“This is The Masters. It’s got the beauty, it’s got the color, it’s got the sound and the breezes. Everything together makes this place special.”
Nick Faldo
It’s that time of year where for me, as a Canadian (Alberta) golfer, the golf season truly kicks off the golfing season: The Master’s.
The historic drive up Magnolia Lane, that most of the golfing world only gets to experience on their Smart TV’s, signal’s the start of the annual start-up to the first of golf’s four Major tournaments. As I have heard, the only thing the TV fails to do for its viewer’s is show the severe elevation pitches that are evident on each hole, from tee to green. Even still, the entire course is in immaculate condition.
Golfer’s everywhere across the rugged, Canadian landscape have eagerly awaited this moment to come since dropping their final putter on their final round last season. Then fall came with golf course closures. Christmas followed with having received some golf-related presents under the tree. The winner’s-only event of last year’s winners kicked off our new year in Maui. Other PGA Tour tournaments came and went each week, eventually building up to the crescendo at the peak of the golfing schedule: The 2019 Master’s.
This prestigious and prominent tournament is played every year in April at the same course, since its inception: Augusta National Golf Course. The course has incorporated some big changes in recent year’s, including allowing female’s to join this once all-male club membership, lengthening the tees on certain holes, as well as hosting the Ladies Amateur Championship this year, right before the Pro guy’s tee it up.
“The winner of this tournament doesn’t just win a major, he becomes part of the history of the game, and that’s what excites me. This tournament creates something that is very special, and year in, year out, history is made here.”
Phil Mickelson
The entire tournament is steeped in some very rich and historic moments that would stir the heart’s of even non-golfer’s alike. Whether it’s Tiger’s near-impossible chip-in at #16 from off the green, Phil’s first major win (and a few more after that), or Mickelson’s sensational second shot from the pine trees, through a gap in the trees at the par-5 #13 landing on the green, pin-high, or Sergio’s monumental first Master’s win pointing to how it was his year to win in 2017, to of course, the co-founder Bobby Jones’ vision and creation of this tournament (also an accomplished amateur golfer himself), and finally its familiar 18 holes of bliss that every golfer knows full well, where the opportunity to play this crown-jewel of a course, would be the opportunity of a lifetime!
The Master’s officially starts first-thing during Master’s Week on Thursday morning, often with dew still on the grass and a frosty, chilly tempterature, with the traditional starter’s hitting their opening drives on the first tee. What seemed like forever, this iconic tradition feature’s the Big Three: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player. Of course, Mr. Palmer is no longer with us, although his presence is still very much present on this ceremonial opening drive and all throughout the Masters tournament week. After the drives are launched, the presentation is followed by the Augusta National Chairman declaring that the tournament has officially begun and “to have fun,” as former Chairman, Billy Payne, would always remark.
I, for one, am eagerly awaiting this year’s Master’s Tournament and getting out on the fairway’s this 2019 golfing season.
Dwight Van Middlesworth 