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The Obligatory Masters Column

© Bill Howard

Ben Hogan always maintained that putting had nothing at all to do with golf. The greens at Augusta National come perilously close to proving him right.

Watching mediocre putters on those greens is not for the faint of heart; three or four putts are common. Short putts are terrifying to watch and must be unimaginably difficult to execute. The most supremely talented putters on our small planet look confused and powerless to avoid embarrassment.

This part of the Tournament scares me. I'll admit to having had nightmares about a few of those greens and the putts they offer. I have also long thought that Hogan had a valid point.

This hell is accomplished with tiny hills, grass, a golf ball, and a little gravity.Augusta's particular blend of these four components is for mature audiences only. Why is it we don't ever hear anything about the head greenskeeper? Just wondering.

I personally prefer the ball striking portion of the program. Though tee to green play is important, the hot putter usually wins any golf tournament. The same holds true at the Masters.

While I have your attention, the Masters web site at http://www.masters.org is greatly improved this year. Go and explore. Be warned that the trivia questions are a stern test.

The Masters is on... I've got to go.

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