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Chip Gaskins

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Tall Pines
« on: December 21, 2007, 10:31:44 AM »
Augusta

Wow, what an experience, from the Eisenhower Cabin, the Crows Nest, the upstairs bar in the library, the list just goes on and on…where to begin…

NOTE:  The post got too long, if you want to see the rest: http://thelaststop.typepad.com and John Kavanaugh, before you call me a "photowhore" like you did on one of your many posting where you were bashing me, realize that the member took some of these pictures and got a really really good laugh at your "don't smoke before sex" comments.



One thing can be confirmed. Augusta deserves all the great accolades it gets.  I had tried to lower my expectations given how high on a pedestal the media (CBS) puts Augusta. Plenty has been written in the past few years about the many changes to the course and is it still what Jones and Mackenzie originally intended or is that now just a distant memory. No doubt playing from a zillion yards back on the Masters tees (at 7400 plus yards) is quite different from where we played.  However, even from the member's tees it is a very solid test, especially given the greens are like putting in a zero gravity bathtub. Honestly, the new trees on the 11th and 15th didn’t even come in to play.  You do notice the new trees on the 7th and 17th, but not in a bad way.  Those two holes are so short that a premium on hitting the fairway should be required. Again, all that design stuff just seems to fade away when you get out on the course and are going through the motions. You get immersed in the overall experience and realize how great of a strategic course Augusta really is.
realize how great of a strategic course Augusta really is.




Is it the absolute best golf course in the world from tee to green?   In my opinion, probably not.

Is it firmly planted in the top 5? Absolutely!

Experience

We arrived at 6PM (well we actually arrived at 4:30PM and sat in the Krispy Kreme parking lot for an hour) the day before we were to play.  Driving up Magnolia Lane (even in the dark) for the first time is pretty special.  After checking in at the desk we took our bags to our cabin and cleaned up for dinner.  And yes, my member walked out of his room in his green jacket…..pretty cool!  After dinner we wandered around the clubhouse checking out the library and Crows Nest. Then back to the cabin with a bottle of wine and new logs on the fireplace.  At Augusta you can call the front desk and get them to turn on any edition of the Masters back to 1960.  We watched 1960, 1992, and 1997….that’s a lot of wine.  Knowing we were going to be on a long frost delay we knew we could sleep in a little longer.




The next day I was up at 7AM (like I was going to be able to sleep) only to find a very heavy frost.  We could not get out until 10:30ish, so what now…more time thinking about playing your first round at Augusta.  We wandered around the clubhouse, locker room, and pro shop for a while and then went for a long breakfast. No menus, just pick whatever you want, they will make it.

They finally released us all to the range.  I say all of us, I mean the three groups for the day were released to go hit balls and meet on the first tee at 10:45AM.  All twelve golfers head to the range and all hit balls and then all twelve of us head over to the first tee together.

So there we are…all twelve golfers, all twelve caddies, and the head pro. Now you have to hit your first tee shot with a 30 person gallery, gulp.

Hole#1



Finally, the time has come. Now after thinking about doing this your entire life it’s pretty hard to get that out of your head.  Don’t hit it right, don’t’ hit it left, don’t whiff it, and certainly don’t shank it and embarrass the member.  Luckily I figured out how to think about something else and hit my drive right over the bunker and had a wedge in….now the fun starts.  After only having 77 yards to the hole, I promptly flew the green and walked off with double bogey….Welcome to Augusta.



Hole #2

This is a reachable Par 5.  The pin was in the Sunday position so everything had to be played out to the left for it funnel back to the pin.  I laid up and hit a decent wedge and made par.  Finally I started to settle down a little.



Second Shot #2


Hole #3

I really really wanted to hit a good drive so I could hit this second shot to one of the only greens (and holes) on the course that hasn’t really changed from Mackenzie’s original design. Of course I hit driver into the right trees and have to chip out in front of the green.  Idiot!



Second Shot #3


Green #3


Hole #4

Great Long Par 3


Hole #5

This is the other hole I really wanted to hit the second shot in to…..and…..of course I hit my drive in the trees right of the fairway.  Idiot!  Still I have an 8 iron third shot to maybe the second best green on the course.  The fairway bunkers on five have to be 20 feet deep. What an underrated hole.



Second Shot #5



Hole #6

The green on #6 is impossible, like hitting on to the hood of your car and trying to stop it.



Hole #7

Seven is such a tight driving hole, to in my opinion the best bunkered green on the course.  The green is awesome, the bunkers, the slopes, the shelves, just a great design. It is amazing that this hole in the original design was one of the flattest and banal on the course. In the early Masters players used to be able to drive the green. Now it is the exact opposite. The green is perched up and completely surrounded by huge bunkers.


View of #7 green from #3 tee box


Hole #8
Eight is a short par five and usually plays as the easiest hole on the course.  Our group played it even par.


Second Shot #8


Hole #9

Even after going to the Masters several times you still don’t realize how up hill the second shot is on this hole.  This may be the fastest green on the course.  If you miss your second shot anywhere other than below the hole (but not too far because it will roll all the way down the hill in front of the green) you are going to three or four putt.



continued at http://thelaststop.typepad.com

Eric Smith

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Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2007, 10:49:20 AM »
Chip,

You know how the month or so before The Masters you can pick up the Masters journal in your local Kroger or whatever grocery store in your area?  It's pretty cool to look at the nice pictures of all 18 holes each year. It doesn't get old for me.  I've been going to the tooonament for 15 years or so.

But I have to say, your post, here on gca and carried over on your website is THE best representation of what it's like at ANGC that I've seen.  There's no doubt most would have loved to be in your shoes the other day and the reader can sense the pure joy of what it was like for you.

Pretty cool dude. Have a merry Christmas.

Eric
« Last Edit: December 21, 2007, 10:49:51 AM by Eric Smith »

John Kirk

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2007, 11:03:12 AM »
Chip,

So happy to see you posting.  Thanks for the nice photo essay on America's course.

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2007, 11:03:43 AM »
Those of you who disapprove of shooting photos while playing aren't reading this of course ;)

Nice job Chip
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2007, 11:11:52 AM »
Chip,

Great post!!  Always interesting to see the course from a non-TV players perspective. I really like how you describe not only the course but also what you are feeling as you go along.  I can only imagine my gut fluttering like a young school boy on the first tee!!!

Tom Huckaby

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2007, 11:19:34 AM »
FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!

That was a really, really cool tour, and something I've sure never seen before - that is, what it's like for a normal guy to actually play the course.

My thoughts on the "what course would you ask Santa for" thread are totally confirmed.

Thanks, Chip!

Jim Nugent

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2007, 11:42:15 AM »
Great tour.  What condition was ANGC in?  How fast do you think the greens were running?  The fairways?  

Also, how hard was the course for you?  




K. Krahenbuhl

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2007, 12:19:15 PM »
Chip,

Thanks for the look inside the gates.  I look forward to hearing more about your special day.

Phil Benedict

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2007, 12:50:30 PM »
Chip,

This is pretty cool.  I wonder if your comments about the trees on 11 and 15 apply to the Masters tees.  Tiger hit into the new trees on 11 twice last year and was in the trees on 15 on Sunday.

Chip Gaskins

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2007, 03:02:34 PM »
Great tour.  What condition was ANGC in?  How fast do you think the greens were running?  The fairways?  

Also, how hard was the course for you?  





The whole course was a little shaggy.  With the 3 hour frost delay they didn't get a chance to mow the fairways or rough in front of us.  I don't think they mowed the day before either.  That is why you can see all tires tracks on some holes.  By the time we got around to 14 they had mowed the fairways and the lies we started getting were a lot different (tighter).  The rye grass when it is shaggy is really sticky to chip from and the drives got very little roll.  It is obviously much harder and faster in April every year.  We could have waited to tee off until after they mowed but we couldn't wait any longer....too much adrenaline (even the member really still enjoys playing the place like it is his first time)

The greens were the best and fastest I have ever putted on.  I can't believe how much grain was in the greens.  Again, I thought the grain was just urban legend like the wind at Amen Corner, but all the putts really do break toward #12.  Even what seems to be uphill on some holes.  I can't believe Fuzzy won the Masters in his first tournament.  He must have had the best caddie in the world.  I would say they were probably rolling a 12 maybe.

The course wasn't overly difficult (just as Jones wanted, Jones thought places like Oakmont were overly hard) but the greens take some time to really understand.  I shot 6-7 shots over my handicap all due to three putts really.

All in all a fantastic place.
« Last Edit: December 21, 2007, 03:12:48 PM by Chip Gaskins »

Jim Franklin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2007, 03:06:07 PM »
Good stuff Chip, thanks for sharing.
Mr Hurricane

Tom Huckaby

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #11 on: December 21, 2007, 03:09:29 PM »
Chip - again more great stuff - and sorry if I missed this in the writeup, but what tees did you play?  I assume members' tees at 6500 or so?

TH

Chip Gaskins

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #12 on: December 21, 2007, 03:29:41 PM »
Chip,

This is pretty cool.  I wonder if your comments about the trees on 11 and 15 apply to the Masters tees.  Tiger hit into the new trees on 11 twice last year and was in the trees on 15 on Sunday.

Thats a good point.  I know Tiger hit in the trees last year on both of these holes and maybe thats why we all talked about it so much.  With that said, they still really look like they are out of play to me.  It seems like you have to hit a pretty off-line shot to get it in the trees.  On both of those holes though, the Masters tees are obviously further back (11 is like 80-90 yards back and 15 is 40-50 back maybe) and but are both moved over to the left.  So I suppose the trees could come in to play more being you have to aim a little right and try to draw it into the fairway and any shot that stays straight would end up in the trees?  But that seems like splitting hairs.  I know they removed 4-5 trees on 11 over the summer.  I suspect more and more will come down over time.  I think the addition of the second cut has made more of a difference than any tree they have recently planted.

Chip Gaskins

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #13 on: December 21, 2007, 08:16:43 PM »
Chip - again more great stuff - and sorry if I missed this in the writeup, but what tees did you play?  I assume members' tees at 6500 or so?

TH

Correct, members' tees play between 6400-6600 yards.  With no roll it played much longer.  We wouldn't have been able to finish if we would have played the Masters tees.  I doubt I could have reached the 1, 11, or 18th from the Masters tees.  Two totally different courses.

Mike_Cirba

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #14 on: December 21, 2007, 09:04:10 PM »
Chip,

This is tremendous.

We're really glad you're back here posting and I'll have some cogent thoughts later.

Right now I'm going to just sit back and smell the pine straw.  ;)

Joe Hancock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #15 on: December 21, 2007, 09:11:44 PM »
Chip,

This is tremendous.

We're really glad you're back here posting and I'll have some cogent thoughts later.

Right now I'm going to just sit back and smell the pine straw.  ;)

Mike, you were so close. Had you said "...sit back and sniff the divots." I would have been soooo proud.

Joe
" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Mike_Cirba

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #16 on: December 21, 2007, 09:42:12 PM »
Joe,

Trust me...you don't want to know what I plan to do with the divots.

Ray Richard

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #17 on: December 22, 2007, 09:31:30 AM »
Great job on Thelaststop-better than the sacharine photo's we see in Golf Digest. You sure enjoy life-chasing  Dave Mathews and top ten golf!
« Last Edit: December 22, 2007, 09:32:10 AM by Ray Richard »

J_ Crisham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #18 on: December 22, 2007, 10:27:39 AM »
Chip, From the tees you played was it possible to go at 13 and 15 in two? How daunting was the tee shot at 12? I've been to The Masters 4 times but I'm curious as to what it plays like for any everyday amateur versus a seasoned tour player that I watch.

Kyle Harris

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #19 on: December 22, 2007, 10:28:54 AM »
Chip,

Could you post your photo of the 10th green from just to the left of the fairway bunker?

I think that picture offers a very interesting study between the current Maxwell green and the location of the original Mackenzie green.

John Kavanaugh

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #20 on: December 22, 2007, 11:15:47 AM »
I have no idea why but I just now linked onto this thread.  I'm glad that you took being called a photowhore in the nature it was intended.

So, Which is the least interesting hole to both look forward too and play?

Phil Benedict

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #21 on: December 22, 2007, 11:40:33 AM »
You know what I like about these pictures.  It looks like a nice, normal course rather than the over-maintained work-of-art that's presented every April.  I like it more without all the flowering shrubs and trees in bloom.

Matthew Hunt

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Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #22 on: December 22, 2007, 02:15:49 PM »
Do they mow the approchs shorter than the fairway at Augusta?

Kyle Harris

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #23 on: December 22, 2007, 02:28:52 PM »
This image:


TaylorA

Re:Tall Pines
« Reply #24 on: December 22, 2007, 02:32:58 PM »
Thanks for the great walking/playing tour of Augusta. That was really neat.

As far as your comments on the trees to the right of 11, there are a couple of reasons why these things were bad. First, it did take an angle away from play - one that MacKenzie clearly wanted to have. This is obvious from the huge mound that is short right of the green. Secondly, it made most of the hole invisible for "patrons" - where the gallery used to be right up by the fairway for the second shot, you're now forced to peer through a pine forest. Not exactly keeping with Jones desire to make this the ultimate experience for patrons. Personally, I just thought they looked absurd and out of place. Perhaps the removal of some number of them has restored a portion of the missing angle.