I am 59 years old and I finally got to go The Masters!!!!!!! I actually never thought it would happen. My daughter-in-law Sara won the Masters ticket lottery for the Wednesday practice round and Par 3 contest. I have been thinking about this day—April 4th 2012 since last August when she told me she won and I was going to go. She won 4 tickets priced at $50.00 a piece—that’s way below what almost any sporting event is these days but the Masters is all about the Patron—his enjoyment and appreciation of the tournament, the course and the entire experience—not making a profit.
Our foursome consisted of my two grown sons—our 29 year old Dan who lives in Florida, my 33 year old son Andy who lives in Atlanta (who’s wife won the lottery) and her brother Joey who also lives in Atlanta. Dan and I flew to Atlanta on Tuesday. We got up at 4:30 and left the house in Atlanta at precisely 5:20 AM Wednesday for the 2 plus hour drive to Augusta. We arrived at the famous Washington Road and waited for the cars to move—traffic backed up—parked our car in a Walgreens for $10 for the day. Then proceeded to walk about ¾ of a mile—now we are all excited our first view of Augusta National was upon us.
The entrance is on our left and it is packed with patrons waiting for the gates to open. The scene is now clear—everything is green and then some—I mean super green. The signs, the entrance everything just perfect!! We pass through security and turn left to the course—then we see this wonderful concession area and need breakfast—chicken biscuits, sausage biscuits and hot coffee. $1.50 for the biscuits and $1.00 for the coffee. We look around to get our bearings—and it looks to me like I’m in a television flashback—like I’ve been here before—I have been here before through my TV for over 45 years of watching this unique sporting event.
The vastness of the property gets to you—the panoramic views in the horizon are overwhelming. We are now standing on the first tee watching Stewart Cink and Lucas Glover teeing off in their Wednesday practice round—pinch me its real I’m actually at Augusta National. The property in full is more than 2 times the size of most PGA Tour sites. It is as if no other golf course exists on earth at that moment for me.
We want to get to Amen Corner. First, on our way to the fabled corner we walk down and then up #10. We see Padraig Harrington hit two shots from the fairway—remember this is a practice round and he’s allowed to do that. We then jump ahead to number 11 the beginning of “the corner” and it is indeed a corner—11 is majestic the lurking water front left of the green is ever present and rarely fooled around by anyone except perhaps Hogan!! From 11 you see all of the 12th—arguably the most notable par 3 in major championship golf. It is a benign day—minimal wind and very warm so 12 is really not that tough this day but the thin green with water in the front and trouble behind still makes every golfer turn left to see the trees adjacent to 11 green and pray the wind keeps doing what it is when you address the ball. Then I see the Hogan Bridge and I turn to my 3 fellow patrons and show them the goose bumps on my arms!! We now move across to the 13th fairway and see the famous spot where Mickelson hit his 7 iron in 2010 to five feet. There really is a bit more room between the trees than the television shows but still a great shot for the ages to remember. We made it past Amen Corner unscathed, yea!!
Now its on to 14—the only hole on the course without a bunker because well, it does not need one—the green is like a bad roller coaster—just about impossible to hole a putt from certain parts of the green. We see Tiger is playing with Mark O’Meara and Sean O’Hair. Tiger hits a magnificent shot to about 10 feet and we then run to the 15th tee box to see them hit and we skip the putts on 14—no noise so we assume he missed the 10 footer. We see them tee off and the echo of the ball being hit and the pines sending it back to you is part of the Augusta National packaging—once again it brings goosebumps to my arms.
The next great viewing point is 15 green where you can see the famous par 3 16th. We sit on the bleachers at 16 and a tradition is for the golfers to hit shots skimming the pond and hoping they go on the green—great fun and not an easy trick shot by any means.
Next stop the 17th—where we see the famous Eisenhower Tree. In 1956 as a member of Augusta National at a meeting President Eisenhower asked that the tree be cut down because it seems to catch his drive virtually every time. The response by Club Chairman Clifford Roberts was to deny the President’s request and immediately adjourn the meeting!! He could declare war but he could not get a tree cut down!! Obviously 17 is perfect just as it is.
The next big stop is the patio/veranda outside the clubhouse where the members and their guests are lunching, gabbing and simply enjoying the entire experience. I spot Arnie and the fact that I left bashful home along time ago I shout out to everyone’s Hall of Famer—“Hey Arnie this marks the 50th anniversary of you winning two majors in the same year”—He looked up from his ham and cheese sandwich and gave me a huge smile with a double thumbs up!! Another great memory for me as I first saw Arnie in the 1967 American Golf Classic in Akron, Ohio—a tournament which he won. He is my hero!
Now its time to go to the par 3 contest. This part of the property is the most beautiful. Breathtaking—gorgeous views with ponds everywhere. Spectacular panoramic views where you can literally see the entire par 3 course from the top of a hill entering the par three property. We go to the first tee where the starter calls the golfer’s names and everyone applauds. If you have won a major—any major you can play in the par 3 for life. That includes the US and British Amateurs not just the other three majors—so the list of invitees is quite impressive to say the least. Fuzzy is playing with Hubert Green—Green hands Fuzzy his driver and says that this is the right club for this hole—of course it’s a 130 yard hole—the crowd goes crazy!! Next best was 90 year old Jack Fleck—the oldest living US Open Champion—having won the Open in 1955 at Olympic Club in San Francisco—the site of this year’s Open. He looks great and is playing with Webb Simpson and Robert Garrigus. Two players who combined age barely surpassed ½ of Fleck’s age. The greatness of the game of golf is that it can be ageless and timeless in the same breath. The greatness of the Masters where time can if need be standstill. Fleck struck a pretty good shot—just short of the green and he does get up and down for his par. All I can say is amazing and I am so happy I was there to see that! Next up Arnie, Gary and Jack. The big 3. They are needling each other like there’s no tomorrow. The fans are interacting and loving it. Gary makes a 35 footer for birdie and the group is on their way except the weatherman didn’t see it that way—a huge thunderstorm hits Augusta National and the rest of the golf is called off at around 3:45PM.
We head back to the car and home to Atlanta tired, loaded with memories for a lifetime and very, very satisfied.
I sum up The Masters this way—no place in sports combines tradition($1.50 for a sandwich) and progression(All television cables are buried underground—and in 3-D) better than The Masters—it is a masterpiece that borders total perfection.