AWhen Bernhard Langer arrived in Augusta (USA), his green jacket was already hanging in his personal locker in the changing room. He parked his car in a parking space specially reserved for him. All these are the privileges of a winner at the most important golf tournament in the world – the Masters. This year’s edition starts on Thursday. For Langer, now 65 years old, it will be the 40th participation in the 42nd year. Only in 1983 and 2011 was the Anhausener not at the start.
This time also marks the 30th anniversary of his second Masters win. In 1993 he won after 1985 and was allowed to put on the green jacket. All winners receive this and are thus honorary members of the Augusta National Golf Club for life. Main benefit: Langer is qualified for life for the first major of the year. This is elementary because although he is still one of the best on the Champions Tour for golfers over 50, this would not be enough to be allowed to tee off at the Masters.
Just arrived: Bernhard Langer (in his green sack) a few days ago at the Augusta National Golf Club
Those: pa/newscom/JOHN ANGELILLO
A total of 90 players are at the start this time, including superstar Tiger Woods (47), who is still ailing after his car accident two years ago. He’s taking part in a tournament for the first time since mid-February. The defending champion is the American Scottie Scheffler (26), who is also being traded as a favorite.
The controversy of the tournament: For the first time, 18 professionals competing on the Saudi-sponsored new LIV Tour meet the players of the PGA Tour. They see the rivals as renegades chasing Middle Eastern money. The PGA Tour threw out all LIV participants. Langer has been cautious so far, saying only that he doesn’t think the division in the golfing world is good for the sport. So it will be exciting to see how the two camps will deal with each other at the most sacred place in golf.
Langer always looks forward to returning home to the place of his greatest successes. “Augusta is always something special for me, even though I’ve been playing there for over 40 years,” says Langer, who started there for the first time in 1982. “There are many reasons for this: First, I won it twice. On the other hand, it is the only major tournament that always takes place on the same golf course. All other majors are rotating their venues.”
585 additional Masters meters make Langer to create
But the course in Augusta has undergone an evolution over the years. Since modern golf clubs allow more and more drives, the course has to grow with it. Therefore, there is currently a discussion about how to slow down the longer shots. The top federations are looking into introducing a ball that doesn’t fly as far. It should then be ten to 15 meters less. A reaction to the fact that drives have increased in length by an average of almost 30 meters over the past 25 years. After a test phase, the new rules would be introduced in 2026. There would then be two types of balls: slow balls for the pros and normal balls for the hobby player. Many golfers don’t like the lack of comparability.
At the Masters, people have reacted differently over the years. When Langer won in 1985 and 1993, the total length of the golf course was 6314 meters. After Woods pushed the limits of what was possible in golf with his power at the end of the 1990s, the course was adapted step by step. In 2002 the total length increased to 6648 meters, four years later to 6808 meters. In the current edition, after an extension of the 13th hole from 466 to 498 meters, the total is even 6899 meters. “It’s not normal for me to play a golf course that has these lengths,” says Langer. On the Champions Tour, the average length of the pitches is around 6,500 meters.
Langer feels these 585 additional Masters meters compared to before with every tee shot. “Of course it’s very, very difficult – and it’s getting harder every year, because I’m getting a little shorter in my shots and the boys are all getting longer,” says Langer. “There is hardly anyone on the tour who does not hit over 280 meters from the tee. I’m at 250 meters. That’s 30, sometimes up to 45 meters on every tee. For example, they hit a 7-iron and I hit a 4-iron into the par-4 green, a big disadvantage on the hard greens in Augusta.”
“Everything is more difficult,” says Bernhard Langer
Converted into strokes, this means: “The others reach the greens of the par 5 holes in two strokes,” explains Langer. “I can’t reach her anymore. As a result, I lose an average of two or three strokes a day there as well.” So he has to show off his cleverness and experience. “Young competitors aren’t stupid and can play great golf – putting, chipping and bunker shots,” says the man from Anhausen. “So this golf course is a huge challenge for me.”
It’s been a long time: Bernhard Langer played at the German Championships in Mönsheim after his Masters victory in 1985
Source: pa/dpa/Harry Melchert
That starts with the types of racquets he can use. “Even when we hit a par 3 from the same place, there is often more than one club. Difference: I take an iron 5, the others an iron 7 or -8,” explains Langer. The higher the number, the shorter the club and the more control the golfer has on the swing. Langer needs to use longer racquets to go as far as the younger competition.
“On a par 4, I often have to hit a 2 or 3 iron into the green, and the competition is using a 7, 8, or 9 iron,” Langer continues. “It’s much harder for me to stop the ball with a longer iron because it has less backspin. And I’m not that precise either because I’m a lot further away from the green and have to factor in more wind. Everything is more difficult.”
Big moment: On April 14, 1985, Langer became the first German and fourth foreigner to win the Masters. A green jacket is symbolically pulled over him
Those: pa/dpa/epa
Even the grass is against Langer – in the truest sense of the word: “The fairways are also mowed against us. The mowers drive from the green towards the tee. So the grass stands against the ball and slows it down. As a result, the ball doesn’t roll as far as on other courses.” So it helps less than usual when Langer hits the fairway precisely. The ball still comes to a stop faster, which again costs distance.
Don’t think about the birdie, think about saving the par
Another challenge are the approach shots to the flag. “I find it difficult to keep the ball on the green,” says Langer. “And the others attack the flag. That’s the big difference.” At the Masters, his strategies are completely different today than they were 30 years ago. “I mostly attacked the flag there,” says Langer. “Now I have to think: The ball probably won’t stay put because I’m hitting a 2 or -3 iron and getting less backspin. So what do I do?
Depending on the position of the flag, it also happens that it is best to intentionally play the ball into the bunker. “At least it stays safe there,” says Langer. “Or also behind or in front of the green where the grass is longer. Then it’s easier to pitch than if I attack the pin and the ball rolls into a position from which I have no chance at all.”
All in all, his tactics are based on security: “How can I chip and putt to even save the par?” Langer explains his way of thinking. “There are many holes where I unfortunately have to have this thought, because there is no other way for me. I’m not thinking about the birdie, I’m thinking about saving the par. Then there are a few holes for me where I can hopefully be aggressive as well. But unfortunately only for a few.”
Langer’s top performances in old age are no coincidence
In the past ten participations, Langer has made the cut six times after two rounds. In 2014 he even finished eighth. In 2020, he was sensationally three under par at half-time and, at the age of 63, became the oldest player of all time to make the cut. He overtook the South African Gary Player (87), who had achieved the feat in 1998 at the age of 62. “Gary was my golf idol,” says Langer. “He’s been working on his fitness and flexibility all his life. That paid off.”
A daily fitness routine is also part of this for Langer. Whenever he goes golfing, he does a roughly one-hour gymnastics and stretching program beforehand. At the end of the day, another 20 to 30 minutes follow. In this way, the 65-year-old is able to continue to perform at his best despite minor aches and pains in his knees, left shoulder and neck. In February, at the Chubb Classic in Naples (USA), his 45th tournament success equaled the victory record held by Hale Irwin (77) on the Champions Tour.
Langer doesn’t even like to think about winning at the Masters, even if there is a good omen. 30 years ago he won on Easter Sunday. This is exactly where the last round falls this time. “Back then, this victory at Easter was a very special day that I will never forget. I am a Christian and on this day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
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