The sky had brightened enough by the time the first vans shuttling the Drive, Chip and Putt contestants rolled down Magnolia Lane to see inside the windows – and to see all the smiles. They were on the faces of the youngsters who would be participating in the National Finals and the family members who are accompanying them and who seemed just as awestruck.
They kept grinning as a pair of Augusta National Golf Club members greeted each person who stepped out of the vans once they had arrived at the Founders Circle. Some of the players took off their hats to shake hands with those welcoming them. Then they followed the Drive, Chip and Putt volunteers first to the East Practice Tee for their 10-minute chipping warm-up and then to the West Practice Tee, where they worked on their drives for 20 minutes. From there, they headed over the Terrace Putting Green on the other side of the Clubhouse for 10 minutes of putting in preparation for attempting two putts on the 18th green.
And the smiles continued as the youngsters completed each of the three stages, whether admiring well-struck shots or simply pausing for a moment to take in the setting.
“Today is all about having fun and enjoying this beautiful place and well as some good competition,” said one of the volunteers on the East Practice Tee. The knowing nods from the first groups on the Augusta National grounds this morning, Girls 14-15 and Boys 7-9, showed they were ready to do all of that.
When asked what he thought about his ride down Magnolia Lane this morning, 9-year-old Wesley Powers from Friendswood, Texas said: “Not many people ever get to do that. And definitely not many kids.”
Of course, he beamed when he uttered those words and added that the part of the competition that excited him the most was the putting.
“That is largely because his short game is the strongest part of his game,” said Wesley’s father, Drew. “But it is also because he was born on Masters Sunday in 2013, the year that Adam Scott won the Masters. And you know where the kids will be hitting their putts from today? About the same place where Adam hit his.”
For another 9-year-old, Reid Meyers of Kensington, Conn., it was espying the sign for Augusta National outside the main entrance that made him smile. “That and seeing the Clubhouse as we turned down Magnolia Lane,” Reid said. “It is so nice.”
“And the grass,” he added. “It is so green.”
Nice is a word that several of the parents of the competitors used to describe the way their families were received by Augusta National members and Drive, Chip and Putt volunteers as the sun crept over the stands of pines on the east side of the Club.
On this day, for these kids and their families, there is no happier place on Earth.
No wonder they are all smiling.
