I don't rave about too many places (Cypress and Pine Valley are of the few) but I've gone on record here as being very impressed with Augusta National having both walked and played it (albeit quite a few years ago).
If there were no Masters, clearly the course wouldn't have the reputation it has today because:
1) multiple major championships give immense focus and credibility to any course I can think of (Merion, Turnberry and TOC come to mind first);
2) the changes to the original MacKenzie/Jones design wouldn't, for the most part, have been considered necessary.
Given how jet travel has replaced the Augusta/Aiken area with Palm Beach et al as THE winter destination(s), it could be argued that Jones' legacy without The Masters might now be a struggling, obscure "hidden gem" - perhaps having evolved into an "eastern Pasatiempo". That would be my guess.
Was the original course the equal of Merion, Seminole, Pasatiempo, TCC, Oakmont, old Riviera, LACC, etc.??
Not sure about that but I do believe that 90+% of the changes that have been made over the years (esp. #'s 10,11,13,16,2,7 and
have been for the better.
Am interested in what "Lost Links" has to say - just got my copy.