Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of a story we published in 2023.
As you may know, Fred Couples has played on the PGA Tour Champions since 2010, but because he won the 1992 Masters, he has a lifetime invitation to the annual golf major at Augusta National Golf Club.
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If you’ve been watching Couples’ run at Augusta the past few years, you may have noticed something that differentiates him from the rest of the field: He uses a golf ball that’s yellow, not white as other players do.
The reason for this is simple: It helps him spot the ball better. He’s not the only golfer that has opted to make the switch to easier balls to track, but that doesn’t mean it’s a popular choice with everyone on the tour.
Back in 2022 Tiger Woods told Golf.com that other golfers — himself included — often rib Couples for the choice. Woods said that he always thought yellow balls were for “hacks,” though he acknowledged that he would use one if he thought it would help his score.
Here’s what he said:
“We give [Fred] grief all the time about using the yellow ball,” Woods said. “But he absolutely loves it because he can’t see anymore. You should see the font on his phone; it’s like one letter per screen.”
The yellow cover apparently provides no advantage (or disadvantage) beyond the increased visibility, but obviously, even a former Masters winner like Couples isn’t immune from some mocking about it.
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This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why Fred Couples uses yellow ball at the Masters, explained
