Skip It! (Part 1)

With special thanks to our friend Terry, the Schochs and the Barretts (Jack and Susan; neighbors and good buddies), attended the Monday practice round of the 2024 Masters tournament.  It was a glorious day with temperatures in the 70’s; virtually no humidity and barely a cloud in the sky.

Having entered through the North Gate, we passed the practice facilities, the charming, elegant merchandise/concession buildings followed by a massive manual scoreboard. Once past the scoreboard, we had our first glimpse of Augusta National Golf Club. The enormity of the property, the attention to detail (i.e. we watched a staff member pick up and dispose of an itsy-bitsy pebble with a grabber tool), the sight lines, the vegetation, the loblolly pines and the vibrant, intensely green landscape, took our cumulative breaths away. It was visually spectacular! After we had collected ourselves, Susan looked down at the ground and asked, “Is this real grass?”  

The experience was reminiscent of my first trip to Yankee Stadium in the summer of 1962. As I completed my walk down the corridor from the concession stands to the field, I had my inaugural glimpse of the Stadium. I found myself completely paralyzed by the sheer magnitude, beauty and depths of colors radiating from the ballpark.

Although players were on the grounds, our objective for the day was to see and feel the golf course from the players perspective; standing behind tee boxes, experiencing elevation changes as well as observing the complicated, confusing and confounding green complexes. We found ourselves watching golf balls funnel down the speed slot on the par four 10^th (Camellia); we watched virtually every player bail out to the right with their approach shots into the par four 11^th (White Dogwood), which is the toughest shot on the golf course; we hunkered down behind the tee box on the stunning par three 12^th (Golden Bell), we stood adjacent to the landing area on par five 13^th (Azalea), we observed second shots into the green on the devilish par five 15^th (Firethorn), we sat off to the side of the teeing area on the par three 16th (Redbud) and we stood behind the teeing area, marveling at the intimidatingly narrow chute on the par four 18^th (Holly).  To a person, the property was the star of the day!

Things we learned/observed from our adventure:

• There are over 30 varieties of azaleas on the property.*
• It is estimated that more than 80,000 plants of over 350 varieties have been added to the Augusta National landscape.*
• In 1943, 1944, 1945 the tournament was cancelled due to WWII. During that time, cattle, and turkeys were raised on the grounds to support the war effort.*
• In 1983, for the first time, players were given the option of using their own caddies.*
• Highest recorded scores in the history of the Masters: -13 on the par three 12th, -13 on the par five 13th, -13 on the par five 15th.*
• Patrons were issued Masters-branded eclipse glasses. It was the second time in the history of the event where Masters patrons received a token at the gate. The first was an “I Am a Member of Arnie’s Army” button in 2017.
• No phones were permitted on the grounds. Cameras were only permissible during the three practice rounds.
• The course played 7,555 yards. In comparison to a more typical amateur distance of 6,100 yards, the differential equates to an additional eighty-one yards per hole.
• Pimento cheese/egg salad sandwiches were priced at $1.50. Ham and cheese sandwiches were priced at $3.50. Imported/domestic beer and wine were priced at $6.00.
• Parking was free.
• We noticed a stray/unattended magnolia leaf on the ground near the 14th. Needless to say, this was disconcerting!
• We noticed a slight trace of pollen on the back of the seats in the stands alongside the 16th.  Once discovered, I can only assume that heads were about to roll!
• We were unsuccessful locating the source of the comforting yet irritatingly perpetual sound of a northern mockingbird, adjacent to the 16^th tee box.
• The difference between the length of the grass in the fairway and the first cut was indistinguishable.
• At the practice facility, we watched John Rahm patiently sign autographs for young patrons. John was “at it” for close to a half-hour.
• We witnessed near fisticuffs in the serpentine-like line entering the charming/elegant merchandise building. The brouhaha was followed by a woman screaming various unrepeatable unpleasantries! The behavior was in direct violation of the Masters “Conduct, Customs and Etiquette Policy”. Truth be told, this incident was less disturbing than the stray/unattended magnolia leaf on the ground near the 14^th fairway!
• Having clearly recalled our parking lot section number, it took four reasonably intelligent adults well over ten minutes to locate our vehicle!

This was a very good day!

Next month, my favorite two experiences of our day at the Masters!

Thank you for following Bad Golf Guy…The back nine can only get better!

*Information from the Masters 2024 “Spectator Guide”