My Masters

VIEWING VANTAGES

So, where to go to watch the action? In the Spectator Guide there is an excellent section, written by Bobby Jones himself, telling patrons to avoid following a single group and instead giving some prime spots from which multiple holes can be seen. Jones suggests that a “trek around with one particular pair” is “the least satisfactory” way to see all 18 holes and is “more tiring than playing them”. It should be added that given the lengthening of the course and spectator restrictions, it’s now almost impossible to keep up with a single group even if one wanted to. Instead, we followed much of Jones’ advice, starting in an excellent spot behind the second green, from where multiple holes can be seen. Here you are afforded a view of the putting surface, the third tee, the seventh green, eighth tee and seventeenth fairway. It's a superb spot early in the week but gets extremely busy on the weekend.
We also spent some time by the third green and were lucky enough to watch Charl Schwartzel hole his approach for eagle on Sunday. This spot also gives an excellent view of the fiendish par-three fourth.
Amen Corner – holes eleven, twelve and thirteen – is of course the heart of the event and the atmosphere here is tremendous. There are numerous great standing and sitting positions, but an equally good choice is to head for the grandstands, all of which are in prime locations. Seats cannot be reserved in the grandstands and people enter and leave constantly. Just join the orderly queue (everything is orderly at Augusta) and the marshals will find you a space.
One final great viewing vantage is the mound behind the seventeenth green. The seventeenth has been the scene of so much drama over the years – something always seems to happen here in the final round – and so it proved this time around. We had a front row seat as Jason Day, Adam Scott and Schwartzel all worked their magic on Sunday. This particular spot is also good for those looking to worm themselves onto TV. When we were reunited with our mobile phones, the number of messages from friends and family saying they'd spotted us – decked out in HK Golfer-branded caps no less – was staggering.

SEATING

If choosing to sit in one spot for a while, remember that another rule is that only one chair can be brought into the grounds; but chairs can also be purchased inside for US$30 each. There is a gentleman’s agreement that no-one will take your chair if you leave it, and this works. Supposedly if it is left for an “inordinate” period of time a marshal will remove it, but this seemingly never happens.
Instead, it was clear that some people were placing chairs at multiple vantage points and moving as the day progressed. It wasn’t unusual to see people bringing extra chairs with them as they finally returned to the seats they had carefully placed by the eighteenth earlier. Many others simply left them where they were. I spoke to several course workers who told me that thousands of chairs are gathered up at the end of every day of the tournament. If you are paying US$12,000 for a ticket, US$90 for three abandoned chairs isn't going to worry you too much.