Fearsome Foursome: The Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- I could spend the first few paragraphs of this column discussing the omnipresent green hue that provides the framework for Augusta National's mystique. I could write about the Masters Tournament being -- all together now! -- "a tradition unlike any other" in golf.

But you don't want to read it. Not here, at least. Nope, if you clicked on this link, then you are searching specifically for advice for ESPN.com's Masters Best Ball Challenge game -- and if I can aid you in winning the annual office pool or a few Vegas wagers (for entertainment purposes only, of course), all the better, right?

So let's get right to it.

Here is my most important tip for making player selections for the Masters: Patience is a virtue. You get no extra points for locking in your roster first thing Monday morning, so wait to see what the weather looks like, as it always is a major factor at Augusta.

If conditions are optimal -- say 75 degrees and sunny -- expect the cream to rise to the top. In that situation, I can see a couple of heavyweights like four-time champ Tiger Woods and two-time winner Phil Mickelson duking it out Sunday, with erstwhile contenders Retief Goosen, K.J. Choi, Padraig Harrington and possibly Ernie Els also staking out spots on the leaderboard. In this scenario, spend wisely; you'll be cursing the game's salary cap by week's end.

If Mother Nature brings cool, windy conditions -- as she did last year -- it will be anybody's ballgame. Such weather tends to level the playing field and bring some of the more accurate hitters into the mix. Among those who fit the bill? Justin Rose, Jim Furyk, Tim Clark and, yes, even defending champ Zach Johnson -- each of whom will fare better when the winning score is close to par.

If it rains, the course will play long and soft, meaning those who hit the ball far and high will benefit. That's right, while distance is always an advantage on courses where there isn't much roll, the ability to hit high shots often is overlooked but is no less important. A player who can pull off these approaches will be able to go pin-seeking much more easily than one who employs a lower ball flight. I'm looking at Geoff Ogilvy, Lee Westwood, Angel Cabrera and Paul Casey as players who will benefit from rain and won't break the bank.

With that in mind, the early forecast calls for wet conditions throughout the week. The course already is playing longer than its 7,445 yards and will continue to feel even longer with every inch of precipitation. As such, I took the aforementioned foursome of hit-'em-far, hit-'em-high guys -- Ogilvy, Westwood, Cabrera and Casey -- as my original starting roster for the opening round. But if conditions change, I reserve the right to change my starting lineup, too.

Which leads to the best part of the Masters Best Ball Challenge: You won't have to play weatherman in addition to playing soothsayer. Unlike in our regular Best Ball game, team owners can substitute different players each day, as long as they fit within the $50 million salary cap. If it rains Thursday and Friday, stick with the guys who can pound it far. If the clouds lift and the sun shines, go with the chalk. And if it turns windy and the 2008 Masters becomes very much like the 2007 version, start checking out the driving accuracy and green-in-regulation stats for those who have the best chance of playing mistake-free golf.

Remember, while most fantasy owners will simply seek out the hot players entering the Masters, let your decisions be swayed by course conditions each day. Weather or not  it's the right call.

Jason Sobel is ESPN.com's golf editor.