Augusta - how much would you pay?

[pendodave]

As you should be, it is an absolutely stunning setting and a great course. I believe the green fees are very low in the winter months... Years ago as a Christmas present I got The World Atlas of Golf. It was in there and just grabbed me, so one off the bucket list

Seriously, if you ever get the opportunity, take it. Green fee was $260 all in with hire clubs & worth every cent, however that was 14 years ago. Must think about going back when the storm is over. maybe I can drag Chrisd along again...

I bought the world atlas of golf recently after listening to a podcast about it. It's on my (long) list of things to do before we get back to normal..
Slight tangent, but of the famous McKenzie courses, I'd rather play cypress point or royal Melbourne.
An even more tangential tangent, I also bought McKenzie's 'spirit of st Andrews' after a pod. A fascinating read.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The one thing that would attract me to Augusta would very simply be walking in the footsteps of the greats - across turf that we know so well. I wouldn't care too much if I didn't play or score that well TBH - as long as I didn't shank it all the way round...

 

[clubchamp98]

Option 2, no question. We play for fun don't we? I can't hit it 300yds off the tee so why pretend I can.

Leave your ego at home and enjoy the experience. (I think you can ask that question of a lot of big courses and my answer would be the same each time)

We played Orange County National the day after the USPGA Tour qualifying school.
7400 yds ,unplayable for anyone less than +4 in my opinion.
It was brutal.
Couldn’t get on the par fours in two had to hit driver on two par threes over water.
We decided we won’t play anything over 6400yds on holiday.

 

[IanM]

The one thing that would attract me to Augusta would very simply be walking in the footsteps of the greats - across turf that we know so well. I wouldn't care too much if I didn't play or score that well TBH - as long as I didn't shank it all the way round...

...what he said!!! Plus the beauty of the surroundings.

Mind you, some folk don't "get" St Andrews either! (reaches for tin hat!)

 

[clubchamp98]

It’s a history thing .
Played Birkdale last year and the starter reeled of some of the names that had stood on that tee.
When he introduced me I admit I got a bit nervous.
Goosebumps when you look at some of the names ,who’s who of golf.
What other sport can you do that?

 

[sunshine]

When top courses are being debated, playability in my book is number one and for that reason Augusta is not rated by me, even as a major you have too many who have not a hope in hell winning, only there because they did manage to win in there prime, I wish more were like Faldo in that respect.
So as far as a bucket list goes dream on they don't want you simple as that.

Sorry, I don't really understand your point. You wouldn't want to play Augusta because some of the competitors at the Masters are getting on a bit and have no chance of winning?

Personally, I'd love to play Augusta (it's the number 1 fantasy course for me). Doesn't bother me that Gary Player et al turn up to hit a ceremonial drive on the first.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

...what he said!!! Plus the beauty of the surroundings.

Mind you, some folk don't "get" St Andrews either! (reaches for tin hat!)

yup - just take as much time (as I am permitted) to look around and smell the magnolias...if they are in bloom...

 

[ferenezejohn]

Sorry, I don't really understand your point. You wouldn't want to play Augusta because some of the competitors at the Masters are getting on a bit and have no chance of winning?

Personally, I'd love to play Augusta (it's the number 1 fantasy course for me). Doesn't bother me that Gary Player et al turn up to hit a ceremonial drive on the first.

What I'm saying is playability, the ordinary person doesn't have a hope in hell of getting a game at Augusta, that's why I'm not a lover of it, you summed it up perfectly fantasy

The masters is a different matter, no issue with Player or whoever hitting a ceremonial drive.
Its my opinion that there are to many past winners actually playing in the competition taking up spaces younger pros could get.
I would like it to be like other majors where if you win your exempt for a set number of years, not for as long as you can swing a club and want to play.
By all means have the dinner and par 3 where they can catch up.
All about opinions that's mine.
Hope that helps explain better

 

[Grant85]

What I'm saying is playability, the ordinary person doesn't have a hope in hell of getting a game at Augusta, that's why I'm not a lover of it, you summed it up perfectly fantasy

The masters is a different matter, no issue with Player or whoever hitting a ceremonial drive.
Its my opinion that there are to many past winners actually playing in the competition taking up spaces younger pros could get.
I would like it to be like other majors where if you win your exempt for a set number of years, not for as long as you can swing a club and want to play.
By all means have the dinner and par 3 where they can catch up.
All about opinions that's mine.
Hope that helps explain better

tend to agree with much of this.

I love that pretty much anyone can get a game at The Old Course and it is also fairly accessible to get a ticket into the Open.

The Masters has taken a good set-up, made it so unbelievably exclusive and elite - even for Pros - as their selling point. Obviously that's up to them if that's what they want to do, but I'm not going to fall into the trap of this becoming the most desirable golf experience, just because it's unattainable.

The Old Course is probably the only other comparable experience in terms of desirability and they show huge discipline to keep the costs reasonable and the process fair and open to any regular golfer. Obviously Augusta do show discipline as well to an extent, in terms of not having a few $1,000 tee times every few months if they wanted to fill up the coffers for whatever reason. As well as not bowing to broadcasters to allow more coverage and to build more TV gantries.

It strikes me that you really struggle to see some of the holes, for example tee shots on 10 and 15... as well as the approach to 17 seem to be in blind spots where you don't see as much of the hole or what players are really trying to achieve with those shots.

And on the subject of Old Pros... I think technically, they don't take up spaces as the criteria is set at... past winners, top 50, major winners for the past 5 years, Players winners for the past 3 years, top 12 from previous year, top 4 from the Open, US Open, Amatuer champions, PGA Tour winners in certain events etc etc.

If that comes out at 90 players, or 98 players... then that ends up as the field. In reality it could increase dramatically, but a lot of players will fill multiple criteria. For example, the Players Winner from the past 3 years will almost certainly qualify on world ranking. Also a number of past winners elect to stop playing as they don't want to go out and shoot 90.

 

[Hobbit]

Every year for what seems like most of my life I've watched golfers from generations going back to the early 70's play Augusta. As we've come out of winter hibernation there's been a golf spectacle on the TV with loads of greenery and flowers. Birdies and eagles have been roared on, and in. Emotions have been drained as pro's roared to the front of the field or have faltered.

Its given a buzz and an urge to get out on the course - which other comps do that?

Is it the best course out there? That depends on your own views - just look at the debate that rears up when the annual "Best courses in Britain" or is links or parkland the best.

How much would I pay? If I could afford it, whatever it takes. If it was what would I, as an average Joe, be willing to pay? I'd get a bank loan for up to £2k. Everything has a value, and that's its value for me.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Played the Old Course so that was one of the big ones ticked off for me. It definitely had an aura about the place around the first tee (and the town itself) and while some find it bland, I loved every hole and the challenges it presents. I think whether the course is set up in tournament mode (stands up, flowers in bloom etc) or not it would have it's own atmosphere and as we all know each hole so well from the coverage it would be a once in a lifetime chance so it wouldn't really bother me too much about the golf. It's more about the whole package

 

[Bazz]

I'll never get to play at Wembley but that doesn't stop me from dreaming about scoring there.

I'd pay a decent fee to play it, no doubt.

 

[Siolag]

Could I take my dad round? If so, I’d be willing to part with several thousand. For years before I played golf, and I mean 20 odd years, I’ve always watched the big ones with my dad and The Masters always caught our eye. My dad says that’s the one he’d pick because there’s basically n chance. He’s turning 70 in 2 years and I want to get him a memorable round somewhere for that.

 

[sunshine]

What I'm saying is playability, the ordinary person doesn't have a hope in hell of getting a game at Augusta, that's why I'm not a lover of it, you summed it up perfectly fantasy

The masters is a different matter, no issue with Player or whoever hitting a ceremonial drive.
Its my opinion that there are to many past winners actually playing in the competition taking up spaces younger pros could get.
I would like it to be like other majors where if you win your exempt for a set number of years, not for as long as you can swing a club and want to play.
By all means have the dinner and par 3 where they can catch up.
All about opinions that's mine.
Hope that helps explain better

These are all good points.

You could argue that Sandy Lyle etc shouldn't be there, but if he had turned down his invitation he wouldn't have been replaced (with a younger pro), that's the way the organising committee work. But plenty of people switch on the Masters because it's the only chance to see the likes of Sandy Lyle and reminisce, he is probably more popular today than Sunghoon Kang (the next ranked golfer on the OWGR if they extended it beyond 50).

 

[MendieGK]

So just to throw it out there......

If you got the chance to play Augusta, would you rather 1) play it off the back tees like the pros to get the full experience* or 2) play off forward tees to (possibly) hit similar clubs into the greens that the pros hit?

*for full experience read get totally beaten up

Had this conversation with some mates. I’d 100% have to play off the backs. Hitting driver 9iron into 15 for example would massively detract from the experience imo being a long hitter.

18 would be iron - short iron otherwise

 

[Imurg]

I'd play it...just to play Amen Corner.
How much..? A few hundred I guess.
But I'd want to play it off a decent length.
To play any course that's held a Major in order to "walk in the footsteps of the legends", if you're not playing the full, or mostly full, course then you're not playing the Major course..
Ok, maybe not off the very tips.
When you look at some courses and you see where the daily tees are, then you look back 70,80,100 or more yards and see where the big boys play from..
If you're not playing a yardage similar to what they play but reasonably relative to your ability then its, almost, just another golf course because it isnt the "Major" course.
Take The Old course. They obviously lengthen it for The Open to 7k+. White tee is 6700+, Yellow 6300
If I wanted to play there to follow the legends, 7k+ is obviously too much but I'd need to play off the whites to replicate it to a degree. 6300 wouldn't it it.
I'd play TOC off any tee just because its TOC....pretty much any other Major venue I'd want some length, Augusta included

 

[Depreston]

Had this conversation with some mates. I’d 100% have to play off the backs. Hitting driver 9iron into 15 for example would massively detract from the experience imo being a long hitter.

18 would be iron - short iron otherwise

. If the greens and pins were Masters hard I’d love to see a big hitting amateur have a go in my group mind ...I still think it would eat them alive

 

[MendieGK]

. If the greens and pins were Masters hard I’d love to see a big hitting amateur have a go in my group mind ...I still think it would eat them alive

Id be fully expecting to shoot over 100.

But the 13th for example is 455yds off the members tee!

 

[clubchamp98]

Not sure length is the big problem.
I have always found being in the right part of the green is most important.
Didn’t realise this until I played on 12 on the stump.
If you have a downhill put at these speeds you have to be spot on.

 

[hairball_89]

I don't know where I sit on playing Augusta, The Old Course is definitely one I want to play. As are Royal st Georges and Le Golf National - both because I've been to tournaments at those courses.

What I do know is that even as a reasonable hitter, I'd want to be playing off the tee that gave me the best chance of hitting the clubs into the green that they're designed to be attacked with. If that means me playing a course that's 500 yards shorter than the pros, great. If it's 900 yards short, who cares? I don't want to be hitting 3 wood into a green that Rory's hitting 6 iron into for example.