Ben Crenshaw once said he’d could name a million reasons why The Masters is the best of the majors.
Suffice to say that if Crenshaw says it’s so, we’re on board with him.
Here are a few of the many reasons why we believe what Ben believes:
THE COURSE, THE CLUB:
The Augusta National Golf Club is visually stunning. Nothing comes close. The plants, the perfection, it all comes together in perfect unison and the colors boom like one of Dustin Johnson’s drives. The 365-acre property was once the Fruitland Nurseries, the Azaleas, Dogwoods, Camelias, Wisteria and huge Magnolias make this a visual treat. Magnolia Lane, the main driveway to the clubhouse, is unforgettable once you have seen it.
The course itself is manicured perfection and it is a very, very difficult layout. It has no official rating, the members won’t allow that. But it’s been calculated that the course rating would be 78.1 with a slope of 137. Damn difficult.
The club itself keeps growing. The practice facility is now among the finest in the world and the newly-opened media center is a reflection of how the club welcomes those who cover this first major of the year.
THE CHAMPIONS:
The finest players in the history of the game have stood tallest on this stage and none taller than Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus is the greatest Masters champion ever with six Green Jackets.
Tiger Woods and the late Arnold Palmer are two back of him with four each.
Jimmy Demaret, Gary Player, Nick Faldo, Phil Mickelson and Sam Snead have each won three times.
Two-time winners include Horton Smith, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ben Crenshaw, Jose Maria Olazabal and Bubba Watson.
Look at all those names and you see steep history of the game.
THE PATRONS:
They are not spectators, they are not fans, they are Patrons. Perhaps the greatest thing about The Masters is you won’t hear idiots on the course screaming: “Babba-Louie” or “Get-in-the-hole” or “You ‘da man” or “mashed potatoes” or any of the other stupid stuff you hear from week-to-week during golf telecasts. Patrons respect how special it is to have a ticket to this event, perhaps the most difficult ticket in all of sports. There are no marshals with those ridiculous “Quiet Please” signs. No one inside the ropes but players and caddies.
LIMITED COMMERCIAL INTERRUPTION:
Greatest telecast to watch. Hardly any commercials and when they have them, they are short and sweet. Back to the action.
CBS GOLF TEAM:
The broadcast is anchored by Jim Nantz and Sir Nick Faldo in the 18th tower. Ian Baker Finch is at 17, Verne Lundquist at 16, Peter Kostis at the 15th, Bill Macatee at 14, Dottie Pepper at 13 with Frank Nobilo at 11 and 12. Doesn’t get any better than that. Augusta National has to give the nod to the crew. Jack Whitaker got banned for life for referring to the crowd as “a mob” and Gary McCord got the boot for life for his infamous “bikini wax” comment about the 15th green.
AMEN CORNER:
There is no more dramatic set of golf holes in major championship golf than the three that make up “Amen Corner.” Yes, the 10th hole starts the back nine and it is difficult enough but the 11th, the start of Amen Corner, is a beast. It played the hardest last year. Everyone knows how much trouble lurks at the short par three 12th. Just ask Jordan Spieth, who saw a possible second Green Jacket get drowned in Rae’s Creek on Sunday last year. Jack Nicklaus made bogey on Sunday at the 12th in 1986, the year he won at age 46. The 13th presents a dramatic challenge to go for the green in two but then all sorts of problems lurk long and short of that green.
THE 15TH HOLE:
Many hopes and dreams lie at the bottom of the pond guarding the front of the par five 15th. This is where Gene Sarazen made his famous double-eagle. It’s where Nicklaus made eagle three in 1986 on his way to shooting 31 on the back nine. It’s a straight-away hole, plenty of room to drive the ball although trees were added down the right side years ago to make it a little more difficult. The second shot is the challenge. Pure drama here.
THE MARCH UP 18:
Incredible finishing hole and one of the greatest victory marches in golf for those who have been fortunate enough to have a big lead when they came to the 72nd hole.
TRADITION, TRADITION AND MORE TRADITION:
One of the greatest features are the old-school scoreboards. They are operated manually. Red numbers are used for birdies and a player’s position under par. Green zeroes represent pars and green numbers can show how far over par an unfortunate player is. Members on the course wear their Green Jackets. The food prices have always been incredibly low. You can get the famous Pimento Cheese sandwich for $1.50, a soda for $2, a beer for $4. Try finding those prices at the Open Championship, U.S. Open or PGA where the greedy bastards rip off those who attend those championships. Masters memorabilia and souvenirs are only sold on site.
THE BUTLER CABIN:
The winner, runnerup and low amateur are escorted to the Butler Cabin where the previous season’s champion will place the Green Jacket on the new champion. Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne and Jim Nantz preside.
THE CHAMPIONS DINNER:
This tradition was started by Ben Hogan and continues today. Defending champion selects the menu. The greats gather for fellowship and story-telling. Toughest reservation in the world.
Ben Crenshaw may be right. He probably could come up with a million reasons. But we’ve hit on just a few.
In short, Nantz hit it best when he dubbed this major:
A TRADITON UNLIKE ANY OTHER.
6 Comments
McGreenskeeper
Er… Tom: This isn’t the 18th hole. It looks suspiciously like the 17th. Nice photo though.
Sandy
Tom Edrington
Sandy: I think you’re right and I will make that change, it was early morning when I wrote this, now that I look really close, I agree!
hrfdez
Of the four Major Championships, The Masters is the one I never watch and despise the most. The Masters represents everything is wrong in America regarding race relations, starting with Bobby Jones, one of the most racist and bigoted individuals in the game.
Augusta National has bullied and harassed neighborhoods and people living in those neighborhoods in the name of profits. But God forbid the common folk is allowed to play the course, oh no!
Sure, sure, they let Secretary Rice in the club, but after years of criticism and outrage in the media and black associations complaints.
The Masters is and will continue to represent institutionalized country club racism and I will never support such a greedy and racist organization.
Tom Edrington
The issues you express have been written about time and again over the years. I think Augusta has come a long way. I met Mr Jones late in his life. He came from an era of segregation in the South where you could basically say that about many of the white people living in the South in the 20s and 30s. Condolezza Rice was not the first black member, Ron Townsend became the first black member in 1990, 27 years ago, so you are bit behind the times and she’s not the first woman either.
hrfdez
Ok, so I was wrong in my history, thanks for the correction. So, they have been two black members, I guess for some that’s coming a long way. Thank you for making my point!
See you at the next Major. Continue your good writing, this is not personal, but it shows how golf continues to be a white men sport despite of Tiger Woods and some other minorities.
It is what it is!
Tom Edrington
Sadly, it was Tiger Woods who was supposed to bring minorities to golf. Double sad has been his insistence on never been referred to as African-American or black, it was he who invented that stupid “Cablanasian” description of himself years ago…..turned his back on a lot of African American golfers who paved the way, I count several over the years as personal friends. Also, historically, you might want to consider that the SEC did not have its first black football players until 1970. So your singling out of the Masters is a bit unfair unless you include all institutions that were all-white during the segregation years in the U.S. including most Southern universities. The problem with golf is that it is an EXPENSIVE sport and that precludes a lot of white people who cannot afford it either. Thanks for weighing in and we’re still waiting for the first black USGA president and the first black president of the PGA of America, aren’t we?