Pictured right: Sun dial in front of the player’s cabin. I checked the time and it was dead on at 6:00PM!
In light of today’s first round of the 2010 Masters, and now that I’m no longer a Masters / Augusta National virgin, I’m going to do some posts about Augusta National the place. One of the main things I wanted to soak in while there was the vibe of the place. I wanted to get a feel for not only how perfectly every blade of grass was cut, the fact that there can exist 365 acres of land without one weed and how incredible the layout of the course was, but a feel and insight for the little things that people may not know about. Today’s post is eloquently titled “Stuff you don’t see on TV at Augusta National.” There are many aspects to the course itself which TV doesn’t or can’t capture.
What TV can’t come close to showing about Augusta National
Talk to anyone who has walked Augusta National and the first thing they’ll tell you is how hilly it is and how much elevation change there is. They always say TV doesn’t do the hills, elevation changes and contours justice. Anyone who told you that is right. The course is incredibly hilly. The elevation changes from tee to fairway, tee to green on par-3’s and approach to green is amazing.
Pictured right: Masters Chocolate Mini Moon Pie
Blind or semi-blind approaches
Elevation changes from fairway to green on holes like #1, #5, #8 (if trying to reach this par-5 in two), #11, #15 and #17 require tee shots to travel far enough to reach a point where the green or a part of it or the pin can be seen from approach position. Shorter tee shots will result in blind or semi blind shots to the green.
Downhill approaches
The severity of some of the downhill approach shots is certainly not captured by television. In fact on some holes it doesn’t come close. The par-5 2nd hole is shown as downhill on TV, but the severity and the angle of approach is not conveyed well. Hole #2 and the drop to the green is pictured below:
Above: #2 and the drop in elevation from 280 out to the green.
The par-3 4th hole (about 240) is a huge downhill shot which on TV looks almost level. The problem with #4 especially, is that the shot must carry all the way to the proper spot on the green or it will catch a bunker or roll down a false front and off the green to bogey land. Par-3 #6 is severely downhill. I watched Kenny Perry hit shots there and they were in the air for a long time. The par-4 9th also can have a severely downhill approach to the green unless you are a bomber and can get it close to the flatter area at the bottom of the hill. #10 is a massive hole and is extremely downhill. Most know it is severely downhill but no matter how HD the cameras and TV screens are, the elevation change simply is not captured. The approach to #10 is also a tough downhill shot. When I was there fans, sorry, “patrons” were impressed if a player managed to find themselves as close as 200 yards out. The 505 yard par-4 #11 is well known for the tough downhill approach and is shown fairly well on TV. The last downhill approach of the course is the par-5 15th. TV can’t really show how thin the green looks from the top of the hill, where players debate whether or not to go for it. A perfect shot must be struck there, or it is a water ball back left or short. Bailing right finds a bunker.
The greens are not as big as they look on TV
In general, most of the greens are much smaller than I expected. #2 is about the only one which is roughly the size I thought it would be. #13 (par-5) is much smaller than I thought it would be. #17, where Jack Nicklaus made the famous birdie in 1986, is about half the size I thought it would be. How big do you think #18 is? The angle of the TV cameras somehow make this green look much larger than it really is.
Massive open space
The clubhouse looks out over the #1 tee. Beyond there, left of the tee is #9 green. Continuing in that same direction toward #8 tee and #2 green is a huge wide open space which looks surreal from many directions. Looking down from the top of the hill where #1 tee is toward that area and seeing the massive open space and thousands of patrons is amazing. Conversely, looking from #7 green or even #17 fairway, you can see all the way through that massive open space up to the clubhouse. Once again, seeing all of those bodies and all that space up the hill is an amazing sight.
Buildings
Above: The BACK side of Butler Cabin
During the broadcasts all you hear about is the clubhouse and Butler Cabin. There are several other buildings you never see on TV. Right of the clubhouse, the direction of #1 fairway, are several other cabins. Down the left side of #10 tee there are several cabins which are never seen on TV. Also, none of the concession stands (where the famous pimento cheese sandwiches are) are shown. Most are very well tucked in areas in which they cannot bee seen from the course.
Butler Cabin, speaking of buildings, is not small. I anticipated that it would be, well, a cabin. It is probably 3000+ square feet. The first image in this article is the back side of Butler Cabin.
How many billions of golf forum threads titled “who is your dream foursome” are there? PGA.com did it and as well as every golf forum ever known to man. Most people put Tiger, Jack, Arnie and themselves as their dream foursome. I jokingly put myself, Anna Rawson, a witness and a justice of the peace in mine, but that is not the dream foursome I’m talking about today.
My Dream Foursome MLB Opening Day
Tomorrow I jump on a flight to Atlanta. I land at 2:10 pm. By 4:00pm I’ll be at opening day of the Major League Baseball season where the Atlanta Braves take on the Chicago Cubs. Sitting with me at the game will be the other three gentlemen in my dream foursome and the three most important and meaningful male figures in my world: my dad, my son and my all time best friend. The baseball game is just a warm up.
My Dream Foursome At Augusta National
Tuesday morning my dream foursome will be attending the Tuesday Masters practice round at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It will by my first time there, and I was thrilled to win the ticket lottery and be able to take my dad, who I’ve enjoyed many 1000’s of rounds of golf with as well my son. My best friend (and long lost brother) Alan rounds out the list. Alan and I have been pals since the beginning of time. We were next door neighbors when we were small children.
Alan has been to the practice round so he’ll be a great tour guide. To have he and I looking at Hogan bridge, Rae’s Creek, Amen Corner, discussing Masters history and talking about Bobby Jones will be absolutely spectacular. I just can’t wait.
Tiger Woods has just announced he’ll return to professional golf at The Masters. I would have thought he’d try to get one competitive round in before that to warm himself up, likely Bay Hill.
The Masters is a perfect place for Tiger to return because of the high level of security and the strict rules enforced on the grounds at Augusta National.
Will Tiger win or contend? I sort of doubt it, but he is Tiger Woods.
Tiger’s Press Release Below
(more…)
The Masters will be broadcast in 3D, for those with 3D capable computers or televisions.
I’ll be watching the Tuesday practice rounds in real 3D, AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL…
More here or here.
I just mentioned the fact that I’m GOING to Augusta for my first time next year in the last post. Last night I invited the 2nd of my three guests, my best golf pal whose name happens to be “Arnie.”
Jack Nicklaus will be joining the other “Arnie,” Mr. Palmer next year at The Masters as honorary starter.
“We are delighted and fortunate to have such a great ambassador and icon of our sport take part in this tradition. He has inspired generations of golfers and having Jack join Arnold on the first tee next April will be a special thrill for his many loyal fans around the world.” ~Masters chairman Billy Payne
Billy is right. Jack has inspired many, including me. I had the pleasure of meeting Jack a few years ago and he was VERY nice and easy to talk to.
“I have always had great respect for Arnold and his legacy at the Masters and I did not, in any way, want to infringe on the opportunity for Arnold to have and enjoy this Masters tradition for himself. He is so deserving of this honor, and thus I felt it was his time, not mine.” ~Jack Nicklaus on Arnold Palmer’s reign as solo starter.
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