Magical Masters

Masters, 2007

As I write this, I am watching The Masters golf tournament live in Augusta, GA.  As a gal who was born and raised in Augusta, there is something so magical about Masters Sunday.  Today is no exception, the weather is absolutely perfect.  It’s fascinating how it’s such a difficult course, changes yearly and yet the pros continually kick its butt with a plethora of birdies, a few eagles and an occasional hole in one.  There is something about the weather, atmosphere, trees, course, and everything else coming together to create this magical day to end one of golf’s greatest weeks.

What do I love the most?  The shadows.  I love seeing the long shadows casting beautiful darker colors on the greens and fairways. The course is so perfectly manicured on TV (and in person) that it seems fake.  The camera folks do such a wonderful job highlighting the never ending beauty.

I also love the tradition and etiquette.  Everyone is on their best behavior because they know if they cause any problems, they will be removed and their badges will not be renewed the next year. That’s a lot of risk for not being on your best behavior.  Also, phones are not allowed.  At all.  I kind of love this- it forces everyone to be present and involved.  To truly remember the moments versus experiencing them with a ton of phones in your view that are also trying to capture the moment.  Personally, I think we need more of that (or lack of) in our world.

I never watch golf on TV and very rarely play it, but I always watch the last hour or so of Masters Sunday.  It’s a tradition that my dad embedded in me as a child and teen.  He’d open up the back door and blinds and turn it on our living room tv.  It was his effort of being able to enjoy the beautiful weather while also watching the tournament.

Growing up in Augusta, I was completely oblivious to how big of a deal it was for the Masters to take place 6.5 miles from my house.  I knew that many of my friends rented their homes to corporate groups to house patrons.  I knew that we never called that week off school, “Spring Break” and instead always called in Masters Week.  I knew that we’d usually get badges to go to the tournament on Friday of Masters week.  My mom always would go get them from our friends who were gracious enough to share.  We’d each go for several hours then meet up to trade with another family so we could all go.  I knew all of this but now, as an adult who lives in Atlanta, I really get it.

Last week, we were walking through the Garden of the Gods in Colorado and I overheard a guy comment on my son’s Masters hat and say “speaking of my bucket list, the Masters is on it”.  As someone who has been to the Masters eight or ten times, I took that fact a little less for granted.

I played tennis in a Masters hat on Thursday at a prestigious club in Atlanta.  Several ladies asked, did you go to the Masters yesterday?  I said no, this hat is from last year, but I’m just sharing my hometown pride this week.

To the world, the Masters is magical and to an Augusta girl, it is too,

Happy Masters Sunday Y’all!

love, brooke