Ian Woosnam, Masters champion in 1991, is one who relishes his annual visit to the game’s biggest tournament (the other three majors are all championships). Now 66 and retired from participation in the event which brought him the biggest victory in a storied career, the wee Welshman can still play more than a bit. By way of illustration, on Sunday afternoon he nipped around the 7,555-yard course in 71 shots, one-under par.

How Woosnam achieved that feat will not resemble much of what we'll see later this week, though. In contrast to the bazooka-carrying monsters who populate the upper echelons of modern professional golf, the eight-time Ryder Cup player wasn’t hitting anything more than a 9-iron to almost every green. Other than the wedges he hit into the short par-4 3rd and the par-5 8th and 13th, Woosnam used his 8-iron once (at the par-3 12th), his 7-iron three times, his 6-iron three times, his 5-iron twice, his 4-iron twice, his 3-iron twice, his 5-wood once and his 3-wood once.

Proper golf, folks.

“That isn’t anything like we’re going to see this week in the tournament,” Woosnam confirmed.

“Which is a shame. I think the fans would like to see the top guys hitting some long irons, but they won’t. They can hit a 4-iron nearly 250-yards. The course would need to be at least 8,000 yards long to challenge them, but it isn’t, so they’ll be hitting wedges and 9-irons to most holes.

RIGHT: Former Masters champion Mark O'Meara proudly sports his green jacket prior to this year's event. PHOTO: Getty Images.

“The game is the problem, though, not the players. If they had to hit longer irons, I know they are well capable of doing so. But they just don’t have to do it. It is a lost art, to a great extent. In my last Masters, I was as much as 80 yards behind my playing partners off the tee. Then I’d lose more ground with the second shots. I was hitting maybe five clubs more into many greens. So it’s a different game now, but not better. And not one I enjoy watching. Tiger is one exception. He is always looking to hit a shot, draws and fades – whatever works best. That excites me. Because he is trying to play the game properly.”

Not surprisingly, Woosnam isn’t alone in his lament. Mark O’Meara, who donned his green jacket seven years after the Welshman, is another with reservations.

“They play a different game now,” confirmed the American. “But we’ve all seen it coming. Power is such a big part of the game at the top level today. They all hit the ball miles and short hitters average around 300 yards off the tee. Look at the greats before the explosion arrived and Jack Nicklaus hit the ball maybe 285 yards with his wooden driver. And he was by far one of the most powerful players.

Ian Woosnam on Augusta National's 18th green during his final Masters appearance in 2021. PHOTO: Getty Images.

“This course has made all kinds of changes to combat the distances the players can hit the ball,” he continued. “And the players have changed accordingly. The great drivers of the past got an advantage from their skill - quite rightly. But now the great driver doesn’t stand out. His edge has been taken away by the fact that just about everyone is long. But I would also say that two of the most dramatic holes here are the 3rd and the 12th. And they are two of the shortest holes. So although we all get involved in the distance debate, there are two sides to it all. Which is not to say that the emphasis on length doesn’t take away from some of the creativity that makes golf great.”

Still, for all their obvious reservations about golf’s big picture, both men are more than happy to be making their annual pilgrimage to Georgia.

“I love coming back to play the course, play in the par-3 and go to the dinner,” said Woosnam. “It is special. It’s so nice to go around wearing my green jacket. It would be nice if they had a little event for us in the run-up to the tournament; maybe just 18-holes for past champions who don’t play in the tournament anymore.”

O’Meara wasn’t going that far, but he shares his old friend’s enthusiasm for the status both enjoy.

“The biggest kick I get now is being able to bring friends here every year,” said the 1998 Open champion. “Especially those who have never been before. Sharing it all with them is a lot of fun for me. The par-3 event is fun, too. And of course, the champions dinner. I’m actually hosting the amateur dinner this week. Like other Masters winners, I like to give back to the club. We have a responsibility and a role to play.”