Wednesday at The Masters: On-Site at Augusta National

The good weather that was forecasted to come arrived Wednesday at Augusta National. Although there was a minor “frost delay” this morning the day quickly emerged into a glorious spring day—warmer, sunnier, and with calmer winds than the first two official practice days.

I arrived at the course at 7 AM hoping to get a quick walk of the front nine holes. “Sir, please stay on the hard pavement,” startled me as I was about to cross in front of the clubhouse and grand oak tree.

I diverted by hard pavement as requested towards the front of the property. Finding Founder's Circle completely desolate I snapped a few pictures of the planted yellow flag and the clubhouse in the background.

I asked a security guard if it was okay to walk on the grass and get a picture. She said “yes” and took a few pictures of me before we heard “no” and quickly returned to the pavement.

Looking through the trees I could see Jim Furyk talking to Fluff on the side of the driving range. Wondering if it was okay to walk on the pine straw I asked and was granted permission.

This tournament is like no other on the PGA TOUR or in the world for that matter. This is the 75th anniversary of the inaugural tournament in 1934 and the 72nd rendition staged at Augusta National. And you think you have backyard BBQs down to a science?

A frost delay at Augusta National? How would the golf gods dare? There has already been limited practice time for the players due to the cold and the wind on Monday and Tuesday.

Today is par-3 day so the course will close at 3 PM to complete final preparations. A late start does not bode well with an early close...I can attest to that in my corporate career.

Jim Furyk the early bird gets the worm. I like his chances this week. With no wins last year he is struggling a little bit but there are also periods of brilliant play. A Masters victory would go well with his U.S. Open win at Olympia Fields outside Chicago. Not bad for a boy from Pennsylvania.

I headed over to the stands at the driving range. Is that proper Masters terminology? Seating areas for patrons? Oops I walked across a patch of grass to get to the stairs leading up to the bleachers. Hey this IS the Bleacher Report!

Double-checking, there are no other players are on the range. I tip-toed back across the ten feet of green so as not to damage anything.

Bubba Watson zips by me in a golf cart, driven by some teenage chick. I wonder if Augusta National has golf cart training like Commissioner Finchem instituted at THE PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass which, by the way, IS the fifth major. Or at least will be when Tiger wins as many as Jack or more.

I see Bubba is back to the floppy hat. He got off the habit earlier this year...maybe a temporary blip in the hat contract. His wife is his agent, you know.

This hat is camouflage in color with bright orange PING lettering. Definitely dual purpose—for hunting and golfing. At least, functionally for golfing.

I think Boo Weekly is behind this with his new line of clothing. God forbid he wins his third Verizon Hilton Head next week, or even this week at the Masters. We will all be wearing camouflage golf slacks lickety split.

The flags above the big scoreboard to the right of No. 1 fairway, where most patrons enter the course, are all limp and calm.

It will be a nice weekend for sure, I keep telling myself as I head into the merchandise tent or rather golf shop building. The committee even upgraded all the food vending tents to permanent structures. They could have five barn parties here at one time.

I am no worse (or better) than a woman. Bad weather, let’s go shopping!

The last time I was here, I spent over $500 buying Masters paraphernalia. As a starving unemployed writer that can’t happen this time. I manage to keep it below $100, which means nobody will be happy to see me when I get home (I couldn’t resist the 2009 Masters poster of the 16th hole).

I was in and out in ten minutes. Yes, I am losing weight too even though I am adding muscle weight like the rest of y’all.

I head into the media center to see if there is a news bulletin on the frost delay. Inquiring minds and the couple thousand patrons corralled up outside want to know.

News bulletin No. 1 from Monday announces that the fairways are now being mowed to three-eighths of an inch, the second cut at one-and-three-eighths inch, the tees at five-sixteenths, the collars at quarter inch, and the greens at one-eighth inch. All mowing is subject to weather conditions and growth.  

News bulletin No. 2 from Tuesday announces that for the third consecutive year, Arnold Palmer will serve as the Honorary Starter.

This being Gary Player’s last competitive Masters I bet he will join Arnold next year on the first tee on Thursday morning ten minutes before the first group.

I am hoping Chairman Billy Payne can twist Jack Nicklaus’ arm ever so slightly and get him to join them so the “Big Three” are fittingly reunited at Augusta National. Bobby Jones would have liked to see that I am sure.

No news bulletin No. 3 early on Wednesday morning for the frost delay. I see they have 18 slots for news bulletins and I bet they are already well-planned for content and timing.

I head up to the enclosed Bartlett lounge overlooking the media center proper to get some hot chocolate. I overhear a guy, presumably a friend of Alex Miceli, tell him “hey Alex you look good,” as he points through the windows to the two large video screens.

Alex’s show The Approach with Callaway Golf is being shown. Miceli comes back with “at least I don’t have to hear it.” He’s right: There is no sound in the dining area. I wonder though if it’s him or Andy North that he doesn’t want to hear.

Okay, back outside to take my position in front of the pack of patrons. They get released and we are off to the races.

If you ever get a chance to attend a Masters you must walk the course to really get a feel for the contours in both the fairways and greens. They are simply amazing and make you realize both how much of a design masterpiece Augusta National is and why it will stand the test of time.

So I am walking the front nine starting at No. 1. I am reading the hole descriptions in the Spectator Guide. Hey why isn’t it called the Patron Guide?

I want to get the jest of the naming of the holes that Jones did along with Clifford Roberts and Louis Berckmans, the son of the owners of the Fruitland Nurseries upon which Augusta National was built.

No. 1 is Tea Olive and I have no clue what to look for. Is it a bush or tree? On No. 2 I see a bush in a sea of flowering bushes that is still only buds...noticeably different than the others. That bush must not have got the flowering memo or news bulletin.

Okay, no more sarcasm here since I absolutely love the hallowed grounds of Augusta National and don’t want to get booted. David Feherty is my broadcast hero and even he will behave himself this week I think. We’ll see. He’s so funny how can you change?

I am walking over and then down the hill on the dog-leg-left par-5 second hole. Down by the green, the entire course opens up into this beautiful park. You can see all the way back up to the big oak tree and clubhouse.

While looking at the short par-4 third hole, then the difficult 240-yard par-3 fourth hole, I notice that the way-forward tees (by at least 75 yards) have the same netting as the back tee. Possibly a sign that they will play this hole short from 165 yards one day of the tournament?

That thought gets me thinking. Not that I am sexist, but the shorter tee triggers a thought about woman playing Augusta National. These guys are very inspirational and forward-thinking as I have written before.

They are developing amateur golf tournaments in the Far East and will let that champion play in the Masters along with the US and British champion starting next year. Almost every player here talks about how they were inspired by the Masters watching it on TV when they were growing up.

Here’s my thought. One criticism of the LPGA is that they do not play on enough historic venues to generate interest and attention. The British Open won by Lorena Ochoa a few years back was played on The Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.

Why not let the LPGA women play Augusta National in a fall tournament? It would be a way to grow the game right here in the US and give the LPGA a booster shot in the arm.

I absolutely love the sixth hole—both the elevated tee and especially looking back towards the tee from the green and seeing all the flowering bushes. It is spectacular! Near the No. 6 green I actually see a golf course worker using scissors to trim the grass on the edge of the short left bunker.

Talk about manicuring a golf course. There literally is not one “rough” area on the property. There is no rough at Augusta National...only the second cut. Or is it the third cut?

On “Papas,” the seventh hole, I scoot around the back of the green to once again admire the park like setting of Augusta National.

From the knoll you can do a 360-degree rotation and see the seventh fairway and green, the third tee and fairway, the second fairway and green, the eighth tee and fairway, and the 14th fairway and green. Five of the 18 holes all from one vantage point—what an vantage!

As I walk up the right side of the eighth, yellow jasmine, I notice birds chirping through the pine trees. I start humming and singing a favorite song—surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.

I can feel His mighty power and His grace, I can hear the flutter of angel wings, I see glory on each face, surely the presence of the Lord is in this place. Augusta National will do that to you. You can not help but feel spiritual in such a beautiful place on such a beautiful spring day. Alleluia as my father would say!

I am getting a little tired from my morning walk. No. 9 is called Carolina Cherry. Finally something I can eat if only I can find it.

On this dog-leg-left par-4 I remember hearing one pro retell a story about what Sam Sneed told him about this hole: Hit is as far right as you possibly can. That way, you take the two left greenside bunkers out of play.

Looking at the angled green I see that he is absolutely right. It is all about the angles at Augusta National...having the right approach shot and putting it on the green in the right spots.

I head up to the big oak tree in front of the clubhouse to do a little people watching. I think about my dear departed friend Dick Donovan the book writer, collector, and seller.

He told me about this spot underneath the oak tree and how it was the best spot in all of Augusta National. He was right about that. It’s a beautiful view of the golf course and you get to see a lot of celebrities and players there.

After lunch I went out to the first green of the par-3 course and met up with a friend from Chicago. Jack, Gary and Arnold come by—what a threesome. Gary needs a coin for a marker and the other two are ribbing him about never getting them back.

Nicklaus drains a 15-footer for the first deuce of the threesome and receives hearty congratulations.

Later on No. 9 I see that Player puts his tee shot in the water and then holes his second one for a par-3 or a mulligan ace to use. Over time we forget about the mulligan part. It’s the memories, the good ones that count in life.

Tim Clark aces No. 9 to shoot five under and win the par-3 contest. Count him out as far as winning this Masters, as no par-3 champion has ever gone on to win on the big course.

Greg Norman aced No. 6 and gets a really big hug and lots of kisses from his wife and lover Chrissie Everett. Count him in. Might as well count Mark O’Meara in too, if you read the article in the April 11th issue of Golf Week.

It is spring time and the birds are chirping, the flowers opening and everything appears new once again.

I walked the back nine this evening but am too tired to write about it. One thing did seem rather odd to me. The drop circle at the front of the par-3 16th tee has a sign planted in it that reads “Please avoid this area.”

Now I don’t think Augusta National has to tell the professional golfers to avoid the water hazard on No. 16. Maybe it should read no skipping balls from here!

Well it is the eve of the 2009 Masters and I have not even made out my wish list for Christmas. I mean, my wish list for who will win the Masters this year. After all I live at the beach and all dreams are within reach down by the beach. I don’t need a wish list.

Yes I do. Stay tuned for another article and enjoy the Masters!       

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer. He follows the PGA TOUR volunteering for the tournaments and working part time for NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and The Golf Channel. He resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. He enjoys pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached through his website www.MrHickoryGolf.net or by e-mailing him to [e-mail]