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Mankind has spent untold hours thinking about a cure for the putting yips. You may finally be looking at the answer: a 15-inch hole. Unveiled at TaylorMade’s nine-hole event in Greensboro, Ga., the hole is an initiative from Hack Golf to increase participation rates among amateurs. The thinking is simple: A larger cup equals lower scores, faster rounds and the occasional holed 50-footer. “It’s a great idea to get youngsters into the game and keep them interested,” says Sergio Garcia, who, along with Justin Rose, played the tournament on some freshly installed 15-inch cups at Reynolds Plantation. The larger hole is a revelation on so many levels. After all, if a target the size of a large pizza can’t fix your shaky stroke, it might be time to try another sport. —SCOTT T. MILLER Photographs by POUYA DIANAT
78
Garcia’s one-putt percentage during the event. That’s nearly double his 2014 average.
176.7
Area, in square inches, of the 15-inch hole, 12½ times larger than that of the 4¼-inch target golf currently uses.
100
Number of golf courses that will receive 15-inch-cup kits in the next month.
16
ESPN The Magazine 05/12/2014
Justin Rose (near right), with Sergio Garcia