What Makes the Masters Green?
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C/IPRIL IN C/IUGUSTJI WHAT MAKES THE MASTERS GREEN? Augusta National Golf Club in putting surfaces is his responsi- man, Hadley Plemmons) and I don't Georgia may not be the toughest bility. Bubba, or James F. if you are have anything on most super- course on the pro golf tour. But the being formal, is the superintendent intendents, we don't do anything Masters Tournament held there at Augusta. most superintendents couldn't do, every April is probably the goal "I'd be lying if I said there but our standards have to be a little most pros have at the top of their wasn't more pressure here than at higher because of the Masters." win list. Gary Player won it last year other courses," Luke told Bubba grew up on golf courses. and has called Augusta the best- GOLFDOM. "I'm not trying to His father, Marion I. Luke, was conditioned course he have ever sound boastful or anything, the fact superintendent at the course for 15 played. is that we have more problems here years after World War Two. Then "Bubba" Luke appreciates that because of the Masters. Some things he moved to Vice President Nelson comment. He has more than a pass- have to be done differently because Rockefeller's course in Puerto Rico. ing interest in the Masters and of the Masters; it comes down to But back to Bubba. He has been Augusta, because the course pros having the course better-manicured at Augusta five years, three as head say has the truest lies and the best than most. Hadley (his right-hand superintendent, not to mention 14 years working at the Masters. He is obviously doing something right. Here are some of the main points made by Luke in an interview with GOLFDOM. All prices are up an average of 20 percent this year, but you do what you can; he thinks he has a top- notch irrigation system, and at- tributes much of his success to that system; upkeep of the greens is the most visible part of his job, and with this in mind he buys new greens mowers every three years; he is big on soil samples, and does not under- stand how a superintendent can think he is doing his best job without them; he fertilizes his fair- ways monthly, and does other things he can do because his course is closed from June through September. But come March 1 there is no busier man than Bubba — The clubhouse of Augusta National Golf Club preparing for the Masters to be held 8 GOLFDOM MAGAZINE 4/75 4 For More Details On Preceding Page Circle (112) On Reply Card James "Bubba" Luke, superintendent at Augusta National color, in addition to the other 17 C/IPRIL IN C/IuGUSm continued plants for which the 18 holes are in mid-April — and he says he could greens and tees, and with "Penn- named. There are no car paths on not do the job he does without his lawn" fescue on the fairways. This the course. hard-working crew. year is the first Augusta has gone to Luke utilizes a Toro automatic Augusta totals 365 acres with "Feldspar" sand in its traps, the irrigation system which has the cap- 130 acres maintained by Luke and same sand used by Vance Price at ability of watering greens, tees and his crew. This consists of the main Tanglewood Golf Club, in North fairways separately. He has 725 18-hole course, plus a par-three, Carolina, site of last year's PGA heads total on the par-three and the nine-hole course that sponsors local Championship. Luke says he has main course. One of his workers, tournaments every Wednesday. gotten at least 100 requests from Herb Turner, is trained to trouble- The course is a 328 Bermuda other superintendents about his shoot the system, and spends most hybrid base overseeded with "Penn- sand. More than 40,000 azaleas are of his work week providing main- fine" perennial ryegrass on the planted throughout the course for tenance for the system. continued 42 YEARS AT THE MASTERS Probably the best-known shot in all came to rest within four feet of the enough to even permit a putt of this golf tournament history occurred in pin and Demaret holed out for a bir- length, Middlecoffs must go down the fourth round of the 1935 die. He went on to win the tourna- in golf history as one of the all-time Masters. Gene Sarazen holed out ment. long putts of major league competi- the 15th hole with a 220-yard, four During the third round of the tion. wood shot for a double eagle. The 1953 Masters, Count de Bendern Gene Sarazen and George Fazio stroke enabled him to tie Craig (better known as Johnny de Forest) were first off the tee in the final Wood for first place, and then set found his ball lodged in the bank of round of the 1947 tournament. They the stage for his ultimate victory in a the brook in front of the 13th green. finished the 18 holes in one hour and play-off round. Bruce Devlin After carefully surveying the situa- 57 minutes, Gene scoring 70. In became the only other player in tion, Johnny decided, although the 1960 George Bayer and Jack Fleck Masters history to score a double stream was running rather full, that went around in one hour and 52 eagle when he also holed out on his he could play the ball. Thereupon he minutes and made scores of 72 and second shot using a four wood on stripped off his left shoe and sock 74. the par-five 8th hole during the first and rolled his pants above his knee. Two fine golfers encountered round of the 1967 Masters. Johnny next, very carefully, planted almost incredible difficulties during The youngest player to win the the bare foot on the bank and the fourth round of the 1951 tourna- Masters was Jack Nicklaus in 1963 stepped into the deep water with his ment. Sam Snead began the day tied at the age of 23. The second well-shod right foot. The spectators with Skee Riegel for the lead with youngest was Byron Nelson in 1937 who witnessed this incident will long 211 but went from a third round 68 at the age of 25 and two months, remember the look of incredulity on to a fourth round 80. Surprising as and the third was Gary Player in the affable Count's face as he this was, William (Dynamite) 1961 at age 25 and five months. realized what he had done. Goodloe, Jr. started the same round Craig Wood shot an 88 in the While playing the fourth round leading the amateur field but first round of the 1936 tournament, in 1954, A1 Besselink hit his tee shot followed his 72 of the previous day then scored 67 in the second — a dif- into the water on the 12th. Finding with a concluding 88. ference of 21 strokes. that the ball had come to rest on a Ed Oliver, Jr. and Hogan waged Frank Walsh used up 12 strokes small sandbar in midstream, A1 a classic medal play duel when they on the 8th hole in 1935. Herman waded out to the spot and succeeded were paired together on the third Barron took an 11 on the 16th in in playing his ball to the green. day of the 1953 Masters. From the 1950 and Dow Finsterwald took an Then, following the unconscious moment Oliver birdied the first hole, 11 on the 12th in 1951. dictate of long habit, he carefully the twosome produced some of the Herman Reiser three-putted the smoothed out the indention he had most spectacular golf ever seen at 18th green on the final round of the made, leaving an unblemished sand- Augusta. Hogan shot 32-34-66 to 1946 tournament, thereby opening bar for the next golfer. Oliver's 34-33-67. The best ball the door for Ben Hogan to overtake Cary Middlecoffs putt for an score for the two was 31-29-60. him. But Hogan, although he had a eagle at the 13th hole during the se- In 1957 Byron Nelson put his tee good chance to score a birdie that cond round of the 1955 Masters was shot into the water at the 16th hole, would have given him the cham- estimated, by common consent of then hitting a second ball brought pionship by a one-stroke margin, Middlecoff and the writers, at 75 off a superb seven-iron shot. The also three-putted — leaving Keiser feet in length. That this is a conser- ball struck the flagpole squarely, in sole possession of first place. vative estimate may be judged by the about a foot above the cup and During the first round of the fact that one writer, who paced off bounced back into the water. 1947 tournament, Jimmy Demaret the distance, arrived at a figure of 86 Nelson said this was the only time in played a shot out of deep water in feet. Considering that there are his career he had had a shot strike a front of the 15th green. The ball relatively few greens in existence big pin and end up in a water hazard.• granular fertilizer on the greens in c/IPRIL IN c/IuGUSm two directions, dividing the amount to be spread into two portions. Greens are naturally one of the how much is spent on maintenance With fungicides, Luke is on a biggest concerns of any super- for all equipment.