I was able to live a dream this past week. I took my oldest son to The Masters on Thursday. We were waiting at the gate at 6:30 am and got in as soon as they opened up to make it to the first tee and watch Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson hit the opening ceremonial tee shots. I was over the moon with excitement for this moment because I had watched nearly every shot of the 1986 Masters when my then idol, Jack, won The Masters. I was a Senior in HS and on the golf team that Spring. An equal highlight was giving Bernhard Langer a standing ovation as he walked off the second green in his last appearance at The Masters. I had also watched nearly every shot of his win in 1985. We were standing right by Fred Couples as he holed out for eagle on number 14 from 191 yards. He won in 1992, the year before my son was born. Watching the legends was every bit as much fun for me as watching the likes of Rory and Bryson etc., up close and personal. The grounds are beyond description. The entire property is like an imaginary movie set to perfection. A true joy to take in. We walked every hole and each was just as impressive as the last. After a day of golf, we moved on to a couple of days of Georgia bass fishing. We took full advantage of an invitation to fish a private lake designed for big bass. Our best day found us pulling in and releasing 42 solid fish. We never did land a giant, but my son did have "the big one got away" as per normal in the fishing world. A very large 8 to 10 plus pound bass that was determined to not join us in the boat for a photo session. So, a return trip may be required.
Awesome. I wish I knew you were headed there in advance, I lived there for 7 years and my in laws still live in an adjacent town. Could've pointed you to some good local spots for eats, if nothing else. The other thing that's great about the tournament is the cost of food, being completely affordable and realy pretty good. The merchandise on the other hand $$$. Instead, we went to the beach with my in-laws and aunt who rented out her place for the week.
That is awesome, been putting in for tickets last 3 years for the wife and I to go!!!! This made my bad day better.
You would never regret going, I can promise you that. The draw odds are better for a practice day, but it's whatever you prefer. I would enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and more likely banter with the golfers on a practice day, but the intensity of a tournament day is also something special. Either way, walking the course is the real magic. Standing at the ropes and having the President of Augusta National come tell us, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Thursday at the 2025 Masters Championship", sent chills up my spine. It is definitely a tradition unlike any other. Interestingly, bowhunting is what got me to The Masters. I met a gentleman from GA that ended up buying ground near me here in Iowa and I helped him run cameras and line up food plots etc., for many years. I store all of his hunting equipment and clothes at my house so that he doesn't have to fly with anything also. He has access to two badges to the tournament and has been after me for 15 years to come down and go. I still can not believe I took so long to make the trip. I would honestly pass on a 180" buck to go again.
Extra insider tip since you have a connection with passes. Sunday is the easiest (tournament) day to borrow a pass...this because viewing of. TV (on Sunday) you get to see every great shot instead of being on the course you are hearing that roar from some other hole...and many may be catching flights home so they don't stick around all day. The other cool bit on practice days are the out takes/events that would never be shown. Zoeller, Daly and another golfer (I can't recall the name were 'practicing' when we were there once. One hit into the crowd on 9, but we were told we couldn't move as they had $1000/hole bet going...so I have a pic of a pro taking a shot straight at me. McCabe (I think) was qualifying and hit through the elbow on a hole into a stand of trees and a few of us wandered over to watch him try to recover. One spectator said, as he approached his shot, 'I've got a lot of practice with shots like this...let's see what a pro can do...' McCabe squared up and smacked the shot right until a tree. To which the spectator said 'he didn't show me anything I didn't already know'. All of us, even McCabe had a great laugh...
