Finally got to play Augusta! (w/ photos)

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

...after living down in this area for 10 years.

OK so this post is just a teaser right now.  Give me 20-30 minutes to upload some pictures to Photobucket and type some comments.

Some quick thoughts right now though.  The course look/feels nothing like when you watch the Masters on TV.  The property is much hillier than it looks on the Masters broadcast.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

They have apparently made a lot of very extensive changes from last year, because I didnt even recognize any of the holes.  They have apparently undergone an extensive tree removal program, and I mean EXTENSIVE!!!  


Tee marker on the first hole.




Standing on the first tee, man you talk about first tee jitters.  Just thinking about all the famous footsteps you are about to be walking in, and the history you are about to see.  But it doesnt look at all like it does on TV does it?



The 3rd hole, I have never noticed that water hazard before during the Masters.



It is amazing what they can do with the placement and camera angles they use, I never even realized that there was an airport this close to the 6th green.  Has anyone on here ever seen these hangars in the background?  I havent.



The tee box on the 7th is really close to the runway, and again I have never noticed this before during the broadcast.  Also an airplane took off when I was on the 8th hole and based on the noise, they must time all flight arrivals and departures during Masters week to only happen during commercial breaks.



Again on the 11th hole the start of Amen Corner you play back down by the hangars again.  On the broadcast they apparently discuise this building as being back in the trees, and the size perception is completely different in person.  On TV I thought that thing you see sometimes behind 11th green was like a pump house or something.


Has anyone ever seen this periscope that they have near the 12th tee.  I mean on TV that hole looks like just a short iron to a green in complete view from the tee.  It must be because the TV towers are elevated, because I couldnt even see the green from the tee.


I cant imagine why any of the PGA guys couldnt get home in two on this hole.  I mean I hit a wedge for my second shot and that was after 3 wood off the tee.  I think I darn near could have driven this green with the driver.



Man it cant get much better than this can it?  Coming to the 18th and taking that historic walk up hill in the fading light of evening with the spectacular clubhouse in the background.  



Here is a copy of the scorecard.  You know I guess that Jim Nance guy doesnt talk very clearly, because I swear I always thought he was saying "National" for the second word in the name all these years.

You know what else there isnt one single Magnolia on the drive up from the main road to the clubhouse.  I dont know where they got that name from.  I also expected the greens would be a little faster than they actually were.

I asked the guy behind the counter where the Champions Locker Room was, and he just looked at me funny.  You must have to be around there a couple times before they will show you were that is.  However he did tell me I could change my shoes anywhere I wanted.

Wow what a day!!!!



Sorry I couldnt hold out any longer and keep a straight face.  77 views before I got this second one posted and not one comment??

[Mike Benham]

As Huckaby would say "Audible yucks" ...

[Bill Gayne]

Congratulations on living the dream. Living large in Augusta. I'm disappointed about the lack of bunker pictures though. Was the sand really as white as on the TV?

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Turboe,

I too was surprised at the elevation changes and the pitch of the greens.

Nothing I saw on TV for the past 50 years prepared me for the actual experience of playing each hole, although there was a wonderful familiarity.

Some holes played easier than I imagined and some played harder than I imagined.

The pitch to the upper tiers on # 13 and # 16 were quite surprising and difficult to cope with.

I'm not in love with the planting of trees over the last 5 or so years, but, it remains a wonderful golf course and a wonderful experience.

What were the conditions like ?
Speed of the greens ?  Firmness and speed of the fairways ?
What tees did you play ?

I think the conditions speak for themselves from the pictures I show.  As far as tree planting I didnt see any.  Come to think of it I didnt see a single Azelea either.  Maybe they went on an extensive Azelea removal program as well.

[John Foley]

Daryl,

Thank you for the great laugh!!!

[John Kavanaugh]

You got me too Mr. Blue..

[Tim Bert]

I didn't even read the stone in the picture carefully, then I started looking at the other pictures thinking - what is this?

Nice one.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I'm disappointed about the lack of bunker pictures though. Was the sand really as white as on the TV?

Thanks for the input.

You know thats another thing I was surprised by.....


I guess on TV the edges of the bunkers look so much more neatly manicured then they do here on the 10th Green.  I mean they almost look like you could get a paper cut on them on TV and.......


...I thought the sand would be much brighter white than this bunker here greenside on the 18th.  Where the heck do they find room for those grandstands as well?

[ChipOat]

April 1st in December - well done!

[David_Elvins]

It looks like it has Fazio's fingerprints all over it.  

[Andy Hughes]

 
thanks for laugh!

[PThomas]

Turboe, you dog, you got me too!  well done!

[Pete Stankevich]

That's just cold!   Here I am up in CT freezing my butt off, looking forward to seeing THE sign of spring, as well as the changes to the course......
and I have to say I'm terribly disappointed with the changes.
I may not even make the trip down in April.  

[jeffwarne]

Daryl,
You brought back fond memories for me.
That's "The Patch."
That was our home course in high school-I went to school accross the street (On many weekday mornings when cutting school and playing #12 I used to hit it down the parallell 11th fairway as the 12th ran in front of the school)

The RIP 15th was the hardest par 4 in America as the tiny sliver of fairway sloped right to left with nary a blade of grass on it.Only the softest of fades would leave an approach to the nasty elevated green with death left,right,and long.
We had a kid make a 14 there and shoot 79!
The hole was moved to accomodate the range and clubhouse.

18 was also a great finishing par 5/4 (the green was moved 80-100 yards shorter and to the right-thus removing the fear factor of the internal OB hugging the tee shot and approach.

Firm and fast was an understatement-getting any ball to stay in #1,2,4, 15 or 16 fairway was an amazing accomplishment.
Those photos show more grass than I ever saw there.
I actually see definition between fairway and rough,which means there's enough grass to keep the ball from rolling into jail.
That picture of #10 shows those bunkers and lips in the best condition I've ever seen them -hate to see that
We always played the ball down in tournaments and high school matches there because there was no way to determine whether it was fairway or rough.
Most of the regulars there (who weren't afraid to wager a bit) played "treeline"as rough which made for some interesting discussions.

After college I was a semi-regular there (and actually a member for a time) as there was always significant action to be had.Once on the way out of town  to Jacksonville I left my girlfriend (who's now my wife) in the car and went in to regrip a club.An hour and a half later we were screeching down the driveway (Bubba didn't like to lose) with enough 9 hole proceeds ($100 1 down automatics was almost always the game)to pay for the trip .

Interestingly this course is probably one of the reasons I like links golf so much as you can't play there if you can't chip and pitch off super firm,tight turf and have a ton of imagination.

The former clubhouse(shack) was priceless,shame to see it go-always the best hot dog and card game in town.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Daryl, Did you get to put on the fabled Brown Jacket? (to match the colors of the fairways)

Course looks great! Nothing like muni golf! Without making me pull out Cornish & Whitten, which would probably be wrong anyway, who designed it?

It's a damn shame to see the damage Fazio is doing to this wonderful place.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Daryl, Did you get to put on the fabled Brown Jacket? (to match the colors of the fairways)

Course looks great! Nothing like muni golf! Without making me pull out Cornish & Whitten, which would probably be wrong anyway, who designed it?

It's a damn shame to see the damage Fazio is doing to this wonderful place.

The Two course search sites that I usually use online do not have anyone listed under architect, so unless someone else knows I cannot help.

[RJ_Daley]

Oh that's just great of you Daryl, go ahead and post your own personal photos of Augusta.  Go ahead and lord it over us peons who will never get to even step on those hallowed FWs.  And, do you realise the dilleterious effect you are having on all the envious superintendents (not to mention jealous green committee members) when they see the lush conditions.  The Augusta Syndrome indeed.  You are like Typhoid Mary, Mr. Turboe, spreading sick false hopes and unrealistic expectations, and you are causing all of us to have to pay unreasonable green fees by your spreading this sort of pie in the sky.

[Evan_Green]

A truly awesome thread! You really had me going. The pictures were loading slowly so I scrolled down and read the comments, then did a double take!

[RJ_Daley]

Mr. Boe, I hope you knoe... you are being placed on the "do not admit" list with other bikini waxers and irreverant upstarts, by THEE committee.  NO more pimento for you sir!

[Mike_Sweeney]

Turboe,

I actually think you should have joined for $175 for one quarter, and then you could have sponsored a "GCA Outing at Augusta, My Home Course".

http://www.augustaga.gov/departments/recreation/municipal_golf.asp

[Gene Greco]

Great stuff, Turboe!

Looks to be firmer and faster than the other Augusta Municipal.

But my bet is the pimento and cheese sandwiches cost MORE than they do down the street!

[cary lichtenstein]

Turboe:

Your headline made me happy for you, but a bit envious, maybe a tad more than a bit

Cary

[BCrosby]

Well done Turboe.

You can now claim to have played a course in Augusta that virtually no one (excluding Jeff W) has ever seen, played or  heard of. Even members of ANGC don't play it.

In a single masterstroke, you have redefined "exclusivity".

Bob

[Tommy_Naccarato]

You know the other thing about these pictures is that it shows how much the camera doesn't show the elevation changes-alot!