MASTERS 2015: Augusta already firm and fast

BY STEVE KEIPERT AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL GC

It might be the most manicured piece of land on earth yet the early consensus suggests Augusta National has rarely been in better shape ahead of this week's Masters.

A gentler winter in eastern Georgia compared to some recent years has allowed the hallowed turf to blossom during the early stages of spring. The surfaces are firm without being excessively hard and everything is in order for the year's first major championship.

A milder winter has left the course looking picture. PHOTO: Getty Images

Firm ground conditions effectively broaden the chances across the field as the golf at Augusta becomes far more interesting and more egalitarian when how the ball behaves on the ground becomes a telling factor. The bombers' power game counts for less if they can't control how the ball will react once it hits the deck while great choppers and putters come into the frame under the same conditions. It is a welcome presentation.

Jason Day, who arrived in town last Thursday ahead of his fifth Masters appearance and already has several laps of the course under his belt, told Golf Australia he's never seen the course looking so good. The Queenslander added that the greens are already showing "crazy" pace, which isn't always the case so soon.

"The greens are just plain hard. And they are pretty scary," said Day, who tied for second in 2011 and finished third in 2013. “When you think of Augusta, obviously you're not really thinking about slow putts at all. But on the green at 6, if you're below the hole and you're putting up the hill against the grain, you've got to really give it a good whack to get the ball up there, especially if the pin is up at top right.

Jason Day knows he has to putt better than he did in 2014 to be a factor this week. PHOTO: Getty Images

"With some of the slowest putts you have, uphill against the grain, you can walk off the course at the end of the day and think these greens are slow. But if you get above the hole, there are some of the quickest putts you've ever hit in your life. No one ever likes a 3-foot putt downhill, let alone a 3-foot putt downhill left to right or right to left. I'd rather have a 10-footer up the hill than a breaking 3-footer down grain."

Day had two four-putts in last year's Masters, when he finished tied 20^th. On each occasion his first putt was from above the hole and his second was blasted back uphill passed the hole.

"Yeah, those greens can mess you up pretty bad if you're having a bad putting day," Day said. "They can mess you up if you have a good putting day, too. You can walk off the course pulling your hair out of your head because you played well from tee to green but you just couldn't get anything going on the greens. Those greens give you headaches."

The common practice in these parts is to confuse the players slightly by speeding the putting surfaces up as Masters week progresses. In the past players have noted a distinct change even between the last practice session on Wednesday afternoon and the first round on Thursday morning.

Not a blade out of place. PHOTO: Getty Images

Walking the course on Sunday afternoon – when even the media are permitted to access all areas – I noted great grass coverage across the property, an appraisal the players I spoke with agreed with. Unsurprisingly, not a blade looked out of place and every detail was pristine. The great dame is already wearing her best dress.

The weather forecast for Augusta is mixed. The temperature is expected to push into the low 30s Celsius (mid to high 80s Fahrenheit) later in the week but with the warmer days come predictions of thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday then showers on Saturday. So the firm and fast conditions may not have the chance to stick around, which could be good news for Australian golf fans as the last man to win a Masters in the rain was Adam Scott two years ago.

TODAY AT AUGUSTA:

* The Sunday prior to the Masters is becoming increasingly busy. The Drive, Chip and Putt finals in the morning bring more activity to the usually quiet day but club members getting in their last pre-tournament round are still permitted to play. The players to arrive early often bring family and friends for a game. Spotted on course today were Sir Nick Faldo playing in a twosome with his son, Matthew, Adam Scott and his dad, Phil, as well as defending champion Bubba Watson in a foursome that included his wife, Angie, and former US Secretary of State (and Augusta member) Condoleezza Rice.

Adam Scott was on hand to award trophies to some of the winners in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship played at Augusta National on Sunday morning. PHOTO: Getty Images

* Make no mistake, Angie Watson can flat-out play. The defending champ's wife hits a big ball with touch to match. She was the victim of an unfortunate break on the 7th where her approach to the par-4 landed on a sprinkler head on the back fringe and caromed well over the green. With deft touch she putted back down towards the cup, the ball trundling to within tap-in range.

* Joe Ford, Augusta National's vice chairman, briefly held up Ben Crenshaw's group on the 10th hole while CBS Television recorded Ford's daily pre-coverage address to viewers, which was being filmed in a makeshift set on the pine straw between the 10th and 18th fairways. Ford required only two takes for what was the club's TV message scheduled for before the second-round coverage.

Beware of scalpers. PHOTO: Getty Images

* Augusta police were patrolling Washington Rd, outside Augusta National, on Sunday, looking to crack down on Masters ticket scalpers.

Selling tickets to the Masters is illegal near Augusta National, but there are always visitors trying to score last-minute tickets to the event.

The Georgia state scalping law prohibits the sale of tickets within 2,700 feet of a large sporting event like the Masters.

In 2012, more than 40 people were jailed in connection with buying or selling tickets, but only two were charged with violating the scalping law. Most of the others were charged with disorderly conduct and made to post a $500 bond.

The majority were not from Georgia and claimed ignorance of the law.

Scalpers usually demand US$1,800 to US$2,400 for tournament badges. Sadly, many turn out to be stolen and the unsuspecting holders are turned away at the gate.