There is not a breath of a sound, but the sensation of echoes stirs ceaselessly in the distance.
The silence roars around the course, and the scattered wispy shadows reverberate in the fog- grasping and clinging to the past.
Under the early morning fog roams a spirit, weaving silently and swiftly between the tall Loblolly Pines.
He examines every subtle curve of the land, every drop of morning dew, like tears of nostalgia on the grass, and the powdery white sand bunkers, tended to perfection, as though the only goal was beauty.
He hesitates for a moment when he realizes his gift- the echoes.
The setting is deep in the heart of the Southern States, among the hills of Augusta, Georgia where once a year, the greatest golfers in the world compete for the title of Masters Champion at the greatest masterpiece venue for any sport.
Commentator Mike Tirico claimed that hundreds of poets, historians, and journalists have tried to describe Augusta National, “but nothing captures Augusta like its scenery, sights and sounds.”
It is impossible to understand the aura of such a place, without first recognizing its designers. This hallowed ground is the greatest artwork of the legendary Bobby Jones and his co-designer Alister Mackenzie. Bobby Jones built Augusta National in 1933 with his business partner, Clifford Roberts, and since then, it has been known as a place of tribute, celebration, and a merger of the past and the present.
Jones grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, learning to play golf at East Lake Country Club, the site of the PGA Tour Championship the last couple of years. He remained an amateur until 1930 when he was 28. Aside from being an incredible sportsman, Jones had an equally perfectionist approach to his career. He earned degrees in Engineering, English Literature, and Law from Georgia Tech, Harvard, and Emory University, respectively.
Only a very keen and very humble man could have selected and sculpted the piece of land that would become the Greatest Sports venue in America. He even chose to name each hole after the majestic, Southern flora, like Azalea, Nandina, and Juniper. He was a true work of art, and embodied wisdom, fortitude, and competition.
Although Jones’ competitive golfing career ended at the age of 28, he had accumulated the unrivalled title of the Greatest Golfer to ever play the game. He won a total of 13 major championships, which then included the US Open, the British Open, the US Amateur, and the British Amateur. He is the only player to ever win all four majors in the same season- “the Grand Slam”.
This feat has only been rivaled by Tiger Woods’ four consecutive majors, known as the “Tiger Slam”.
Today, Tiger is becoming the best player to ever play the game of golf. Before Tiger, there was Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, and Sam Snead. Bobby Jones was the very first “Best Player Ever”. The Masters at Augusta National Golf Course is his gift to Golf and to Sports. That is part of the reason why this tournament is so special.
The Masters is the only one of Golf’s Major Championships that takes place at the same venue every year, and there is nowhere that tradition and honor are more valued. Winners of this event are given a lifelong invitation to play at the Masters, so fans are given the opportunity to see the heroes of the past alongside the heroes of today.
Famed sportscaster Jim Nantz, who regularly hosts the Masters for CBS, was quoted, “I wouldn’t trade one Augusta for 20 Super Bowls.”
“For me, it is the best tournament in the game.”
Sports executives agree so much that when a Turnkey poll asked them, what is the most prestigious event in the US: the unquestioned winner was the Masters Golf Tournament. The Green Jacket is “the most sought after piece of apparel in all of sports” said commentator Kelly Tilghman.
These are the grounds where everyone saw, on the 16th hole in 2005, Tiger hit a chip shot that has been immortalized. He was aiming about 30 degrees to the left, and the replay shows the ball skipping up a hill, checking, and then rolling 25 feet down a hill to the right directly towards the target, then hanging on the lip for a full two seconds before plunging into the hole. Verne Lundquist, the announcer, exploded “OH WOW!!! In your life have you seen anything like that?!?!”
This is the place that in 2004, “the most talented player to never win a major”, Phil Mickelson, charged the back nine with a score of 31. He drained an 18-footer for birdie on the 72nd hole. The crowd erupted, and Phil claimed his first of three major victories, and his first of two Green Jackets.
At this traditionally private club in 2003, Martha Burk and the National Council of Women’s Organizations protested the policy of men-only members. When corporate sponsors began to drop out, Augusta National gave the public a huge gift: uninterrupted television coverage. It has been a tradition ever since, so there are only 4 minutes of commercials every hour.
In 1935, Gene Sarazen holed out a shot from the fairway on the par five, 15th hole for a double eagle, which propelled him to victory. It was dubbed “the shot heard round the world”. The members later named a stone bridge on the 15th hole, the “Sarazen Bridge”.
There are also tributes to Ben Hogan and “Lord” Byron Nelson with bridges and plaques for Jack and Arnie.
Every player will never forget their first trip down Magnolia Lane, the tree blanketed road which leads to Augusta National and the Masters Tournament.
There are few places in Sports beheld with such regard as “Amen Corner”-the end of the 11th hole, the 12th, and the tee on 13, which allow spectators to view one of the most famous par threes in all of golf. All three holes are skirted by Rae’s creek, named for a former owner of the property who died more than 200 years ago.
The USA Today published in 2002 a list of Augusta’s members, which looked more like the Forbes 500 top CEOs, not to mention a number of Political Figures. It included ambassadors, former Senators, Governors, Secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury, and even a past President.
Dwight Eisenhower actually hit so many times into a pine tree off of the 17th fairway that he motioned to have the tree removed. Then Chairman, Clifford Roberts, promptly ended the discussion, and the tree has since been dubbed the Eisenhower Tree.
Jack Nicklaus won here a record six times. His most recent was his 1986 win as a 46 year old, the oldest man ever to win the Masters.
The King, Arnold Palmer, won this Tournament four times. This year was the first in 50 years in which he did not compete, but he did take the title of honorary starter. He piped the tournament’s opening drive right down the middle of the fairway. The ball disappeared into the heavy Thursday fog.
Not to be outdone, Gary Player has won here three times, and this year was his record 51st consecutive start in this tournament. His last victory here, in 1978, he shot a 64 in the final round, which is the lowest final round ever by a winner. He plans to play next year also.
Gary was happy to congratulate his fellow countryman, Trevor Immelman, who held off everyone this year to win his first Masters title. Player and Immelman are the only two players from South Africa to win Green Jackets.
And last but not least, this is the place where a 21 year old Tiger Woods claimed his very first major title, setting records for the youngest to win, and the largest ever margin of victory- 12 shots. Behind the 18th green, Tiger met his father, Earl Woods, with a great big bear-hug, an image that will echo through sporting lore forever.
Some suspect it will be remembered as the moment that the greatest golfer to ever live had finally arrived full force, and it happened here.
And for the years to come, we may see Tiger overtake Jack’s record of six green jackets. We may see Tiger overtake Jacks record of 18 major championship wins, and maybe we’ll see him do that here at Augusta also.
From Magnolia Lane, Rae’s Creek, the Sarazen, Hogan, and Nelson Bridges, the Palmer and Nicklaus Plaques, the Eisenhower tree, Amen Corner, and the countless memories of incredible sportsmanship, no event has more history.
In the Augusta National clubhouse, right now, there’s an array of Green Jackets that never leave these grounds and are only to be worn by those few heroes who have prevailed in this incredible event. Those heroes are forever welcomed back.
In the entire world of sports, this is the number one venue to see. There does not exist any ground more hallowed.