And it must have felt even longer yesterday, as the sleet and wind raged in this corner of Scotland.
Andrew Coltart never quite managed to make it to the Masters but, at this time of the golfing season, Georgia is never far from his mind.
The 41-year-old braved the bewildering April elements at Dundonald Links near Troon to launch the 'Andrew Coltart Scholarship', a new programme that will bolster the flourishing golf scene at the University of Stirling.
By passing on his knowledge, experience and funding to a chosen player, Coltart is hoping his guidance, in partnership with Stirling head coach Dean Robertson, can "drive them that bit harder to achieving excellence".
The aim is for at least one player to emerge from the system, establish themselves in the pro ranks and perhaps emulate the achievements of Coltart. During a 20-year career he recorded two European Tour wins, qualified for the Ryder Cup, was a Dunhill Cup winner and played in three of the four major championships. There is still one lingering regret though. "The Masters was absolutely the one thing that was missing for me and I was gutted that I never got to play in it," said Coltart, whose brother-in-law, Lee Westwood, is among the favourites as the first major of the year swings into action tomorrow.
"I finished seventh on the European order of merit in 1996 and the top-six got into the Masters. I was a Ryder Cup player in '99, but it wasn't until the next Ryder Cup that you got an American Tour card and a Masters place. I was always dreaming when I was playing that I could somehow manage to rise out of the ashes and produce the performances that would get me there. I'd sometimes think about asking a player who was there 'go and get me a hat so I can have a hat at least,' but then you think 'don't be daft, I'll get there and get it myself.' But those days are gone now."
He may never have wandered down Magnolia Lane, but there's always a special Masters memory to draw on from a distance. For a 12-year-old Coltart, it was swashbuckling Seve nonchalantly chipping in on the last hole to put the tin lid on a rousing four-shot triumph in 1983.
"He had the light blue sweater on and he had this horrible first chip that didn't get on the green," he recalled. "What does he do? He chips in for his par. The smile just lit up everything. I can remember thinking, 'wow that guy is pretty cool'."
Back in the present, Coltart, who recently announced his retirement from competitive action, is relishing this new venture. The University of Stirling's golf programme, which has provided a platform for Catriona Matthew and Richie Ramsay, among others, is recognised internationally. Robertson has helped to maintain these high standards by leading the team to Scottish, British and European Universities success. Closer working relationships with the SGU – a Stirling side played an SGU select team at Dundonald yesterday – is another example of the increasingly joined-up approach to the game here and Coltart is delighted to be part of it.
"Dean is one of the best coaches out there at the minute," he added. "We both want to get the best out of the talent we have here. It's an absolute honour to be able to lend my name to something, that, hopefully, is going to inspire up and coming young players in Scotland."
Coltart will get his chance to offer his thoughts on the Masters in his role as a pundit for Sky. And he already has a word or two for his good friend Paul Lawrie, who is returning to the Augusta arena for the first time in eight years.
"I'm absolutely delighted for the old bugger," he said with a smile.
