DAVID BOWN - My Trip to The Masters
“Y
ou have been successful in your application for Masters tickets”. I blinked in amaze-
ment as I read the confirmation email that arrived from Augusta National back in september. My dream had come true! Fast forward seven months and here I am with my wife in Augusta for the very first time with our very valuable Masters tickets for the Practice days and raring to go.
As a PGA golf professional and coach,
having watched the Masters on TV since 1972, stepping onto the hallowed turf was a special moment. Let’s see if it lives up to it’s billing? When we arrived in the us the news had hit that the world’s number one, Ti- ger Woods was going to miss the 2014 Masters golf tournament. On the TV before the event they are talking about Tiger’s back surgery and are foolishly speculating the game of golf is possibly over and will never be the same. Tiger will be out for several months and they predict he will miss this season’s majors. It’s certainly a big disappointment not
is immense and the changes in elevation are surprising. It’s a long walk round. The Masters is different to other
golf tournaments because there are no advertising hoardings around the tees, or anywhere for that matter. everything is done with great taste. On the practice days all you see are the players and caddies inside the ropes - no coaches, photographers, family members or friends, which is unique for any golf tournament I have been to. We enter the holy ground of Augusta National, we approach the security checkpoint, the staff check my bag, I go through a metal scanner like you do at the airports, everything is out of my pockets and my camera bag is checked.
shiers. This gives an idea of how popular these items are! A great feature at Augusta is how
they look after the fans - sorry, they are called Patrons here. When you buy your merchandise you can go to the check stand area where they put all your purchases in a plastic bag, staple it closed and give you your tags. You just collect them when you leave. How thoughtful as who wants to
carry round Augusta all the temptations they have for sale.
This also encourages you to buy
more goodies, which I did. I thought a nice Masters-logoed umbrella, in green and white, would be most useful in our British climate.
I really felt as if I was in golf heaven!
having Tiger here, but the Masters and Augusta National is much more than any one player. It’s all about the tradition, the history, the memorable shots played, the legends of the game, the beauty of the course, the excitement, Amen Corner, spectacular victories and of course the disasters and for the champion the prized Green Jacket, it is a unique event. This is so true as I will explain. This is the only Major that is played
every year at the same course. Television just cannot do it justice
- you cannot appreciate it totally; the condition, the colours, the organization
They were thorough but friendly with it. My wife had a bottle of water and was told she could take it through security as long as she removed the label! No advertising here, it’s the Masters! There are absolutely no advertisements allowed on Augusta National. As a seasoned golf professional I have been to countless golf tournaments all over the world, be it the Majors, PGA or european tour events, but this is special. I am excited, would my expectations be met? You can only buy the merchandise for the Masters actually at the event. You cannot buy it anywhere else and every- one wants some Masters memorabilia. I had my shopping list at the ready! The girl that served me in the after-
noon said I was her 400th transaction on this one checkout that day, bearing in mind she was one of a bank of thirty ca-
What impressed me was the friendliness of all the patrons, the staff and the marshals. everyone had a smile, a word
of welcome to the Masters. It was not just a “have a nice day” welcome, it was so special! The number of staff and marshals
at the event are incredible. I counted twenty on one hole alone. Another eye opener was when I needed the restroom. When it was my turn, a member of the staff showed me which cubicle was free. When I washed my hands, I turned round and another member of staff was on hand to wish “have a great day at the Masters”. The restroom facilities are not the usual temporary facilities you see at all other tournaments,. These are perma- nent buildings. Indeed, all the build- ings that are used for the telephones, restrooms, food and camera towers are discreetly painted in the Masters green. And they are permanent structures - no temporary plastic huts and food
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