The Masters...

[George Pazin]

The Masters has the decided advantage of being the first major.  It gets all of the pent up emotions of the winter weary golfer and replaces them with the hope of spring, the hope for great tournaments and the promise of an improved personal golf game.  It helps everybody process the events of last year and prognosticate on the upcoming year.  If it were second or third in line, I doubt that it would be quite so revered.  If it were fourth, it would know what it's like to be the PGA, a bit of an afterthought.

Very nice insight, I hadn't really considered this before.

I love watching the Masters every year, just as I love watching the 2 Opens. Which I prefer depends largely on the courses. I love watching the TPC as much as almost any of them.

Having said all that, it'd be hard for me to disagree MORE with Jordan's assertion that ANGC is one of the best looking courses. It's just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too sterile (hat tip to Matt - Mattspeak works so well sometimes) to be considered beautiful.

This year should be very fun. I kind of get the feeling that Tiger's recent win means Phil won't show up (figuratively, not literally), but I really hope I'm wrong.

[Robin Doodson]

The Masters in April is great, but i can't wait for Turnberry in July - it's going to be awesome.

Nothing beats THE Open.

[Mark Pearce]

It has a lot of drying out to do, apparently. Stewart Cink reported on his Twitter page earlier in the week that the course was so sodden it was barely playable.  If that was true I can't see it drying to Firm and Fast.

There's always a sense of anticipation about the Masters because it's where the season really starts but it ranks way behind the Open in the buzz it creates in our household.

[Anthony Gray]

Forget Lefty. He avoids Kapalua so the wind doesn't ruin his swing. Yesterday the wind did a number on him, and he has to be damaged goods now.

EDIT: The Masters is lowest on my watch list of the majors.

  Please give us more as to why.

  All

[David Stamm]

I get excited about the Masters because it reminds us of the greatness of Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. as a player and more importantly, as a person.

[Ian Andrew]

I'll be there on Monday and Tuesday for the practice rounds - then I'm heading home.

Most of you have seen my photo - which is gone from here for some reason - so stop me if you recognize me.

[Bruce Leland]

When you live in tropical Minnesota, Master's week is a breath of fresh air and a welcome sign of the promise of Spring.  Many years one is torn between watching the tournament "live" or heading to the course to break some tees.  This year it will be the former as Old Man Winter is relentless. 

It is the one tournament that has me asking "how can it possibly top last year" and more often than not, it does.  I will be glued to the TV Wednesday - Sunday next week.

[Garland Bayley]

Forget Lefty. He avoids Kapalua so the wind doesn't ruin his swing. Yesterday the wind did a number on him, and he has to be damaged goods now.

EDIT: The Masters is lowest on my watch list of the majors.

  Please give us more as to why.

  All

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,20719.0.html

[Rob Rigg]

I always get way more excited about The Open because you rarely see those types of courses on TV in the US (although GC have the Euro Tour).

The Masters has a wonderful atmosphere and it is nice to get a glimpse of Augusta every year - although the course always seems artificially green to me - almost too vivid, too manicured and too perfect.

The Open courses are just so natural and F&F, the juxtaposition of Augusta.

[Mark Luckhardt]

I'll agree on that point, while the Masters has the advantage of being the first major, and the golf itch is in full swing in the spring, the Open majors show classic old tracts the likes of some haven't been seen on TV in 10 years. eg. Oakmont, Merion in 2013

Augusta is  a perfect venue for a annual competition, which gives the open of  golf season some real juice.

[Charlie Goerges]

Forget Lefty. He avoids Kapalua so the wind doesn't ruin his swing. Yesterday the wind did a number on him, and he has to be damaged goods now.

EDIT: The Masters is lowest on my watch list of the majors.

  Please give us more as to why.

  All

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,20719.0.html

Garland, I saw a very early GCA usage of "preponderance". You mentioned preponderance in the same paragraph (sentence?) with election. Usually in an election a plurality or at most a simple majority is required. Would you say a preponderance requires that little an advantage?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?


Plus on that thread you mentioned a "green" party affiliation. That party would include "green" jackets, would it not? You secret Augusta lover!

[PThomas]

i think it was re: the 2nd to 7 at Augusta where Tiger was quoted as saying:"I dont have that shot"

i cant ever recall him making a negative statement like that!...so that shot must REALLY be tricky!

[Scott Warren]

Just to whet the appetite and for the inevitable "it's too hard now" comments, here are some numbers I pinched from Golf World re: scoring at the Masters:

First is the scoring average for each hole for the first 20 years (FTY), compared to 2008, with how each hole ranks for difficulty for the year/period.

Hole-FTY(rank)-2008(rank)-Difference
1----4.23 (7)----4.25 (4)---- +0.02
2----4.81 (16)--4.82 (15)--- +0.01
3----4.10 (14)--4.03 (14)--- -0.07
4----3.29 (3)---3.23 (5)----- -0.06
5----4.27 (5)---4.23 (6)----- -0.04
6----3.14 (13)-3.10 (11)---- -0.04
7----4.14 (12)-4.25 (3)----- +0.11
8----4.85 (15)-4.79 (17)---- -0.06
9----4.15 (11)-4.20 (7)----- +0.05
Out--36.98----36.90--------- -0.08

10--4.32 (1)---4.30 (2)----- -0.02
11--4.29 (4)---4.35 (1)----- +0.06
12--3.30 (2)---3.08 (13)---- -0.22
13--4.80 (17)--4.83 (16)--- +0.03
14--4.18 (8 )--4.08 (12)---- -0.10
15--4.79 (18)--4.76 (18)---- -0.03
16--3.16 (9)---3.12 (10)---- -0.04
17--4.16 (10--4.13 (9)------ -0.03
18--4.23 (6)--4.14 (8 )----- -0.09
In--37.23-----36.79---------- -0.44
Tot--74.21---73.69---------- -0.52

Back nine scoring for 1989-2008, with the eagles, birdies and doubles or worse made, as well as relevant notes.

Year--Eag-Brd--DoW-Notes
1989--13--374--103--Amen Corner: 130 birdies
1990---9--402---93
1991--29--525---68---Most Eagles
1992--25--521---53---Most Birdies
1993--14--456---53
1994--11--370---70
1995--25--463---56
1996--15--473---84---Amen Corner: 188 birdies
1997--24--418---87
1998--13--381---93
1999--21--435--117---Amen Corner: 190 birdies
2000---8--449--111
2001--18--502---82
2002--13--433---67---Amen Corner: 156 birdies
2003---8--358--102
2004--20--381--104---Amen Corner: 150 birdies
2005--13--413---91
2006--25--359---97
2007--11--344--139---Most doubles or worse
2008--15--396---83---Amen Corner: 150 birdies

Just a few numbers for you all to have a look at in the lead-up to this weekend. I'm not suggesting they prove or disprove anything. Despite the changes, I am an unashamed Masters lover.

[Jordan Wall]

I have a hard time understanding why so many people are so critical of the golf course. 

It is a perfect looking golf course, from a maintenance standpoint.  Nothing can be 'too perfect' either, because perfect is as good as it gets.  There is no reason to be critical of the course for looking the way it does, being so green and in such shape.

The bunkers are beautiful in my eyes.  They make Augusta, well, Augusta.  Big, bold, and very strategic.

The greens, which are said to really need to be seen to personally to understand their greatness, have been hailed as some of the best in the world.

Despite the added length, when thought realistically about it, that has nothing to do with course because they are meant for the Masters, which is part of Augusta and defining it as a whole.  They are not for members or mortals like us; perhaps if they moved the members tees back to make it umplayable for the majority of players a cause for concern would be legitimate, but that has not and probably will not happen.  If anything, the added trees and the addition of some light rough should be the biggest cause of concern for evaluating the course.

When it comes down to it, the whole aura of Augusta, the extravagance that is the Masters, and the perfection of the entire week makes it one I look forward to more so than any other in the golf world.

Cheers,
Jordan