THE Masters can seem surreal at times.
There is an aura around the place; an atmosphere of reverence that compels you to tread lightly on the fairways, to fall deathly quiet as the finest in the game line up their first tee shot. Augusta is a special place but one where you never quite feel at home.
Then there is The Patch. Just from the somewhat unflattering nickname you can infer that the Augusta Municipal golf course is not held in quite the same regard as its auspicious neighbour. It is about as public a golf course as you can get; located only a five-minute drive from Augusta Country Club and just a further few minutes to a sign saying 'Augusta National Golf Club. Members Only'.
There's a World War II Sherman tank on one corner of Augusta Municipal and the expanse of Daniel Field Airport, with its constant stream of light aircraft, bordering the entire eastern side of the course. It is far removed from the likes of Turnberry, Gleneagles or even the new Trump Course near Aberdeen.
It is also intrinsically Scottish. Located on Highland Avenue, the course is adorned with a Saltire flying next to the Stars and Stripes – another is draped on the wall in the clubhouse. It was designed by the late Scottish pro David Ogilvie in 1928 and is now, somewhat fittingly, being given a new lease of life by his compatriot Brian Hendry, an Aberdeen businessman, who was granted a 12-year lease on the course by the city of Augusta. One of his first acts was to appoint the affable Ronnie MacDonald as the club's head professional.
Before Hendry arrived, the course had been losing $100,000 a year, leading Augusta Commission's Public Services Committee to agree to lease the course for $1000 a month, and Hendry then took over on January 1 – bringing in his own staff and hiring some of the former employees who lost their jobs when course management was outsourced.
A lease amendment indicated funds must be used for city-owned golf course and clubhouse improvements or grounds equipment, and that all improvements must first be approved by the city.
Hendry also leads the MacKenzie Club group which had offered to invest £24m in upgrading the public course at Hazlehead in Aberdeen in return for a 99-year lease, while promising to maintain cheap access for residents.
Hendry has been innovative since arriving at the turn of the year, and has implemented attractive offers to capitalise on the fervour created in the city by the Masters. Green fees are normally $19 a round but during the Masters you can rent a set of clubs, have the use of a motorised cart and play 18 holes for just $33.
It was already a different golfing experience to that at the feted Augusta National course. Unlike its superb green carpet fairways, the fairways of The Patch are more akin to shaggy pile, while Hendry has already banned card games from the clubhouse, but says he has signed 70 members since taking over.
"We've been talking the talk for a year and a half, now we're starting to walk the walk, put in some procedures, I think the people like them," he said. "We have new membership cards we've been issuing this week, we have five full-time grounds maintenance staff on the payroll, which are working on the course."
His most important piece of work, though, was convincing his friend and pro Paul Lawrie to have a look around the course, before posing for pictures and signing autographs. It may well have offered a welcome reprieve from the stresses that come from competing at the Masters down the road.
"Brian and Ronnie asked me to come up and have a look around," Lawrie said after his round on Thursday. "They are friends of mine from a long, long time ago."
The Scot did not play The Patch but did inspect a number of holes. "I think it will take him a little bit of time to get it where he wants it," said Lawrie. "But it's good. It's a nice layout and the clubhouse is lovely. I'm sure they'll do a good job. They're also good lads. Hopefully, they'll do well."
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