Augusta National

About 10 years ago, I was in Augusta for a conference. For those of you who might not know, I live in Savannah.

So I'd never seen Augusta.
.....I remember growing up in NE South Dakota.... and watch the Masters on TV. I couldn't believe someplace could look so warm and green and plush... especially
as I would look out the window and usually see snow on the ground... or that ugly pre-spring grey.
I used to break out the map to figure out where Augusta Georgia was....

So a few yrs ago I go down to Washington Ave, which is the feeder road to the front gate/Magnolia Lane. Of course the gate is locked, so I parked across the street and walked up to the gate,
which is mostly wrought iron, so you could see thru it. I was the only one there, and felt kinda silly. I took a lame picture that turned out so poorly I threw it out.
So I got in my car and drove around the perimeter. You can't see the course from the perimeter drive, but you can sense where the course is from the trees.
I drove way around back and came across the Superintendent's shack. I pulled in thinking I might ask one of the grounds crew (I speak the lingo, I worked on a golf course in Las Vegas
all my HS and College summers) if they'd let a brother on the premises. I went up to the shed/shack, and no-one was around.... so I left. I could see the course from the parking area...
I should have walked on, but I didn't.

Last few yrs I've tried to get tickets, but always fell thru. Craigslist is full of con-artists, lol. And I am not paying 3k a ticket for a competition day from Stub-hub.
I found what I thought was a legit ad in the Augusta chronicle a few yrs ago. Negotiations were going well on the phone. We had planned for me to drive the 2hrs from Savannah after work,
and give him 2500 for two tickets on a Thursday day round/badge. Checked in with him a couple times by cell on the drive up... my eta & where we were gonna meet.
I got to town, and he wouldn't answer his phone any more, lol. Thanks buddy.... waste 4 hrs of my life for nothing. That day turned out to be raw/windy/cold, anyway.

Best course I ever played was in LeMont, Illinois, CogHill Dubsdread, where they used to play the Western Open. TOUGH.
& I've played Harbour Town Sea Pines Hilton Head, SC. TIGHT. Those friggin oaks at Harbour Town can reach out and grab a Titleist from thin air, lol.
Harbour Town is definitely a course you have to play many times. It's not long (except the par 3's), but ball placement of the tee is critical to score.  I'm not known for my timing, lol. 

I wish I could have came up for the Ryder Cup two yrs ago at Hazeltine. I forget what got in the way.

Would love to play Pebble & Torrey Pines. And Riviera.

Played a lot of nice courses in Oregon/Washington/Idaho when I played college golf in Oregon. Nothing famous, tho. We played a lot of matches at some very swank CC's tho.
One was Oswego Lake Country Club. We played most of our matches on Monday's. One match at OLCC, we played the day after Bruce Springsteen married that Julianne chick (first wife), and they still had reception tents/ used tables/ used silverware-glasses, etc...
still not cleaned up. We found the head table under a big tent/cabana, where we figured the Boss musta been just hrs before, lol.
Since I've left college, Pumpkin Ridge in western suburbs of Portland is about 10 miles from where I went to college. I hear it's a great course, and there's been some big tourneys there.
It's my alma mater's home course, now. In my years, we played a dog track called Forest Hills.

Well at least you didn't get kidnapped and sex trafficked with your CL deal gone bad. LOL Taht sucks though. I think I would like to do a practice round. I had more fun at a US Open practice round than I did the actual tournament when I did that.

I highly recommend Pebble. I have been a lot of places in my life and Pebble is at the very top of my list of things I have done and places I have been. and, not sure it's even close. Having breakfast in the room with the doors open overlooking 18 and the waves crashing. Not sure there could be much better. And, while crazy expensive it was not snobby at all.

I'm glad I went to the Ryder Cup because it was a blast to see the rowdy crowds. But, I saw very little golf in comparison to a regular tournament because there just aren't that many players. Especially with alternate shot.

I did go to the Solheim Cup when it was in Des Moines last year. That was a lot of fun too!!!!! Amazing how tall Michelle Wie is in person. And, I LOVE ME some Gerina Piller. LOL I took my 9yo with me. We were there for about 5 hours. Didn't run into a single person I knew. Which was surprising. Well until we were walking out and ran into my ex wife. LOL Out of how many thousands of people THAT is who I run into? LOL

If Spieth doesn't go nuts, this is gonna be one hell of a fun weekend.

I think the closest thing to heaven would probably be a stroll around Augusta National.  I love to listen to this song every spring and I still get chills up and down my spine when I listen to it.