The Masters

[stevelockie]

Reading the preview of the Masters in GM last night got me thinking, and I'm racked with guilt about my conclusion.

I think the Masters is the best major of the year. I'm torn between that and The Open, but I think the Open is only raised to the magical standards of Augusta when it's in Scotland.

I don't know if it's because it's the first major after a long dark winter, or because of the mythical, untouchable qualities of Augusta, but I really can't wait for it to start.

Let's be honest, what golfer wouldn't donate an organ to play Augusta!

What major does it for you guys?

 

[USER1999]

Anything but the last one. USPGA or something. Seasons over, and the trophy means nothing to me. Defo the worst of the lot.

Augusta is a pain, because it is invitational only. Not really sure it should be a major at all on principal. Also, the coverage is traditionally poor, because they will only allow about 3 hours coverage a day. This is plain stupid. Beautiful track though.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The sheer exclusivity does elevate it and Amen Corner on Sunday as the leaders go through is must see TV. However I'm unsure whether it deserves it major status as it is invite only.

That is an aside really though and is my 2nd favourite. The British Open in my eyes IS the major. The fact that players (even club pros) can qualify and then potentially go all the way (a la the FA cup) plus the courses it is played on makes it so special.

I must say that I'm looking forward this year to the US open. I have in laws about 10 miles from the course and my brother-in law's company is doing a lot of the system installation. There are a large number of access all area VIP tickets on offer to staff (he is a VP so I'm hopeful).

Cheapo flight, free accommodation and VIP tickets. And my birthday on the 16th. Could be a hell of a week

 

[StuartD]

I would have to say The Open is my favorite.

The USPGA always seems to get knocked a lot here. Agreed its the one with the least prestige but i have enjoyed watching it more than the ridiculous tricked up courses we have had for the US Open for the last five or six years

 

[birdieman]

Whilst for us Brits the Open would be the one we would want to win I would say for me the Masters is the best to watch, the 5 hour time difference is perfect for us watching in the evening. It's the familiarity with the course - 11,12,13,15,16,18 are all imprinted on our brains and the visual appeal of the azeleas, caddies in white, the manicured fairways is hard to beat. The back 9 tension on Sunday is an almost annual occurrence, not matched often at our Open (though it was at Carnoustie last year).
Whilst our Open venues are the best courses and wonderful to play, when you see them on tv with cranes everywhere and flat seaside light, often rainy and windy and you dont see the humps and hollows properly it just doesn't have the visual appeal of Augusta.

As a tv event I enjoy the Masters more than any other golf tournamment. Still would want to win the Open above the others though.

 

[stevelockie]

Whilst for us Brits the Open would be the one we would want to win I would say for me the Masters is the best to watch, the 5 hour time difference is perfect for us watching in the evening. It's the familiarity with the course - 11,12,13,15,16,18 are all imprinted on our brains and the visual appeal of the azeleas, caddies in white, the manicured fairways is hard to beat. The back 9 tension on Sunday is an almost annual occurrence, not matched often at our Open (though it was at Carnoustie last year).
Whilst our Open venues are the best courses and wonderful to play, when you see them on tv with cranes everywhere and flat seaside light, often rainy and windy and you dont see the humps and hollows properly it just doesn't have the visual appeal of Augusta.

As a tv event I enjoy the Masters more than any other golf tournamment. Still would want to win the Open above the others though.

If there is a golf course in heaven, it would look like Augusta.

 

[toonarmy]

If there is a golf course in heaven, it would look like Augusta.

Assuming you're white, Christian, Western etc.

Whilst it may be as pretty as £1000-a-night escort, it also has the same flaws - predicatable, easy to get around, the really hard bit is getting it into the hole happy and it costs you a bomb.

I mean, is it not just a touch dull knowing where the Sunday flags are going to be on every hole every year? Would it really kill them to have a bit of rough and maybe focus on something other than 'best putter'?

I'd love to see the Masters played under Open qualification for a change just to see if it did attract a streaky 'crap golfer but hot putter' winner one year.

All that said, there is something very watchable about the Masters.

Mind you, the same can be said for that £1000-a-night escort...

 

[stevelockie]

If there is a golf course in heaven, it would look like Augusta.

Assuming you're white, Christian, Western etc.

Whilst it may be as pretty as £1000-a-night escort, it also has the same flaws - predicatable, easy to get around, the really hard bit is getting it into the hole happy and it costs you a bomb.

I mean, is it not just a touch dull knowing where the Sunday flags are going to be on every hole every year? Would it really kill them to have a bit of rough and maybe focus on something other than 'best putter'?

I'd love to see the Masters played under Open qualification for a change just to see if it did attract a streaky 'crap golfer but hot putter' winner one year.

All that said, there is something very watchable about the Masters.

Mind you, the same can be said for that £1000-a-night escort...

If I had a £1000-a-night escort, I wouldn't be watching!

Although I'd rather play Augusta!

 

[billyg]

Ive got to say - probably for all the wrong reasons it's Augusta for me. The first time is see those manicured flowerbeds on the gogglebox I know the year has begun. There seems to be a natural interlude in my life at this time of year where ive shaken off the shackles of winter and i'm winding down to summer.

It's like being given a golden ticket to Willy Wonkers chocolate factory because of the exclusivity both in terms of access and coverage.

Like the emergance of Punksatony Phil on Groundhog Day it's simmering with the bravado of America- but at a suitable and civilized distance from my armchair.

Many good points made about it's validity as a authentic Major but I wouldn't be without it. I would like to see a european open raised to the status of Major and laugh at the idea of TPC Sawgrass thinking it could trump something like Valderama for this honour.

A climate like the Med. offers many more marginal time slots in the schedule to slip such a competition in to suit and would further validate the European Tour.

I think The Open and Augusta are a form of purists golf spectacle never moreso than when the Open is in Scotland.

The others get less gravitas because they don't command the press coverage here that they deserve- which is a shame.

 

[MVP]

The Masters@Augusta Without a shadow of a doubt. to me its the finest piece of golfing pornography going, it makes anna rawson look like john daley!!! thats how much i like it

 

[viscount17]

The Open - real golf on a real course.
Augusta is visually stunning, but larded with make up, and full of nips and tucks.
Would Zack Johnson have won in fine weather - I doubt it, but that made it a real contest instead of a parade.

 

[greengrass]

The Open - real golf on a real course.

Spot on viscount17, some people dont know what "real" golf is these days, where you have to craft a shot into a nice firm suface rich in Bent and Fescue. These American courses are just freaks of nature that would'nt last 18 months without $100,000 worth of chemicals splattered all over them and countless billions of gallons of water just to keep them alive.

Last year at Carnoustie the players all loved it, why ? because the greens were perfect and it makes a refreshing change to play on greens that have'nt been slaughtered just to get them "up to speed".

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think the comments about the flowers and conditions etc are spot on .What it represents to me though is the start of my own domestic golf season. I always feel the competitive juices rising and know that after Masters weekend all my clubs main competitions crank into gear

 

[Doh]

The Open for me is THE one i look forward to each year after all i can go and see it live if i want to wherever it is in the country. However i do look forward to Augusta as for me it marks the beginning of my golfing season.

 

[medwayjon]

It simply HAS to be THE open, without any doubt.

I find the American courses dull, so what? they may look pretty but thats it. I doubt that Augusta is a real challenge to the elite golfers skill anywhere near as much as the likes of St Andrews, Carnoustie, Birkdale, Turnberry and St Georges to name just a few.

Like has been said previously, it is a putters paradise at augusta whereas on our links courses there is a lot more skill required in terms of shot-making, rescue-shots and bunker-play in some of the most hellish bunkers you can imagine (think st georges here), this is why ours is the best major championship as it rewards all aspects of golfing skill.

 

[Dodger]

For me the Open is 1st because of it being in the UK and defo when it is iN St Andrews,nowhere can compare with the atmosphere in that town that weeK,2nd Augusta just because the place looks so damn beautiful and also 1st after the long haul of winter (although has the weakest field strength in depth) then the USPGA (strongest field) and lastly the US Open where frankly some of the time although not all of the time the courses are so tricked up.
All the above IMHO.

 

[Junior]

The open is far and away my fave, but for Auguta its whoever has the sharpest shortgame at the time. The top 60 player are all so good not that anyone with a hot putter for a few days will win .

Apart from Tiger I think that Stenson is in with a shout as is KJ and Justin Rose.

Last years results are interesting with 6 europeans in the top 20

http://www.masters.org/en_US/scores/index.html

 

[Marko77]

The US Open is my favourite. In my mind it emphasises accuracy over distance.

I enjoy The Masters as a golfing spectacle with the course and the golf that is played on it. I'm not all that in favour of the Augusta politics and their tight grip on the tv schedules. The Butler Cabin scenes at the end must be the most cringeworthy aspect of the tournament.

Would I donate an organ to play Augusta, erm, no. Would consider it for Brookline or Whistling Straights tho' - Any US based viewers wanting a kidney?