WHAT THE MASTERS MEANS TO ME

By mustang6560 on 4/6/11

The Masters is celebrating two anniversaries this year - its 75th anniversary as a tournament and the 25th anniversary since Jack Nicklaus pulled off a comeback for the ages.

It seems like everyone is talking about what happened on that special Sunday afternoon back in 1986 at Augusta National as Jack rallied from five strokes back to capture his sixth green jacket and the last major victory of his career. En route to his victory, Jack shot a 30 on the back nine, which is a final round record that still stands today.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Jack’s comeback, the golf media has been asking everyone “Where were you when Jack Nicklaus won The Masters in 1986?” I was only 11 months old when this happened so I can’t answer this question with any certainty. So instead of trying to answer a question I don’t know the answer to, I thought I’d change the question to something more relevant, “What does The Masters mean to you?”

The Masters means something different to everyone. To some, it’s the start of their golf season. For a large part of the world, golf has a distinct season determined by mother nature. But by April, the cold weather finally starts to break and the snow begins its final melt. The hibernating golfers awake from their deep slumber to find new hope in the new golf season that has finally arrived.

For others, The Masters is an opportunity to make new memories with family and friends and recount the stories of old. The tradition of golf is passed on from generation to generation and it starts in the living rooms around the world. You hear stories all the time from people who say their best golf memory was watching the 19__ (fill in the blank) with their dad. It’s amazing how such an seemingly ordinary events make such last impressions in the lives of future golf fans.

And for the lucky few, The Masters means it’s once again time to take a walk through history at Augusta National. I’ve heard time seems to stand still at Augusta. Even the grounds crew and employees don’t seem to change through the years. Coming back each year rejuvenates the soul as fans are treated to the best golfers in the world as the best tournament in golf.

For me personally, the 2011 Masters marks the point in time when I become a true golf fan. I've played golf and followed golf as a casual fan nearly all my life. But since I started this job, my interest in the game has grown tremendously. In general, I am a bigger golf fan now than say five years ago. But, as my knowledge and passion for the game grows, so does my curiosity and admiration for The Masters. I am now one of those fans who sits anxiously at the computer hitting refresh until the pairings are released Tuesday morning. I’ve watch interview highlights. I’ve read golf stories online. I’ve read the history of The Masters on Wikipedia.

Unlike previous Masters that have come and gone, I am actually eagerly awaiting the start tomorrow. Starting this year, I am making Masters memories that will last a lifetime. In 25 years when The Masters is celebrating its 100th anniversary and the golf media asks “Where were you when (fill in the blank) won the 2011 Masters?”, I’ll be able to answer with certainty.

I look forward to watching the opening round of The Masters tomorrow and watching many more Masters tournaments to come. And I eagerly await the day I get to make the trip myself to The Masters to make my own walk through history.

Now it’s your turn. What does The Masters mean to you?



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