The Masters is very close to being a perfect golf tournament. The nine-month gap between the previous year’s Open Championship and the first Major of the year means excitement levels are so high when Masters week rolls round, Augusta National is an idyllic golf course and viewers’ familiarity with the club, the traditions and the holes makes the tournament truly unique.
That said, there are some things that slightly grate on me (emphasis on slightly) when it comes to The Masters. Here’s what I’d change to make it even better…
More fans
The Masters is a very exclusive tournament staged at perhaps the most private golf club in the world, and its spectator numbers seem to reflect that. Augusta doesn’t release attendance numbers, but some estimations suggest 40,000 patrons pass through the gates from Thursday to Sunday, which is way below the level of other Majors and regular tour events.
Augusta is very concerned with image and control, so the club presumably doesn’t want hundreds of thousands of spectators packing the property. Unruly behaviour associated with larger numbers is probably a factor here, too. But I do think it’s a shame that so few people are able to get tickets to one of sport’s great events.
Language restrictions
The theme of control extends into this point. There are strict rules as to what commentators can and can’t say. For example, spectators have to be referred to as patrons and the rough has to be called ‘the second cut’. These restrictions are just needless. Let the adults and experts who are calling the shots say what they want. The world isn’t going to stop turning on its axis if we don’t refer to fans as patron. It’s needlessly repressive.
Lifetime invites
Outside of season-ending events, The Masters has one of the smallest fields in golf. I don’t think the old-timers who have no chance of winning should be able to tee it up. Last year, the best round shot between Jose Maria Olazabal, Larry Mize and Sandy Lyle was a 77. Once you’re 55 or older, I think you should have to shoot one round of level-par or better to be invited back the following year.
The field
I’d much prefer the spots for the old guard to be given to those who actually have a chance of winning the tournament. Perhaps invites should be…
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