The Gathering Place
 

One of the best things about a golf tournament -- and particularly at Augusta -- is the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones. There will be LBG members 'on the grounds' each day of this year's Masters, so let's not let this opportunity pass. Using my own badges will be:

Thursday: Bambam and his brother, Matt.

Friday: Bagger and his brother-in-law, Greg.

Saturday: O. B. Left and his brother, John.

Sunday: Daryl and me.

Who else will be there?

Let's meet for lunch and share a 'mino cheese samich!

:occasion:

I'll "only" be there Tuesday for a practice round but feel very fortunate for that opportunity--it's my 3rd time there (1996,2004) but the excitement is still incredible. Hope you folks with the "real tickets" have a great time and a safe trip.

t-minus one week
 

A practice round with Camera in hand would be pretty cool. I can't tell you how many times during the "real" event that I've thought, "Wow, that would be a great photo".

It's such an amazing place and exciting event, and I, like you am extremely excited to visit with everyone and make the trip to Augusta again. It's a real treat and a privilege to go at all, but getting to share it with my brother makes it even better - Thanks so much, Lynn.

PS. Ted, if you're reading this, I have a lesson plan suggestion drawn up for my brother's appointment with you on Wednesday. We're pretty competitive, and I want to make sure he can compete with me:

- start with some 3-F-7-A and B
- then add a little 3-F-7-D and C but only after he's perfected A and B
- if you can't get any of those through his thick skull, charge him double and consider it a gift from me, as he'll be taking my money in short order.

If anybody else will be at The Masters on Thursday, let me know!

Masters
 

I'll also be there Tues. My first trip.

"X" Marks the Spot
 

Okay, so DCG1952 and Rickpinewild can meet up on Tuesday. Who else?

By the way, my favorite 'meeting place' is at the security checkpoint at the back entrance of the clubhouse. It's just behind the first tee, near the old oak in the back yard. It is also near all the lawn tables (behind the ropes) where 'they' get to sit and watch 'us' go by, and 'we' get to watch 'them' eat and drink and otherwise make merry. Ah, the good life.

You can meet some really interesting people at Checkpoint Charlie. A couple of years ago, I had arranged for an Augusta National member to take Bambam and me on a tour of the clubhouse. While waiting for our host, I had a wonderful conversation with the great sports and golf writer, Dan Jenkins. I had just read a piece about him written by his daughter (a freelance writer), and it made for a great little repartee.

Add one more memory to the Augusta National 'scrapbook'.

:golf:

And we can't forget the other gentleman we met near that checkpoint. You had just told me a story about a guy who was on TV, in the same spot for every single masters. I think you'd even shown him to me in a picture or masters replay on TV. Soon after you were done speaking with Dan, there was 'The Masters Guy' on the porch of the clubhouse! Of course we had to say hi :) I got a kick out of that.

Enjoy guys. I'm Masters green with envy

The Weather forecast indicates rain throughout the tournament. Will that improve the odds for the Long Ball players? Will the Greens hold better when damp at Augusta?

Sorry I missed RickPinewild ,but was out of town playing golf for several days before yesterday's practice round----and took several days away from the computer and email to totally veg. So, didn't even know I could have met a fellow LBGer. Would have loved to have met up with you Rick---maybe next time.
Had a wonderful time again. But, after the 11pm flight back to Pittsburgh I am back in the real world---hard to believe that just 24 hrs ago I was sitting in the stands at 16 tee and munching on a pimento cheese sandwich watching players skip balls onto the green. Talk about a slap in the face this morning!

Yoda,
Just out of curiosity, how long have you had your Masters badges?

Masters Moments
 

I just got back from the Friday round and still overwhelmed.

Saw two shots that never made it on TV because the camera crews were not there to shoot the action.

VJ - Hooked his ball off the first tee and was directly under a group of about 5 big pines. I was standing 5 feet behind him and saw no way out except a lateral pitch back onto the fairway. I literally had a Tin Cup moment where I whispered to myself like Gary McCord, "He's in jail folks, there's no way out of here except backwards."
VJ kept looking up through the pines and about 75 feet up there was a single patch of blue sky about 5 feet in diameter. I was saying to myself, "no way, I can't believe he's even considering that". Next thing I know, me and about 12 other people witnessesed the ball rocketing through that single hole and drawing through the sky beyond to the hole. It landed 20 feet from the flag in the greenside bunker. Breathtaking shot and I had no idea it was even near the hole until I walked up there. VJ started the day with a par.

There are a few others I'll share later...

Tiger (And One More)
 

Bambam,

Did you see Himself on The Golf Channel last night? He was standing under the old oak right behind Tiger Woods during the post-final round interview. His head was behind and to the right of Tiger's, filling the same amount of screen space.

No antics.

No odd expressions.

Just there.

The old boy may not be able to make it down to the 15th teebox anymore, but he's still in the game.

As usual!

:salut:

I was getting caught up on work yesterday and was only listening to the post-round interviews. I'll be looking for a replay today!

Masters Badges / Part I
 

Hi Blackjack . . . long time, no see since our LBG Academy / The Links at Shirley on Long Island. If you can get to The Barclays tournament in New Jersey this August, I'll arrange for a couple of complimentary passes. It's the first of this year's Fedex Cup Series, and all the 'big guns' will be there, so let me know!

Regarding my Masters badges, there's a little history here . . .

I was on the Patrons List for three years back in 1964-1966. I went into the Air Force in December of 1966, and when my 1967 application came in the mail (to my parents' house), my Dad returned it, requesting that I be removed from the list since I was now in the service.

:crybaby:

Actually, the Patrons List was still open at that time, so it was no big deal. Also, in 1968, I was transferred to Sumter, South Carolina, which is only about 90 miles from Augusta. In those days, service personnel could get into the tournament simply by wearing their uniform and paying $10 (instead of the usual $50) for a special Series ticket (it wasn't a badge). So, that's the way I 'got in' until my discharge in 1970.

The next couple of years were pretty busy: I was finishing my degree at Georgia Tech and, at the same time, working as sole support of my family (I had married in 1967, and our first child was born in 1971). That didn't leave a whole lot of time (or money) for The Masters. Anyway, it became a mute point in 1972 when the Masters Committee made a stunning announcement: The Patrons List had been closed!

:shock:

With that, Masters badges were no longer available for sale to non-Patrons. There was, however, a Waiting List, and those interested in being added to it could submit their request. Which, given my limited financial resources and even more limited foresight, I felt no urgency to do (and therefore didn't). Then came 1978: They closed the Waiting List!

:shock: :shock:

[Stay tuned for Part II of this tale . . . ]

Air Force
 

Tell us more. I went in 1966 also

My 3rd Tuesday
 

This was my third Tuesday practice round. (2001 & 2006 prior). Each time I am in complete awe of the visual sight one takes in. This was the first year we took the time to walk out onto the par 3 course. If you've walked down the left side of #10 and looked at the front of the "cabins" further to the left you would think they were modest in size. Then go onto the par 3 course and look back into the rear of the "cabins" and they don't look anything like cabins. BIG...

Got onto the grounds at 8AM and by the time noon rolled around I had breakfast and lunch which included a Coke, egg salad sandwich, Moon Pie cookie, a 10oz beer in the commemorative cup, a pimento cheese sandwich and a Masters crisp bar all for $8. I've been to U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, Chicago Bear, Bull, Blackhawk, Cub and White Sox games and felt financially raped when going to a concession stand. Not at Augusta National.

My big thrill for the day. We were walking up the left side of #10 when Tom Watson was playing his second shot into the green. The first was short right and rolled back down the hill. The second was longer and rolled into the center of the green. As he was walking away, someone about 15 yards up the fairway asked him what the yardage was. "166" he said. When he got to where I was I asked..."Tom, what did you hit?" He looked over at me with that Watson smile and said "An 8 iron and then a 7 iron".

How cool is that!!!