2011 Masters - I'm going!!

[umpiremark]

I have been fortunate to be invited to the Masters this year. My wife and I are going on Friday (cut-down day). Has anyone on here ever been to Augusta National? Where are some reccomended places to view the golf, which holes? Can you walk and stand on any hole or are you relegated to the grandstands? Anyone with hints, suggestions, etc., for the best viewing of all the golf, please let me know ... I am truly looking forward to this experience.

P.S. I cannot believe that I have been invited to the Mecca of golf in America and cannot take one picture - cameras are taboo ... can't someone invent a camera that doesn't go, "click, click" so we can take pictures of this gorgeous place? Lastly, do you think anyone will notice if I hide behind #11 and just peer out of the azelias? I cannot wait to see Amen Corner in person.

Thanks for your help, MARK

[Kieran123]

You son of a bi*ch

J/K

I wish I could go.

[MSDOGS1976]

I've been to several practice rounds, but never on a day of real competition. In fact I'm going on Wed this year. :)

You can move around. I would think since you have never been you will want to walk the entire course. Some of the real good spots are hard to come by unless you are willing to arrive early and stay in that spot most of the day. Walk the course, it's unbelievable.

[clubchamp]

I've been 2 times and the grandstands on amen corner is great but hard to get a seat. The grandstands next to 15 green is good because you can see second shots into 15 and shots on 16. I recommend getting there early walk the course find after that find a spot that allows you to see a couple holes and enjoy.

[Double Bogey]

I have been a couple of times and can tell you that the grandstands at Amen Corner will be full by 9am and the gates open at 8.  The marshals escort you there now so there is no more running from the gate to the grandstands.  That change was made a few years back.  The grandstands at 15 are awesome, but there is a constant change over in people, so no reason to sit there all day.  Another great thing about 15 is that the concessions and bathrooms are right behind the stands.  Augusta National removed a good bit of plants to allow folks to sit on the hill at (i believe) 6, so that is an okay spot as well.  Lots of folks gather at 1 teebox and green.  The green is elevated so it is really hard to get a good view, but you can see just how sloped the greens really are at Augusta National.

As has been mentioned in other post.  Be sure to bring a chair (with no arms) and plant it somewhere on the back nine tee box or greenside.  Then walk the course in the morning taking in all Augusta National has to offer.  When you return to your chair, no one will have moved it and will happily move out of your way to allow you to access it.  Augusta National patrons are like none I have ever experienced and I am sure you will say the same.

Lastly, a place that I really enjoyed was 10 fairway on the right side.  You can really get up close and personal with the players who push it a little right.  No need for a chair there though, just standing under the trees is amazing.  Hole 2, 7, and 17 greens are good locations for a chair.  Hope this helps

[umpiremark]

Thanks Double ... good stuff; thanks everyone for the tips. I'm hoping to log several miles next Friday taking in as much of the course as I can. Hopefully by the time the afternoon rounds begin, I'm planted somewhere and let the pros come to us.

I can hardly wait ... ... ... If you're watching on TV on Friday and you see some guy running across 11 fairway, rolling onto the grass and ducking for cover in the azealias ... being chased by 10 cops ... ... ...

... ... ... that's probably me!!!

[Chief Broom]

Good advice all.  I will add to not forget your sunscreen.  I live in Augusta and we can always tell who's been out at the course all day because they are fried to a crisp!

[Bigtank]

Another tip:  if you would not walk through an airport scanner with it, don’t take it.  You must pass through a series of checks and metal detectors that would make the TSA jealous.  So don’t try and sneak anything in.

Go straight to the merchandise area (especially if it’s later in the week) they clean out fast.  They will hold any purchases for you, or they have a Fed-Ex booth right there to ship it home.  Be prepared for a little sticker shock on the items ($80-$100) for a shirt.  However, you make that up with saved $ at the concessions area.  They unlike most sporting events are "cheap", and you must have a Master's traditional EGG Salad sandwich!

There is a good area in the morning over by #2 that allows you to see #2, #3, #8, & #7.  My favorite later in the day spot is right by #17 tees.  There you can see #17, #15, #16, and #7 & #6.  Another really cool thing is meeting the people that sit in some of those areas.  My Grandmother has gone to every tournament since the 50's and knows all the people that sit around her because they have been there for years as well.  You can get a lot of the Masters history from these folks.

Enjoy it, I am a very fortunate individual to have gone numerous times and I have even been able to play a few rounds on the course and it still kind of inspires a moment of awe when I walk in the gates every year.

[clubchamp]

People may or may not agree with me on this but I'd spend the extra coin for a high quality shirt. The cheaper shirts just don't seem to hold up very I went for a less expensive one in 02 and it faded very quickly. When I went in 07 I shelled for the more expensive shirt and that is still going strong.

[BigDaddy]

Congratulations! I go for the weekend every year. First off be prepared to walk a lot. I'm not sure how flat it is where you live but the television does not do a good job of truly depicting the elevation changes there. But it may just be my perspective since it is so flat where I live.

Do all your shopping soon as it does go fast, and like mentioned before there is a little sticker shock. Good for Christmas shopping. There is NO sticker shock in the concession stand, the food is great and cheap. I eat about 10 pimento cheese sandwiches and drink about 10 beers and spend less than taking my kids to burger king.

I like to pick a group and walk on Saturday. On Sunday I go 15 and sit for most the round.

Enjoy, it is a magical place!

[Malvern]

Originally Posted by Double Bogey

As has been mentioned in other post.  Be sure to bring a chair (with no arms) and plant it somewhere on the back nine tee box or greenside.  Then walk the course in the morning taking in all Augusta National has to offer.  When you return to your chair, no one will have moved it and will happily move out of your way to allow you to access it.  Augusta National patrons are like none I have ever experienced and I am sure you will say the same.

Lastly, a place that I really enjoyed was 10 fairway on the right side.  You can really get up close and personal with the players who push it a little right.  No need for a chair there though, just standing under the trees is amazing.  Hole 2, 7, and 17 greens are good locations for a chair.  Hope this helps

As DB said, I thought the back of the second green was a great spot to see some of the morning groups go through. This was after we put our chairs on the hill to the left of 16. You can just stand around down near 11 green back towards the 12th tee and see plenty. I also enjoyed being near the drives on 13 and watching the second shots in.

Augusta do it well, the amount of people viewing is comfortable whilst still maintaining the atmosphere, they know you have paid to get there so you don't need a months wages for a sandwich and a beer. Best of all there are plenty of foreigners thereby reducing the chance of hearing "get in the hole".

Have a great time.

[Bigtank]

Originally Posted by clubchamp

People may or may not agree with me on this but I'd spend the extra coin for a high quality shirt. The cheaper shirts just don't seem to hold up very I went for a less expensive one in 02 and it faded very quickly. When I went in 07 I shelled for the more expensive shirt and that is still going strong.

I buy 5 or 6 shirts every year, and I still have alot of the less expensive polos, but I agree the Jones Collection sshirts are much better quality ($150per).

Its funny to watch all the folks at the free phone banks taking orders.  The lady in front of me last year spent $44,000 on merchandise!  That is correct not a typo $44,000!!!!

[umpiremark]

I'll report back on Monday, when I return!! The sad thing about our trip east and back, is I'll miss the televised finals on Sunday for the first time in well over 30 years ...

Thanks for all the input, this truly is a trip of a lifetime.

[umpiremark]

Indescribable beauty. What a course!! No flat screen, 2D (even in HD) TV picture will ever do justice to the flowers, the pines, the grass, the greens, the sand NOR the elevation changes on that phenominal course.

Cross one off the bucket list, I was at Augusta!!!

What a place. The Mecca of Golf in America ...

Mark

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by Bigtank

Enjoy it, I am a very fortunate individual to have gone numerous times and I have even been able to play a few rounds on the course and it still kind of inspires a moment of awe when I walk in the gates every year.

Ugh! This makes me dislike you. :)

I was lucky to get on West Lake a couple years ago when we made the trip down to the Masters practice round and that's as close to playing Augusta National as I got. Maybe one of these days I'll rub elbows with the right person and get lucky enough to play Augusta.