Opinion & Analysis
The Masters gets it right
No matter what happens on the back nine of Sunday at the Masters, viewers are left with a lasting image and a memory that is unique from golf’s three other major championships. While Sunday’s rendition of Augusta’s back nine might have fell short of expectations in the drama department, with Bubba Watson holding onto a three-shot lead from the 12th hole until the finish line, what happened during yesterday afternoon at the Masters will most definitely leave a lasting impression on golf in the years to come.
Golf fans witnessed 20-year old Jordan Spieth prove to the world that his name will be seen on major championship leaderboards soon again and quite often. His tenacity and knack for competition at an early age is something for which golf fans have yearned, and his appetite for winning only could have grown stronger after yesterday’s defeat. We also watched Bubba Watson cure his 2012 Green Jacket hangover by showing yet again that “Bubba-Golf” might just be the Masters fields’ biggest enemy.
Yes, the unique feeling that golf fans share with regards to the Masters has plenty to do with how it is the only major played on the same course every year, but there’s more to it than that. The images and the memories that we are left with, in my opinion, are not necessarily a result of the iconic golf shots that have resulted in Green Jacket glory over the years, but from the countless “perfect” details about the course and the tournament in general that create the stage for such shots to stand out in our minds. To sum it up, come Sunday evening in mid–April, the Masters always wins.
After receiving an envelope in the mail from the Masters Tournament in the late fall with a pair tickets to Wednesday’s practice rounds, I would get the opportunity to uncover all of the mystique, the expectation and the “perfection” I had been hearing, dreaming and probably talking about way too much for the last decade.
One of the things a patron will notice about Augusta National for the first time is the immense size of the property. From the recently constructed practice facility (which I will discuss below), to the par-3 course and the concession and merchandise areas, the landscape of the Augusta National property is gigantic. While the property is so grand, spectators will also notice that the actual golf course — from the 1st tee to the 18th green — is actually very close together, and here’s why.
When Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts embarked upon this landscape in Augusta, Ga., in 1930, their intention was not to just build a golf course, which one could argue was the intention of maybe every other course ever constructed in the world. They settled on this property with the goal of creating a tournament and spectacle. It’s almost as if Jones and Roberts had the ability to look into the future to 2005; when Tiger holed out from the left fringe on No. 16, or in 2010 when Phil struck his 6 iron out of the pine-straw to establish the courses most influential holes coming down the stretch in area of the property where the noise and reaction of the crowd would radiate in a amphitheater, manufacturing a noise and a creating a buzz that could not be matched in this sport.
While standing at the practice green situated right in front of the clubhouse, which looks out over the entire golf course, I could hear patron’s chant “skip it, skip it” as players participated in the 16th hole practice round tradition of skipping it over the water onto the green. I could only imagine the sounds a Sunday roar could create, as the ones I witnessed on a Wednesday managed to send chills down my spine.
Another aspect of perfection and genius that caught my eye, which I don’t think many others would have picked up on, was on the practice facility, and I emphasize the word practice. First, I think I can answer this question for all of you… have you ever been on a driving range where there isn’t a green as a target at the very end for your longest club? I am 99.9 percent sure that the answer is no, but if you have then please say so!
At the Augusta National range, the farthest green from the tees is about 230 yards away. Beyond this green are clump of trees separating the range into a Y shape, creating two separate fairways. While watching players hitting drivers and 3 woods to both to the right and left sides of the range, a light bulb went off in my head and I yelled out loud to my dad, “It makes perfect sense!” How often in a round do you hit a tee ball that isn’t on a par-3 to a green? The answer is never, unless it’s a drivable par-4.
The end of the range is set up so that you practice hitting tee balls to locations similar to the course. There is also a set of fairway bunkers along the right side of the range at the 300-yard distance, so players can practice hitting a tee ball in between a set of trees and a set of bunkers, just like on the course. It actually makes so much sense and it’s really quite simple when you think about, but still, Augusta National is the only place that I’ve seen it done.
While I believe Augusta National’s decision to allow female members to the club was one that could have come a decade or so earlier, I will finish off by alluding to what might turn out to be the most impactful decisions the Masters committee has made in recent years with regards to the growth of the game. Last year, Masters Chairman Billy Payne announced the finals for the Drive, Chip, and Putt competition – a golf skills contest in America for girls and boys ages 7-to-15 – would be hosted at Augusta National.
While much wasn’t made of such a decision at first, the televised coverage of the event created a stir among golf’s leading influencers that was centered around the overwhelming positive impression the initiative will have on the game. For those kids who didn’t qualify or didn’t even attempt to be the first Drive, Chip and Putt contestants to hit golf shots on the course, I’m sure that after seeing Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth fist pumping and high fiving all the participants has driven hundreds of thousands of young kids to want to work harder, or even pick up the game in order to have that opportunity next year and in the years to come. The impact that a little detail like having the 2013 Masters Champion, Adam Scott, hand out the trophies to the competitions winners may have made this initiative and this new Masters traditions one of the best one’s since the clubs inception.
In recent years, the Masters Committee has also established its roots internationally, inviting the winners of amateur events in Asia and South America to play in the Masters. The growth of the game, or lack there of, is a much-debated topic in golf. While I don’t believe it is the responsibility of the Masters Tournament and the Augusta National Golf Club to fix whatever issues the game might face, the fine men in their Green Jackets do in fact realize and utilize the influence their club and their tournament has on the game.
The decisions they make — from where they place the greens on the practice facility, the $1.50 sandwiches and growing the game in fast-growing continents around the world — are always the right ones and seem to have impacted the game of golf in the highest regard.
Opinion & Analysis
AVL: My U.S. Amateur local qualifying experience
This past Monday, I played in the U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. A full tee sheet from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., the top 11 scores would make it to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying.
I teed off at 10:48 a.m.. With the 7:30 am tee time, you can get a feel for the leaders’ pace, and they were off and running on the challenging setup at Rock Creek.
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Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.
With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.
Three hours later, it was playoff time. 8 players for 6 spots. I made par on the playoff hole, which was good enough to advance to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying in July. USGA qualifiers sure deliver on all of the emotions in golf!
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Building my 2026 gamer WITB: Ranking the contenders and new putter projects – Club Junkie Podcast
The annual What’s In The Bag build is underway, and on this episode of Club Junkie, Brian breaks down the clubs currently leading the race for a spot in his 2026 gamer setup. From drivers and fairway woods to irons, wedges, and shafts, he ranks the equipment that’s performing best and explains what’s separating the front runners from the rest of the field.
Brian also heads into the workshop to discuss several putter projects currently on the bench. From head options and shaft choices to build ideas and testing plans, he shares what he’s working on and which putters could become serious contenders for the bag this season.
If you’re a gear junkie who loves equipment testing, club building, and the never-ending pursuit of the perfect setup, this episode is for you.
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BallBuster
Apr 16, 2014 at 1:04 pm
I don’t think the Masters got it right in recent years and what seems to be their future course. I’m losing interest in the Sunday round at Augusta. There won’t be anymore back 9 charges like Jack had in 86. I doubt there will be many late birdie rallies like O’Meara had several years ago to steal a win.
Bubba did what one has to do anymore. Just hang on. It will be in the leader’s hands. Rory was an example of going cold and losing the lead. Someone may shoot a 69 to make a “move”, but unless the leader throws away shots, it’s a slow march that other will have a very hard time overcoming. I liked the old days better. Making moves up the leaderboard and the roars of the crowd.
The average winner’s score form the last 15 years since the Tiger-proofing began is just over 69 in the final round. Couple that with the fact the winner has come from that last group over 80% of the time means that as long as you shoot OK, no one can charge past you unlike many times in the past. The worst is Trevor Immelman shooting a 75 and no one could still come within 3 strokes. Boring.
Philip
Apr 16, 2014 at 3:00 pm
what about bubba birdieing 13-16 in the final round in 2012 to force a playoff and schwartzel birdieing the final 4 holes in 2011 to win outright? that not enough of a “charge”?
Ed
Apr 16, 2014 at 12:08 pm
I dunno. I still don’t like the way they did the coverage on ESPN. It was awful.
Ryan
Apr 15, 2014 at 2:17 pm
great article