There is something unique about the first week of April in Augusta, Georgia. I know that other places go through transformations getting prepared for marquee events. But what happens in Augusta is something to behold. First, Mother Nature gets involved with an explosion of color from dogwoods and azaleas and a host of other flowering beauty. Sometimes, if the timing hits just right (or better stated...wrong ) we also get a dose of pine pollen that covers our landscape, cars, pets and homes like a yellow blanket of volcanic ash. Allergy sufferers beware.
Augustans love Masters Week. The local school systems always align their spring break with Masters Week. That week is always the first full week of April. Monday practice rounds always start between April 2 and April 8. The Augusta National hires so many high school students to work the concession stands, outdoor pro shops, to pick up trash, work in the warehouses and a host of other duties, that the schools would be partially empty anyway if school wasn't on break. Some small businesses close that week because the store owners can make more money doing Masters related work. Augustans work at the National as scorers, gallery guards, drivers and media runners.
People have also been renting their homes out to Masters guests for years. Lifelong friendships have been forged by these longstanding arrangements. Some people trade the use of their homes with Masters patrons that have homes at the beach or near ski resorts. They come and watch golf, we leave and go ski.
Folks in Augusta have always taken a lot of pride in their homes and properties but, the coming of Masters Week brings on an unprecedented amount of landscaping and remodeling activity. Flowers are planted, new mulch is put down and lawns are perfectly manicured. Augusta gets all dressed up for this special event.
From 1983 until 2008, we owned a home that was right in the middle of the Masters bustle. There are now two primary patron walk-in gates into the tournament...Gate 6 and Gate 9, both on Berkmans Road. Our house was about 150 yards from Gate 9. For years, our neighborhood was some of the most sought after parking near the Augusta National. Living on Heath Drive during Masters Week was an invigorating experience. It was like a huge block party. People everywhere. We saw some of the same people come back and park in the same spots every year. Neighbors were outside waving cars into their front and back yards all the while stuffing cash into their pockets....you have to love the free enterprise system.
Over the years, the Augusta National began buying up property in the neighborhood around Berkmans Rd, Heath Drive, Cherry Lane and Stanley Drive. At first, nobody really knew what was going on...just some obscure home purchases by companies with names like Berkmans Limited Partners or something resembling that. Eventually it became known that it was actually the Augusta National buying the properties and things got quite interesting. Slowly, more and more homes were bought and more and more homes were torn down since the National's intent for the property was free patron parking space. Years later, looking out across the street from our old house we no longer saw the homes formerly occupied by old friends named Slick and Sim and Red but, rather, beautiful pastoral land that resembled the rolling landscape at the next-door golf course. No surprise...this land is adjacent to the former Fruitland Nurseries, which is the property that eventually became the Augusta National Golf Club. But, sadly, it marked the end of a 60 year old neighborhood.
Masters Week in Augusta is a very big deal. This relatively small town takes on a much more cosmopolitan flavor one week each year. Parties, charity concerts, hospitality events, prayer breakfasts, and so many more wonderful activities occur this special week. Oh, and I understand that there is a golf tournament that takes place too.
"Well, it's springtime in the valley on Magnolia Lane..."
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