Located in Augusta, Georgia there lay one of the most pristine golf courses in the world, Augusta National Golf Club. 

     The 72 holes of fresh grass and amazing scenery was designed by English designer Alister MacKenzie, however the idea for the course came from retired competitive golfer Bobby Jones. Jones went on to partner with Wall Street financier Clifford Roberts, together they bought a 365-acre commercial nursery with only one idea on their mind. 

     The two quickly turned the vast land into one of the most desirable courses for golfers. The club opened in early 1933 with a members’ tournament commemorating the special occasion. The course and tournament were a true hit, with Jones seeing the success one year later and deciding to expand the tournament, the great tradition of the Masters had begun. 

     The winners of the tournament receive a cash prize, a gold medal, a lifetime invitation to the Masters and the other three majors for the next five years and perhaps the most distinctive prizes in sports, the coveted green jacket. Since 1949, winners of the tournament have been presented on the final hole of the course with their green jacket which to some symbolizes much more than just the winner of some tournament. The champion also gets their name sketched into the club’s silver Masters trophy where their name is solidified forever. 

     Former employee of Orchards Golf Course and Foran senior Charlie Diamantis says, “The green jacket that golfers win at the Masters is much more than just a jacket. The way I see it is, the golfers who put it on are not only putting it on for everyone who put it on in the past but for everyone in the future. It’s a special moment that brings everyone in the golf world together and symbolizes the success of the sport as a whole.”

     The Masters begin usually the first Sunday in April, concluding on the second Sunday in April. With that, there have been many exceptions from the normal start and finish time. This year’s Masters fall between April 4-10. A Pre-Tournament is being played 4-6, following that round 1-4 takes place 7-10, giving us one round a day. 

     Four-year starter on the Foran Golf team, Maguire Casey says, “I am excited to watch what happens during this year’s Masters. Every year it’s exciting to see who performs well, performs badly, and see who surprises us. The winner could be anyone and anything could happen at any time which keeps us golf fans on our toes and makes it so interesting to watch and follow.” 

     Catch the Pre-tournament, the first live action of this year’s Masters, at 8 A.M. EST, being televised on CBS and CBS Sports. Round 1 of the Masters tees off on Thursday April 7 also at 8 A.M. EST on the same networks.