Masters Week

I'm taking a few days off. I'm traveling with three friends to St Simons Island, Georgia. One of the guys in the group has a condo there so the stay is free. We spend four days playing golf in mornings and watching the Masters in the afternoon on tv. It's a great time to decompress, play my favorite sport and eat seafood. I look forward to the trip each year.

You might wonder why we would spend our afternoons watching a golf tournament on tv? Many people consider watching golf akin to watching paint dry. Lots of tournaments are exactly that, but the Masters is special.

Its the one golf tournament I make time to watch. For me, it's must-see tv. It's like the Super Bowl. Or the finals of the NCAA tournament. If you can't be there in person, you've got to watch it on tv.. And so for the last few years, I've watched from a comfortable chair in a condo on a beautiful island on the Georgia coastline. Actually, it's not a bad way to experience the tournament.

I have been to the Masters in person - once. I had the good fortune to have a brother, who's father-in-law was a sports writer for a Chattnooga newspaper. He'd offered my brother and his wife a couple of passes to the tournament, but he couldn't go. And so, by default, my wife, Phyllis and I got to walk the grounds of Augusta National.

The course is much hillier than it appears on tv. That's what I noticed first, the elevation changes are dramatic. On the day we were there, the conditions were perfect. Blue skies above, light wind. Every blade of grass was perfectly cut. And the grounds were litter free. It was a great day.

And it wasn't just any day. It was Sunday. The final round. And it was 1997. For you Masters historians you know that particular day is significant because it was the day Tiger Woods won his first major.

We watched Jack Nicklaus walk to the first tee. I had a conversation with him.. As he walked by me, I said, "go get'em Jack." And he looked at me and nodded. I'm pretty sure that constitutes a conversation.

We walked with Jack for a few holes, along with hundreds of others. Then walked over to Amen Corner and watched all the groups come through. Tiger birdied 11. Made Par on 12. Then we ran to 14 green and watched him sink another birdie. Then it was off to 15 tee where there was a delay and we got a good look at this young man up close. Even then you knew he was destined for greatness.

But as great as Tiger was that day...and he was.. He was dwarfed by the greatness of Augusta National and of the history of the tournament. You could feel it.

It was - and still is - one of the great sports moments of my life.. Something I will never forget.
And while I won't be at the Masters this year in person. I will be there is spirit, along with my golfing buddies, watching it on tv.