My guess is that the most influential acre in golf sits at the end of Magnolia Lane. Think of the past presidents of the USGA who are members in addition to a virtual who's who of corporate America. This is the place where the big decisions are made right under that big old oak tree out back! Jack
Easiest answer of the bunch. For most of our lives, it's been the club, and the course, that every other club in the world looks to. American courses want to look like Augusta. Scottish golfers want to go to Augusta. About a billion Asians want to watch everything that happens at Augusta. It's the real, private club of the USGA Executive Committee.
Even more than The Old Course, it will be, must be, the final battleground in the war over golf equipment technology. It may not be the best course in the world, and it may not be as worthy of imitation as The Old Course, but Augusta is, easily, the Most Important Golf Course in the World.