Unpopular Opinion - The Masters / Augusta

[Bosco...]

I don’t really get the “past history of Augusta” comments as if that one particular place was the culprit of all the bad things that have happened in society. It’s still happening in places. People forget about Calvin Peete and the 1986 Masters. Calvin said it was just another tournament. That’s all I’m saying on that.

Anyway, Augusta has some of the most advanced agronomy practices in existence. That’s pretty much worth the watch for me.

 

[WLG1952]

I think it depends on why a person watches the Masters.

Me I watch most of my tv golf for the golf shots. I don't really care who hits those golf shots. Sure, I will recognize the names, and with those names, I expect to see the better golf shots. I also lime the errant golf shots that put the players in jail from time to time.

Now the Masters is different for me. I watch it simply for the beauty of the course. The golf shots are just an added extra.

As for snobbery, I find that to be true, to some extent, on just about every pro tournament I watch. Even some of the talking heads come across as smarty pants some times. Don't even get me started on how some of the players act.

 

[Pharaoh]

I think it’s overrated. Just a painted up course that looks good for a few months to just the tournament. Very artificial. Don’t get wrong I love the Golden Bell and even have a metal print of it but Augusta just feels very fake from the course to the members. That’s why I’ve never entered the masters lottery while my golf friends do every year unsuccessfully. I really don’t have a temptation to go tbh unless it was playing there.

 

[JB]

I think it’s overrated. Just a painted up course that looks good for a few months to just the tournament. Very artificial. Don’t get wrong I love the Golden Bell and even have a metal print of it but Augusta just feels very fake from the course to the members. That’s why I’ve never entered the masters lottery while my golf friends do every year unsuccessfully. I really don’t have a temptation to go tbh unless it was playing there.

It looks really good for a lot more than a few months...

 

[andyAVFC]

I think it depends on why a person watches the Masters.

Me I watch most of my tv golf for the golf shots. I don't really care who hits those golf shots. Sure, I will recognize the names, and with those names, I expect to see the better golf shots. I also lime the errant golf shots that put the players in jail from time to time.

Now the Masters is different for me. I watch it simply for the beauty of the course. The golf shots are just an added extra.

As for snobbery, I find that to be true, to some extent, on just about every pro tournament I watch. Even some of the talking heads come across as smarty pants some times. Don't even get me started on how some of the players act.

I agree with a lot which is why I am a hypocrite as I'll be watching, its the off course stuff for me I dislike,

I just find that Augusta goes that extra length of been a bunch of d*cks compared to other pro tournaments.

 

[JB]

I agree with a lot which is why I am a hypocrite as I'll be watching, its the off course stuff for me I dislike,

I just find that Augusta goes that extra length of been a bunch of d*cks compared to other pro tournaments.

Only because its made public. Nobody had much negative to say about The Country Club, yet the history says otherwise.
History everywhere says otherwise, that is why we learn from it.

 

[Pharaoh]

I agree with a lot which is why I am a hypocrite as I'll be watching, its the off course stuff for me I dislike,

I just find that Augusta goes that extra length of been a bunch of d*cks compared to other pro tournaments.

You aren’t wrong here. Though I would say the same for quite a few courses that have hosted majors. Most will never be allowed there in any circumstance ever except that tournament. Given I think most know Augusta’s dark history. Also I’m not stupid enough to think their thinking has changed much. They are simply doing things for good PR. I will give them props in that their coverage is amazing, they keep prices down (Mainly because they don’t need that money.) on food and drinks, and host it on a gorgeous course. Outside of that yeah I totally understand ones who just don’t like it. Then again I always find it a bit weird to go somewhere that normally wants no part of you whatsoever to give your time and money.

 

[andyAVFC]

Only because its made public. Nobody had much negative to say about The Country Club, yet the history says otherwise.
History everywhere says otherwise, that is why we learn from it.

Regards the US Open last year?

I obviously can't talk for your side the pond but it didn't get great reviews this side, include the course. Literally to the point it should never hold another US Open.

 

[PatsFan]

I like the Masters, There is something special that you don't get with the other tournaments.
They are a private club and therefore can do what they want with their membership and such.
Times are changing just slower than some people want.

 

[JB]

Regards the US Open last year?

I obviously can't talk for your side the pond but it didn't get great reviews this side, include the course. Literally to the point it should never hold another US Open.

Cant speak to what was said elsewhere but it is one of the most revered courses and its history sucks.
But history sucks literally everywhere. Its why we learn from it. This notion that its isolated to this course, is only thought of because the press wanted to make a statement.

 

[DataDude]

Regards the US Open last year?

I obviously can't talk for your side the pond but it didn't get great reviews this side, include the course. Literally to the point it should never hold another US Open.

I think The Country Club would have been 2022 not last year. Last year was LA Country Club which was pretty stuffy as well.

 

[*Range Rat]

I think it’s overrated... Very artificial... but Augusta just feels very fake from the course to the members.

Manufactured is the word I use to describe it. A lot about it is manufactured & phony. It was not a difficult course for the pros for many years until they started adding length to it & tricking up the green complexes (the 15th green being the most egregious). In the 70's, 80's, 90's it was approx a 6850 yard members course with no rough. Back then, all the talk about it in the week leading up to the tournament every year was about if the Azalea's were blooming, the dogwoods, the loblolly pines, & generally how pretty the course looked. I agree with the OP... snobby, maufactured, & phony; but also like the OP I watch the coverage every year.

 

[amarkabove]

Cant speak to what was said elsewhere but it is one of the most revered courses and its history sucks.
But history sucks literally everywhere. Its why we learn from it. This notion that its isolated to this course, is only thought of because the press wanted to make a statement.

Exactly this. Hell, the PGA Tour had a "Caucasian Clause" until the early 60's. Most of the famed courses out there that host PGAs and US Open also likely have a murky history if someone were to truly dig into it. I think Augusta has it brought up more often because it was built on a former plantation site and therefore an easy target.

 

[Bosco...]

I think Augusta has it brought up more often because it was built on a former plantation site and therefore an easy target.

(I’m not disagreeing with you)

Or..

On land the belonged to the Creek and Cherokee tribes. Funny how history works, isn’t it? I mean…we can’t just be grateful for a golf tournament on a beautiful piece a land that’s maintained to the n’th degree. I guess people resort to looking down their noses at people who they assume are looking down their own nose. Or just want to find everything wrong no matter what. Do people just have too much time on their hands, but not enough for 4:15 round of golf?


Dunno……but hey, Brooksie in on the GC.

 

[cjroman]

So;

a) I am a hypocrite as I am going to watch the Masters 1st shot to the last

b) I am going to get absolutely hammered for this

I really don't like Augusta & The Masters... and I don't really know why.

I don't think it is the course at all but more surrounding the 'snobbyness' and the 'exclusiveness' of the event & clubhouse, yes I get that this traditional aspect is part of the event but I just don't like the vibe of a load of rich fellas sitting on the lawn in their mega rich invite only club. They then treat you like its an absolute privilege they've let you anywhere near their course and call you patrons instead of fans.

Even the field is the weakest out of all the majors. Give me the The Open or US Open any day of the week, they have all the history without the exclusivity and far stronger fields.

I am very conscious I am in the minority but no personal abuse please!

Well, bless your heart...

 

[JB]

Exactly this. Hell, the PGA Tour had a "Caucasian Clause" until the early 60's. Most of the famed courses out there that host PGAs and US Open also likely have a murky history if someone were to truly dig into it. I think Augusta has it brought up more often because it was built on a former plantation site and therefore an easy target.

Brookline didn’t allow Jews when my father was growing up there. Let alone other minorities. The reason that is funny is because Brookline’s demographics doesn’t fit that.

They all have the past. Augusta takes the brunt because it’s easy (lazy), especially for the uninformed

 

[TheDoctor]

I agree, I think it is the most over-hyped and over-rated course. All the manufactured elements to make it look good for the event makes me laugh

I will watch some of it on Saturday as we will be with friends, but if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be making a point of watching. Hopefully by then Tiger will have missed the cut and we will be shown more golf from those at the top of the leaderboard instead of Tiger hacking it around at the bottom of the standings like what usually happens when he plays

 

[RomaParisZurich]

Certainly some interesting takes here.

Manufactured, fake, phony. At what point does immaculate turn to manufactured or fake? How nice is too nice? I always thought Augusta looked more beautiful/amazing than any fantasy course in a video game. Never thought to consider that a negative.

Snobby, elitist. I think the only person that I am sure is a member here is a woman. I'm sure don't agree with a lot of things many of people there do, but it would really take some effort to find a way to manufacture personal offense from the membership there. If that were to really bother me, the list of things that offended me would be endless.

Most of us will never play there. I'm ok with that. If every Tom and Harry could, I bet it would look a lot closer to the goat track down the road from my house...which would be a lot less fake and phony.

 

[MWard]

You’re entitled to your take,

Brookline didn’t allow Jews when my father was growing up there. Let alone other minorities. The reason that is funny is because Brookline’s demographics doesn’t fit that.

They all have the past. Augusta takes the brunt because it’s easy (lazy), especially for the uninformed

The media just get lazier every year, as do the people who keyboard social justice instead of actually look at what they do to contribute both to their community as well as for the game of golf.

 

[*Range Rat]

Hopefully by then Tiger will have missed the cut and we will be shown more golf from those at the top of the leaderboard instead of Tiger hacking it around at the bottom of the standings like what usually happens when he plays

 

[amarkabove]

(I’m not disagreeing with you)

Or..

On land the belonged to the Creek and Cherokee tribes. Funny how history works, isn’t it? I mean…we can’t just be grateful for a golf tournament on a beautiful piece a land that’s maintained to the n’th degree. I guess people resort to looking down their noses at people who they assume are looking down their own nose. Or just want to find everything wrong no matter what. Do people just have too much time on their hands, but not enough for 4:15 round of golf?


Dunno……but hey, Brooksie in on the GC.

No one should have time for a 4:15 round of golf. Gotta shave at least 15 minutes off that.

But... yes.

 

[mav52]

 

[Hacker67]

Brookline didn’t allow Jews when my father was growing up there. Let alone other minorities. The reason that is funny is because Brookline’s demographics doesn’t fit that.

They all have the past. Augusta takes the brunt because it’s easy (lazy), especially for the uninformed

Banning blacks well into the 1990s and women into 2012 criticism is not lazy it's just more "recent" discrimination and racism than most other Country Clubs.

Donald opened his club in Palm Beach in 1993 called Mar-a-Lago, he insisted on accepting Jews and blacks even though other clubs in Palm Beach to this day discriminate against blacks and Jews. The old guard in Palm Beach and Augusta was outraged that Donald would accept blacks and Jews.

What's funny is that the PGA pulled out of his course because of cancel culture, not because of racism, slavery, or discrimination.

 

[razaar]

I don’t really get the “past history of Augusta” comments as if that one particular place was the culprit of all the bad things that have happened in society. It’s still happening in places. People forget about Calvin Peete and the 1986 Masters. Calvin said it was just another tournament. That’s all I’m saying on that.

Anyway, Augusta has some of the most advanced agronomy practices in existence. That’s pretty much worth the watch for me.

It is only open to play during the colder months of the year - late autumn, winter and early spring. For the rest of the year the course is closed.

 

[Bosco...]

It is only open to play during the colder months of the year - late autumn, winter and early spring. For the rest of the year the course is closed.

Trying to spoon-feed and babysit bent grass greens in Georgia summer heat is an easy pass!