The Masters is one of four major golf tournaments every year in which pros from around the world converge and battle it out for the top ranking. The 2012 event is set to take place in Augusta, Georgia from April 5 – 8. In order to qualify for the tournament, there are 19 official ways in which players can do so. A top finish at a major previous tournament will ensure entry as well as other criteria based on ranking, prize money and other previous achievements. Also, for international players who do not meet the criteria, the Masters committee can, at its discretion, invite any additional players.
This year’s event is at the prestigious Augusta National Golf club located in Georgia. This small private club is very exclusive. You cannot apply to join, you have to be invited. The 18-hole course features a variety of difficulties and a scenic view of the green hills of the south. According to golf officials, this course has 100 acres of fairway and 40 acres of rough. There are also 44 bunkers and six water hazards. This course is famous for Rae’s Creek, which is a body of water that heavily impact three holes of Amen Corner.
The practice rounds are set to begin on April 2nd and then carry on for three days. Players will get an opportunity to get used to the terrain and work out any strategies in preparation for the competitive round. There is also a par 3 contest on the last day of practice. The competitive portion starts on the 5th and carries on to the 8th. The days start at 7:30 AM sharp and carry forward until sunset unless there is bad weather. After the final hole on the 8th, there is an awards ceremony to congratulate the best players for their performance.
Since its inception in 1934, the Masters Tournament has been analogous to any high end elite sporting event in the world. This coveted championship event has included individuals like Lord Byron, Sarazen, Snead, Hogan and Palmer along with modern day heroes like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. It is only fitting that such a coveted event would be held at a prime location. As such, the Augusta National Golf Club is regarded as one of the top four courses in the world. Built in 1933, this course features dramatic elevation changes and lovely green grounds.
As a token of appreciation and admiration, many corporations and business organizations are spending top dollar to entertain their clients with this event. Such a show of hospitality clearly communicates affluence. If attending this event, be sure to follow the rules of etiquette at such a highly regarded event. Avoid bringing any cell phones, pagers or other devices that make noise. This is not only seen as rude, but also a distraction for the players. Some courses even prohibit the use of cameras. One fan had his thrown in the water even!
Make sure to also follow the direction of workers and volunteers. They will communicate when it is ok to cheer and when silence is required. Keeping a distance between the players is also suggested as there is a zero tolerance policy for interruptions on most courses. If you are anxiously hoping to get an autograph or having a brief chat with the pros, wait until the competitive play has ended. These players earn their living from having the ability to concentrate, so respect that! Imagine that each stroke for these players can cost them up to half a million dollars. Lastly, make sure to have fun and enjoy the 2012 Masters Tournament. Each year, thousands and millions of people wish that they could attend this event!
Despite a lack luster performance in previous events and a personal scandal, speculators are still putting their money on Tiger Woods to win the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament. Sports books around the country are offering a 6/1 favorite of the long time Golf stand out to win. Oddsmakers are citing that despite a poor performance during some events, Tiger Woods did in fact finish fourth at last year’s Masters Tournament. Woods was only four strokes behind the champion, Charl Schwartzel. For the past fifteen years, Woods has finished in the top 25 each time. His impressive performance is the main reason that many have respect for the aged athlete.
The last major win that Woods had was back in 2008 during the U.S. Open. The last time that Woods earned the Green Jacket at the Masters was in 2005. This is only one among his 71 PGA Tour victories. The ten time PGA Player of the Year also has a record for career earnings. According to Forbes, he was the first athlete to earn over one billion dollars. Woods had some major personal troubles in 2009 and 2010 when he was involved in a car accident right by his home. Some infidelity accusations by his then wife Elin Nordegren also gave him negative media attention. That was a major reason, according to Woods, that his game suffered during the 2010 season.
Right behind Woods is Rory McIIroy, who is pegged at 7/1 odds of winning. Last year, he placed 15th in the tournament by shooting 10 strokes behind the champion. While Phil Mickelson did not even break 70 during action in 2011, he did finish 27th. He is pegged to win it at 10/1 odds. Other runners are Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Dustin Johnson and Martin Kaymer. Last year’s champion is among a group of other top performers with odds of only 40/1.
For the first time, fans will be able to enter their names into a lottery to get face value priced tickets to the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament. Despite being known as a very exclusive event in previous years, the average fan will get an opportunity to attend the event. In previous yours, you had to be blessed with either a patron list ticket or pay a hefty price through the ticket resale market. But, since the Masters is one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world, it is every sports enthusiasts dream to attend.
Applicants can submit their bid about a year in advance for this event. For the practice round, each applicant can bid for 4 tickets during the practice rounds and then 2 tickets per day for the competitive rounds. But, since it is still an exclusive lottery, only a small percentage of applicants will be winners. The big advantage to this lottery system is that being entered in the lottery is free. If you are selected as a lucky winner, tickets to the practice round will cost $50 dollars and competitive play will cost $75 per day. Those that are not so lucky to win will have to fare their luck in the resale and scalping market.
Since ticket resale and scalping was legalized in Georgia in 2001 (as long as they are sold 1,500 feet away from the venue), there is a major market for it. Potential buyers can expect to pay somewhere in the range of $1,000 dollars per ticket, per day. Masters Tournament officials say that moving the whole application, selection and ticketing process online has been regarded as a major convenience for everyone involved. Fans from all over the world now have an equal shot in getting tickets for face value. Fans of course will have to book their own travel arrangements and other accommodations.
Finally, the Masters Golf Tournament will be available to gamers on the various platforms. Tiger Woods 2012 will have the Augusta National Golf Club course and tournament fully digitalized and ready for gamers to test their skill. For gamers on the Wii, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles, the green fareways await. The game not only features a fully customized awards ceremony, but the Green Jacket is also given out. Of course, the voices of announcers Jim Nantz and David Feherty from CBS Sports will also be included.
There are many unique elements that make this game special. The realism of the actual tournament is emulated with the best graphics available and features. You can choose to play against modern players or simply contend against historical figures who have won before, some of the greatest legends. You can also play neck and neck with Tiger Woods himself by competing against his own best score with each tournament. The inclusion of a great personal caddie is also a great addition. Before every swing, players can consult their trusted caddie for which club to use and some more tips and tricks.
Because EA sports took the liberty of digitally scanning the whole course, players can have a truly specific experience. Every tree, sandtrap, body of water and elevation change is tit for tat the same as the actual course. You can even play an all-new career mode where you mirror the journey of a player through their career to get to the Masters. You can also choose from over twenty professional golfers including Zach Johnson and Bubba Watson. While the main focus is the Augusta National Golf Club, there are sixteen other courses that players can choose from too, including the Royal Melbourne Golf Club and the Pebble Beach Golf Links.
The only aspect missing is that Tiger is not on the cover of the game.
The Masters Tournament, also known as the U.S. Masters, has become one of the most prestigious golf competitions the world. It is the place to see the best play and some of the most intense drama in professional golf. Every professional golfer dreams of playing a major tournament and an invitation to the Masters is a true mark of honor in the community. Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones started the Masters in 1934. Jones and Alister MacKenzie, a course architect, designed the Augusta National Golf Club which has been the home of the Masters every year since its inception.
The men who founded the Masters wanted to bring the glory and skill of professional golf to Augusta, Georgia and they did so very successfully. Roberts was an investment banker who survived the Great Depression more intact than many of his contemporaries. He was chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club for three years before instituting the Masters Tournament. He served as chairman of both the Tournament and Augusta national until 1976. After his death he was given the honorific title of “Chairman in Memoriam.”
Bobby Jones was an amateur golfer and remains a legend to this day. A lawyer by trade and amateur golfer by choice, Jones was a truly remarkable golfer. He dominated national and international golf, enjoying more success than any other amateur ever. He retired in 1930 before helping design the Augusta National Golf Club and later helping establish the Masters Tournament. From 1934 to 1948, Jones played in the Masters on exhibition terms. MacKenzie is another legend in golf circles. He was a surgeon and civilian doctor for the British army before becoming a course architect. His course designs can be seen on three different continents and are frequently voted some of the best courses in the world.
The Masters Tournament is played a little differently than most other major tournaments. It is the first major championship of the year and has been so since 1940. It is always scheduled so the final round happens on the second Sunday in April. The Masters is an invitation, and a rather exclusive one at that. These two characteristics give the Masters Tournament its edge of prestige and distinction. Even being selected to play in the Masters is an honor and sign of tremendous skill. It also offers an early look at the competition for the year to come.
Because of its exclusivity, the Masters Tournament begins play with fewer competitors than most championships. The smaller field makes it a more intense race to the cut between stages and ensures each golfer gets more attention and opportunity to shine than might be the case in a bigger tournament. For the first two days, the first 36 holes, the competitors play in threesomes. Any relief in the stress that might come from playing in a smaller group is offset by the prominence of the tournament. Before 1957 every golfer who entered the tournament played through all 72 holes. In 1957 they instituted a cut rule at the halfway mark where only the top 40 scores and ties as well as those within 10 strokes of the leader continued on. In 1960 this was expanded to the top 44 scores and all other conditions.
The prizes for the tournament have increased dramatically over time. In its first year Horton Smith won $1,000 for first place. The combined purse for the entire tournament was $5,000. In 1963 legendary Jack Nicklaus won his first Masters championship, claiming $20,000. His last Masters title came in 1986 when he received $144,000. The total purse and winner’s portion have increased more rapidly as time has gone by. In 2008, Trevor Immelman won $1,350,000 of a $7,500,000 total purse and in 2011 Charl Schwartzel won $1,440,000.
There are many supplementary prizes for the Masters Tournament, above and beyond the purse. One of the most recognizable traditions is the green jacket that is awarded to the winner. It indicates honorary membership in the Augusta National Golf Club. During the year after their victory, the champion gets to keep his jacket with him wherever he goes, indicating his distinction. After that year is up the jacket must be returned to the Club where it is kept for the winner to wear when visiting. This tradition began with Sam Snead’s victory in 1949, his first of three Masters victories to come. Winners are also invited to the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship and receive a PGA Tour membership for five years as well as a lifetime invitation to the Masters.
The Masters Tournament offers many supplemental prizes to honor certain feats. Each day the player with the lowest score is awarded a crystal vase. Holes-in-one and double-eagles are rewarded with a large crystal bowl. Every eagle wins the player a pair of crystal goblets. The day before the start of the tournament, there is a Par 3 competition, the prize for which is a crystal bowl.
The Tournament champion wins more than just the generous purse and green jacket, as well. They receive a gold medal and there is a silver Masters trophy kept in the clubhouse that every champions name is engraved on. The trophy tradition began in 1961. Starting in 1993, the winners are given a replica of the trophy in sterling silver. Since 1951 the runner-up has been given a silver medal and in 1978 there was a silver salver added to the runner-up prize. The Masters has also had a long tradition of honoring amateur golfers, in memory of Bobby Jones. A trophy called the Silver Cup has been awarded to the lowest scoring amateur since 1952 and a special amateur silver medal has been given to the runner-up since 1954.
