The Masters is called a tradition unlike any other. Well, this was a day unlike any other.
As eye opening as it was to see the course for the first time in 1999, I was even more flabbergasted to get to play it after winning a spot in the media-day lottery, which credentialed journalists are eligible for once every seven years. It was a surreal feeling to finally
be faced with
the same shots I've seen hundreds of times on TV. Of course, it went by way too
fast.
After slowly driving down Magnolia Lane, I ride past the
logo of yellow pansies in Founders Circle to the club-drop area where a line of
caddies in the their trademark white jump suits wait to be assigned. My
caddie, Todd, introduces himself and tells me he'll meet me at the range. I'm so
excited I even pass on the free Danish and coffee.
The 40 or so lucky lottery winners tee off from the Member Tees
on the 1st and 10th holes starting around 7:10. I go off the 10th at 8:02 with my good
friend Mike Arkush, the golf editor from Yahoo! Sports, along with Jay Coffin
from Golfweek and Ed McCarthy from CNN Radio. The fact that both Mike and I were
selected and then got paired together was pure luck (we think). It made the
day just that much more special to have an old friend with whom to share the round—and talk about it for years to come.
The golf gods were definitely looking out for us.
The downhill 10th is probably an easier starting hole than the 1st, which has a
cavernous swale that drives must carry. With a chill in the air and the sun just
coming up over the tall pine trees that line the hole, I have the first-tee
jitters times ten, not because of the small crowd that has gathered but because
I want to see my ball catch the severe down-slope on the 450-yard hole just
like I had seen Arnie, Jack and Tiger's drives do countless times.
I push my drive
into the trees on the right.
