Zach Johnson Laid Up and Won the Masters: Play Your Plan

Augusta National's par 5s are where the big hitters are supposed to win the Masters. In 2007, Zach Johnson didn't go for a single one of them in two shots. He laid up every time, and he won the green jacket.

The moment

The 2007 Masters was cold and windy on the weekend, and scores climbed. Johnson, a 2006 Ryder Cup player from Iowa who wasn't known for length, came in with a plan built around what he did well. On the par 5s he would lay back to a comfortable number, hit a wedge close, and give himself a birdie putt.

"I did not go for any (par-5) green in two this week," he said afterward. "I had a good game plan on how to approach every pin."

The plan paid off on Sunday at the 13th, a par 5 guarded by Rae's Creek. Instead of going for the green, he laid up, hit his wedge to about 8 feet, and made the putt to take the outright lead for the first time. He added birdies at 14 and 16, saved par at 18, and shot 69. He won by two over Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini, and he made 11 birdies on the par 5s for the week.

He also kept his eyes off the scoreboard. "I didn't look at the board," he said. "I did what I was doing, staying in the present."

Nineteen years later, he's still at it. On Sunday he shot 64 and finished second at the Simmons Bank Championship in Little Rock.

Your first-nine lesson: lay up to a number you like

Beginners often feel they're supposed to hit the longest club they own on every long hole. You're not. The hole doesn't care how you get there.

Find your favorite distance. Learn how far your 52° and 56° wedges go with an easy swing. Our wedge distance guide shows you how.
Work backward. On a long hole, ask: "What shot leaves me my favorite wedge?" Then hit that, even if it's short.
Pick your own par. Five or six on a long hole is a fine score for your first nine. Our par guide explains why par is just a reference.
Stay in the present. Don't add up the round. Play the shot in front of you, then the next one.

A plan you trust beats a hero shot you hope for.

Zach Johnson Laid Up and Won the Masters: Play Your Plan

The moment

Your first-nine lesson: lay up to a number you like

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