In the parlance of professional football, if the Masters last week was the Super Bowl, this week’s Heritage Classic on Hilton Head Island (South Carolina) qualifies as the Pro Bowl (eminently watchable though, so completely unlike the NFL’s version). Just a quick jaunt across South Carolina for guys who played last week, the Heritage is one of the most relaxed, family-friendly stops on Tour each year. We’ll get into why in a second.

Hilton Head is the bastion of the Midwestern vacation (why? It’s driveable in a day from Ohio and surrounding parts). Each spring, fathers load up the SUV and pack the top of the minivans for the sacred family beach trip. You can witness this migration on the Interstate–tarp’d over skin boards and corn-hole sets bungeed dangerously high on the roof with the kid’s all glued to the car’s flip down TV screens in the back. You’ll see the veterans at Cracker Barrel, and the rookies, they’ll be camped out in the left lane heading South. (Here’s a quick 

There are several distinct zones (‘plantations’ as they’re called) of development within Hilton Head, with the oldest and most recognizable being Sea Pines Plantation. Within Sea Pines is Harbour Town, the closest thing to a city center on the whole island. It’s home to the famous red and white-stripped lighthouse (along with a bevy of BALLER-ASS yachts!) which serves as the distinguishing characteristic of both the golf course and this week’s broadcast.

There are two important things to realize about Sea Pines–first, not many people live inside Sea Pines (there are only 39,000 full-time residents on the whole island), and second, both entrances into Sea Pines are gated with security personnel vigilantly checking for proper credentials. Why is this important? Players are able to spend the week not in a cramped hotel setting, but instead living large in one of the myriad of nice to 

 vacation homes within Sea Pines. Perhaps moreover, there just aren’t many people in the area, so guys can enjoy a week of relative anonymity with their friends and/or sidepieces family in pretty plush settings. For these reasons, the Heritage has garnered the reputation as being very laid back as far as Tour stops go–a great place to decompress post-Masters for those fortunate to play–and an ideal place to spend some quality family time before the May ‘busy’ season approaches.

One more thing to mention that’s always bothered me about Harbour Town–why the hell is it spelled the Canadian way? Eh? I have to think this was a major selling point with the Royal Bank of Canada suits.

Known as a shotmaker’s paradise (or one might say, harbor, amirite?), Harbour Town checks in at #2 on the list of best tour courses 

. The Pete Dye design is an anomaly among tour tracks in that it plays about 7,000 yards and is characterized by its narrow fairways, overhanging trees, and minuscule greens. The average green is approximately 3,700 square feet, compared to the tour average of about 6,600 square feet (per 

). Seven different kinds of grass can be found throughout the layout, mostly different types of Bermuda.

Placement off the tee is at an absolute premium, and that doesn’t mean just finding fairways. Strategically-positioned, overhanging trees are sprinkled throughout the layout, making it possible to be completely blocked out from certain spots in the fairway – this is possible on ten holes depending upon pin location. As mentioned, the greens are the size of saucer dishes, bringing both iron play and chipping to the forefront. If the wind picks up, as it did last year, the course gets really difficult as it’s both tight and water-laden. All-in-all, a real fun course which demands guys to golf their ball.

The two best holes on the front nine are probably #8 and #9. #8 (pictured above) is consistently the hardest hole on the course, a treacherous, 473-yard par-4 doglegging a bit left with an approach shot that must be fit between trees on either side of the fairway into a narrow green guarded on the left by a thin bunker with water beyond. #9 is a fun, short par-4 of about 330 yards. It’s a narrow fairway framed by trees where guys must account for pin location on the wide, yet thin, heart-shaped green to determine where they want to place their tee ball. If they pull driver and blast away, it’s not a gimmie par, as the tiny green is well guarded by an array of awkward bunkers short and long.

On the back nine, everyone is undoubtedly familiar with the closing holes–#17 is a picturesque par-3 out toward Calibogue Sound, then #18 is a par-4 with Calibogue Sound all down the left side and the aforementioned lighthouse prominently standing in the background. What you may not be aware of, though, is how strong the stretch of #13 to #15 is.

#13 is a short, 373 yard par-4 requiring (what else?) a well-placed first shot. The second is a short iron that must negotiate a large tree on the left (with overhanging branches) into a U-shaped green with deep fore-bunker all around. #14 (pictured above) is a bossy 192 yard par-3 that features the vintage Dye railroad ties supporting the green and separating it from the pond short and right. When the wind is up and the pin is cut on the right, it’s a daunting play into a fantastic sucker pin. Finally, #15 is a gettable 588 yard par-5. Like every other hole, position off the tee is critical to be able to reach in two, there’s water down the left side, and and the green complex is small and well-guarded with water and bunkers. That starting to ring a bell? Welcome to Harbour Town Golf Links!

The Heritage is perfectly suited for post-Masters week with the vibe exceedingly relaxed. Most of the time a ticket isn’t even necessary to get in as there are a multitude of course-access points due to Harbour Town snaking all through Sea Pines (our sincere kudos to the tourney suits for historically not trying to be overzealous in this regard, though rumor has it they’re aiming to beef up ticket checking this year). Anyway, the scene is a spring bisque of familial flavor stewed together with Clemson and South Carolina frat stars (who add that little kick). The area in between #10 fairway and #16 fairway, through #17 and all the way down to #18 tee is where the party’s at. Think a homeless man’s Bird’s Nest, a la Phoenix, but a bit more refined and civil. You’ll see plenty of Sheilas (all ages) roaming the property with “mattresses strapped to their backs.” In other words, there’s something for everyone.

Last year’s Heritage played more like a major than a relaxing week on tour (peep that leaderboard above – CLASSY). The weather was relatively crazy for the majority of the event, culminating with wind gusts up over 40mph on Sunday. Chuck Hoffman built a nice lead through three rounds but ejected hard out into the Sound on Sunday. As it were, it came down to the 18th hole, which McDowell bogeyed to drop into a playoff with Simpson. GMac, though, would ultimately triumph after a single playoff hole when Webb returned the favor and bogeyed.

(all lines courtesy Ladbrokes.com, the Official Bookmaker of NoLayingUp.com)

Furyk? Donald? Henley? To be honest we’re overwhelmed with the selection this week. We’re going to go with a few more value fliers than normal and try to catch some lightning!

 – Top-10 here his last two appearances, and he’s finished top-20 in five of his last six tournaments. I dream of a Horschel/Na final pairing on Sunday. Free fireworks on the Calibogue Sound!

A true horse for course, with a T6 and T8 here the last two years. He’s finished top-10 in four of his last eight starts as well.

 – No joke, the NLU squad is placing a sizeable bet on Billy Ho in an attempt to have our trip to Hilton Head paid for. This line started at 66/1, moved to 50/1 and has since moved again, though you can still find him on many sites at 50/1. In his Masters debut last week Billy was 2nd in GIR, but was hampered by the flatstick. It seems he got that figured out on Sunday. Watch out!

 – Missed his first three cuts in this event (’02-’04) and then the light went off with a T13 in ’05. After WD’ing in ’06 he didn’t come back until a T6 in ’11. Skipped ’12 and then came back with T18 in ’13. So yeah, don’t bet him at your own risk.

 follower finished T6 here last year, and he’s quietly had a very impressive season with seven top-20’s in 11 starts. Pgatour.com has him listed 5th on their power rankings this week, and he seems primed for a breakout.

 – Fantastic track record here, with top-17 finishes each of his last four appearances, including two top-10’s.

 Hasn’t played here since 2010 but showed well in only two appearances (T11 in ’09 in his debut, T24 in ’10). Feel like he’s primed to break out again after some solid early season performances stateside and in the Middle East. Value here as he’s working hard on his game.

Top-25 finish here in his debut LY and playing some excellent golf. 3rd place finish in Tampa back in March really opened our eyes to this guy, and this course is similar. Coming off two straight MC’s but will be fresh!

– Peep his track record – it’s SOLID and he didn’t embarrass himself at the Masters last week even though he was totally out of his depth. This is more his style.

 Before you laugh, look at his track record and his trend coming in and then tell me if you’re still laughing. If Briny is ever going to bank a win, it’ll be here.

Full transparency, Hilton Head was the first place a younger co-founder of NLU ever got bombed (high school Easter trip, baby)! The potion: Orange Gatorade and Barton’s Vodka. In that spirit, we recommend plastic bottle vodka or rum bought with an Ohio Fake ID (I know all of you still have these old Fake’s, and if you don’t, have your kid or nephew buy it for you). It’s a phenomenal counter weight to the classiness of the tournament! Mix it up at about a 1:1 ratio in a Gatorade bottle and enjoy!

Not sure which year this was, but I walked into the tournament on hole #6 and literally the first shot I saw was John Daly hitting it into the shitter down the left side. He tried to cut the dogleg, missed badly, and the ball went into the bathroom. INTO the bathroom. I was left wondering whether this was the PGA Tour version of “cart golf”, and if JD was having trouble with the chili dog he had for breakfast.

Spencer Levin is in the field – he’s consistently made the cut here in the past and one would think this course would be a good starting point for him getting some momentum going. Spence established some serious consistency a couple years ago and was poised to break through. Then a freak injury cost him the first part of the 2013 season and he decided to shut it down for the remainder. The biggest question is whether he can keep his cigs lit with the strong breeze expected to be coming off the Calibogue Sound. I’ll make it a point to catch up with him this week and see how his game is shaping up.

Woody Austin’s one of my favorite guys to follow around Harbour Town. His sterling track record around these parts (

 (the French version is soooo good). His victory last year was such an underrated story and it’s fitting to see him choosing to ply his craft on the PGA Tour while eligible for the Champions Tour.

Mike Weir in the field, coming off a T44 week at the Masters – 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the third round Ball-Striking Fiesta that Billy Horschel invited Fil and I to attend (we actually just showed up uninvited). After two days of mingling with the field, we decided to follow Billy for 18 holes as we’d been intrigued by his performance in Houston a couple weeks prior. He was surgical through 16 holes, not sure he hit a “bad” shot. He lipped a putt on #16 that would’ve taken him to -6 (which is STRONG on this course) but then endured a rough finish for a 68. We were sold on him from that point forward.

This is a place where wily old vets can rekindle the magic and dial back the clock, as length is far from a prerequisite. People, Faldo’s coming down from the booth this week in honor – that’s Cheeky! Also, looking forward to seeing Tom Watson outpace a lot of the young guns.

The Euro Tour is in Malaysia this week. Westwood One, Mannassero, Oosthuizen, Molinari, ThongChaiTea all made that trip from Augusta? That’s ridiculous. Is Koepka refusing to go back to Europe? 

 is also in the field. Can he regain form? So many questions, so few answers. We need a Euro Tour correspondent!

Schwartzel is making his debut here. His game is tidy – he should play well.

Shout-out to DL3, who established carte blanche over this place, winning the plaid jacket five times! The plaid, the Atlantic setting, the lighthouse in the background – DL3 just oozes low-country vibe. This year English, Kuchar, Harman, Byrd, and Sneds are all in the field, the Sea Island mafia rolling DEEP.

Mickelson needs to come back and play here again. Feel like this is the kind of course he’ll come back to as he grows older – the shotmaking would keep him engaged.

We’ll leave you with this bit from former RBC employee Brad Katsuyama (who will be hitting the ceremonial first tee shot this week. OK, not really):


RBC Heritage Preview

The ‘Year of Bubba’ is on. His win at Augusta catapulted his YOTTO mark up to a robust 229, ending Jimmy Walker’s three-month reign atop the Index, and currently trailing only 

 as the best we’ve measured since 1991. Bubba’s game is tailor-made for Augusta, so it’s certainly not surprising he won another Green Jacket. But more than that, his emergence has been festering for a few months now as captured on our Index and through these updates:

The ‘It’ Group this year (obligatory 

) is Walker, Bubba, DJ, Reed, English, and Day. Those are your POY candidates. Should be among the Augusta favorites too (along with the usual suspects).

A month ago or so it looked like Zach Johnson, Harris English and Chris Kirk were going to be the ‘It’ guys coming out of the Reach-around/West Coast swing. And while each are definitely having ‘nice’ to ‘extremely nice’ seasons, it’s been two relative heavyweights, DJ and Bubba, that have asserted themselves on the YOTTO Index and in the Media spotlight.

So the Masters win makes Bubba the clear leader in the clubhouse for Player of the Year. Somebody (looking at you, Jimmy Walker) is going to have to nab a major along the way, and/or go ballistic the second half of the season to challenge. And one other observation–the pack is bifurcating. There’s Bubba and Jimmy Walker separated out in rarefied air (each would have top-10 all-time YOTTOs), then a clear and precipitous fall to a big pack starting at 117 and below (top-20 all-time YOTTO mark is 141, top-10 all-time is 158 fyi). This is obviously fluid and can change drastically week to week as any of these guys pick off a win, but in the meantime, 

, it’s Bubba and Jimmy, then everybody else.

YOTTO Update (Masters)

Jordan Spieth charged out of the gates with a birdie on 2, a holed bunker shot for birdie on 4, and birdies on 6 and 7, but he went cold after that. From there on out, to our horror, it was the Gerry Show. Not sure I’ve ever seen anyone hit driver better than Bubba hit his this weekend. It was an unmatched display of physical prowess, even Tiger hasn’t matched something like this off the tee. The drive on #13 was the best drive I’ve ever seen in my life, and it gave me flashbacks to ’97. But for all the great drives, Bubba won the tournament with his putter. He buried EVERYTHING down the stretch, including the souls of those that were ready for Spieth to take over the American golf world. It’s a shame that we can’t celebrate this guy more because his game embodies the 

 mentality, but such is life. His shot making could not suit this course much better (and it’s scary to think what he could have done around this course before the planting of all the trees). Also have to praise progress and give Bubba credit, I didn’t see him bitch at a single patron all day today- he was relatively cool and calm and collected all week. However, any and every source we have even somewhat close to the tour tells us with great enthusiasm that Bubba is not nearly as popular in the locker room as he is amongst the casual fans (and we know that’s not exactly a secret).

 back in December, young Spieth personally cites wedge work from 10-20 yards as the primary weakness in his game through 2013. I wouldn’t be stepping out on a limb to say it put him out in front early on Sunday and kept him within striking distance on the back nine. With the exception of #8, Spieth’s wedge play was Mickelsonesque (“FIGJAM” Lefty, even) from both the sand and the grass. He holes it on #4, stuffs it on #10, and give himself make-able putts on #’s 9, 12, 15, and obviously 17. This is another example of how quick the youngster is to get in the lab and work on his flaws.

 More on Spieth–he essentially hung in there on Sunday with his ‘B’ or ‘C’ game, in all honesty. After holing a nervy 12 footer for birdie on 7, he didn’t make another birdie the rest of the day. The shot into #6 was solid, the chip on #10 was excellent, and the putt on #12 flashed some serious cojones. I crave to see what he does when he has all aspects of his game clicking.

 Like both members of today’s final pairing, we at 

 are transparent about how we feel. And well, I’m still sick to my stomach Bubba didn’t pay the price for that 208-yard hooded punch shot from the pinestraw to the green at #15 (the green many pro’s have trouble holding with a wedge). It was a horrible decision from a risk/reward standpoint, but even after a mediocre chip, Gerry’s white-hot putter saved his par. The sequence of events for the final pairing on #15 could have yielded a two shot swing Spieth’s way more times than not. Yet Bubba got away with it, and ran off with another green jacket while we hid our eyes. As the name of this site is obviously 

, we’re contractually obligated to salute (begrudgingly) the fact he pulled it off.

 Jonas Blixt impressed all weekend. He missed fairway after fairway, yet continued to stay in the mix. I dig the green glove, and I dig his greenside verve.

 Another major, another top-10 for Lee Westwood. But at no point did he actually make noise (we joked on twitter today this result is known as the (Luke) ‘Donald’). If he doesn’t win one by the end of 2015 the window is closed.

 Really impressed by the Mechanic hanging in Sunday with a 71. Had him pegged for a 75+ coming off the tourney-best 66 on Saturday. The ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ stuff is obviously super-saturated at this point, which is a bit unfortunate as it takes away from the bossiness of his play this weekend. His two-day total of 137 was three shots clear of the next best score (Fowler and McIlroy at 140 each). Not too shabby for a guy due to make his Champions debut next week.

 Couple of heavily covert solid performances this week: Chris Kirk probably had the sneakiest top-20 in Masters history. Can’t remember seeing a single shot of his on the main coverage. Real solid result for his first trip to Augusta. Also, Henrik Stenson shot a 2-under 70 today and ended up T-14. Hopefully this can jump start his season and he regains his end-of-’13 form soon.

 Bernhard Langer’s week summed in two words: cold efficiency.

 One big winner this week was the Masters phone/tablet app. Clean, crisp, fast, functional, and often ahead of the CBS broadcast. I kinda wanted to consume it at times through a straight, narrow glass tube. It’s a shame the app is only relevant one week each year. In contrast, the week-in, week-out PGA Tour App is clunky, glitchy, and slow. The concept and info is there (except the ability to access a player’s profile), but the execution is subpar. Finchy needs to call in the cavalry. Figure out what the recipe is, incorporate ShotLink, replicate.

 Speaking of big winners, we all won for having had the pleasure to hear Feherty and Verne once again do their job. These guys are absolute gems on the broadcast, bringing knowledge, wit, and excitement year after year. Feherty is probably talented enough (and entertaining enough) to handle the whole telecast by himself. Verne on #16 is an institution. What else is there to say? The magical little cherub is full of glee and one of the highlights of every Masters week. Kudos to those two.

 On the negative side, we didn’t have a lot of nice things to say about CBS’ performance this weekend. To their credit, I’m pretty sure they showed every single one of Spieth and Gerry’s shots, but couldn’t believe that some of their most marketable stars were getting the “drop from coverage” treatment despite still being in contention. He may not have been a real threat to win it after his 3 putt for bogey on the 2nd, but Rickie Fowler competing down the stretch of a major is a big story any way you slice it. On Saturday, CBS ran a (obvious ratings grab) solid half hour segment touching on Fowler’s life, swing changes, successes and struggles. On Sunday, they proceeded as if he was playing in an invisibility cloak. For as much flak as Rickie gets on being overrated (which is unjustified), Sunday was his chance to show that he’s not just a bro in bright clothes, and CBS let him down. The same can be said for Freddie for the better part of Saturday, and for Westwood (One) on Sunday. I don’t remember seeing a single shot of his, and he finished 7th!?

 This may shock some of you, but it was great to see Mike Weir in form! Guy’s still got it a little bit! He was a nice consolation prize for Canada after the Delaet MC.

 It was an absolute pleasure to see Augusta in all it’s resplendent firm and fast splendor. It’s been a few years since it played like that and I hope we’ll see Mother Nature cooperate more in the future. Perhaps this means other changes are afoot…

Betting you will start to see the dismantling of the Hootie Johnson/Tom Fazio changes this summer…starting with the trees right of 11.



— Joe Ogilvie (@ogilviej) 

). He let us down, but we still ride with him. The missed cut was brutal, but 

he rewarded himself with Ice Cream on Friday night

. If he’s happy, we’re happy for him. And for those that may be new to the ‘betting-Sergio-at-majors’ thing, this is all totally normal. If you’re degenerates, the best thing to do is get down your US Open play on him as soon as possible.

All that aside, we were able to land 4 guys in the top 10, but never really threatened to come away with the money once Kuchar doubled 4.

Oil Spill of the Week (Brought to you by BP)

No shot tracker this week, which affects my life more than I’d care to admit. But we were all over Gerry on his Saturday back nine, as he was spewing unrefined crude like the Deepwater Horizon.

BP thinks Gerry Watson is leaking oil.



— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) 

There are gonna be Congressional hearings on the amount of oil Gerry is leaking.



— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) 

I could not stop picturing Bubba getting called to the stand in front of Congress, sitting there with his fully buttoned up golf shirt and his green jacket over it, and making Ted Scott go up there and testify on his behalf. This would have been a lot funnier if he didn’t end up winning. Damnit.

Kyle Porter shut it down on Friday. Nothing else was going to top this:

What do Craig Stadler and Derek Ernst have in common? Both playing their last Masters.



— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) 

Spieth is our boy, but he sprayed some major sauce through Amen Corner Saturday. I’m not sure what you call the first one, but you can categorize that as the “Act Way More Upset About a Decent Shot Than You Should,” followed up with “The Club Drop” and the “Wayward Drive Point.” Saucy!

This one was probably my favorite for the week. Bubba goes for the post-poor-shot wind blame, which I can’t say I’ve really seen before:

Buckle up! For the first time since the advent of this site, the four founders of 

 will be on-site for The RBC Heritage down in Hilton Head. We’ll be holding our Board of Directors meeting at the Kurama Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse and everything will proceed accordingly from there. Expect some on-site interviews, first person reportage, and hopefully the advent of our podcast game. If anyone else is going to be on site, please let us know, and look out for four bros in 

As for the tournament, Horschel is primed, GMac will be fresh, and the course will be the main attraction.

Masters Recap

In the ultimate hero vs. villain showdown, Jordan Spieth and Gerry Lester Watson, Jr. make up the final Sunday pairing for the 2014 Masters. Although some of the biggest game hunters (Phil, DJ, Keegan, Duff Daddy, and Sergio to name a few) decided to emcee the proceedings, there are a multitude of titillating storylines unfolding before our eyes, including Spieth’s dance with history.

The pre-Masters build up largely focused on Tiger and his balky back. And while nobody has written Tiger’s obit–yet–it’s more and more likely he’s never going to be the same as he was, and quite possibly, he may be done as the best player in the game a lot sooner than we had anticipated. 

that’s the case, there’s going to be a massive void to fill in the hearts and minds of consumers fans. Enter our 20 year-old knight in shining armor – Jordan Spieth.

We’ve mentioned (at an exhausting level) how ridiculous and unprecedented the Jordan Spieth story is. The guy’s 

year read like that of an OWGR top-25ish player (aka Bill Haas, Member FDIC):

 Events Played 23 25 Made Cuts 18 19 Top-10’s 9 9 Wins 1 1

Bear in mind, lest you somehow forgot, this is a guy that turned pro after one year at Texas with no status on any tour and promptly earned temporary membership by BALLING out on his initial sponsor exemptions, before securing full PGA Tour membership over the course of the 2013 season.

In fact, he became the seventh person in Tour history to go directly from amateur to PGA Tour member without the need for Q-school or reps on another pro tour. More telling, especially now on the eve of perhaps a historic Masters win, is the fact he also won Rookie of the Year in 2013, joining only Tiger as guys to both bypass Q-school and win Rookie of the Year.

The comparisons to Tiger justifiably flowed quickly and naturally this off-season, though they’ve always seemed overly wishful and optimistic. Nobody can be Tiger circa-1997 with that breathtaking move and complete dominance over the field. Yet here we stand–Spieth’s playing in the final group of Masters at the age of 20, looking to become the youngest champion in the history of the Masters. Tiger’s greatest feat was probably tricking us all into thinking how easy winning majors was. In a similar fashion, Speith has desensitized us to his strong play and being in contention most every week—as a 20 year-old! He probably doesn’t have the top gear Tiger did (we may never see it again), but he’s damn good and this is damn special. A win tomorrow would legitimize his place right alongside Tiger (arguably golf’s GOAT) through their age 20/21 seasons. That’s something I wasn’t expecting to happen for a loooong time. And the cool thing is, we get to imagine what it will be like if Spieth can keep it up.

Jordan is very capable of lapping the field tomorrow, and also capable of going Sunday-Rory-circa-2011. Either way, this is his stage, and nothing written above needs to be edited, regardless of the final result. For once, I can say with confidence that an incredibly talented American athlete is not over hyped. A win tomorrow, and the hype may actually catch up to the talent, and the résumé. I could not be rooting for him more than I am. He’s the hero we deserve, and the hero we need right now.

Despite the (at times) nauseating marketing campaign, Rickie is a huge favorite at NLU, a true ambassador for the game, and a hell of a businessman. 

We touched on his swing changes back in January

, and the change is reaping dividends much earlier than expected. Rickie gets a lot of hate, but his label as overrated isn’t his fault. He’s a very good, not great player, and his class is second to none. The PGA Tour (and Puma) markets him as a superstar, and his accomplishments pale in comparison to the rest of the guys you’ll find in the “These Guys Are Good” campaign, but that doesn’t mean he’s Camilo Villegas.

Have to think CBS was faced with some challenges this year with the broadcast. The growing popularity of the live feeds on The Masters app and website present a challenge for CBS producers, as viewers are demanding live coverage. I’m used to the networks showing canned footage (from a minute or two prior), but normally they acknowledge it as such by saying “while so-and-so was playing on 16, here was what was going on over here.” Today they made no such distinction. For instance, I’m not sure they showed any of Spieth’s shots on the pivotal 13th hole live. Increasingly I was turning to my computer for the action, not my TV.

The other challenge has to do with Tiger’s absence. For the last 15+ years, CBS has centered their Masters broadcast around one man. Whether he was leading or not, Big Cat’s position on the course dictated when producers went to commercial break, when other players were shown, etc. Tiger drove ratings and CBS gave everyone what they wanted, for better or worse. This year Tiger’s absence created a vacuum and it felt like the broadcast was somewhat rudderless today – shifting aimlessly from one contender to the next all afternoon, never taking control of the narrative. Beyond that, they ignored Fred Couples for much of the afternoon, had trouble tracking the ball on the camera work, and put forth a relatively clunky broadcast by their stellar standards (if this was NBC it would be expected).

Hans Jonas Blixt, UN Weapons Inspector, flashed some serious stones today. His short game chops were on full display for the entire back nine, starting with him nearly holing out for the par of the year. Curious to see what he wears on Sunday.

Can Kuchar’s dad hop on the bag tomorrow for old time’s sake? Please?

Setting The Scene For An Epic Masters Sunday

 of run today, but it’s so deep in NLU’s alley that I just can’t sit on the sidelines. Jeff Knox is the resident “alpha male” player not only at ANGC, but also up at Peachtree GC up in Atlanta, plays to a +2.2 handicap, and holds the member’s tees course record at Augusta with a 61 (!). When everyone started buzzing about the marker making some noise with McIlroy this morning I figured he was some young try-hard. Come to find out he’s 52? Game over, this dude’s a legend.

Check out his GHIN listing below. I’m guessing his Sunday four ball group is going to demand that he enter Saturday’s score in the system. Hell, I’m sure people are accusing him of sandbagging when you compare these scores with today’s performance on one of the toughest setups imaginable…

I'd say Jeff Knox is a fairly good golfer. 

Knox went out on Saturday, and beat two time major champion, and 9th ranked player in the world Rory McIlroy, with a 2-under par 70 to Rory’s 71. He’s labeled as a non-competing marker, but try telling him that. The guy was out here spraying tour sauce after routine birdies! I’m upset there wasn’t a Bill Macatee exclusive interview in the Augusta clubhouse. As would be expected, ANGC put him into the witness protection program and shuffled him off into the abyss after his round was over, which only adds to the mystique.

There’s a backstory surrounding Knox that cements this guy’s legend status. My favorite is easily Sergio refusing to shake his hand after Knox took him behind the woodshed in the final round of the 2006 Masters. Dude just needs to go ahead and snatch the US Mid-Amateur crown so he can play this event for real one of these years.

A simple google news search on Knox yielded stories from a wide range of sources, from the New York Times to Bloomberg to Golf Digest, all drawing on a relatively limited amount of info about the man. Here’s a sampling:

Here’s the Augusta Chronicle picking up on Knox’s trail back in 2012.

From last year, here’s a bit from The Guardian providing a bit of backstory on Knox.

had a strong take on today’s performance

Jeff Knox: No Laying Up Legend

It’s game time patrons. You’ve read The Masters previews, made your picks, and finished up the work week. It’s time to join NLU and our friends over at 

 for an ongoing Masters dialogue. Join the Live Chat, a virtual 19th hole where pretty much anything tangible and relevant goes. It’s time to get involved folks.

The Masters Interactive Blog

…And we’re off! We have a wealth of content planned for ‘patrons’ this week, and to ease us all into Thursday’s action, we produced a thorough Roundtable discussion with our friends at Gate City Sports to get the blood flowing. 

For the Full Roundtable, visit Gate City Sports

Three darkhorses (50/1 odds and beyond) who will surprise?

 The guy’s track record here is insane. Three top 7’s the past five years, including his win in 2009. He’s the definition of a horse for course.

, which doesn’t make sense to me. He has the necessary right to left ball flight, and while his run at Augusta is a mix of average and slightly above average finishes, he has the brass balls to hit big time shots in pressure packed situations. He’s not an ideal fit, but the odds don’t match for me.

at least has my attention. The guy has made the cut 8 years in a row here, and despite our best effort to pretend it didn’t happen, he won it in 2008. A tiny wager on him may dull the pain of him actually winning it.

 on the second hole two years ago was one of my favorite shots at Augusta. He’s won a major already and he wants to best his runner-up finish two years ago

 is a dark horse after 3 wins this year (Frys, Sony and AT&T), but he has the length and game for Augusta and has been a staple on the leaderboard this year.

 is a Georgia boy and feels at home at Augusta. That’s reason enough to take a gamble on a 150/1 long shot. He won on a difficult course at the Honda earlier this year, with a very strong field including McIlroy, who he beat in a playoff. Henley hasn’t gotten a ton of recognition, but he’s a bigtime up-and-coming player.

 on various sites, which I think is a strong play. He’s got two top-10’s here the last four years, and most importantly knows how to putt when it matters. I’ve gotta go 

 as well. He loves Augusta and he’s a big game hunter.

 is strong too. His back could go at any second, but he’s finished in the top-15 the last four years at The National. Augusta fits his eye, and if he’s healthy, he will be around on the weekend.

Give me guys with a penchant for attacking pins and that possess the cojones not to shy from the moment. 

Immelman? LOL. Couples? Get all over him at 8/1 to finish in the Top 10. But he obviously isn’t going to win the tournament. I agree, of course, on Cabrera. That is the best value pick of the entire field. 

For the full Roundtable, visit Gate City Sports

 and if you wish to opine, leave a note in the comments section. Stay tuned tomorrow for No Laying Up’s Master’s Live Chat!

The Masters Roundtable with Gate City Sports

I have a strong sense I’m criminally late to this party, but in case anyone else happens to be in the same unenviable situation, I’m starting a Masters Book Club group and have made the first selection: 

The Making of the Masters: Clifford Roberts, Augusta National, and Golf’s Most Prestigious Tournament

It’s a deep-dive into the history of the club, the course, the tournament, and the people responsible for making and forming each into what we know today. I won’t pretend to be a literary critic, but I will say David Owen’s writing style is very comfortable and the pages turn effortlessly and quickly. The stories and anecdotes are both interesting and entertaining, especially this time of year when the Masters bug ratchets up to full-blown 

The story begins in earnest with an examination of the unstable, rough childhood of Cliff Roberts, the unlikeliness of his meeting and association with Bobby Jones, and the origins of what would eventually become Augusta National Golf Club. The story then continues on chronologically tracing the evolution of the club and the Masters tournament through the rest of Roberts’ life. While Bobby Jones may be more synonymous with Augusta National in the minds of a lot of people (raising my hand), it’s clear that Roberts was the heart and soul of the club and tournament, fighting relentlessly, sometimes rather hopelessly in the beginning, to keep the tournament afloat and build the Masters into the triumph of sport it is today.

Last thing I’ll mention is that one of my favorite parts of the book is during the design and build of the course at the hands of Alister MacKenzie. Owen goes deep into MacKenzie’s philosophies, his influences, and the ways in which Jones and Roberts consulted with him before, during, and after the process. Having been to Mecca one time prior (for a practice round in 2012), I feel Owen’s writing has really brought the course to life, which has me equal parts geeked to watch it this week on TV and also yearning to get back there in person and walk the grounds, knowing so much more about the place than I did before.

So if you’re looking for a Masters fix, I highly recommend scooping up this book. Would be a great read at night during tournament week. And if there are other books I have managed to miss (I know there will be quite a few), please share them in the comments!

Masters Book Club

You’re going to find everything you need to know about Augusta in lots of other places. It’s the most written about, talked about course in all of golf, at least in the United States. We humbly recommend, though, checking out 

Adam Sarson’s terrific breakdown of the track on a hole by hole basis

. If you want to discuss how to make a perfect-10 into an 11, check out 

Part II of our Masters preview, where we talked about how we would improve the course

, we broke down prevailing shot-shapes required for this layout (as well as a whole bunch of now irrelevant Tiger analysis–yay!). All that said, we’ll move on to other parts and try to paint the picture of the place as best we can.

What I’d like to highlight here is often overlooked about The Masters. First, not enough people realize how centrally located Augusta is within Eastbumblefucknowhere. It borders South Carolina to the east and north, the Savannah River Site (Nuclear YOTTO) to the immediate north, Georgia’s lake country to the west, and absolute nothingness to the south. This isolated location is culturally instructive. Augusta is one of the most racially diverse places I’ve ever been, and also one of the most racist places I’ve ever been. And yet, in the dozen or so times I’ve been to Augusta, every time for either high school golf tournaments or the Masters, I’ve never actually 

 to Augusta proper. Not once have I even come close to downtown Augusta. In my mind it doesn’t even exist.

Augusta National is an oasis of conservative ideals, Southern charm and manners, and unfettered hoity-toityness smack dab in the heart of a plebeian epicenter. I’m amazed that this doesn’t get talked about more. Washington Road is equal parts rough and tumble strip mall, fast-food joints, and check-cashing shops. In short, it’s the new, somewhat dystopian America. Washington Road 

 Augusta, Augusta National is not. And yet, just off these wholly populist confines sits Augusta National Golf Club – one of the last bastions of old-school civility, even older-school money, and fraternal ideals. A place that shat on Bill Gates (at the time the richest man in the world) for having the gall to publicly entreaty his desire to become a member. Put simply, the right turn from Washington Road onto Berckmans Road is the very definition of 

I’ve experienced Augusta National five times, three of which were actual tournament rounds. Each and every time, the day began around 5:00AM in Atlanta (not gonna pay $500/night to stay at a Days Inn). The drive along I-20 east is wholly unremarkable, painful even, as you drive through vast stretches of pine forest transfixed by the day that looms ahead. The relative quaintness of the exit onto Washington Road suggests that The Masters is something different, not some big-box golf tournament. Once off the exit, you head a couple blocks east, hang a right, and you’re in the (massive & free) parking lot (or whatever they call it – patron’s vehicle storage?).

The biggest change over the last few years has been the stroll from the lots to the gates. You used to park in someone’s yard, walk in through nondescript fencing, and that was that. Now, those same yards are AGNC-controlled lots (minus the houses) and feed into a corporate-ish environment not unlike that of the entrance to the Kentucky Derby. The new entrance screams “big event”, which strips just a little bit of that allure away. But that allure comes rushing back as soon as you set your eyes on the course. That moment when you realize it actually exists, it’s actually a real place, is beyond special.

Once inside the gates, the vibe is pretty much set to perma-jolliness (think Matt Kuchar) all week. The beauty and greenery of the grounds is awe-inspiring, the history permeates every nook and cranny of the premises, and the beer is remarkably fairly priced. People are exceptionally happy and decidedly content to be where they are, walking the grounds, and taking in the action. One thing Augusta has always gotten 100% right is the experience of its customers. You never once feel exploited, taken for granted, or marginalized as can all too often be the case at a lot of sports venues. In this way, it’s the very best of Southern hospitality on full display.

A truly historic event. Adam Scott nailing a 20-footer on #18 to seemingly win it (and Steve Williams somehow connected on a high five!).

Angel then stuffed a 7-iron to five feet to force a playoff. I get a rush of adrenaline even now as he stalks it up the fairway!

Then Scotty (we seriously need a nickname for him, c’mon people) provided the final act of the drama by draining a 15-footer to win his first major (and separate every female watching from their clothes).

 – He’s been as low as 40/1 this year for those who got in early (I file Sergio plays in early February, just like my 1040-EZ). He hasn’t missed the cut here since 2008 (made the cut even while he was in the wilderness in 2010-2011) and shot 66-76-73-70 last year. It’s time. His putting is the best it’s ever been. His ball-striking is all-world. His psychology is halfway balanced. He’s our pick, without reservations.

– NLU is a house divided on Kuch. Soly and Neil love him. Whereas Tron and Fil get queasy at the sight of his swing and think he’s softer on Sunday than Bubba’s physio regime. Bottom line is the guy’s got a track record here, banks top-tens, and is definitely in form. Beyond that, a green jacket would justify his dad’s hilarious performance back in ’98 and bring him into the fold forever more. NLU’s 

 – The last four years: 2nd, T11, T3, T8. My heart melts for ballstrikers. Is his chipping good enough? We shall see.

 – Felt like Rory was value at 7/1. His final round performance from 2011 haunts him. Question is whether his putting is good enough. From an observational perspective, that part of his game hasn’t stood out in his few appearances of ’14. His high, right to left ball flight is an absolute dream for Augusta.

 – He’s in the same boat as Kuch and Rory, in that our last memory of him going into the Masters is a collapse down the stretch when he should have pulled away for the win (at Bay Hill). If he would have finished with a 65 to finish top 5 at Bay Hill, we’d be all over him like we are Rory for his 65 on Sunday in Houston. The fact is, he’s in good form coming in, he loves the track, and oh yeah, he won here.

 – I feel like I cut a coupon to get this value. Best big-game putter in the game, works the ball right to left.

 – Yes, he’s a rookie here. But Harris English isn’t a rookie in any sense of the word He lives two hours away in Sea Island, no doubt building upon the reps he got on this track while at UGA. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say he’ll have played Augusta at least a dozen times before Thursday rolls around. The tournament is a different animal, but he’s played the shots and then gone home and dreamed about hitting those same shots during the first week of April. That ain’t a rookie. Beyond that, English has imposed his will on the tour this year and is 3/3 in cuts made in majors. He’s the future of American golf (no disrespect to Jordan Spieth).

 – I should not let a practice round affect a betting decision, but the dude had nine birdies and an eagle in his practice round on Tuesday. The Tuesday practice rounds when Lefty is involved are nothing to scoff at. He finished solo 6th in Houston last week, and has some value at 66/1.

 – Billy’s made a SHITLOAD of money in his career, to the point where it’s almost disrespectful not to note his designation as “Member, FDIC” status after saying his name. However, something’s missing: he’s never shown up in the majors. This is surprising, as he’s won on classic courses like Congressional, East Lake, Greenbrier, and Riviera (while also raping and pillaging the new-age tracks of Palm Springs and Mississippi). It’s nothing more than a hunch, but something tells me that Billy’s hungry to get started on an actual legacy and has Augusta circled on the schedule. He’s 4/4 as far as cuts go but has never once broken 70 here. I have a hunch he shoots in the 60’s on Thursday or Friday this year. The rest is up to him.

 – The Big slEazy is in like year nine of his five-year plan. He’s the best guy of his generation never to win a green jacket (results from ’00 to ’04: 2, T6, T5, T6, 2) and finished T13 LY. I’m betting Ernie has one more major rip in him. 125/1 is palatable.

– Can’t help it. Billy Ho’s game is a mix between ZJ’s draw and Schwartzel’s gunslinger mentality. He’s crazy enough to win this thing on his first go-around (and has played it before as an SEC golfer). Billy’s “World’s Fair of Ballstriking” that he put on at Merion solidified him as a future big game hunter prospect. He may not be there yet, but I can’t help myself. I yearn for him to be in the mix on Saturday, pissing intensity all over Amen Corner.

So many possibilities here. The first inclination is a nice whiskey, but you’re going to be watching so much golf that we can’t suggest getting hammered. We only require this: On Saturday and Sunday, you must be at your television for the exact moment that Jim Nantz comes on and sets the scene. Your household must have complete silence. If that requires putting the two year old down for a nap early, or sending your family to the store for pimento cheese, then you have to be prepared to make that game time call. When Nantz finishes his lead in and drops the obligatory “Hello, friends”, you cheers everyone in your house, text your buddies, tweet it at us, and recognize that you just committed yourself to that couch until Nantz excuses you.

Favorite Masters story ever, told at a Christmas party a few years ago by a family friend who’s spent a good bit of time at AGNC: I’m standing next to the range with a member on Thursday morning during the tournament (he didn’t say the year, but it was early 2000’s). The old range at Augusta was 

. Tiger is BLASTING drivers over the net onto Washington Rd. The member politely asks Tiger to refrain from doing so. Tiger nods but keeps the driver in hand and hits another couple over the net. The member then walks back up to Tiger and says “Mr. Woods, if you don’t refrain from clearing the net, on behalf of the membership, I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises.” Tiger hits a few wedges and Stevie packs his shit up. My buddy (the member) walks back over to me and I asked him what the hell he was going to do if Tiger wanted to hit a couple more drivers. Without an ounce of irony, he replied, “I was going to have him escorted off the premises.”

, no definitive word on whether DJ actually made an appearance at The Natsters. The golf channel said he went home for treatment, so we’ll have to take their word for it.

Billionaire Duffer Would Love to Belong to Storied Golf Club

 – What a headline. Great Bill Gates/Augusta story.

Golf would be so much better off if Lee Trevino would’ve won a green jacket. Turns out, the guy never finished better than T10. It probably has to do with the fact that he hit almost exclusively a fade, and was never a real long hitter, but this seems like a fraternity he should belong to.

One of my absolute favorite things about this event is the Japanese tourists. Watching them head into the merchandise tents in search of bounty is a sight to behold. Would be interesting to know how much it costs to ship a 200 lb. plastic bag of golf apparel halfway around the world when you’re a captive audience.

The lack of distinction on what kind of beer your drinking at the tourney has always floated my boat. It’s either “domestic” or “import” – take it or leave it. What if all this time the Membership’s been serving PBR or Red Dog and nobody noticed?

Our man, “The Big Unit,” didn’t end up nabbing that coveted Masters invite. However, he kinda lost his game since we last visited with him during the BCS (Best Coast Swing). Aphibarnrat has nothing to be ashamed of – he balled out really hard for a solid five months and will likely find form again just in time for the PGA Championship. Keep working toward that Masters appearance, brah.

I’m split on the evolution of the event the last few years. On the one hand, the lottery is sweet and really brings a much-needed dimension to the event, but at the same time it brings in some total clowns. I’ll put it this way – it’s the one event where I won’t yell “Filet Mignon!” after a tee shot. On the other hand, there’s just too many badges these days. Talk to anyone who’s been around the event since before 2000 and they’ll lament the same thing. When Augusta gave the members a shitload of cash a few years ago and told them go out and buy up every badge that they could find on the open market, then sent those badgeholders a letter stating that they no longer had badges, well, that was sweet.

Angel Cabrera gave us one of our favorite quotes of all time last year (paraphrasing): “I didn’t lay up when I was poor. Why would I lay up now that I’m rich?” El Pat0!

There are six amateurs in the field this week. Five are 24 or younger. Then there’s 51 year-old Mike McCoy from Des Moines, Iowa. He’s in thanks to winning the US Mid-Am Championship. 

, he’s an insurance executive, an 11-time Iowa amateur player of the year, and 5-time Iowa Amateur champ. He’s always dreamed about the opportunity to play the Masters (like all of us), and thanks to the very cool tradition of the tourney reserving spots for amateurs, he now will get a chance to live out this dream. Here’s hoping he makes it to the weekend!

A word about last week: I find it just a bit ironic that a guy named “Matt Jones” won the Houston Open….. Back then they didn’t want him, now he’s hot, Augusta’s all on him.

Masters Preview Part III: The Preview!

In doing research for the Masters, we came across twenty random musings on more recent results. Essentially a cornucopia of names and facts we either tried to bury deep within our psyche or just completely forgot about. We’ve certainly omitted some choice tidbits, so please throw them in the comments below if you’re so inclined. (Photo above courtesy of Augusta.com)

 Arnold Palmer won his last major title at the age of 34 at the 1964 Masters. I would have thought Arnie was winning majors deep into his 30’s and even into his 40’s.

 Arnold won the 1958, 1960, 1962, and 1964 Masters. Phil Mickelson won the 2004, 2006, and 2010 Masters. Both are known as the second best players of their generation, both extremely popular among fans, very successful endorsement careers, and both are one event short of the career grand slam.

 Guest fees at Augusta are said to be about $40. I’m not kidding when I say I think I would pay $5,000.

 Course distance in 1990: 6,905 yards. 1980: 7,040 yards. Chew on that.

 In the first Masters, the ordering of the two nines was reversed. The nines were shortly thereafter flipped as the (current) front-9 sits on a much higher area of land, which drains faster in the mornings, and the dew evaporates earlier, which allowed for earlier tee times.

 In 1998, Mark O’Meara birdied the last two holes to edge David Duval and Fred Couples by a stoke. Duval menaced his way to a closing 66, including a bogey at the 16th. He was in the clubhouse at -8, only to see O’Meara crack his hater-blockers with the closing birds. Couples was tied for the lead when he teed off on 17. How sick would a Duval-Couples-O’Meara 3-man playoff had been?

 Dennis Paulson led the 2000 Masters after round 1. He later won the Buick Classic that year, and was also a part of the epic 6-man playoff at Riviera in 2001 that Robert Allenby eventually won. He now hosts a great show on the Sirius/XM PGA Tour Network with his brother (from another mother), Carl. (“Inside the Ropes”).

 The 2001 Masters is one of the most underrated Masters of all time. All of them at or near their prime, Tiger, Duval, and Mickelson went shot for shot on the back-9 at the Masters, only to have Tiger prevail to win the Tiger Slam. Duval again was undone by a bogey at the 16th hole. This was Duval’s fourth straight top-6 finish at the Masters. 

He never played another weekend at Augusta

 Chris DiMarco’s 2001-2005 Masters run was ridiculous. He finished T10-T12-WD-T6-2. When you dig deeper, it’s amazing he never won one of these. In 2001, he led after Thursday and Friday. In 2004, he was tied with Phil going into the final round. In 2005, he led after Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (3rd round had not finished). 

 Angel Cabrera beat Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in a playoff in 2009. Shingo Katayama finished solo 4th. Shingo Katayama! And that was only 5 years ago! You guessed it: 

 Tommy Tolles finished solo 3rd at the 1997 Masters. 

 In 2005, Tiger and DiMarco finished 72 holes tied at -12, which was 

 shots clear of the rest of the field. Luke Donald and Retief Goosen’s T3 should have an asterisk.

 Trevor Immelman won wire-to-wire in 2008. I drank wire-to-wire.

 Steve Flesch had a sneaky T5-T6 in 2008-2009. He now works for the Golf Channel. And owns the Triple Crown CC member-guest each summer.

 In 2010, 50 year-old Fred Couples shot 66 and 60 year-old Tom Watson shot 67 in the opening round, which placed them first and second. Anthony Kim (RIP) finished 3rd that year.

 As far as NLU is concerned, the 2003 Masters does not exist (sorry, Bailey), and the 2007 edition is really hazy.

Writing

RBC Heritage Preview

YOTTO Update (Masters)

Masters Recap

Setting The Scene For An Epic Masters Sunday

Jeff Knox: No Laying Up Legend

The Masters Interactive Blog

The Masters Roundtable with Gate City Sports

Masters Book Club

Masters Preview Part III: The Preview!

Masters Grab Bag

Georgia Natives at The National; (via Gate City Sports)

Dustin Johnson's WMD

Whose Career Would You Have Going Forward?

Shell Houston Open Preview & Live Thread

YOTTO Update (Big Oil Texas Open)

Masters Preview Part II: Improving Augusta National

Valero Texas Open Recap

Masters Preview, Part 1: The Tiger Factor