Skipping the pond on No. 16 is a tradition at the Masters during practice rounds, and this year Jordan Spieth absolutely drilled it.
Jordan Spieth skipping a ball across the pond at the Masters is art
The Masters’ best practice tradition is back!
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
It’s unclear who was the first to try and skip the pond, but since the 1980s it’s become part of the lead-up to the event to have golfers drive into the water, rather than over it on the 16th hole — much to the crowd’s delight.
Nobody managed to sink the shot this year, but José María Olazábal got everyone in the gallery pumped when he came so close during Monday afternoon’s practice round.
It’s one of those things that makes the Masters so magical. It’s the interplay of tradition, setting and fun that sets Augusta apart.
Playing skip-it on No. 16 is a crowd pleaser, and Spieth might have won the day. Sure, he didn’t come closest to the pin — but his shot was near-perfection.
