Gotta-Grip Golf Blog

Recently on the Internet, there has been a flurry of activity revolving around the Masters Tournament (one of the most prestigious stops on the Professional Golf Tour). I noticed there are companies on line that offer house rentals near Augusta National by the week starting April 7, 2008.

In fact, if you have an extra $4,000 to $6,000 you can stretch out a little bit more that you can at your average Holiday Inn. That may sound like a steep price, but for the convenience of being within twenty miles from Augusta National Golf Course in April, there is a price to pay.

If you, and four friends were lucky enough to all get tickets (albeit unlikely), for the tournament, $1,200 each for the week for lodging would seem like “a steal” in that town.

One house had a pool, workout area, housekeeping service, the works, all for a measly $4,300 for the week.

Don’t worry about your “significant other” sneaking off to Georgia on a lark to attend the tournament and blow five grand on a house for the week. You see, they would have had to plan this far in advance. This year is SOLD out for general admission; and don’t think you can just waltz in there for the practice rounds either; those folks probably ordered last year and were lucky enough to be picked at random for the pre-show show. They are accepting requests for 2009 now though.

So you may be relegated to watching the tournament on TV in that $5k per week abode if you head down uninvited. I do not even want to guess what tickets go for from scalpers near the event.

Therefore, I will be plunked down on my couch at my home, watching to see who gets the Green Jacket this year…The Green Jacket of Golf.

The Green Jacket of Golf will be put on the winner, with the help of Zach Johnson (The 2007 Winner), on April 13, 2008, barring a rain delay or other event that impedes the tournament.

Speaking of the Green Jacket, I wondered about that, why green. I did some research online, and read the players first wore the jacket…not AFTER the event, but DURING, so that reporters and fans could distinguish the players from the other (distinguished-looking) gallery.

There will no doubt be a battle this year by the strong field nearing 100 as I write this. Who doesn’t want to win this one?

It will have extra historic significance if Tiger Woods) wins because he is winding his way towards beating Jack Nicklaus (73 wins), and then on to becoming the all-time winning golfer once he reaches the magic number of 83 wins, which will be one better than Sam Snead achieved.

Historically, Augusta has presented many different golfers with a chance to compete, as it changes with wind, rain and the other curves that spring days in Eastern Central Georgia.

Just like a good horse race, the weather may play a role in who’s wearing green this year.

So if you are one of the lucky ones to have waited your turn to get tickets (and I mean waited), and get one of those creampuff rental homes as your bunkhouse, think of the rest of us while you are there.