Augusta - 2014 US Masters
Thursday April 10th - Sunday April 13th
Four days at the US Masters in Augusta has been one of the amazing experiences in our life.
TV can provide a dramatic close up, a view of every corner of the course and follow each shot throughout the duration of the game.
What it can not show is the emotion of the moment, the natural beauty of the course, the warmth and sincerity of the people working there, the enormity of the precision and organisation of the event and the sheer magnitude of the occasion of the world's greatest golf tournament.
We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to go to The Masters. Whilst we were excited, there were no serious expectations. We booked into the Augusta Travelodge, 2 miles from the course. The township of Augusta, 5 miles from the course, is a lonely and almost irrelevant town on the Savannah river.
We had done a significant amount of research on how to get the greatest amount of enjoyment from the tournament. Every day was an early start. We were up before 6.00am and at the gates anywhere from 7.00 am to 7.30 am each day. Crowd control was significant, calculated and effective.
Just walking through the gates for the first time you had the feeling that you were participating in something special. Not one thing was out of place. Every blade of grass was carefully manicured, every pathway spotless, all paint work with out blemish, this was before we got to the practice range. The rest of the course followed suite.
Our first stop, on day 1, was the practice range. We watched John Senden, Tom Watson, Mike Weir, Angel Cabrera, Ian Poulter, Fred Couples, Graeme McDowell and Rickie Fowler practice. Not even onto the course it was so easy to enjoy the significant skill of the golfers against the backdrop of this wonderful place. Remember we had not even got to the course.
With no expectations we decided that the first day would be spent walking the entire course to appreciate every hole, work out where the stands were and understand the location of the best viewing spots.
The course is magnificent, an exact replica of every photo and TV shot we had seen. We walked every hole. The Course has been built on 365 acres of what was previously a fruitland nursery comprising imported trees and plants from various countries. Each hole, named after particular shrub or tree, is now surrounded by the plant or tree after which it was named.
Single locations allowed you to see approach shots into various greens and the tee off for the next holes. Considerable thought had been given to the layout of the course.
Good locations were at the back of the 2nd green (Pink Dogwood), a par 5 which encouraged attempts to reach it in two. This location also provided a great view for tee off on the 3rd hole (Flowering Peach) and approach shots and putting on the 7th hole (Pampas). The green of the 5th (Magnolia) and the tee for the par 3, 6th (Juniper), provided another great location.
You could spend the day walking up and down the 10th hole (Camellia) which is hardest hole on the course. A dog leg to the left and then a long narrow green sloping right to left challenged every golfer. As you sat by the green under the trees thoughts of golf heaven came to mind.
Amen Corner which was made up of the approach shots to the 11th (White Dogwood) green, the famous par 3, 12th (Golden Bell) and the drive for the par 5, 13th (Azalea) was an easy place to spend a large amount of time. The beauty of each fairway, the depth of the magnificent flowering undergrowth aligning each fairway ensured you stopped to enjoy the plight of the worlds top 100 golfers as they fought and struggled to tame the course.
Two holes, the par 5 15th (Firethorn) and the par 3 16th (Redbud) was probably the most popular spot. The 15th tempted most players to attempt the green in two. For the unsuspecting a creek ran in front of the green and water completely surrounded the back of the green. Notwithstanding the golfing skill on hand many laid up. Bubba Watson, the eventual winner, went for it, on in two and two putted, a birdie.
The 16th, a par 3, with water all the way from tee to green had spectators, seated, lining the entire length of the hole. The ambience, the beauty, and the excitement of each shot was just amazing.
Of course there is the 18th hole. To spend time to see how each golfer finishes, particularly the last day, is wonderful.
There are some really great things about The Masters, that I've not observed at any other sporting event. You can buy "Masters" chairs for $30. These can be carried or alternatively placed anywhere on the course so that you can return and then sit on them. No one moves the chairs. Others sit on them but when you return they vacate them for you. After day one our plan was to get to the course very early, 7.00am, put our chairs as close as possible to the green on the 18th, usually 3 or 4 rows back, walk the course then eventually return to the 18th. This worked exceptionally well.
The respect for the game is significant. Every time, I mean every time, a player is about to play a shot there is deadly silence, you could hear a pin drop. There is no calling out.
The volunteers, the staff and security people are extraordinarily helpful and friendly. There are 400 volunteers who volunteer for 7 days. The turnover is about 20 a year. The waiting list is a mile long. Some have been doing it for in excess of 20 years.
Walking into the tournament a lady carrying a non "Masters" bottle of water was asked to either take the label off or drink the water. At one stage I thought that this was arrogance. However there is 80 years of golf tradition, enormous history, significant golf dramas and triumphs. All these enacted on the same course. It was not arrogance but respect for all that had gone before 2014 on the wonderful course.
From the tees it's a forgiving course, one that even the average golfer could handle and enjoy. However the depth of skill required for the second shot and the even deeper skill required for putting is what makes Augusta a hard course.
The food concessions should be the envy of every sporting event around the world.
There is no gouging, sandwiches $1.50, soft drinks $1.50 and beers $3.00. Concessions are available around the entire course, the wait is no longer than 5 minutes.
Even the toilets have their entertainment. There are ushers helping to ensure a smooth movement of people. The usher at the entrance will yell out "how many cubicles in the back nine?". The answer "4 in the back nine, send them through".
Everything is made easy, accessible and enjoyable.
There were many exciting moments, for us, the best was kept for the second last group on the last day, Matt Kucher and Jonas Blixt (Sweden). We had a great position beside the 18th green.
Matt Kucher played his second shot into the 18th. He hooked the ball and it headed for the spectators. His ball hit a spectator in the front row and then bounced into the lap of a spectator sitting two chairs from us in our row. The rule is that the spectator can not move until the player sees where the ball has landed and together with a rules umpire agree where the ball will be placed. Here was this spectator sitting alone with a ball in his crutch waiting for "Kuch". Matt was very accommodating and suggested to Rick ( the spectator) he'd play it where it landed. If Rick gritted his teeth all would be ok. A great moment.
There are many more stories that could be told. It was just spectacular. The respect for the moment, the beauty and danger of the course, the amazing support of every person there and the golf. Golf, almost secondary, was the clear winner. They are true professionals, great players all in keeping with this wonderful, wonderful event "The Masters".
