Masters Practice Round and Par 3 Tournament

Really sorry everyone for the delayed posts.  America's Best Hotel in Augusta has a fair way to go to live up to it's name.  A half reasonable internet connection would be a good start.

This is what we are here for, the 2016 Masters Tournament.  Here we see the first level of security.  You pass through 3 rows of security and sniffer dogs before you get to the airport style scanners.

Here at the gates, all pockets are emptied, and you are scanned as you would be when boarding a plane.  Remember, no phones are permitted.

As you enter, you are greeted by the tournament practice range.  An incredible addition in the past few years, based entirely on the feedback from the players.  Players were asked what they would like on the range, and that is what was built.

Two fairways, replicating the first and fifth, and a replica of the 2nd green directly in front.  Almost all shots from the course can be reproduced here.

This is the caddy shack.  Home normally to the 100 full time caddies, but this week is home to the tournament caddies.  Here they are treated like kings, with catering the same as the corporate hospitality suites.  It also houses a fireproof room, where players can store their equipment in total safety.

Henrik Stenson practicing his putting prior to his practice round.

We were very fortunate to have Honorary KHGC member, Ian Baker - Finch spend some time with the group on Wednesday morning.  Ian talked all things Augusta, answered member questions, and gave us a greater insight into the event.

Ian had just finished a shoot for channel 7, and was heading off to prepare to play with Marc Leishman and Steven Bowditch in the Par three tournament.  We really appreciated him sparing some time for us, here in front of the Butler Cabin.  The Butler Cabin is where the winner is presented his green jacket by last year's winner.

This is the right side of the first fairway.

Dustin Johnson pitching onto the green on the Par 5 second hole.

Rory McIlroy smashing a driver down the Par 4 third.  Note the crowd here for practice.

The following group, Danny Willett, number 12 in the world, on the third, with about 10 people following him.

The view into the Par 5 fifteenth green, over the pond, with the Sarazen Bridge behind.

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee driving down the par 4 fourteenth.

From the corner on the par 5 thirteenth.

Looking toward the green on the Par 3 twelfth.

Irishman Darren Clarke firing one into the 12th.  The matting on the tee is there to prevent players hitting from tournament tee locations.

Unlike regular events, equipment reps are prevented from being on the driving range.  Here we see the Ping rep delivering a new driver to Lee Westwood on the 12th.

Food pricing at events is always a source of pain here in Australia.  Not at Augusta, everything is really good value.

Most items are Masters logoed, and the whole process is really fast and smooth.  What is also very impressive is that there is no rubbish anywhere.  The patrons are all very respectful when it comes to this.

These bright drinks are only available at the 12th hole concessions stand.  Called the "12th stand", they are a layered combination of Blue Gatorade, Pink Lemonade and Sprite.  Plenty of sugar, which was just what was required to walk up the hills!

This is one such hill.  The view here is from behind the Par 4 tenth hole, looking up to the tee.  I mean up, as the fairway has a huge fall from tee to green.  Even more than you think from seeing it on TV.

Another shot from behind the 10th.

The view for the tee shot on the Par 4 eleventh.  This is a lot tighter from the tee than you think.

Another look across the 10th green.

This is out on the par three course.  It was a record setting day here.  9 holes in one, and Jimmy Walker shooting a record score of 19.

Another shot from the Par three event.  In the Par three, Jordan Spieth played with Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas.  On one of the holes, Justin Thomas had the honour and scored a hole in one.  Rickie was next, and he holed it as well.  Jordan was third to go and got booed by the crowd when he hit his shot to 6 feet!

The fleet of mowers trimming the fairways late on Wednesday.  Operating in a V formation, the 14 mowers are lined up by one of the staff, and complete the task very quickly.

The view from behind the par 3 sixteenth.

From the 16th tee looking toward the green, with the par 5 fifteenth green on the right.  The 15th green has16 people on it.  They are all of the officials checking and setting the pin placement for the following day!

A shot of the Augusta National pro shop.

The concessions, restroom and shopping areas located between the entrance and the first hole. 

I mentioned before that we were outside the Butler Cabin with Ian Baker - Finch.  Here we are inside the Butler cabin.  The only thing missing is the green jackets!

This is what it looks like from the other side, it really is a TV studio, full of screens, lights and electrical equipment.

This years event has started with two very difficult days of wind and fast greens.  It should make for a great weekend!

Pinehurst Number 8

Before we go through today's round, we need to announce yesterday's winners.  Claiming the titles on Pinehurst number 2 were Libby McCann and Alan Pritchard.  Well done to both.

To say it was a little chilly at 8am this morning would be an understatement.  It was zero degrees when we teed off, plus the windchill made it even worse.  Otherwise it was a beautiful morning for golf.

This Fazio designed course has a few blind drives, and there are monitors available to see if the coast is clear.  Jim Angus is pictured here checking for us.

A mixture of the two previous courses, rolling hills, lakes and wetlands, plus sandy waste areas, made this course visually beautiful, but also very playable.

The greens were much more receptive, and much less severe.  Some did possess false fronts, but on the whole were much easier for all to approach.  A good members course.

The boys pictured travelling across the bridge after the 6th tee.

A shot of the strong par three 8th, with hazard all down the right side.

The 9th is another that has a blind tee shot, and monitor view.  This is looking back down the fairway.

The sandy waste areas were really well done, and not as intrusive as those on number 2.

The 14th is one of the best holes on the course, a real risk / reward option is presented from the tee.  Bite off as much of the water as you like to get a shorter shot in, or bail out right for safety.

The par five 17th sets up beautifully for a bombing fade around the sandy waste.

That is exactly what I did, and hit it pretty well.  To Jim's delight, when we got up there his strong running drive had snuck past me!  Against my wishes I was instructed to include this fact on the blog.  (Mine did have a pitch mark about 3 feet away - all carry.... Just sayin')

This is Andrew Cookes' ball on the path to the right of 18.  Not a big deal on it's own, but considering it was his 3rd straight shot that made contact with the path on that hole, it deserved a mention.

Everyone really enjoyed the course, none as much as Helen Angus.  Her 39 points was the top score for the day.  Geoffrey Knight claimed the men's prize.

We packed the coach early in the afternoon, and made the 4 hour drive to Augusta.  The place is buzzing, and we are all looking forward to getting to the tournament practice day tomorrow.

Pinehurst Number 2

Today we played the historic Number 2 course here at Pinehurst.

Prior to play, there were a couple of must do's.  The first was a group photo next to the statue of Payne Stewart.  The statue depicts the punching of the air action Payne made when he holed the final putt of the 1999 US Open.  Payne was tragically killed in a plane crash only a few months later.

The second was a group shot gathered around the "putter boy" statue / sundial which was sculpted in 1912.  The "putter boy" or "golfing lad" is depicted in the club logo.

This course has undergone major change in the past decade.  When Michael Campbell won his US Open title here in 2005 the course was a typical US course.  Thick lush rough covered areas off the fairway.

 Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore were tasked with restoring the course back to its origins, and that meant removal of the thick rough, and reinstatement of the sandy waste areas scattered with wire grass.

Much like many sandbelt courses, the greens here hold the key to scoring.  The course is relatively straight forward off the tee, but approach shots need to be very precise as the green undulations, and fast drop off's mean even good shots can finish well off the green.

Playing it today just makes you appreciate how good the best golfers in the world are.  The sheer mental strength shown by Martin Kaymer and Michelle Wie when they won their respective US Opens here in 2014 was incredible.  The concentration required to negotiate these greens over four days is immense.

The course looks very natural, with all sanded areas being deemed in play.  This means that even very well defined bunkers are not classed as hazards.  You can ground your club, and have a practice swing.  It is quite difficult to do.

Again we had a brilliant day of weather, however a stiff breeze did make things quite challenging.

The results for the day are still in the hands of the stewards, and will be updated here after tomorrow's round.

Our playing group (Patrick, Sharon and Michael) pictured here with both Payne Stewart, and our caddie Charles.  Tomorrow we play number 8, then depart the Carolina Hotel, and make our way to Augusta!

Pinehurst Number 7

Pinehurst number 7? I hear you all say, I thought you were playing number 9? That is correct, we were but an early start with a lot of later arrivals was not ideal.  We were able to switch to a later tee time on number 7 so took the opportunity to do so.

One downside is that 7 is possibly the most difficult of the courses here at Pinehurst, especially first up, due to the undulating greens and elevation changes.

It is visually stunning, and would be even more so a little further into spring as the grasses come further out of dormancy.

The course was a little wet underfoot, as there has been quite a bit of rain here over the past few days.  Not today though, perfect blue skies and minimal wind made for very enjoyable conditions.

Tall pine trees line the fairways, and frame the course beautifully.

Despite the weather, the scoring was not as hot as hoped.  Quite possibly a combination of Jet lag and a tricky course.

This view is from behind the green on the Par three 9th hole.

This is from the back tee on the Par three 13th.

Rounding out a great set of par threes is the 16th, with a tee to green, bunker style sandy waste area.

Now nothing could possibly go wrong here could it? Fortunately for Libby and Marilyn it didn't, and Marilyn went on to win the women's event today. Libby's husband Rae Biggart took out the men's event.

All in all today was a great start to the tour. Thanks to my playing partners Libby, Marilyn and Helen.

On to the iconic Number 2 tomorrow.