I attended 6 Masters, anywhere from 5 days to 2 days. On my 7th trip to Augusta, I went with 3 friends and a member and spent 2 days playing. When I stepped on the 1st tee it was WEIRD, there were no fans lining the fairways and it didn't look like anything special. I commented silently to myself, "this looks like an ordinary course", although I never uttered it aloud. While the greens were fast, they were not tournament fast and I didn't show any respect for them until I 4 putted on the 4th green from about 25 feet. I never 3 putted either day, but on 17 in my 2nd round, I 4 putted again, not realizing that the right side of the green was slopped as much, and much first putt rolled about 30 yards down the hill. Maybe that was a 3 putt as my 2nd putt was a flip wedge, but I always considered it a 4 putt.
What did I enjoy the most of my 2 days? In order:
1. The par 3 course as I really never gave it much thought before or much of a serious look
2. My favorite hole was the par 3 12th, I went 4-3 for the 2 days
3. I thought 10 was very difficult
4. I played the member tees which are I think 6250 yards, so #7 played like it used to, short.
5. I loved the dinner the first nite and lunch outside on my 2nd day.
6. We stayed in the Bobby Jones cabin on the grounds
7. I bought about a dozen hats for my friends, the pro shop is the only place that sells them with the Augusta Logo, not the Masters
8. The Drive to the club house gives you a chill down your spine.
9. Was it the best course I ever played? No, because going for the green on 13 and 15 was out of the question. Pine Valley, Cypress, Pebble Beach, Royal Dornock all have more memorable holes, probably because of the uniqueness of several holes on each.
10. It was the last course I ever played because I went for my first spinal surgery about 45 days later and never returned to golf.