind pine tree gets within feet of the hole:
Jack Nicklaus, 1986 Masters
Nicklaus’ shot on the 16th hole is almost an ace. But hey, a birdie is never bad:
Louis Oosthuizen, 2012 Masters
Oosthuizen’s double eagle shot makes its long roll to the hole:
Larry Mize, 1987 Masters
Mize, from 140 feet:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=NvQa4fbETKU
Sammy Schmitz, 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship
Schmitz hits a par-4 ace that got him a place in the Masters (video of his reaction to the hole in one):
When Sammy Schmitz looks back on his #USMidAm win, his tee shot on the par-4 33rd will probably be what sticks out.https://t.co/654RfVo3lb
— USGA (@USGA) October 10, 2015
Jack Nicklaus, 2015 Par 3 Contest at Augusta National
Nicklaus still has it, even in 2015:
Tiger Woods, 2000 PGA Championship
Arguably one of the best shots of all time: Tiger’s ‘point at the hole’ putt:
Rory McIlroy, 2011 US Open
On the 10th green from a tee shot, McIlroy’s ball nearly makes it to the hole:
Tiger Woods, 2000 Bell Canadian Open
Tiger Woods’ shot on the 18th hole set up the winning putt:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_vP15fVxSJU
Jack Nicklaus, 1972 US Open
Nicklaus uses an iron on the 17th hole…and hits the flag:
Tiger Woods, 2012 Memorial Tournament
That feeling when you hit a 49-foot shot on the 16th hole:
Seve Ballesteros, 1979 British Open
Ballesteros made this shot from the damn parking lot:
Sam Torrance
This one took 26 seconds. Think about that: 26 seconds.
Tiger Woods, 2008 U.S. Open
Round 3. 13th hole. Tiger from 65 feet:
Tiger Woods 2008 U.S. Open
Tiger managed to force a playoff with this putt on the 72nd hole, and he did it with fractured leg:
Isao Aoki, 1983 Hawaiian Open
This shot from Aoki at the Hawaiian Open takes a 130-yard bounce into the hole:
Michael Phelps at Pro-Am, 2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Phelps hits a 159-foot putt:
Vijay Singh, 2009 Masters (during practice)
Go ahead, try this one at home.
Jordan Spieth, 2013 John Deere Classic
Spieth’s 44-foot shot goes off the flag:
Tom Watson, 1982 US Open
Tom Watson’s chip shot hits the flag:
Bob Tway, 1968 PGA Championship
Bob Tway, from the bunker:
Miguel Ángel Jiménez, 2010 British Open
Jiménez goes off the wall:
Tiger Woods, 1996 Milwaukee Open
Tiger. Ace.
Tiger Woods, 2002 PGA Championship
Tiger can see through the forest and the trees:
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