Our lives are a series of routines, obligations, rewards, and surprises. My dad used to tell me that when the pendulum starts to swing toward more “want to do’s” than “have to do’s,” that’s an indicator that you’ve achieved in life, been lucky in life, and to not apologize for holding those cards in your deck. For the first 23 years of my life, attending the Masters was a want to do, and once that was fulfilled, you’d think that the “want to” would wane—but it never did. Once my chosen career path put me in a position to “have to” attend the Masters, you’d think maybe then the “want to” would dissipate, but it never has. As I head south on I-77 to I-20 in Columbia to begin another Masters week, there is only one thing in my life where the duality of wanting to do and having to exists in complete harmony. Being in Augusta, Georgia, the first full week in April still makes me emotional because what I felt the first time I still feel today.
Golf nerds pursue places. Augusta and the Masters was my favorite TV show growing up. I watched every live minute of Masters coverage when it was confined to two-plus hours on Thursday and Friday on the USA Network, and then on CBS on the weekend. How far into the final round would the leaders be once CBS came on the air? It was only twenty years ago—2005—that the resumption of the third round, washed out by rain and resumed on Sunday morning, was confined to refreshing my computer as Tiger Woods reeled off a bushel of birdies to completely alter the complexion of the tournament he eventually won in a playoff with Chris DiMarco. It was a mystery nine for all except those on the grounds that Sunday morning. The luxury of Masters.com, featured groups, Amen Corner coverage, and even the Amazon hours make my adolescence sound like the silent film era. Yet Augusta National continues to create an audience with an insatiable appetite.
While being as forward-thinking on the technology and platforms the tournament occupies, the total experience never seems saturated. The insistence on their no-cell-phone policy has positioned them as the most uninterrupted sporting event in the world. Those on the property are engaged with the players hitting the shots and with the people they are sharing their company with. Everyone there walks with their heads up, either looking out in front of them or eye to eye with the person next to them. It’s the most solitude you’ll ever experience in the company of tens of thousands of other attendees. The efficiencies of the concession buildings, along with the economic practicality of the pricing, leave one with a feeling of satisfaction. Tell me the other place in your life where standing in a line and paying for something is satisfying? I’ll wait. Civility abounds as you walk the grounds of Oz. It’s simply the most sensibly curated sporting experience in America.
The tilt and roll of Augusta National can be explained but must be experienced. The broad scale of the holes is majestic, and all of our collective recall with the holes makes the return each year personal. I positioned myself as a college student behind the 10th tee on the weekend for the final group, knowing that CBS never missed those tee shots live—and I have the VHS tapes of me being seen on the broadcast wearing my plaid pants and Jordan Patin leather sneakers. The proximity of many of the holes on the second nine allows one to jump from group to group, especially at the confluence of the 13th green, 14th tee, 15th green, and 16th tee. Familiarity doesn’t breed contempt—it fosters nostalgia and affection. My favorite view on the course is at the bend of the 13th fairway looking back toward hole No. 12 because of the memories and the majesty. The 12th hole is Broadway near the Savannah River. Only the main actors are permitted on the stage over the Hogan Bridge, as if it was constructed for your entertainment.
However you consume the Masters, it’s golf’s global renewal. We are all close to or already playing some golf, regardless of where you live, and the investment in watching one tournament is at its highest annually for the Masters. I have a professional obligation to be at the Masters as another year arrives when what I have to do and what I want to do are the exact same thing. Being in Augusta in April—I only hope it never changes.