One of the best places at Augusta National is not in the clubhouse but right behind it.
Under a giant oak tree that shades an enormous patch of property is the favorite gathering spot for those fortunate enough to have access to the area.
It's where meetings are set.
"I'll meet you under the tree at noon" or "Meet me under the tree when you're finished," are among the most common things you hear.
Standing under the tree today you could see the rich, the famous and powerful. And some sports writers.
There was Tom Fazio, the course designer, talking to friends. John Solheim, the man who runs Ping golf and made the gracious and wise decision to resolve the illegal grooves issue that surfaced earlier this year, was under the tree.
Tiger Woods, having just finished a nine-hole practice round, was escorted through the area into the clubhouse but he reached out to shake hands with a friend as he passed.
Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, was there, making small talk with people between meetings.
Around lunch time, there were plenty of green-jacketed members under the tree. Nearby, a couple dozen outdoor tables were filled with guests having lunch under umbrellas.
Occasionally, golfers would pass through under the tree. Some stopped to chat with friends. Others were headed to the practice green.
Outside the ropes, spectators watched what was happening under the tree, snapping photos and pointing.
It's a cool place to be.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
At Augusta, Things Keep Getting Better
Part of the magic of Augusta National is how things can change yet seem as if they've been there forever.
That's the way it is with the new practice facility and a collection of buildings that have been built nearby. The practice facility is spectacular, as you would expect, with essentially everything a player could need to work on his game.
Nearby, there are several new buildings used for guests during tournament week, built since last spring. They're white and if you could find a subdivision that looks like these buildings, you'd line up to buy one.
I've been told that they're painted with white paint that's made to look slightly weathered when it's applied so the buildings won't look brand new. I'm not sure if it's true but at Augusta National, it sounds plausible, given the club's attention to detail and quality.
Even the new entrance for patrons is impressive. It's not just a place to get your badge checked. It looks like Augusta National, not just an entryway.
Some things, however, don't get touched and for good reason. Who'd want to mess with the pimento cheese sandwiches?
That's the way it is with the new practice facility and a collection of buildings that have been built nearby. The practice facility is spectacular, as you would expect, with essentially everything a player could need to work on his game.
Nearby, there are several new buildings used for guests during tournament week, built since last spring. They're white and if you could find a subdivision that looks like these buildings, you'd line up to buy one.
I've been told that they're painted with white paint that's made to look slightly weathered when it's applied so the buildings won't look brand new. I'm not sure if it's true but at Augusta National, it sounds plausible, given the club's attention to detail and quality.
Even the new entrance for patrons is impressive. It's not just a place to get your badge checked. It looks like Augusta National, not just an entryway.
Some things, however, don't get touched and for good reason. Who'd want to mess with the pimento cheese sandwiches?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Maybe Mickelson Finds What's Missing This Week
Given the indifferent start to his season -- one top-10 finish in seven starts -- Phil Mickelson hasn't given much reason to be considered one of the favorites to win the Masters.
Except that he's Phil Mickelson.
The Masters makes him a contender.
Mickelson loves the big moment and there are no bigger golf moments than the Masters. Coming to Augusta National, feeling the spirit, can make the difference for a player like Mickelson.
Emotion is a part of his game, just like it's a part of the Masters.
Mickelson explained his season in two parts: He didn't putt well early and, once he got that figured out, he hasn't hit the ball as consistently as he wanted. Penalty strokes have been a problem for Mickelson in recent weeks but they become a smaller factor at Augusta National which gives players more room to roam than some other courses.
Butch Harmon is on site, working with Mickelson to iron out the wrinkles in his swing. And, if everything goes right, Mickelson's wife, Amy, and their kids will fly into town and be with him this week.
Mickelson has tried to downplay it but he's been wrestling with Amy's struggles with her treatment for breast cancer. The long-range prognosis is very good but the short-term effects from her treatments have taken their toll.
It's been four years since Mickelson last won a major, the 2006 Masters. That's a surprisingly long time.
Maybe all that's been missing this year is inspiration. Maybe he finds it this week.
Except that he's Phil Mickelson.
The Masters makes him a contender.
Mickelson loves the big moment and there are no bigger golf moments than the Masters. Coming to Augusta National, feeling the spirit, can make the difference for a player like Mickelson.
Emotion is a part of his game, just like it's a part of the Masters.
Mickelson explained his season in two parts: He didn't putt well early and, once he got that figured out, he hasn't hit the ball as consistently as he wanted. Penalty strokes have been a problem for Mickelson in recent weeks but they become a smaller factor at Augusta National which gives players more room to roam than some other courses.
Butch Harmon is on site, working with Mickelson to iron out the wrinkles in his swing. And, if everything goes right, Mickelson's wife, Amy, and their kids will fly into town and be with him this week.
Mickelson has tried to downplay it but he's been wrestling with Amy's struggles with her treatment for breast cancer. The long-range prognosis is very good but the short-term effects from her treatments have taken their toll.
It's been four years since Mickelson last won a major, the 2006 Masters. That's a surprisingly long time.
Maybe all that's been missing this year is inspiration. Maybe he finds it this week.
Mickelson on Quail Hollow: "Definitely"
Phil Mickelson said this afternoon "I will definitely be there" when asked if he intends to play the Quail Hollow Championship in three weeks.
Mickelson has until 5 p.m. April 23 to officially commit to the Charlotte event. He has been a regular at Quail Hollow, playing the past six years.
Mickelson continues to split his time between the tour and being at home in San Diego with his wife, Amy, as she deals with difficult side effects from her treatment for breast cancer. He said he is hopeful Amy and his children will be in Augusta on Wednesday when he plays the par-3 tournament.
Mickelson has until 5 p.m. April 23 to officially commit to the Charlotte event. He has been a regular at Quail Hollow, playing the past six years.
Mickelson continues to split his time between the tour and being at home in San Diego with his wife, Amy, as she deals with difficult side effects from her treatment for breast cancer. He said he is hopeful Amy and his children will be in Augusta on Wednesday when he plays the par-3 tournament.
Tiger Paired With Kuchar, Choi In Afternoon
The answer is Matt Kuchar and K.J. Choi at 1:42 p.m. Thursday.
That's who Tiger Woods will play with in the first two rounds of the Masters, ending the speculation about who he would be paired with in his return to competitive golf.
After all the guesswork about whether he'd be with friends or perhaps an old-timer, Woods will be in the second-to-last pairing in the first round with two solid players, though neither is considered a star.
The tee time works well for television. ESPN's first-round broadcast begins at 4 p.m., allowing the network to show Woods playing the back nine. It will also be allowed to cut into its regular programming to show his opening tee shot.
Woods, Choi and Kuchar will play at 10:35 a.m. on Friday.
Other high-profile pairings include Ernie Els, Anthony Kim and Ryo Ishikawa at 10:13 a.m.; Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby and Yong-Eun Yang at 10:35 a.m.; Camilo Villegas, Kenny Perry and Rory McIlroy at 12:36 p.m.; and, Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia and Shingo Katayama at 12:58 p.m.
Here's the full list of pairings.
Back To Normal At The Masters
Tiger's on the course, playing a practice round with Mark O'Meara and much of the edge is gone. We saw Tiger yesterday, he answered questions, he defused the tension. Today feels closer to normal.
Phil's here after flying from Houston Sunday back home to San Diego for a night with Amy and the family before coming to Augusta. Though he hasn't said much about it, you get the sense Phil is wrestling with Amy's struggles related to her treatment for breast cancer.
Defending champion Angel Cabrera teed off early today, no doubt to have time to prepare for hosting the champion's dinner tonight. Cabrera will serve an Argentinian barbecue to his green-jacketed guests.
The pairings will be released later this morning and we can all see who drew the two slots in Tiger's group. Judging from what most of the players are saying, it sounds like most of them would like to play with him.
It feels like the Masters today.
Monday, April 5, 2010
It's Time To Move On To Golf Now
There will never be official closure to the Tiger Woods' mess but Monday at the Masters came close to it.
Woods used his charm in his morning practice round and during his 35-minute question-and-answer session with the media to defuse much of the expected tension surrounding his return to professional golf.
Facing a significant challenge, Woods delivered.
He seemed relaxed on the golf course and comfortable in the media room. He didn't answer every question or provide all the details some want but it was a success on every front for Woods. It won't change the way some people think of Woods -- the impact of his actions was enormous -- but it started winning people back.
He'll still hear some comments from the gallery, though probably very few here at the Masters. But, as he often does, Geoff Ogilvy got it right when he said it seemed the fans were excited just to see Tiger playing golf again.
We all have a good idea of what happened in his life and the story has grown tiresome. Until he had a day like Monday, though, it was difficult to move forward.
Now Tiger can move forward and so can the rest of us. It doesn't mean the mess is forgotten but it can go back to being about golf for Tiger now.
Golf, Tiger said Monday, feels fun again.
Monday had something to do with that.
Woods used his charm in his morning practice round and during his 35-minute question-and-answer session with the media to defuse much of the expected tension surrounding his return to professional golf.
Facing a significant challenge, Woods delivered.
He seemed relaxed on the golf course and comfortable in the media room. He didn't answer every question or provide all the details some want but it was a success on every front for Woods. It won't change the way some people think of Woods -- the impact of his actions was enormous -- but it started winning people back.
He'll still hear some comments from the gallery, though probably very few here at the Masters. But, as he often does, Geoff Ogilvy got it right when he said it seemed the fans were excited just to see Tiger playing golf again.
We all have a good idea of what happened in his life and the story has grown tiresome. Until he had a day like Monday, though, it was difficult to move forward.
Now Tiger can move forward and so can the rest of us. It doesn't mean the mess is forgotten but it can go back to being about golf for Tiger now.
Golf, Tiger said Monday, feels fun again.
Monday had something to do with that.
