A LITTLE MASTERS HISTORY

This is "Masters Week", probably the most anticipated golf week in the world every year. There is a mystique of The Masters that no other major tournament has as it revolves around the first "Golf Master of Masters", Bobby Jones (13 majors), who retired from competitive golf at age 28 after winning the Grand Slam of 1930 when he won the four major championships of that era: The United States Open Championship, The United States Amateur, The Open Championship (British Open) and the British Amateur.

A year later, he bought some land in Augusta, GA, hired Allister McKenzie, whom he had met in California after he played Cypress Point a few years earlier and asked to meet the architect, and Augusta National Golf Club was born a in 1933.

To promote the club in the middle of nowhere (at the time), he and pal Clifford Roberts, a banker-investor friend of his who became the chairman of the club, organized a tournament called "Augusta National Invitational" which was played first played in 1934.

Bobby Jones invited the best golfers of the time, pros and amateurs (amateurs of that time were just as good as the pros). Horton Smith won in 1934, and hardly anyone knew.... then, only one year later, "The Squire", as Gene Sarazen was called, hit the "shot heard around the world", when, trailing Craig Wood by three with four holes to go, he stepped for his second shot to "Firethorn" (#15) from 230 yards into the water guarded green. His ball barely cleared the water, then rolled into the hole for a double eagle 2! He parred the last three holes, and then beat Wood in a 36 hole playoff the next day.

This famous shot, and the fact that Gene is one of five golfers to win the modern grand slam tournaments (U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship and Masters) gave immediate recognition to the tournament, which was later named, The Masters in honor of the participants, all of whom were considered "masters" in the game of golf.

The Masters is the only major played at the same course every year and has traditions like no other event. It was the first one with visible leader boards; it is where "Arnie's Army" was born (Arnie first won in 1958, the first year it was televised and his "army" consisted of many real soldiers who were invited to the tournament by Clifford Roberts, all of whom cheered for Arnold, who was a Coast Guard veteran); it is the first event to host a Champions Dinner on Tuesday (first hosted by Ben Hogan in 1952); it is the only tournament that has a 9 hole Par-3 Tournament instead of a pro-am (it is a party, and the Par 3 tournament can only be played by players who
have won major tournaments); the invitation to amateurs around the world which are hosted by the club in the "Crow's Nest", a really nice apartment inside the premises adjacent to the famous clubhouse; the only tournament with "Honorary Starters" (none other than Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer, who together have 34 major championships, and 13 Masters titles!); three golf course bridges are named after past champions: The Hogan Bridge (#12), the Nelson Bridge (#13) and the Sarazen Bridge (#15); the winner is invited to participate for life; add all of that, and you know it is near impossible to get a ticket from the club, who has a long list of "permanent ticket holders".

You ask anyone who plays golf which club they would love to play or even walk on, and 9 out of 10 will say Augusta National, more than Pebble Beach, Baltusrol, Oakmont, Pine Valley or any other famous course in America.

One master not playing this year is one Tiger Woods, four time champion (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005). Tiger underwent a back operation on March 31st and is recovering and will not be playing until maybe June. It is certainly a blow, though smaller than it looks, to The Masters, which reminds me of Juan Chi-Chi Rodriguez, the Puerto Rican star, who once said that a tournament without Jack Nicklaus in the 70's-80's or without Tiger Woods nowadays, is like watching "Gun Smoke" without Matt Dillon. He may have been right from 1997-2008, a period in which Woods won fourteen majors. But Woods has not won a major since the summer of 2008. But, the tournament will go on with great stars, including all of the winners of major championships since Tiger last won his last one, including multiple major championship winners since 2008, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy. So, don't "cry" for Augusta, the tournament will do just fine, and Tiger will do just fine as well and will continue his quest to match or surpass Jack Nicklaus' record once he is healthy again (Padraig Harrington won three majors since 2008 but did not qualify for this year's Masters)

Meanwhile, Augusta will have some new visitors (not playing visitors) who will be just as content to walk the "holy grounds" with or without Tiger around: Ann Cowan, Joe & Dewana Wynn, Charlie & Gina Kauk, and Mona and myself. As for memento purchases, all I want is anything that reminds me of the history of the youngest but perhaps best of all the majors... you bet I'll find something!