You know, it's fitting that ESPN.com and Masters.org have decided to unveil a special, one-tournament edition ofBest Ball for the Masters, because the first major of the year is a big deal in real golf, to say nothing about fantasy golf.
If you're a weekly Best Ball player, then you already know the basics of the game. However, if you're more like one of the European PGA stars who participate in the big events on this side of the pond, making the Masters your first and only experience with Best Ball, then you have a tiny bit of catching up to do.
You can peruse the Best Ball Strategy Guide if you wish, but the basics are that you are assembling a four-man team for 50 million fantasy bucks or less, and as they play each round of the tournament, you get the lowest score of any of your golfers on each hole each day. So if three of your golfers make double-bogey on Augusta National's famed 12th -- a real possibility -- but your last player makes a hole-in-one, you get credit for the ace.
So now you understand the way regular Best Ball works. But this game is as special as the Masters itself. Because we want you to watch all four rounds, rooting hard for your players to pick up birdies and eagles on every hole, they've changed things up. Unlike regular Best Ball, where you are locked into the same four players for all four rounds, this special edition allows you to change any of your players after each round as long as your total salary stays below the $50 million line.
That's huge!
It means that whether you're playing in a public group with a bunch of strangers, or taking on the closest members of your family, office, dorm or monastery, you're never out of it.
This one fact means you need to alter your strategy to maximize your team's performance, because unless you happen to predict the top four finishers on Wednesday night, you aren't going to win without making some in-tournament adjustments.
Here are the tips for putting together a week like no other.
Yes, You Want Tiger Woods
As of writing this column, Tiger Woods has played in four tournaments in 2008 and won three of them. Of all the majors, Tiger has been most dominant at the Masters. Even if you can't add up your scorecard, you can do that math. Of course, rostering Tiger means you'll need at least one inexpensive option, which means you should ...
Pay Attention to the Weather
Augusta National, at 7445 yards, playing to a par of 72, is a long course, but it's also a complicated course which changes with the elements. If there is rain, you should use at least one spot -- preferably a cheap spot -- on someone who hits the ball a mile. Short hitters need the roll they get on Augusta Nationals' fairways to get close enough to hit into those fast greens with mid-to-short irons. When the course is wet, weaker players will watch their drives hit and stop, forcing them to take an extra club or two, while the big hitters can blast away, knowing their drives will hold the fairways, leaving them with a wedge into receptive greens. Conversely, if the conditions are dry and fast, as they were a year ago when Zach Johnson emerged from the pack to win, you can take more accurate shot-makers and lay off the long hitters. After all, if the fairways are rolling like greens and the greens are rolling like they're made of marble, the course favors guys who can put it in a safe place with every club in their bag.
Man, I need a fun mnemonic. How about, "If the rain gear's on, go for brawn. If the course is dry, give pea shooters a try."
Let's move on.
Build your Roster Around Salary Slots
Because you can swap out players after each round, you'll want to look around and make sure there are other players you want who are about the same price as the players you roster because if your player withdraws or misses the cut, you want to have plenty of strong options without tearing apart your entire team. Granted, if you have Tiger and he looks awful, swapping him out will likely give you money to burn in your other slots. But then again, if that happens, you'll have more to worry about than tweaking your roster since Woods playing poorly is officially a sign of the apocalypse. Back to the point, you want to think of your foursome as four slots. If your first slot in occupied by Phil Mickelson, you'll know that Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh have the game and salaries to fill in if Lefty falters. Look at all your players in that light, especially when it comes to your least expensive player. Even though the Masters, more than any other major, is built to be won by truly elite players, there are always a few less-heralded players who open some eyes, so even if you don't pick the right bargain-basement player, you can switch him out for the Cinderella story as soon as he emerges, wearing glass cleats.
Leave Some Room
In the season-long version of Best Ball, there's no downside to spending all of your fantasy bucks since you can't switch your players during the event. But in this version, having an extra million tucked away after creating your initial fantasy foursome isn't a bad idea. When you see which players are feeling the flow and which ones are booking early flights home, you'll be glad that you have some wiggle room.
On Sunday, Tiger's Partner is Your Enemy
I don't know if it's the red shirt or the resume or the crowds, but classically, Tiger Woods plays really well on Sunday when he is anywhere near the lead, and his playing partner does not. A year ago, there was a stat kicking around that touted Tiger as averaging about three fewer strokes than the player sharing his tee time when Sunday rolled around. Considering how rarely he has lost since then, I can't imagine that number has gone down. So all other things being equal, feel free to swap out of any player who tees off with Eldrick on Sunday, as long as you can find a suitable replacement.
There you have it. A few tips you can use if you're an ESPN Best Ball veteran, or a first-timer who is ready to pull of a major upset. So sign up, get your foursome set, and then use it as an excuse to sit back and watch every single hole at Augusta National. Even if you don't finish first in your group, you'll win with that strategy.
Shawn Peters is a fantasy golf, baseball and football analyst for ESPN.com.