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Are You a Golfer? The Masters Tournament Part 1

By Bruce & Mary Smith

Real Estate Agent with Savannah Lakes Homes

March 30, 2009 12:31 AM

Are You a Golfer? The Masters Tournament Part 1

Are you a golfer?
Do you have anyone in your family who is a golfer?
Do you have a client who is a golfer?
Do you like to watch golf on television?
Do you know a golfer?

Answer any of the above questions with a ‘Yes' and you probably are familiar with the Masters Tournament at the Augusta National in Augusta, Georgia. Perhaps you may have watched it on television or you have been to Augusta to a practice round or to a tournament round!

Every April, the Masters, the first ‘major' tournament of the year, takes place at just the exact time when Azaleas at Masters Tournament Mary Smith the azaleas in Augusta pop with their awesome color! For a golfer, playing the Masters is quite an honor; matter of fact, for golf fans, attending this tournament is a real honor!

Precious few golf fans are able to buy tickets - those who do have usually been eligible to buy the treasured badges for years. (The patron list for the "Series" badge was closed in 1972 due to demand. The waiting list that started in 1972 closed in 1978 and reopened in 2000 only to be closed soon thereafter.) Those of us without badges enter the random selection process for practice round tickets. We apply a year in advance and around Labor Day, wait impatiently at our mail boxes to see if we receive a letter telling us that our application has been accepted to purchase up to four tickets for a specified round on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday! The consolation to not having practice round tickets or a badge is that there is great media coverage so the golf fans world-wide who cannot attend can watch the tournament on television and read about it in numerous publications.

Not so long ago, we planned with a couple for a visit to our community, Savannah Lakes Village (McCormick, South Carolina), 45 minutes from Augusta, Georgia. We are a ‘golfing' community and many of our clients live and breathe golf! When discussing what they would like to do while they were here, the husband said that he knew that he couldn't play Augusta National but that they would like to go by the pro shop and spend several hours just walking around the course. We regretfully told him that, except for the tournament, no visitors are allowed inside the gates of Augusta National unless they are they are a guest of a member. Matter of fact, when you ride down Washington Road in Augusta, you don't even realize Augusta National is nearby. The golf course is not visible from the road; there is a huge hedge blocking the view!

The stories about this tournament are legendary. Beginning the week of April 6, 2009, Augusta becomes the home of some of the most famous people in the world. Either they are golfers skilled enough to have earned an invitation to play in the Masters or they are fans who have come to Augusta to watch the world's best golfers compete for the coveted green jacket.

The Masters Tournament is a huge boost to the economy and thus to the real estate market in the area of Augusta, Georgia. In a similar way, it is a huge boost to the economy of Savannah Lakes Village in McCormick, SC as Masters visitors rent homes and condos in our area and golf our courses on the days they are not at Augusta National!

Here's Did You Know #1? Did you know that the Masters Tournament is the only major golf tournament played at the same golf course since its beginning?

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 on the Augusta National!

©Bruce & Mary Smith "Are You a Golfer? The Masters Tournament Part 1"

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Liz Loadholt

Liz Loadholt- AgentOwned Realty- Covering SC - Mount Pleasant, SC

Realtor--Broker-in-charge - Trainer--Relocation Director Covering SC

Mary & Bruce ---- what a great blog --- most interesting. Guess your big season is about to come up. Beautiful photo also.

Mama Liz's Signature

Mar 30, 2009 01:52 AM

Bruce & Mary Smith

Savannah Lakes Homes - McCormick, SC

REALTORS, Savannah Lakes Village McCormick SC

Thanks Liz - Yes, springtime is big in this area with all the golf tournaments. We have lots of folks who come to Savannah Lakes to golf and end up looking at (and hopefully buying) property while they are here. Thanks!

Mar 30, 2009 04:47 AM

Claude Cross

Homes By Cross, Inc. - Charlotte, NC

Charlotte NC Homes For Sale

Bruce & Mary - What an awesome segway to market. "The Masters"....bang...international exposure. Hope your business blooms. Fun post

Mar 30, 2009 05:35 AM

Lori Bennett-Davies

Essentials Home Staging - Kitchener, ON

Essentials Home Staging

Bruce & Mary- With Tiger's Big Comeback yesterday it should be quite a tournament. (Rooting for Mike Weir myself- he's from my hometown and I went to school with his brother).

My husband and I love to golf! We visited Pinehurst, NC 2.5 years ago--- we loved it---met some wonderful members there who have all "migrated" to the area--

Our favourite day was playing the infamous #2 with a couple of members. We had a Blast! I was a little nervous about it because you never know if you're going to be matched up with some Serious golfers! They told us every undulation of each green- what a hoot! (they term it "greens visited" there, and they were Not kidding!! My husbands thrill was being invited back into the Members clubhouse for cocktails with them!!! I said, "Just think dear, imagine the golfers who have "visited" here, probably sitting in your very seat" - I can still see the grin on his face! pinehurst #2

Hopefully we'll make it to South Caroline next time!!

Mar 30, 2009 06:10 AM

Bruce & Mary Smith

Savannah Lakes Homes - McCormick, SC

REALTORS, Savannah Lakes Village McCormick SC

Claude - Yes, it is a great 'market draw'!

Augusta is a small but beautiful and very Southern town with classic old homes and beautiful new ones. The tournament is different from those in metropolitan areas because the players and their families rent private homes in Augusta - some have stayed at the same home for years. There is a great market for residents to rent their homes to visitors/fans also. Augusta has companies that have been formed just to help people get their homes ready for this one special week! The town goes all out to welcome visitors.

Even though our community is 45 minutes away, we benefit from the tournament with visitors to our area. Many a visitor has fallen in love with Savannah Lakes Village and come back after the tournament and bought land or a home! It's an exciting time!

Thanks again!

Mary

Mar 30, 2009 06:22 AM

Bruce & Mary Smith

Savannah Lakes Homes - McCormick, SC

REALTORS, Savannah Lakes Village McCormick SC

Hey Lori! We have been bitten by the golfing bug, too! It is the most fun of any sport I have ever participated in!

Yes, Tiger will be ready for Augusta as will every other golfer in the field! I really enjoy seeing the young golfers win their first green jacket! What makes it extra special is being able to attend the tournament and see them in person! You get a lot more of the humor and personality of the golfers in person on the practice round days than on tournament days and more than you can see on television.

Pinehurst is a great area, too! Wonderful golf! Bruce and I visited a couple of years ago and played #2! That's another legendary course! I can tell ya'll had a wonderful time!

I always have a feeling of awe at Augusta with all the history and stories that have come out of that tournament. I'll be telling some of these stories from the Masters in this series in the next couple of days so check in!

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! That's a great picture of ya'll! Plan a golfing trip to South Carolina! We have great courses!

Mary

Mar 30, 2009 06:35 AM

Lori Bennett-Davies

Essentials Home Staging - Kitchener, ON

Essentials Home Staging

Mary- in my former corporate career, I was blessed with being able to attend and play some of Ontario Canada's best courses..

A particular thrill was being "inside the ropes" and walking with the players at Glen Abbey (our Canadian Open course for years) on Pro day-------my husband was very envious--- that day was great as I walked with Mike Weir, Jim Furyk, Tom Lehman and Dennis Paulson. Jim and Dennis came back into the clubhouse for photos which was fun-------

You get to watch some amazing golf---they make it look SO Easy! I've had the chance to play Glen Abbey about 8 times and it's tough!!! Tiger's famous shot onto the 18th green from a fairway bunker (that I have personally been in) was a magnificent sight!

Every year we are glued to our TV and the masters-- this year it falls on Easter weekend (again) which should make sitting down to dinner a challenge-----------------

My favourite one of all was 2003 when Mike Weir Won, quite unexpectedly!!! What a thrill for us! He's such a wonderful person- soft spoken and always professional! He's done a lot for raising the bar for golf here in Canada.. Can you tell I'm itching to play- it's been a long winter here-------

Mar 30, 2009 07:53 AM

Endre Barath, Jr.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA

Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

So Bruce & Mary I want to know did you get a Badge to get in? Or you are going to be in the Tournament taking on Tiger?? Now in All seriousness, I did not know the history, nor how hard it is to get a badge. If we talked I could tell you about my golfing experiences and for weeks you would not be able to play, because you would be thinking what I said and would be laughing so hard it would adversely effect your game.:))

Mar 30, 2009 11:34 AM

Bruce & Mary Smith

Savannah Lakes Homes - McCormick, SC

REALTORS, Savannah Lakes Village McCormick SC

Lori - How lucky you are to have golfed the courses you have golfed and to have met some fine golfers! Mike Weir is a favorite of ours since he is a classy guy and a left handed golfer (like Bruce). We were fortunate enough to see Mike win the Masters. I especially like the golfers who take the time to sign hats and Masters flags for young people and for fans over by the practice area in Augusta. Tom Lehman is one of those good guys! We'll be watching on television this year on Sunday, too, but will be there for the Par 3 tournament on Wednesday! Can't wait! Thanks!

Endre - We have practice round tickets this year - Wednesday. With my love of this tournament, I have never said that I am a good golfer! (Bruce is!) We enjoy the game and have traveled all over the country to go to golf tournaments. This is our favorite and luckily, it's right down the road from home! No, I promise I would never laugh! Why don't you visit South Carolina and we'll make the tee time! Have a great day!

Mary

Mar 31, 2009 02:34 AM