When Gary Player once left his putter in a hotel room before the Masters, his caddie had to break speed limits to retrieve it. The incident nearly cost him a major championship but highlighted how even legends aren’t immune to mistakes. Decades later, even the world’s best players still have these moments of human forgetfulness.

During a recent podcast episode of Dan on Golf, golf insider Gabby Herzig shared an eyewitness account. The incident happened during Scheffler’s preparation for the Masters at Augusta National. On this course, even forgetting gear becomes a mission. With tight security, no phones, strict credentials, and chaotic traffic, retrieving anything is a headache. Now, Herzig’s story reveals a surprising vulnerability from golf’s top-ranked player.

Herzig was sitting in her car near Augusta National when she witnessed something remarkable. “I waited there for like 15 minutes in my car, like literally just twiddling my thumbs,” she recalled. That’s when she noticed a familiar figure dashing across Washington Road. It was Scott Scheffler Sr., looking somewhat frantic.

“I saw Scotty Sheffler’s dad run across Washington Road,” Herzig described, saying he “looked like he went and met someone at the gate who handed him a Trackman.” The revelation came with dramatic flair. “I guess Scottie forgot his Trackman at Augusta. Breaking news, we just broke some news here on the show, Scottie Sheffller left the Trackman at Augusta.”

Alongside Augusta’s strict rules, the club is highly image-conscious, so professionals and fans work harder to avoid drawing attention to mishaps. The situation unfolded like a perfectly executed rescue mission. I mean, during Masters week, Washington Road turns into a madhouse of honking cars and golf fans. Scottie Scheffler’s dad, darting across Washington Road like a suburban superhero, was the perfect snapshot of the beautiful, barely contained madness that trails golf’s most polished week.

Then, Steve Copling, dubbed “Scotty’s guy at Augusta,” emerged as the hero of the hour. He was the one who met Scheffler Sr. at the gate with the device he had forgotten. The handoff appeared seamless, though urgent. It’s a deliciously human slip from golf’s golden boy – Scottie Scheffler, all precision and poise, suddenly undone by a forgotten gadget. Even the world’s No. 1 isn’t immune to a brain fog moment.

The story resonates because it strips away the veneer of perfection surrounding elite athletes. Think: the 7 a.m. text from your kid — “Forgot my backpack.” Only this time, the backpack is a $20,000 Trackman and your kid is the best golfer in the world prepping for the Masters. Though it’s all the same for parents, performers cannot say the same.

Why Scottie Scheffler’s Trackman is crucial at Augusta National

The Trackman has revolutionized how modern golfers prepare for tournaments. Originally developed from military radar technology in 2003, it provides extraordinarily precise data about club and ball performance. Today’s professional golfers consider it as essential as their clubs themselves.

Scheffler, like most top professionals, uses the Trackman to fine-tune every aspect of his game. The dual radar system captures club path, face angle, attack angle, and ball flight data. Then, players use it to dial in exact distances for each club. They may adjust the approach shot on a dogleg based on wind readings and how the ball typically reacts with certain club types. The device helps them understand how temperature and humidity will impact their shots.

This technology stands in stark contrast to past champions. Ben Hogan practiced in secret, hitting shots in isolation for hours. Jack Nicklaus relied on feel. Today’s champions like Scheffler combine tradition with cutting-edge technology. While some new players, like Nelly Korda, prefer a more instinctive approach, Scheffler employs a mixed preparation method. His coach and caddie transform Trackman’s data into on-course strategy, adjusting for conditions and psychological factors. The fusion of technology with human insight allows them to craft a game plan that’s as precise as adaptable.

This small incident at Augusta National demonstrates how technology has become an integral part of modern golf preparation. More importantly, it reveals that even the world’s best player remains refreshingly human. Besides, this isn’t the first time Scheffler’s father went full-on-mission mode as the 2024 Presidents Cup had delivered more than birdies and bogeys. When a fan lobbed ugly comments about Scottie Scheffler’s wife, it was Dad Scheffler and caddie Ted Scott who had stepped up, confronting the heckler head-on. Security swiftly removed the fan, while the Schefflers stayed mum. This time, the handoff between Steve Copling and Scott Scheffler Sr. represented how golf’s greatest moments still rely on human connections. Technology has transformed the game, but family support remains irreplaceable.