A tournament and spectacle unlike any other has returned, it’s Masters week. It is every golf fan’s dream to attend it and, I would argue, the most palatable live tournament for wives and significant others. Its quiet, the food prices are unbeatable, and it is absolutely GORGEOUS. Yes, the birds on TV sound the same in person, the grass is THAT green, and the bunkers are as white as a wedding gown. Every year thousands of patrons take a pilgrimage to this Mecca of golf and every year, it delivers and then some.
Outside of the tournament is a real blast as well. The tiny town of Augusta comes to life, taking in more private planes than LAX. There will be around 1,5000 private flights in and out of that little airport this week. Bringing in people clad with the finest golf-leisure wear that Rhoback and Lululemon can give them, paying for $1,000 steak dinners by night, bouncing from bar party to bar party, before the quiet calm that is behind the hedges at Augusta National. A perennial staple to the Augusta scene every Masters week is the John Daly Hooters party. Once you see the sign, you know that you have arrived.
But once you get inside the tournament and you are on those hallowed grounds, it is hard to explain just how overwhelmed you are with just the spectacle of it all, especially the first time.
First off, it is QUIET. Everyone that is there is a real golf fan and knows the gravity of the tournament. They understand that this is a lifetime opportunity that they have and treat it as such. No phones are allowed at all, which keeps the hands out of sight during shots, keeps the mindless chatter down, and keeps everyone glued to the real spectacle: the beaty that is Augusta National.
The quiet respectfulness of it all is part of what helps turn it into a full experience. The scattered applause around the course (an unfathomably beautiful golf course), the $1.50 egg salad sandwiches that pair oh so well with a $5 beer, giant white scoreboards, bathroom attendants herding you into the nearest open stall with the grace of a 1920’s newspaper hawker, and a merchandise store that will demolish your credit card balance in 30 seconds. Seas of green chairs left by patrons in their favorite spots, it’s the honors system out there. No one will move your chair, maybe you might have to evict a weary traveler, but it’s all part of the respect that is built into the Masters.
It all adds up to an experience unlike any other and, truly, the TV does not do it even an ounce of justice.
It will feature some of the best golf in the world, at THE most famous golf course in the world, and we are all here to benefit. Although the broadcast isn’t commercial free anymore, Jim Nantz’s voice along with the pretty green grass and chirping birds is like the warm embrace of a morphine drip slipping us into a 4 day golf coma. It’s really one of the best weekends of the year to watch sports and the perfect transition from March Madness to the long march of an MLB season.
Tiger is back and hopefully the leg holds up for 4 days because there is nothing better than conversation on Sunday with Tiger in contention. We saw that effect take hold in 2019, bringing down juggernauts like Brooks Koepka on his triumphant return to golf’s biggest stage. Will Rory win the elusive green jacket? Or will he get thwarted by Scottie Sheffler? Who continues to dominate the PGA tour and cement that no. 1 world ranking. Can the LIV tour guys make a splash and how many of them will make it to the weekend? Cam Smith is their best bet, the man can go tee to green better than most and by god is his putting a thing of beauty… Max Homa is still on a career heater and he’s one of the better iron players on the tour, playing a course that puts a premium on that second shot with soft conditions could really help players like him. I like Collin Morikawa and Abraham Ancer as the young players who can shape shots confidently, another plus at this track where placement is at a premium.
In all, what is not to like about it? I have been lucky to go 3 times, even saw Tiger take a few swings in 2019 so, I can say that “I was there,” and I will admit that being there gives me such a better appreciation for this course. It is so hilly that you truly have to be there to appreciate it, which is why I worry about Tiger’s leg for 4 days…. But, it still holds a special place in my life and will forever be my favorite of them all. From experience, I would recommend following a group you like through amen corner, then camp out and watch hole 12 for a while. But my favorite place on the course is 15 and 16. I love watching the approach on 15 and 16 is so insanely beautiful in person that the TV broadcast quite literally cannot ever do it justice. The egg salad sandwiches are so good but the sneaky best concession is the chicken wrap. Cold, refreshing, and full of protein and cheese to refuel because, did I mention it’s hilly?
Anyone who can or wants to go should just make it a mission to get out there however they can because, let me tell you, its worth it. Its worth any lost sleep, any amount of money, and will stay with you forever… And every year in April, you get to live it all over again on your TV and Twitter feed. I wouldn’t trade the memories from those trips with dad for anything in the world.
Goosing with G 
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