Pros prep for Masters by skipping balls on the 16th

The 19th Hole

One of the most unique pre-tournament traditions at the Masters sees players try and skip their balls across the pond in front of the 16th green during their practice rounds.

Players hit their regular tee shots on the par-3 hole, then as they make their way off the tee box and walk towards the green, they’ll stop by the pond and drop a second ball.

With the crowd calling for them to “skip it”, the players oblige, trying their best to hit their balls so it skips across the water and onto the green.

Usually it takes about five or six hops across the surface of the water before making it onto the putting surface. Sometimes the ball doesn’t make it all the way across, sometimes it goes over the green, and sometimes – though very seldom – it goes right into the hole.

The last person to get the ball into the hole was Martin Kaymer in 2012:

And on Monday, U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Kevin O’Connell very nearly pulled it off too:

It’s all fun and games now, but just wait till Thursday.

The 19th Hole The Masters

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