The Masters 2018
At the entrance of Augusta National Golf Club
With the Masters being postponed this year due to the Corona virus, I have found myself reminiscing about our trip to Augusta National in 2018. When my parents surprised our family with tickets to The Masters PGA tournament, I was shocked and excited and totally unaware of what a once in a lifetime opportunity it was. I mean, of course I had watched the Masters on TV many times, but I had been to the AT&T Celebrity Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, so I unwittingly assumed it would be comparable to that. When we got home, my now husband explained that people don’t just get to go to The Masters. Tickets are very expensive and hard to find. You have to know someone a lot of the time who has a connection. At that point, I began to research Augusta National. I discovered the history and magnificence of the course and what makes it “a tradition unlike any other.” Being there was even more magical than I could have ever dreamed. My family rented a house right outside of Augusta, Georgia. My mom, step-dad, brother Ryan(RJ), his wife Nichole, my sister Heidi, and her husband Ryan(RM), me, my husband Chris, and my step-brother Ryan(RH)(yes I have 3 brothers named Ryan) all traveled to Georgia from California for a trip I will never forget. We had 4 tickets for each of the 4 days and would split them up between the 9 of us.
At the airport
in Atlanta
My husband Chris and I decided to golf while we were there. We did a little research based on recommendations from friends and ended up booking a round at Woodside Plantation in Aiken, South Carolina. We used Ship Sticks for the first time and sent our clubs over the week prior to flying out. This meant we couldn’t golf for a week at our home course which was a little disappointing as it was the first week in April and the weather was absolutely perfect for golf. When we arrived in Georgia, we took an Uber to our AirBnB vacation home. It was absolutely stunning and the perfect home base for our adventures to come.
Day 1: Thursday, April 5th, 2018
Chris and I played golf at Woodside Plantation. The weather in this part of the country is absolutely perfect this time of year. Woodside Plantation is a very playable course for all levels of golfers. It is set amidst towering evergreen trees, so lots of needles cover parts of the ground. There are a few water features and bunkers, and the greens were fast, but there were mostly wide open fairways for the less accurate of us off the tee. There were also many gorgeous homes around the course, and by the end of it I was ready to move there! We enjoyed Bloody Marys and sunshine on the course, then heading into Aiken to explore. It was a cute, historic town. We found an old plantation style hotel/restaurant/bar, called The Willcox(which happens to share the same name as our home golf course!), to enjoy a drink. They of course had the Masters playing on TV, and we watched eagerly scouting for my parents and siblings. We sat next to a table of Aussies who had come over to attend The Masters that weekend as well. Even if you can’t get tickets to The Masters, the whole area is buzzing with golf enthusiasts that week. You make fast friends who share the love of the game.
The Willcox
Day 2: Friday, April 6th, 2018
Today would be the first time I got to step onto Augusta National. We shared tickets this day with my sister and brother-in-law. Cell phones are not allowed on the course, so I will have to try and capture the essence of the place through my words. When you walk through the gates, you are stricken by the beauty-everything is manicured and immaculate. There are birds chirping and you are surrounded by a canopy of green. You walk first past the practice range on the left. There you can watch the pros warming up. Next you pass the Masters Memorabilia Stores and concessions. One thing that really sets this tournament experience apart from others is the amazing customer service and efficiency of everything. You hardly ever wait in a line. I was blown away as I had once stood in line for 2 hours to get a drink and a bite to eat at the Pebble Beach AT&T Pro-Am. I sure wish other tournaments would implement the same customer service practices as The Masters. The Masters tournament has incredible iconic foods like the pimento cheese sandwich and peach ice-cream sandwich- both of which are to die for. Just writing this makes me want them both so badly. What's more is that it is all very inexpensive. The sandwiches are only $1.50! And the beer is only $4! When you walk up the first little hill to the first hole, the magnificence of it all hits you. There is not a blade of grass or pine needle out of place. It almost looked unreal. The rolling hills, the trees, the way the sunlight falls perfectly on everything. I was in love. We spent day one walking the 7,475yrd course. We watched Rory tee off on #1 and continued with him for the first 5 holes. We followed Phil and watched Tiger come up 9. Seeing Fred couples in person was possibly the highlight of that day. He was my first favorite golfer as a young girl.
They do not allow cell phones or cameras inside Augusta National at the Masters. I love that tradition and how it improves the respect level of spectators, but it means we didn’t get take any images of the splendor of inside the gates.
Day 3: Saturday, April 7th, 2018
Back to Augusta National today. Today was very special because my two brothers who I grew up golfing with would be attending with Chris and me. Chris and I were eager and up early, so we beat my brothers to the course. Now that we knew the course a little better, we knew where the best action would be. Chris and I spent some time on the #6 par 3 “Juniper.” It was the most sloped green I’ve ever seen in my life. It was like a mini-golf crazy putting challenge. We also spent some time on the #13 par 5 “Azalea.” I remember watching Bernhardt Langer come through with a par.
But the best spot, and where we spent most of the day, was in the stands on the green of the #15 par 5 “Fire Thorn.” This is where we connected with my brothers. From here you can watch players finish #15 and play the #16 par 3 “Redbud,” two of the most exciting holes on the course. You also have a view of a huge leaderboard. The old-fashioned, manually operated leaderboards spread throughout the course are the only way to know what’s going on and where everyone stands. There was so much anticipation each time they took down a score and put a new one up, or when they removed a name from the lead and put a new name up. From our perfect spot we enjoyed many beers, pimento cheese sandwiches, and camaraderie. We watched the eagle Patrick Reed made on #15, and saw a few players dump it in the water. When we returned home, the family party continued with cigars on the deck, a random game of Twister, champagne, and 1-4-24.
Day 4: Sunday. April 8th, 2018
After sleeping in, eating a big breakfast, and watching some of the early golf on our tablet, we decided to go explore to find a spot to watch the Masters on TV. My mom, Chris, and I found a sweet little dive bar not far from our house. We drank more Bloody Marys and watched Patrick Reed win the 2018 Masters. This trip was the best trip of my life; not only because I am a golf fanatic, but because it was the first time we had shared a family vacation, all under one roof, since I was in highschool. Golf has an incredible ability to bring people closer. Sharing a passion and hobby with my siblings makes every get-together that much more fun. Although we are all very different and live in different places around California, golf is that binding force in our family’s life.
My family on the back deck of our house in Georgia. From L to R: my step-brother Ryan H, my husband Chris, me, my brother Ryan J, my sister-in-law Nichole, my sister Heidi, my brother-in-law Ryan M, my stepdad Don, my mom Kim.
