GCA Roll Call; how many have played Augusta National?

[David Wuthrich]

I have been fortunate to have been a guest and played this special course.

[Tom_Doak]

However, he also said the entire experience at ANGC, from the drive down Magnolia Lane to the cabins to dinner to the par 3 and practice areas and, of course, the golf, is the greatest experience he's ever had in golf, hands down.

I hear this all the time, and I think it must be the suck-up factor at work.  As in, you're entitled to like another course better as long as you bow down to Augusta for the whole experience.


As I said earlier, I was most impressed by the service when I stayed there.  It was really incomparable to any high-end resort I've ever been; of course, it's a bit easier because they have much more handle on where guests go and when they go there.  Nobody ever just shows up where they're not supposed to be at Augusta.  And the chance to mingle with members and other guests can be really cool, depending on who's there ... it is not the only club like that, but there aren't many other clubs where the dining room is so full of power players most nights.


But the par-3 course experience?  It's a great part of the Masters tradition, but I didn't find it a lot of fun to play, personally.  Naming that as being a major contributor to the awesomeness of the experience is just sucking up -- especially since the primary purpose of the par-3 is to keep you from wanting to play 36 holes on the big course in the same day.

[Jim Franklin]

Only one of the Top 100 I have not played. Oh well....

[John Sabino]

Delightfully, yes. April 7, 2013, a day that will live in infamy. Birdied the 12th hole 

[Pete Lavallee]

We are up to 9 with 2 people IMing that they have played so our grand total so far is 11; might have to revise the over under!

[Robert Emmons]

I have been lucky to play it 6 times and the par 3 twice. The staff and experience of staying in a cottage is top of the world. Unfortunately my host a great friend passed away 8 years ago...RHE

[MCirba]

I have a friend who is up in years who had played all of the Top 100 at the time with the exception of Augusta National.   One day he met a member and obtained an invite to come out in the spring.   A month later the member passed away, which is perhaps the ultimate in bad fortune.

Back in 2005 my brother's father-in-law who lived near Atlanta won the lottery for practice round tickets but wasn't able to use them due to health issues.   He gave them to my brother who took my late father and I.   At the time, my dad had recently gone through a heart attack and quadruple bypass so we thought it best if we found a bleacher near a green and just watched groups play through.

My dad would have none of that.   I could swear he suddenly lost 20 years in a few moments and we walked all of the course, probably trekking over 10 miles up and down those hills and he never did get the smile off his face.  We watched the pre-scandal Tiger Woods eagle 8 and 9 consecutively, holing a nine-iron approach on 9 and then walking into the clubhouse without going out the back nine.    He evidently didn't need to, as he won that year.   

I count myself very fortunate to have had that day.

[Mike_Young]

Pete,
Is the cool thing now to IM that you have played there?  Sorry for just posting it and not IM'ing...

[Chris Cupit]

I have been lucky enough to play three times.  The first two times were in college.  My first trip down I rode with Charlie Rymer (my teammate and roommate at the time) and two Members Dan Yates and Carl Reith.  It was a decent February day in 1987.  When we arrived we were worried it may rain so we played the back nine first.  I played with Mr. Yates.  He never putted out--he always attempted the first putt and then no matter what happened the caddie picked it up for him--so he shot about 50  


I played the back nine in 36 (birdied 13 when my 1-iron attempt for the green went so far right it was safe RIGHT of the creek and I got up and down) and I bogied 18.  The weather improved and we played the front.  I three-putted #1 for bogey and then birdied 2,5,7 and 8.  On #9 I sliced a drive (wooden woods back then for me) and had a 4-iron.  I pulled it into the left bunker and somehow managed to play enough break out to the left that allowed the ball to trickle down to about three inches where I could tap in for 69     I still have the scorecard.


We had lunch and played the par-3 course--I was so jacked up I would have walked home to Atlanta afterwards!


Played the next year and shot about 77 and then in 2010 after all the changes and added length I played again and shot 79.  I will say it is a completely different course now and if I ever had the chance to play again, I would absolutely play the members' tees--it is way too much golf course for me now--damn aging thing.


It is a great experience and even as a kid they treated all the guests fantastically.  I am a very lucky person.


Addendum:  As to how lucky I am I was able to go to the 1986 Masters with my high school golf coach.  If you watch the tapes there is my ugly assed mug on the tee at 15 when Seve and Tom Kite tee off and then again on 18 when Jack tees off.  Maybe the most exciting event I have ever been to.

[MClutterbuck]

However, he also said the entire experience at ANGC, from the drive down Magnolia Lane to the cabins to dinner to the par 3 and practice areas and, of course, the golf, is the greatest experience he's ever had in golf, hands down.

I hear this all the time, and I think it must be the suck-up factor at work.  As in, you're entitled to like another course better as long as you bow down to Augusta for the whole experience.


As I said earlier, I was most impressed by the service when I stayed there.  It was really incomparable to any high-end resort I've ever been; of course, it's a bit easier because they have much more handle on where guests go and when they go there.  Nobody ever just shows up where they're not supposed to be at Augusta.  And the chance to mingle with members and other guests can be really cool, depending on who's there ... it is not the only club like that, but there aren't many other clubs where the dining room is so full of power players most nights.


But the par-3 course experience?  It's a great part of the Masters tradition, but I didn't find it a lot of fun to play, personally.  Naming that as being a major contributor to the awesomeness of the experience is just sucking up -- especially since the primary purpose of the par-3 is to keep you from wanting to play 36 holes on the big course in the same day.

I have to agree that the entire experience, staying on property, the bar and dining, getting to visit the Champions locker room, and the golf is by far the best golfing experience by a large difference to other clubs with top courses. In my case Tom I elected to skip the par 3 course every day for an extra back 9 and my host was happy to oblige. 

[Eric LeFante]

Delightfully, yes. April 7, 2013, a day that will live in infamy. Birdied the 12th hole 

John, that was the Sunday before the tournament began, a day past champions can bring guests. Can you tell us about the day and how the course was playing considering it was in tournament condition?

One thing I always read about is how the pros go to Augusta for practice rounds this time of year and it's freezing and wet so the course plays really long. I would imagine a lot of people don't get to play Augusta in prime condition since the winter isn't great and it's closed for 4+ months for the summer. For you to play the course in April is pretty amazing.

[Mark McKeever]

I have not played it.  Only walked during the tournament in 2008.


MM

[erichunter]

I was fortunate enough to enjoy the whole experience - big course, Par 3, dinner, tour the clubhouse and overnight in a cabin.  Not sure I can add anything that hasn't already been said but the golf, the service and everything else added up to an unforgettable experience. 


Played in late February 2010.  A couple weeks prior to the day of play asnowstorm left the course covered in snow as shown on some pictures that spread on the internet.  I was a wreck and never checked the weather so much in my life but the weather and course were perfect for the day.   

[Dave McCollum]

I was asked if I wanted to by one of the few people I know who knows a member and has played it.  He said they had a date and a spot which he was declining because of cost.  At the time, I came to the same conclusion.  I honestly don't remember the estimated cost (whether 4 or 5 figures).  I'd probably be more inclined to think about it now and might be inclined to value the experience and ignore the cost.  My reluctance these days is not having the game to play the shots. 

[Bill Gayne]

Yes, as everyone says the whole experience is pretty awesome and don't have anything more to add that others haven't already said.

[RickV]

I've been lucky enough to play it as a tournament volunteer every year.  Being there for the whole week of the tournament is amazing too and makes you appreciate playing it that much more....

[John Sabino]

Eric - Yes, it was the Sunday before the tournament started. The most obvious thing about playing then is the wow factor that you see during the Masters with the course in perfect condition, the flowers in bloom etc. My observation/impression was that tee to green it is not that difficult (for a then 15 handicap). Difficult to lose a ball unless you hit it into the water on 12 or 15-16. Fairways are reasonably easy to hit and even being under a pine tree leaves you a chip that is usually not that difficult.


The difficulty is all in holding the greens and putting, as you would expect. In this regard I found it similar to Merion. You must put the ball in the correct quadrant or sector of the green to have any chance to score reasonably. The two former champions I played with proved the point on many holes by dropping balls and then tapping putts an inch or two that rolled off greens.


My other impression is similar to Tom Doak's. I played the par 3 course as well and (hopefully William Porter Payne doesn't read these posts and ban me from visiting) wasn't dazzled by it. The experience is obviously over the top from the minute you step onto the property until you leave and playing the par 3 is a great experience, but from an architecture/great hole standpoint it didn't provide lasting memories.


My final impression is that looking at and walking a course is far different than playing it. Some of the holes that don't get as much notoriety, such as the 3rd, 5th and 7th I found to be the most challenging. The third, even though it is a very short par four, is an exceedingly difficult green to hit. The fifth because the bunker on the left is a magnet and difficult to get out of.  And the seventh is narrower than it looks on TV and the green is more elevated than you think it is.


John

[Eric LeFante]

Very cool story John. 1 seems very difficult as well. It doesn't seem like you get much roll if you land short of the fairway bunker, the fairway gets narrow around the fairway bunker, and the green has a lot going on. Last year it was playing into the wind for a couple rounds and guys actually had mid irons and hybrids in. Tough start.

[Jerry Kluger]

Around 1990 I had an art gallery and represented Leroy Neiman.  I had asked him for a number of years to do a Masters piece so in February he calls me and says he has decided to do a Masters piece and I needed to get him airline tickets, hotel, limo and two tickets for Wednesday and Thursday of Masters week. (The second ticket was for his assistant/girlfriend - not me.)  I asked a former boss who I knew had connections in Augusta if he could help me.  Turns out he had tickets I could have and his client was a local member who owned a hotel and other businesses in Augusta and knew of Leroy and helped out with the other items.  The piece he did I titled "April in Augusta" which shows Nicklaus teeing off on 10 with Faldo and Fannie behind him in front of the crowd.  There were also sketches that he did and are in his book "Big Time Golf." I did speak with the member as well as the then head pro and Leroy signed pieces for them but I never asked for tickets or a chance to play the course - bad move on my part.

[Pete Lavallee]

Another IM brings our total to 17; so there a chance!

[Jason Walker]

Not sure of the reluctance to be public about playing.  My neighbor played it a few years ago shortly before the Masters.  There was one other groups on property at the time due to the cold weather.  Dinner was with that group which was two Top 20 players squeezing in some Masters prep.  On the course the next morning their host told them to take as many pictures as they needed to make their friends jealous and for them to make sure to tell everyone they knew that they had played Augusta National!

[Brock Peyer]

Not yet, my Dad started taking me to the Masters in 1981 when I was 9 and I have been 16 times which has lead to a life long love affair with Augusta.  Someday, someday....

[Ronald Montesano]

ANGC is different from all the clubs you mentioned. Members go to great lengths to keep their membership private and if I were invited, I would not let anyone know. Personal belief. It's not that you don't understand it; it seems to be that you don't agree with it.

If I had played ANGC, I would not reveal it, publicly and permanently, in order to not draw attention to the fact and my host/hostess.

I don't understand this at all.  Why would you not mention the fact that you've played ANGC if you had.  Do members ask that guests not tell anyone that they've played at their club.  On this site many people tell about their experiences playing Pine Valley, Shinnecock, Seminole, etc.  I'm happy for those people and love to hear the stories they tell about their experiences.  Don't know why Augusta would be any different.   

[Scott Warren]

Ronald,

I could understand not telling people who hosted you, but I don't see how it affects the privacy of a club or its members for people to know that a teacher from Upstate New York once played a game of golf there.

[Matthew Rose]

My grandfather played it several times, but I never met him until he was on his death bed. He was an oral surgeon in Texas who knew some big oil dudes and ended up being acquaintances with Arnie, Jack, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Jimmy Demaret, and a few others. I ended up with a few of his autographed golf books... if he had been in my life sooner, who knows what would have happened?


I've been nowhere near it. My dad went to the Masters the last time Tiger won it. I plan on attending one day but I'm other than that, I'm not holding my breath.