After my first visit to the hallowed grounds and one of the most tense and unstable Masters tournaments in history, my views of the course and what the tournament means has completely changed, and for the better I may add!
As a Professional I have traveled all over the country and have had the opportunity to play some of the best courses in the world and watch the best players in the world compete. Through the years I have been amazed, disgusted and left speechless at the things I have seen, but nothing had prepared me for Augusta National and the Masters.
As I entered the gates the anticipation of walking the holes that Jack played and Tiger prowled was overwhelming. Everything that I had seen since watching the tournament all these years was about to gain a new meaning, a new life.
As you pass the carnival of the Masters apparel mart and vending shops, a break in the trees first reveals it all. The stunning hills and I mean HILLS! The ocean of green grass and people spread all over the place. It was simply unbelievable. This was The Masters!
You look down at the grass under your feet and you almost feel guilty for walking upon such perfection and stunned that the players are even going to take a divot out of this ground. It was unreal and I could not find a weed anywhere on the course!
After the initial wonder and amazement wears off a bit you begin to gaze all around. You see the famous Masters scoreboard where they still place the scores by hand instead of having them in lights. You walk by the cottages that line the grounds and the hospitality tables where only the elite will gather to break bread and to talk about a life I know nothing about. Soon, you are standing by the practice putting green where the who's-who-of-golf greats gather to get in some work and cut up about how funny this game can be. A great moment I was able to witness was when Rich Beem and Fuzzy Zoller shared a chuckle or two and then passed a few secrets about the Augusta National greens. How would you like to have few beers with those two!
No trip to Augusta for me would be complete without seeing the person who I modeled my game after; the great 3-time Masters Champion – Nick Faldo! Wouldn't you know it, as I turned my head back to the hospitality tables, there he was! Although I couldn't get close enough to yell "Nick you are STILL the man!" and break his attention with his guests, at least I got to
see a living Masters legend!
Walking the course was an adventure I will never forget and getting to do this with my father was very special. At the age of thirty-seven, I wonder how many more times I will be able to have an experience like this with my Dad. I think it put a lot of things into perspective for me that afternoon and now this trip became more than a visit to the Masters, but a reflective memory that I can look back on even when my father is gone. Thanks, Dad!
Walking this course was entertaining, and brutal at the same time. I just couldn't get over the terrain that you have to trudge through. All I thought was about those poor caddies who had to carry a bag that can weigh over 100 pounds for at least five or six days in a row. There is definitely no rest for the weary in this profession. Up and down, side hills and the overwhelming crowds of spectators, it was almost unbearable. If you ever get to go, please get a few work outs in before you tackle this course. As everyone says, and they are right, television just does not do this place justice. From the terrain to the beauty, it is unmatched and not even the best cinematographer could attempt to capture what your own eyes see at Augusta.
Oh, and the crowds are no ordinary crowds. I could not believe the common courtesy that was displayed by each patron that I stood by or walked with. It seemed everyone was in a state of euphoria and just felt like while they were here at this place, they were going to use etiquette around the course and gesture a gentleman's game act even though no one was playing outside the ropes.
I spoke with spotters that have been on the same hole in the same place for over a decade. One of the spotters even offered a cigar to a guy watching beside me, just because he asked for one; no payment, no surprised answer, just in need of a light. Golf chairs that were empty were not even touched, because they had been placed there earlier and would be occupied later on in the day. I was floored again, not by the course this time, but by the "common people" and their attitudes walking the grounds, and the individuals who that keep the tournament rolling.
Finishing our walk of the course it was time to refuel and at The Masters, if you don't have a pimento and cheese sandwich, you will have bad luck for 10 years, or at least that's what I was told. So, I gave it my best effort to choke one down just so I could say, I had done it. Just like my visit to the Kentucky Derby; those mint juleps were not on my list of favorite cocktails, but for tradition's sake, I took my medicine.
After walking all these fantastic holes my father and I found ourselves talking about all the great shots and times that we remember from each Masters Tournament. It was a fantastic contrast in descriptions and decades that we remember. From Freddie's one handed hole out bunker shot, to Hogan's last round, they were all fantastic memories and we got a treat to aid in our memories on the Number 18 tee box that day.
Standing at the tee waiting for another group to pass through something very special happened. The first to round the corner was none other that Seve Ballesteros. A friendly and pleasing smile to the camera as he neared, then placed his tee in the ground, getting ready for his shot. Just behind him was two-time champion and Texas legend Ben Crenshaw, followed by Jerry Pate. These guys were having a ball, laughing, joking and posing for everyone. Seeing all the players together, where the grind was at a true minimum, was priceless. I am convinced that the practice rounds for the Masters have got to be the way to go on your first visit.
The beauty, the splendor and the overall aura of Augusta National still has got me in a sense of tranquility about the game and has heightened my appreciation for tradition and what goes into a long standing event like the Masters. The Azaleas and Dogwoods were just too beautiful to explain and the crew that creates this majesty is one of a kind. My father and I will never look at this tournament the same and neither will you if have the chance to visit.
I also have an increased amount of admiration for the players who have won this event. As I finished my walk I thought to myself, this place is impossible and a 4 to 6 under par score is all you can get out of this course. I don't know what it was like in the past and how easy it was "said to be" when new equipment and Tiger began to tear it apart; but the way it is now, just looks impossible to me. I can't even imagine putting on those greens, especially with the lack of water last week. Without April showers, they can play like concrete and that was evident by the scores.
I am certain I will return to Augusta and hopefully, with my Dad. It would be a much anticipated reunion each year. It's a place that no matter how many times you get to go, there is always some new magic waiting for the players as well as the spectators. Just think back at all the enchantment that happens at this place. It is unrivaled by any other event in the history of golf. If you could win just one tournament in your lifetime, this is the one, because you can keep coming back to play, for as long as you like. Just like Gary Player who we witnessed playing that day; he would play in his 50th Masters Tournament that week. This is just unimaginable. It is almost a given he will be back next year and I hope I will too.
A special thanks to John Eads, Jim Smith and Dave Stubblefield for making one of my golfing dreams come true.
