The Cheers Have Left Augusta

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Through most of two rounds of the 71st Masters, one thing is clear: the music has died. The cheers have died. The excitement has died.

 

 

With a first-round lead of -3 (which required a 20-putt performance by one of the two leaders) and a stroke average of 76.147, Augusta National is playing more like a U.S. Open venue than the host course of The Masters. You can not only count on one hand - no, make that half of one hand - the number of eagles we saw in the first round.

 

 

Have you ever heard less cheers at any golf tournament than you heard yesterday during the first round of The Masters?

 

 

Despite playing fairly in practice rounds, the green-jacketed goblins of Georgia firmed the course up prior to the first round, surprising players and leading to high-bouncing balls bounding over greens, down hills, and into ponds.

 

 

Though efforts to "Tiger-proof" Augusta National have resulted in more length, the bastardization of Bobby Jones' vision has continued in recent years with increasingly narrow fairways, cut skinny by trees and rough. Instead of Tiger-proofing the course, the goblins have instead charge-proofed and excitement-proofed the course. Without soggy weather, will anyone ever again fire a back-nine 30 like Jack did in 1986 or like Phil's 31 in 2004?

 

 

No.

 

 

Augusta National has become another boring course. Beautiful - make no mistake about that - but boring. Target golf, the bane of American golf, has invaded the North American home of golf, the very beacon that signals the start of a new season to much of America.

 

 

Perhaps it's time for the tournament committee at Augusta to exchange their green jackets for straitjackets, because clearly they've gone loony.

 

 

I would say the course conditions are enough to make me spit, but Sergio Garcia's got me covered there. Courses set up like this don't reward good play - they result in freakish winners who get a healthy dose of luck throughout the week. Everyone who picked Tiger or Phil or even Ernie to win this week weren't planning on conditions that would let Jerry Kelly of all people climb the leaderboard, or Bradley Dredge, or most of the other near-nobodies currently atop the big white boards at Augusta National.

 

 

Numerous headlines Thursday evening read "the golf course is winning." Funny, but I didn't know it was playing.

 

 

Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts named the course "National" because they viewed the course as belonging - at least in spirit - to all of America. I'm sad to say it's disgusting what's become of "my" course, of "your" course, of "our" course. It does not resemble the Augusta of six years ago let alone the Augusta of the Bobby Jones era, and it most certainly should not be "winning" anything but praise.

 

 

To our readers in China, please be on the lookout for the bodies of Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. They've probably been spinning in their graves so much they're due to burrow through the earth and pop out before the winner is crowned at +3 early Sunday evening.

[jcanuk]

i agree.i fell asleep today watching it.i hope the pompous *****s in their hallowed haven are happy.

[vwgolfer]

Yea I agree but the course did not make Phil hit that tee ball in to the trees and then hit his second deeper into the woods....That was loony...

[KDMullins]

Good post. I agree. For the life of me, I don't know why anyone thinks it's fun to watch bad golf.

[DRGJR72]

That was always one of the best things about watching the Masters was that it was so different than any other major...there was no rough, the greens screamed at ridiculous speeds, you could hit it anywhere and maybe make something out of it....It was special because it was the Masters, and you knew it. Now they have made a carbon copy of the US Open...It is so long that it is absurd, they have rough now, and Par is now a good score. Just not so much fun to watch as it was in the past. When people got on a roll and tore it up on the back nine on saturday and sunday was something amazing. You were not in contention then you were in contention. It is going to take a miracle or someone messing up in the lead versus someone putting together a great back nine to make a charge. The winner of the masters is going to be the one who can hold on and not make a big number to lose it. I think that might be different than what the masters has been in the past.

 

Dan

[specialblend218]

I agree, it's been pretty boring. I would rather see people string a few birdies then make a few bogies.

[tanj]

I have always said this and I always will. I want to see professionals go reasonably low (not insanely low although that's cool too!). If I want to watch a game where the players struggle and fail to live up to their own expectations, I can look at my own trials and tribulations.

 

The first two rounds have been, at least to me, more boring than the last two games of the 2006/2007 Ashes Series after Australia had won the first three out of five (WOOHOO!). BTW, the Ashes relates to cricket....

 

Josh

[Laz]

i had to laugh and cry when i read your article. you're so right... i just do not understand this. the worst thing by FAR in my eyes is the freakish green speed/hardness. Ok, the course needed to be made longer and the rough this year is not as high as it used to be wich is also the way augusta is meant to be played.

but the greens with it's radical slopes were designed in times when greens ran much much slower. The green jacketed goblins should try out something new- > make the greens run like an 7 or 8 on the stimp next year. Reaaaaly slow. Imagine what that would do.

[mat562]

I feel guilty for saying this, but Augusta no longer has the mystique it once had for me.

 

It's a magical place but I'm afraid the Masters has lost it's sparkle for me.

 

Finishes like '86, '88, '89 (for my money one of the most thilling finishes to s major in my memory) are things of the past.

 

Birdie at the last to win? Not any more.

 

30 on the back nine to win? Probably not.

 

Eagles on 13 and 15 on the Sunday (a la Watson in '91) doubt it...

 

People playing away from pins, struggling to keep 9 iron approaches on the green, and anyone who isn't a long high-ball hitter having zero chance to compete? Yes.

 

Why don't they just surround the greens with 4" deep rough, and put some more ball-losing stuff a few feet from the edge of the fairway?

 

Then we can have a US Open style 'level par wins it, and that's how it should be' tournament.

 

Call me selfish, but I want to see tournaments won with birdies and aggressive play. If I want to see people shooting one or two over when they've played well, I can just go to my own club and arrange a fourball with some friends.

 

It won't happen, but as an appeal to the Masters comittee... Change the course back to how it was 15 years back - with some nods to the new technology perhaps, but don't make the greatest course in the world boring...

[shoe295]

Sigh* How old are you guys? Do your memories fail because of age or because you weren't around to have them? Nicklaus's first win in '63 was 2 under par 286 by a one stroke margin and if you don't think it was exciting you weren't paying attention. Somebody mentioned '86 and the back nine Mr. Nicklaus shot which mesmerized I don't know how many fans for all time, but they forget that the winning score was 9 under of which 6 of those shots came during that marvelous 4th round back nine. Do you remember that he was +1 for the first 2 rounds? In 1966 he won in a playoff with a 72 hole total of 288, even par. Was that boring golf? Please! In 1972 he won by 3 shots, and his winning score was -2, which means that nobody else was under par. Obviously boring stuff which will be consigned to the dustbin of time.

 

Enough with the statistics, this is all part of the history and lore of the tournament you are lamenting is dead and gone because for the first time in 4-5 years the course is playing hard and fast. Apparently it was a slow news day and you were feeling neglected, dour, small, and insignificant, deciding to deride a hallowed institution with your pen of selective memory. I doubt very much that Mr. Jones and Mr. Roberts are spinning in their graves, rather they are enjoying memories of their youth when the course of their dreams played hard and fast, much as it is today, with corresponding results.

 

Methinks thou doth protest too much too soon about nothing. My advice is pay attention the final two days and watch. My prediction is the champion will not be a mere survivor, but rather a conquering hero as much as most every winner in the past.

[KDMullins]

Good post shoe295, but I'd still rather see the winner shoot 31 on the back nine on Sunday. Maybe they will...who knows...these guys are good, right? But I suspect it will be a 37.

[Bulldogdoc]

Folks. Relax. The Masters will have drama by Sunday.

 

It seems like the recent tradition has been much harder set up on thursday and friday with easing conditions on the weekend. Don't worry. We WILL see birdies on Sunday. Augusta knows that is what the Masters is all about. Remember, they are trying to identify the best golfer and test all parts of their game. I think varying the toughness of the course is an excellent way of testing everyone. Again, be patient.

[alexthegrrr8]

Boring...I don't know. Maybe it is.

 

To tell you the truth I like seeing scores like -4 when it comes to winning major championships. It's why I love watching the U.S. Open. The conditions prooves who's the best and you know what... seeing them look human isn't a bad thing for the beginner or any other amateur as far as that goes.

 

Alex

[iCollector]

"Numerous headlines Thursday evening read "the golf course is winning." Funny, but I didn't know it was playing.".....

 

Well, in essense, the course is what all players play against- not each other. When you distill to the purest, Tiger doesn't give a hoot what others are doing, he has as much admitted thatthough not in those word, and that is why he excels, he plays the course, not a human opponent.

 

How well you work the ball to the optimum position to make par or better determines your score. I don't see why pros should not be "tested" in a Major - even the Masters. The score is not that important to me really, but intensity of the competition. It does bother me more though, when I see -10, -20 under scores. To me that says the course is not a test for these players. Heck, they play for enough money, lets make em work for it.

 

I for one have been enjoying the Masters, and hope to see the weekend play serve up more of the same.

[Asleep]

Courses set up like this don't reward good play - they result in freakish winners who get a healthy dose of luck throughout the week.

 

I disagree.

 

The hard & fast conditions allow for players with driving averages in the 270 yard range to make the first page leader board. Tim Clark, Stephen Ames, Dean Wilson, Jim Furyk are all averaging in the 260 yd. range. (Nice to see David Toms with a chance---he was really having a good time out there.)

 

If you look at the leader board, those guys are all great shot-makers and good putters. You have to hit small windows and you have to be able to putt to win at Augusta.

 

When the course is soft, slow and wet.....the longest hitters have a distinct advantage. It's a little more "democratic" when hard & fast.

 

Keep it in the short grass, control your golf ball, and putt lights out---I always thought that was the recipe for great golf.

 

 

Perhaps the author is ticked because his Masters bets might not pay: Everyone who picked Tiger or Phil or even Ernie to win this week weren't planning on conditions that would let Jerry Kelly of all people climb the leader board, or Bradley Dredge, or most of the other near-nobodies currently atop the big white boards at Augusta National.

 

The 2007 version of the Masters includes the possibility that "Cinderella"/Everyman could take the "glass slipper"......more like "The Road To The Final Four" rather than NBA Championships in the 60s. I think that is a good thing. It somewhat mirrors the average golfer's experience when standing on the first tee-box of his round: "Today could be the day I go low."

 

We'll see if Monday's headlines look like: Freakish/Lucky Masters Winner in 2007! I doubt they will.

[Gozz]

Though efforts to "Tiger-proof" Augusta National have resulted in more length, the bastardization of Bobby Jones' vision has continued in recent years with increasingly narrow fairways, cut skinny by trees and rough. Instead of Tiger-proofing the course, the goblins have instead charge-proofed and excitement-proofed the course. Without soggy weather, will anyone ever again fire a back-nine 30 like Jack did in 1986 or like Phil's 31 in 2004?

 

While I'm not disagreeing with the premise of your post, on Tuesday when I was there I did not see any rough to speak of & I was amazed at how wide open the course actually is as compared to what it looks like on TV. The fairways are generous and the trees did not look like they should be in play except on a few holes (except if I were hitting the ball). The grass on this course is indescribable. The fairways are short & firm but the rough is less than an inch. Even the pine needles seemed thin in most places & did not appear that it would cause much of a problem. Hence, the greens are the course's only defense. They are certainly at a stupid speed at this point & if they do not put some water on them Sunday will be real ugly. I wish they would grow some two inch rough & reduce the speed of the greens to around 11-13.

[InspiredGolf]

I feel guilty for saying this, but Augusta no longer has the mystique it once had for me.

 

It's a magical place but I'm afraid the Masters has lost it's sparkle for me.

 

Finishes like '86, '88, '89 (for my money one of the most thilling finishes to s major in my memory) are things of the past.

 

Birdie at the last to win? Not any more.

 

30 on the back nine to win? Probably not.

 

Eagles on 13 and 15 on the Sunday (a la Watson in '91) doubt it...

 

People playing away from pins, struggling to keep 9 iron approaches on the green, and anyone who isn't a long high-ball hitter having zero chance to compete? Yes.

 

Why don't they just surround the greens with 4" deep rough, and put some more ball-losing stuff a few feet from the edge of the fairway?

 

Then we can have a US Open style 'level par wins it, and that's how it should be' tournament.

 

Call me selfish, but I want to see tournaments won with birdies and aggressive play. If I want to see people shooting one or two over when they've played well, I can just go to my own club and arrange a fourball with some friends.

 

It won't happen, but as an appeal to the Masters comittee... Change the course back to how it was 15 years back - with some nods to the new technology perhaps, but don't make the greatest course in the world boring...

 

 

I agree, this course set up takes all of the fun out of the masters. In past years the course has eagles, birdies, pressure and trainwrecks. You could shot 30 or 40 on a side. Now it is just another US Open. If the course get worse over the weekend everybody is going to keep going backwards which is sad. All the players seem upset and they keep commenting on how there are no roars, just moans.... Its not just the weather either. They have had cold and windy conditions a couple of years ago when VJ won but the greens were softer and still very fast. But they still made birdies and eagles. From what I heard on the TGC the Masters kind of tricked the players. The had the course in beautiful / tough condition for the practice rounds then wed. night the winds picked up and they turned on the green moisture pumps and sucked all the water out of the greens and made them super hard. I heard that on Thursdays "live at the masters" coverage. I'm not even looking forward to the weekend if it keeps up likes this. Some of the players need a 66 to 64 to get back in it and I don't believe that any player will be in the 60's with the weather that is coming in for the weekend. Why would they want to change it anyway. Every year the final round back 9 is a shootout making it the best major to watch IMO..... but I'm not bitter..... :friends:

[AcesAZ]

I like the length of the course but they added too many trees and narrowed too many fairways. They could have kept the original design in mind and had it still play plenty difficult.

 

I love watching good aggressive golf where great shots are rewarded. It isn't exciting watching guys play defensive on every hole. Now it isn't worth taking a chance to shoot at the flags on most holes since the penalty for missing is too severe. It has turned into seeing who can survive the best just like the US Opens.

[joesgonegolfing]

I turned it off and watched Dawn of the Dead on Showtime. This tourney is boring me to tears. Oh well I must not be a true golf fan.

 

Joe

:friends:

[Laz]

Agree or disagree on the course condition, or whether jones is spinning in his grave. It does not matter.

What matters is that the cheers definitely have left Augusta. They usually are there all week long, sunday only being the loudest.

Where are they?

[KDMullins]

Agree or disagree on the course condition, or whether jones is spinning in his grave. It does not matter.

What matters is that the cheers definitely have left Augusta. They usually are there all week long, sunday only being the loudest.

Where are they?

 

Exactly. You can debate the finer points of the technology debate, the lengthening of Augusta, etc., but at the end of the day, all that doesn't really matter. What matters is that the atmosphere that has made the tournament so great for so many years is not there this year. Hopefully, it's just a blip on the radar screen and not a sign of things to come.

[ajk278s]

This was the most exciting final round for a major in the last couple of years (Blowouts are boring). The first three rounds just set up the final and we now have a great champ.

 

Next year, the weather will be back what it usual is. And the rain delays, slow greens, and the Masters bomber paradise will be back. In the final round, there will be only one or if were lucky two players that could actually win because they completely blow away the field.

[dachtor]

I just like the fact that nobody was able to overpower the golf course today. Also, what you can't see on TV and most of you failed to recognize is the wind. It was 15-20+ for most of the tournament. I live in GA and played on Saturday and it was tough. Even Phil was quoted yesterday (Saturday) as saying "the only reason we had a chance was because they softened up the greens in anticipation of the wind.." You add swirling winds like they get thru those trees at Augusta to a course that is already going to play hard and fast and that's a recipe for higher scores.

 

I think the wind had as much to do with the scores as anything else. We've all seen what happens when the wind fails to show up at Pebble, St. Andrews and other courses that rely on the wind as a "defense mechanism". This is a course that already has more than a couple defense mechanisms in addition to the wind we saw this weekend.

[Newman]

Agree or disagree on the course condition, or whether jones is spinning in his grave. It does not matter.

What matters is that the cheers definitely have left Augusta. They usually are there all week long, sunday only being the loudest.

Where are they?

 

They've been replaced by idiots screaming "GET IN THE HOLE!!" after every swing. I'm glad that Faldo said something about it during the broadcast today.

 

Seriously, the conditions (dry, cool, and windy), no wonder there weren't as many roars over the first 3 rounds. If you want to whine to someone, blame Mother Nature.

 

I for one enjoy pro golfers getting pounded by the conditions. Seeing those guys out there trying to draw on every last bit of their skill to get around that course was amazing to watch. You saw guys laying it all on the line and taking ballsy risks to try and get a piece of that green blazer. For crying out loud, Tiger wrapped a frigging club around a tree to make a shot! Some of the greatest art comes from the hardest struggle. Zach Johnson was absolutely clutch down the stretch today.

 

There were plenty of roars today, and that was one of the most exciting final rounds I have seen in quite some time.

[Laz]

Agree or disagree on the course condition, or whether jones is spinning in his grave. It does not matter.

What matters is that the cheers definitely have left Augusta. They usually are there all week long, sunday only being the loudest.

Where are they?

 

They've been replaced by idiots screaming "GET IN THE HOLE!!" after every swing. I'm glad that Faldo said something about it during the broadcast today.

 

Seriously, the conditions (dry, cool, and windy), no wonder there weren't as many roars over the first 3 rounds. If you want to whine to someone, blame Mother Nature.

 

I for one enjoy pro golfers getting pounded by the conditions. Seeing those guys out there trying to draw on every last bit of their skill to get around that course was amazing to watch. You saw guys laying it all on the line and taking ballsy risks to try and get a piece of that green blazer. For crying out loud, Tiger wrapped a frigging club around a tree to make a shot! Some of the greatest art comes from the hardest struggle. Zach Johnson was absolutely clutch down the stretch today.

 

There were plenty of roars today, and that was one of the most exciting final rounds I have seen in quite some time.

Mother nature... :friends:

Whatever. I'm glad you enjoyed the tournament.

I did not, for the first time since 16years of following the masters.

This article sums up my point of view nicely.

Bring back the roars to Augusta

[jcanuk]

laz i agree.good read.

[smackygolf]

that's the article you get when you ask a basketball writer to write a golf story. SO, Goosen, Woods or Mickelson didn't win, therefore it sucked. Well, at least you have some history of following golf. I mean, for 16 whole years you've followed it. They should definitely do what YOU want. Yep, ol' Zach never should have laid up on those par 5's. He should have rinsed a few like Tiger. That's what we want!! BAD golf!! I guess 11 under on them wasn't good enough for Mr. Johnson. And he makes fun of Zach in the same article he quotes Larry Mize. Larry Mize? The worst champion ever at Augusta? He gets to decide?

[smackygolf]

Here, read an article by a golf writer, not a bracket expert and Final Four analyst. (a good writer, too, just not a GOLF writer.)

[parpar41]

Through most of two rounds of the 71st Masters, one thing is clear: the music has died. The cheers have died. The excitement has died.

 

 

 

 

I agree. Excellent post, Sandtrap. The weekend rounds showed how insightful and accurate your early post was.

 

The root of the problem, I believe, is the changes to the back 9. I looked closely at all of the back 9 scores , for all four days, for all 12 golfers who finished in the Top 10 .

 

Tiger had the best total score of anybody on the Back 9: Even frigging par : on the Back 9 at Augusta! Where Jack Nicklaus and US amateur champs can shoot 30 and 31. Where somebody is supposed to go LOW on Sunday.

 

The 12 guys in the Top 10 this week never went any lower on the back 9 than 34 ! Tiger never went lower than 35 on the Back. Retief, Rory, Apples and Luke never BROKE par on the back 9 in four days.

 

All this add up to a boring and frustrating tournament for the viewers. The magic, that used to arrive ever Spring on TV, is gone. Zach is a great and humble and noble guy but that was the worst Masters I can remember.

 

The course changes have gone too far; the spirit and character of the 13th and 15th holes have been ruined.

PLEASE roll back the course changes so we can see an interesting event; so he have someting to look forward to again in the Spring.

[Asleep]

I guess it depends on your perspective as to what your 2007 Masters headline reads....

 

Glass half-full:

 

Zach Johnson Wins 2007 Masters!

 

Glass half-empty:

 

Tiger Doesn't Win!

 

 

I think the cold weather really affected the consistency of how the ball reacted off the face of the club. You saw so many players hit shots they "knew" were good only to be surprised by it being too long or to short.

 

My biggest question is about maintaining the integrity of the greens throughout the tournament. It looked to me that they really watered/softened/slowed those greens down for Sunday---so much so that the players found themselves having to drastically adjust to the new greens. Balls that landed on the front of a green and bounced back deep into it before were stopping on the front. And the speed on some of those putts was marked altered.

 

I wonder if it's "fair" to make such a big change to the character of a course during a tournament. It seems that some of those changes might actually decide who wins. One player who excels on the super fast greens might lose his touch on the slowed surfaces. A player who is comfortable running the ball up could fall back to the drop-and-stop experts if the greens are softened. I don't have an answer, but the change was noticeable enough to make me wonder...