2023 Masters

[McBride11]

I was there yesterday too and the funniest was Freddy on the practice range. Hit a ball, shoot the shit for 5 minutes, hit another ball, talk for another 5 minutes.

Dude is just living the dream. Im waiting for him to start cracking beers on the back 9 at some point in his Masters career.

And ya the concessions are extremely affordable. All non brand but the drinks are coke products and the staff tell you what the beers are. The logistics of getting people in and out of the bathrooms, food huts, pics at founders circle, and gift store may be better than chick-fil-a.
There are so many people milling about they literally have a dude standing at the end of the men's line holding a sign saying 'here is the end of the mens line.' Once inside they got people directing traffic to different urinals / toilets. I guess logistics are easy when money is no concern.

 

[ernieshore]

I think I would start with the shrimp and then go with the ribeye. A cheeseburger and a steak seems like a bit much.
View: https://twitter.com/golfchannel/status/1643400194480799744?s=46&t=vBkkyUE0g4NKcz4S_YRAEA

 

[Deathofthebambino]

I''m not sure LIV has much ammo left to fire . The Saudi's can run it at a loss in perpetuity but what they have now is likely what they will have in the near and long term future. The changes on the PGA Tour has essentially locked up the needle moving star players. Maybe LIV grabs a grumpy rank-and-file player but losing a handfull of that level player is meaningless to the Tour. In fact, at this point, there's more rumors of LIV players (Brooks Koepka) wanting back on the PGA Tour than there is Tour players flirting with LIV.

LIV has a shitty TV deal with the CW. They scheduled their tournaments alongside the crappy, lower tier PGA Tour events and the PGA Tour dominates the ratings. Like 5 times more people watched Chris Kirk and Eric Cole duke it out at the Honda than watched DJ, Brooks, Bryson, etc at the LIV event. Multiple high level corporate executives have resigned from LIV over the past 6 months. LIV is 0-for the courts thusfar, including today losing their lawsuit against the DP World Tour. The lawsuit against the PGA Tour is pending, but they've lost all the hearings and motions thusfar. The players aren't going to get world ranking points any time soon. Within 3-5 years only those with past champion status will be playing in the majors. The rest will fade to oblivion.

As I said, the Saudi's will keep funding it but they are just going to fade into oblivion. To regain some momentum, they probably need their players to ball out at the majors while they are in them. If the LIV guys can maintain competitiveness in majors while playing the exhibition style events, maybe that changes some minds. I think that is a long shot though.

I've heard from multiple folks I trust that if a player decides to leave the LIV before a certain amount of years are done (3-5, depending on the player), they have to pay back twice the amount of their signing bonus.

Twice. So roughly what, $400mil for someone like DJ?

 

[cshea]

I've heard from multiple folks I trust that if a player decides to leave the LIV before a certain amount of years are done (3-5, depending on the player), they have to pay back twice the amount of their signing bonus.

Twice. So roughly what, $400mil for someone like DJ?

Yeah I read that too when the rumors of LIV players wanting to go back to the PGA Tour started to heat up. I remember during the court hearing last year to determine if LIV players could play Tour events while the lawsuit played out the judge called the LIV contracts some of the most restrictive contracts she'd ever seen. So it'd appear they are SOL, I don't imagine the Saudi's are just going to wish them well on future endeavors and release them from the contracts.

 

[joe dokes]

I guess logistics are easy when money is no concern.

Isn't attendance is relatively limited (to what the facilities can handle comfortably)?

 

[cshea]

My understanding is they Green Jackets want the Masters to be the ultimate in-person fan viewing experience in golf. As a result, they keep the crowd somewhat under capacity and it is why the ticket (directly from them not brokers) and concession prices are extremely low compared to similar big events in other sports. I don't recall from the lottery this year but I believe a day pass for a Tournament round was less than $150. Practice rounds were like $75 maybe (the lucky guys who won can can correct me if I'm wrong). Compare that to a ticket to even something relatively minor in comparison like a Bruins first round playoff game, and the Masters is a crazy bargain.

It's also why the TV window is so small compared to the other majors. If they wanted to, they could sell full 8am-finish coverage for all 4 days of the tournament for a shitload of money but they limit it to the 3:00pm-finish window (2:00-finish on Sunday).

 

[joe dokes]

It's also why the TV window is so small compared to the other majors. If they wanted to, they could sell full 8am-finish coverage for all 4 days of the tournament for a shitload of money but they limit it to the 3:00pm-finish window (2:00-finish on Sunday).

IIRC, it wasn't *that* long ago that the TV coverage wasn't based on a time window; there was simply no TV coverage of the front 9 allowed.

EDIT: Found this from 1997
Here's Something You Won't See On TV Masters Officials Worry That Televising All 18 Holes Could Cut Down On Crowds | The Spokesman-Review

And another...looks like front 9 coverage begam in 2002.
So, Masters doesn’t start until back 9 on Sunday, huh? - Sports Illustrated Golf: News, Scores, Equipment, Instruction, Travel, Courses

 

[McBride11]

Isn't attendance is relatively limited (to what the facilities can handle comfortably)?

My understanding is they Green Jackets want the Masters to be the ultimate in-person fan viewing experience in golf. As a result, they keep the crowd somewhat under capacity and it is why the ticket (directly from them not brokers) and concession prices are extremely low compared to similar big events in other sports. I don't recall from the lottery this year but I believe a day pass for a Tournament round was less than $150. Practice rounds were like $75 maybe (the lucky guys who won can can correct me if I'm wrong). Compare that to a ticket to even something relatively minor in comparison like a Bruins first round playoff game, and the Masters is a crazy bargain.

It's also why the TV window is so small compared to the other majors. If they wanted to, they could sell full 8am-finish coverage for all 4 days of the tournament for a shitload of money but they limit it to the 3:00pm-finish window (2:00-finish on Sunday).

Practice this year were 100$ per. Which is definitely reasonable relative to other major events across sports. Plus then not spending a fortune in ticketmaster fees and concessions. It is an amazingly streamlined experience.

Augusta doesnt release attendance numbers. Articles estimate 50-60k practice and 30-40k tourney. So yes, i am sure they limit tix based upon what they think they can maximize while keeping a relatively stress free visit. Could easily sell wayyyy more I am sure

Edit - tourney are 140 this year. And all parking is free. They literally bought nearby failing strip malls to offer parking. Then made tunnels / peds paths to the gates.

 

[Bongorific]

I think I would start with the shrimp and then go with the ribeye. A cheeseburger and a steak seems like a bit much.
View: https://twitter.com/golfchannel/status/1643400194480799744?s=46&t=vBkkyUE0g4NKcz4S_YRAEA

Dream bigger, Scottie. I could make you this next week at my house.

Practice this year were 100$ per. Which is definitely reasonable relative to other major events across sports. Plus then not spending a fortune in ticketmaster fees and concessions. It is an amazingly streamlined experience.

Augusta doesnt release attendance numbers. Articles estimate 50-60k practice and 30-40k tourney. So yes, i am sure they limit tix based upon what they think they can maximize while keeping a relatively stress free visit. Could easily sell wayyyy more I am sure

Edit - tourney are 140 this year. And all parking is free. They literally bought nearby failing strip malls to offer parking. Then made tunnels / peds paths to the gates.

Really want to do this some year. I’ve been signing up for the lottery each year since I graduated law school 15 years ago.

 

[cshea]

For the geeks like myself I love this sort of stuff. John Wood, currently an NBC analyst but was Matt Kuchar’s caddie for a long time posted pictures of his yardage and chilling books from. Augusta. Very cool.

View: https://twitter.com/johnwould/status/1379246712498266114?s=46&t=23orJRFkAhpzRtm4p3-oEw

 

[Doug Beerabelli]

Rory needs to win one first before that can happen…

Yes he does! My very very bad.

 

[Lupe Whalewatch]

Maybe the chosen tees on 13 will be moved up on Sunday. I agree that both 13 and 15 turning into 3-shotters likely removes some of the fun and drama.

They could move 13 to the forward end of the new tee but from my understanding the old 13 tee box no longer exists.

 

[TFP]

They could move 13 to the forward end of the new tee but from my understanding the old 13 tee box no longer exists.

This is correct. All holes at Augusta only have 2 tee boxes. Members tees and Championship tees. When they create new tees, they get rid of the old ones.

 

[Ale Xander]

Edit - tourney are 140 this year. And all parking is free. They literally bought nearby failing strip malls to offer parking. Then made tunnels / peds paths to the gates.

How I didn’t know this, I am perplexed. Thank you!!!! Now sign me up. Not that terribly out of the way for a return from snowbirding.

 

[Ale Xander]

One question, can you visit in the other 51 weeks? (Not to play but sort of as a museum visitor)

 

[kenneycb]

Not unless you're invited

 

[Philip Jeff Frye]

Practice this year were 100$ per. Which is definitely reasonable relative to other major events across sports. Plus then not spending a fortune in ticketmaster fees and concessions. It is an amazingly streamlined experience.

Augusta doesnt release attendance numbers. Articles estimate 50-60k practice and 30-40k tourney. So yes, i am sure they limit tix based upon what they think they can maximize while keeping a relatively stress free visit. Could easily sell wayyyy more I am sure

Edit - tourney are 140 this year. And all parking is free. They literally bought nearby failing strip malls to offer parking. Then made tunnels / peds paths to the gates.

I was there yesterday for the first time and was just blown away with what a great customer experience it was. I expected a beer would be like $18.00. Tons of helpful, friendly staffers. Traditional pimento sandwich for $1.50? Crazy. The member who got me in explained that the only reason the food and drink isn't just included in the ticket price (like the parking) is that they worry people would just waste a lot of it if it were perceived as free.

Even at the swag store, items were not cheap but they were not out of line with what you'd pay for merch at similar events.

Just a completely different feel from most big time sporting events I've been to.

 

[McBride11]

How I didn’t know this, I am perplexed. Thank you!!!! Now sign me up. Not that terribly out of the way for a return from snowbirding.

This year we parked behind the Hooters off Washington Ave. Signs were also advertising behind the Carrabas. They paved a path behind the strip mall in a diagonal to the course basically. 20ish min walk to the gates (We walk fast) but not on a sidewalk of a major street and a direct line almost

 

[E5 Yaz]

 

[ernieshore]

I guess even Augusta National couldn’t get Angel Cabrera a furlough.

 

[Marciano490]

I've heard from multiple folks I trust that if a player decides to leave the LIV before a certain amount of years are done (3-5, depending on the player), they have to pay back twice the amount of their signing bonus.

Twice. So roughly what, $400mil for someone like DJ?

All Phil needs to do is hit one lucky bet.

 

[cshea]

View: https://twitter.com/themasters/status/1643927932711075842?s=46&t=23orJRFkAhpzRtm4p3-oEw

 

[cshea]

Picking Scottie but will be a captain for Team Rory.

Brooks for low LIV. Also put a few bucks on Max because I liked the price. Go Max.

 

[cshea]

Logistics for today's viewing, since that usually is a hot topic:

Early viewing is exclusively on masters.com or the Masters app. They have several streaming options:

• Holes 4,5,6
• Amen Corner
• Holes 15,16
• Featured Groups
  • 10:18am Tiger/Xander/Hovland
  • 10:42am JT/Rahm/Cam Young
  • 1:36pm Scheffer/Max Homa/Bennett (A)
  • 2:00pm Spieth/Finau/Fleetwood
• Create your own group. They will have every shot from every player so you can create your own group and follow whatever players you want.

Television starts on ESPN at 3:00pm.

Edit: I'd also note that their streaming product is usually so good that I don't bother putting ESPN on. High quality, fast, no buffering, plenty of options to watch. You can even stream the ESPN feed through them which gets a few extra shots when ESPN takes a break from showing golf and does some canned piece for a few minutes.

 

[LogansDad]

Yeah. Basically every other sporting event in existence shoukd take a page from The Masters' viewing experience. It's the best thete is.

 

[cshea]

Tough start for Iron Heads GC as Kevin Na is +3 through 5.

 

[LogansDad]

Tough start for Iron Heads GC as Kevin Na is +3 through 5.

Bogeyed 6 with some very disinterested looking putts.

 

[PayrodsFirstClutchHit]

Logistics for today's viewing, since that usually is a hot topic:

Early viewing is exclusively on masters.com or the Masters app. They have several streaming options:

• Holes 4,5,6
• Amen Corner
• Holes 15,16
• Featured Groups
  • 10:18am Tiger/Xander/Hovland
  • 10:42am JT/Rahm/Cam Young
  • 1:36pm Scheffer/Max Homa/Bennett (A)
  • 2:00pm Spieth/Finau/Fleetwood
• Create your own group. They will have every shot from every player so you can create your own group and follow whatever players you want.

Television starts on ESPN at 3:00pm.

Edit: I'd also note that their streaming product is usually so good that I don't bother putting ESPN on. High quality, fast, no buffering, plenty of options to watch. You can even stream the ESPN feed through them which gets a few extra shots when ESPN takes a break from showing golf and does some canned piece for a few minutes.

The create your own group feature looks to be the way to go. No announcer drivel as well so far.

 

[joe dokes]

Logistics for today's viewing, since that usually is a hot topic:

Early viewing is exclusively on masters.com or the Masters app. They have several streaming options:

• Holes 4,5,6
• Amen Corner
• Holes 15,16
• Featured Groups
  • 10:18am Tiger/Xander/Hovland
  • 10:42am JT/Rahm/Cam Young
  • 1:36pm Scheffer/Max Homa/Bennett (A)
  • 2:00pm Spieth/Finau/Fleetwood
• Create your own group. They will have every shot from every player so you can create your own group and follow whatever players you want.

Television starts on ESPN at 3:00pm.

Edit: I'd also note that their streaming product is usually so good that I don't bother putting ESPN on. High quality, fast, no buffering, plenty of options to watch. You can even stream the ESPN feed through them which gets a few extra shots when ESPN takes a break from showing golf and does some canned piece for a few minutes.

It's also nice to be able to catch up and see rapid-fire vid of every shot if you can't watch for awhile.

 

[cshea]

Shane Bacon and Colt Knost on the Featured Group coverage. Awesome.

Tiger right down the middle on 1. Let's go.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

They are also showing featured groups live on Paramount+ right now.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Bogeyed 6 with some very disinterested looking putts.

Na withdraws after reaching +6

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

TSN in Canada appears to be doing a lot of the streaming options on its channels.
TSN3 - Featured Groups
TSN4 - General coverage
TSN5 - Amen Corner

At noon ET, TSN1 picks up Holes 15 & 16.

 

[Zomp]

Colt has been on record to say his dream is to cover the Masters on CBS since he’ll never play in it. Happy to see him following Tigers group

 

[cshea]

Kind of interested to see this Gordon Sargent kid play later today. College player from Wake Forest. Rory and others have called him the best am they've ever seen, and Knost said he was the longest player in the field.

 

[allstonite]

Me in my head “this is so silly. They’ve analyzed Tiger’s walk on both of the first 2 holes”

Me 5 seconds later “they aren’t wrong. He looks good. Moving much better than at the Genesis”

 

[cshea]

Rahm with a 4-putt double bogey to start his Masters.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Rahm with a 4-putt double bogey to start his Masters.

He did get one of the shots back with a birdie at 2.

 

[cshea]

He birdied 3 too to get back to even.

That group is off to a white hot start. From the cumulative 9 holes played they have made 7 birdies. Just Rahm's double at 1 and JT's par on 1. Cam Young has 3 birdies too.

 

[cshea]

Bryson opens with a double. Needs to shoot -7 over the remaining 17 to shoot Bryson par.

 

[BaseballJones]

Tiger really struggling with the putter.

 

[joe dokes]

Senior alert. 52 yr old Mike Weir matriculates the ball down the field to a round of even par.

 

[Zomp]

Tiger is really sweating. Like through his shirt.

 

[Freddy Linn]

TW pitch on 8 was sublime.

 

[Jim Ed Rice in HOF]

Tiger is really sweating. Like through his shirt.

Near eagle on 8, back to +2.

 

[cshea]

Tiger birdies 8 to get back to +2

 

[cshea]

Rahm about to be -3 through 8 after opening with a bogey.

 

[Jim Ed Rice in HOF]

Rahm shaking off the early double pretty well. Short putt for eagle coming up on 8.

 

[Jim Ed Rice in HOF]

Is Hovland heading to a Buffett show after today's round?

 

[Zomp]

Ridiculous shot from Hovland at 10.


Has anyone kept track of 13? Anyone on in two?