Masters

Forgot to mention it. We definitely are going to do that.

There's another thread from this morning where this was talked about.

Here is the reply to a slew of questions I asked on www.4gea.com We'll also be there Wed. wearing our Tiger colors enjoying Augusta National. Hope this helps:


I'm usually a directions hound and research venues myself but in the case of Augusta National and The Masters there is something to be said for going with the crowd especially the first time around since the crowd management is courteous and top-notch and everyone's on their best behavior anyhow even before entering the grounds.

Best entrance to ANGC other than main entrance that i can get in quicker?
>> Berckmans Rd intersects Washington Rd west of the main gate/parking lot. Follow Berckmans with club property on your left to an entrance gate situated near #5 green. As far as I know there are no special credential or passes required to enter here. As a bonus an additional golf/souvenir shop is located here which is usually less crowded but still fully stocked.

This gate was available in recent years but ANGC have purchased numerous parcels of property around the current club grounds - including the vacant lot where Martha Burk met her deliciously ignominious fate - so things may have changed. You will certainly be able to find out by asking your fellow patrons on the way up Washington Rd.

How good is the sushi restaurant on Washington Road?
>> Sorry no idea. Only raw things I eat are oysters.

Is there a good DVD on the market we could watch on the way to Augusta that explains some of the history of the tournament?
>> Amazon shows only the official tournament highlight videos. I'm almost certain The Golf Channel and ESPN have aired documentary-type programs in the past and they generally put Masters-themed programs into rotation in the weeks preceding the tournament. Perhaps you can DVR one or more of them and/or burn a DVD. Don't forget about a good old-fashioned book. David Owen's is quite good while Curt Sampson's has been demonstrated to be shaky on the facts. Learning about Clifford Roberts is essential in learning about AGNC and the Masters. Bob Jones was the public face but Roberts was the power behind the throne. Unfortunately Roberts was a very unpleasant fellow a good deal of the time. If you don't want any of the magic spoiled then consider waiting until after the tournament to read one or both books!

The 'Masters Journal' which is the official program is now sold nationwide preceding the tournament and is identical to that sold on the grounds and around Augusta - you may be able to pick it up before leaving.

Where is the best place to plant chairs for the par 3 tournament and can I plant them immediately before heading to the merchandise tent to drop big bucks? We're going to plant some chairs and then replace them with our new Masters Chairs.

>> Given the tight confines of the par 3 course I don't know how many chair-only areas are provided vs. the main golf course. As with all things Masters no detail will be left to chance so undoubtedly there will be a written or verbal policy in place regarding chairs. If I'm not mistaken normal-sized chairs are verboten in order to preserve sightlines for standing patrons - they must be the low-slung Masters chairs or the equivalent. Rest assured that the chair-planting set are experienced and crafty and have a gameplan just as you do!

Should I take the shuttle that's running from our hotel back to the hotel and then get in our vehicle and head back towards atlanta or just park and leave straight from the lot. Our hotel is on Washington Road (clarion) I have no idea how bad the traffic is.

>> The traffic is bad of course any time you have tens of thousands converging on a single site but similar to football games they do their best with cops, lights, signs, etc. Earlier is always better and they do an incredibly efficient job with parking which is free (!). A shuttle may be to your benefit if you don't want to deal with parking but having a car on the grounds means you can exit temporarily and store your purchases if you don't want to tote them around.

Departure is a snap compared to arrival since people leave at various times throughout the day. Traffic control will still be in place but I believe 2-way traffic is maintained on Washington Road. It's a short distance from the club to the Interstate so clever shortcuts and/or bypasses may not be of much use.

Where do a lot of the players eat and hang out at night?

>> Outback on Washington Rd (walking distance from club) is busy as you might expect and we’ve seen numerous players there. T-Bonz is legendary for the volume of players that visit each year. Not to be a wet blanket but keep in mind the respectful distance that the fans show the players on the grounds is usually maintained off the grounds which is one reason the players enjoy the week so much. Most players are happy to say hello but they often have their families with them and want to relax and enjoy their meal as much as anyone else.

Do they have masters shirts that are polyester or like the dri-fit or under armour shirts or are they all some type of cotton?

>> If you can dream it then you will probably find it at the on-site shops. Rough estimate 20-25 different styles/materials in shirts, 15-20 styles in vests/pullovers/jackets etc. along with the Masters logo applied to every decorative and/or labor-saving device known to man.

Do they have hats that don't look like the kind your grandpa wears to the American Legion (not that there's anything wrong with that) and are trucker height. I like the lower profile hats.

>> Again a huge variety on offer. The only thing I haven’t seen for sale is the exact model of hat worn by the caddies but that appears to be a relatively high-peaked wool model (similar to a MLB official cap) which you say you want to avoid.

Any other suggestions you may have are appreciated. I don't want to miss a thing!

>> Regarding shopping (again) – if you can enter behind #5 and shop there I would definitely do so. The main-gate shops are impressive in their size and scope but the merchandise is identical. The lines can grow to 1-1.5 hr waits just to enter the shops at the main gate so if you choose to shop there you’ll need to pick your moment.

>> The golf course is the still the center of the ANGC galaxy. It’s worth seeing in full even if no golf were being played. Walk the entire course if you are able in order to take in the elevation changes and the severe slopes in the greens. They will be quite a surprise after the 2-D representation on TV (even with HD).

>> Leave the star-chasing for other tournaments. The Golf God From Mount Nike will be there of course and is notorious for playing very early in order to get some peace and quiet. As you might imagine just a few others will want to watch him play also and there is no guarantee that he will even play a full 18 holes since he’ll already have two days of practice in and he avoids the par-3 tournament. Take advantage of the opportunity to see past champions like Gary Player and Ben Crenshaw – they won’t be around forever. Follow young and/or foreign talents for a few holes – the crowds will sparse, the players will appreciate the attention, you’ll get to see the course from a player’s perspective and one of the new breed might just go on ...[Message truncated]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edited 3/24/2009 11:46 am ET by THETWIN

Bring your Ark. Most of North and Central Georgia is supposed to get about 5" of rain over the next couple of days.

Sorry, not paying attention to the dates, etc.