I had the incredible opportunity to attend a practice round on April 8 for the 2014 Masters. What an amazing day - the weather was perfect and it was an experience I'll never forget! Our team had access to a special area of the course called Berckmans Place (BP) - an incredible VIP hospitality building tucked in the trees along the 5th fairway. With BP access we had a special entrance to the grounds and were greeted with handshakes by members Lynn Swann and Condoleezza Rice. In addition to meeting Lynn and Condoleezza, the highlight of BP are the three putting greens that are replicas of the 7th, 14th, and 16th holes. We waited in line for about 15 minutes and had a caddie help us select our putters and give us tips at the holes. Unfortunately I didn't sink a putt....maybe next year. After a quick snack at BP, we headed out to watch the players and walk the beautiful course.
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| Entering Augusta National via Berckmans Place (BP) |
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| Putting greens at BP |
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| Selecting our putters - I chose a TaylorMade (what I use at home as well) |
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| Condoleezza Rice just chatting with us before we went out on the putting greens |
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| My customer giving me a few pointers |
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| Close, but no cigar on making the putt |
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| Practice shots at the BP putting green |
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| Berckmans Place in the background |
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| BP hospitality building |
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| The 13th hole "Azalea" |
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| Stands between the 13th and 16th holes |
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| Angel Cabrera getting ready to take a shot |
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| 6th hole tee "Juniper" |
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| Graham DeLaet |
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My favorite area of the course - the 16th hole "Redbud". There is a tradition during the practice rounds for the players to skip golf balls around the water. (Here's how it works - Players in their practice rounds arrive at the No. 16 and hit their tee balls as part of the practice round...but fans want more. Some of them start yelling out "skip" or "skip it." Most of the golfers who hear the chant respond to the fans' demands and those that don't are often booed. Any skipped golf ball that does wind up on the green receives a huge cheer. But every player who makes an attempt, whether successful or not, receives applause and cheers from the fans. The players move up in front of the tee boxes to a bank that slopes down to the water's edge. They hit their balls down onto the water's surface (often by closing the clubface, setting the ball back in the stance, and putting hook spin on the ball), attempting to make the ball skip or skim across the surface of the pond.)
This is a 170-yard par 3 with most yardage carried over the pond. Mike Weir made a hole in one during his practice round (while we were in the stands....very exciting...the crowd went wild!)!
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| Teeing off on the 16 |
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| Wow...he's bright. I like that his hat matches his pants! |
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| Impeccably manicured fairways. |
