Stephen Ames Age:44 Lives:Calgary, Canada Story: Three tour wins, including 2006 players; first tour player to come from Trinidad and Tobago

Groove factor
I’m already using grooves like the less spinny ones we’re supposed to be playing next year. I can tell the difference.

Believe
It took awhile to believe in myself. When I started working with my psychologist, Alan Fine, in 2004, there was a noticeable difference in my game. We had a life-threatening issue with my wife in 2005. (She is a nonsmoker but was diagnosed with lung cancer; she’s doing better now.) After that, every year has been a great year. Fine tried to get me to play more naturally, like Stephen Ames the instinctive player rather than Stephen Ames the technical player. It’s still a struggle.

Raising a champ
Golfers can be fragile. But they’re not so fragile if they’re brought up to be natural, instinctive killers, trying to make everything and beat everyone. The classic example is Tiger Woods. His dad brought him up to think that way, to be No. 1 all the time. The rest of us have to learn to get rid of all the bad stuff before we can start playing with his kind of insight.

Drivers Nike SQ Sumo 5000, 9.5, UST AXIV Core X-flex shaft. For me, spin is the key to the right launch conditions, and this head spins it less than the square version. Wedges Nike VR Forged, custom grind, including my initials on the back. I guess it makes it harder to lose them that way. Putter I switched to this Anser-style Nike prototype putter at the end of 2008. Fairway Woods Nike SQ 3-wood (15 degrees bent to 14.5) and 5-wood (19 degrees) with Fujikura Rombax B prototype X-flex shafts. My grips are Golf Pride New Decade MultiCompound Yellow. Irons I’ve switched to the new Nike VR Forged TW Blade, 3-iron through pitching wedge, True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts.

Travel light I carry six gloves, but there’s not a lot more in there. I use the tees they hand out that week. I have to travel light. Hey, I carry the bag, too.

Master stuff They hand out useful stuff at the Masters, like this sunscreen-lip balm combo. I’ve played well there (four cuts in four tries).

"O, Canada" I live year-round in Canada and am a part-owner of five restaurants in Calgary. I mark my ball with a Canadian coin like this “toonie.”

Next big thing This new prototype putter from Nike has a soft face-insert material inside the grooves. It doesn’t have a name, yet.

Going soft With my duller iron grooves, I wanted a soft ball (the Nike One Tour). Maybe I’ve lost a few yards, but I get the spin I need around the greens.