Ten reasons why The Masters is the best tournament in golf

I will be attending the Masters for the second consecutive year. As I prepare for my trip to Augusta National, I reflect on some of the memories that stick out in my mind about what makes this course and tournament the best in the world.

All photos were taken by me at the 2010 Masters Monday practice round at Augusta National except (4) and (9), which were taken by Rob Markham at the 2009 Masters.

1. Hole Number 18: Holly

Imagine walking up to the 18th hole of Augusta National. It is Sunday afternoon and the Green Jacket awaits you. You have a one shot lead and all you need is a par to win the tournament. Every eye of Augusta is on you. Millions of eyes outside of Augusta are watching you. Can you compose yourself and win the Masters?

2. Hole Number 12: Golden Bell 

One of the most famous holes in golf that brings variable weather conditions. This is the shortest par three on the course, and club selection can often be vary difficult. Golfers be aware: stick one in Rae's creek and your Masters dreams could be put on hold for one more year.

3. The Green Jacket

 One of the most prestigious traditions in sports, and the reward for finishing first at Augusta National at the Masters. For professional golfers this is the most sought after item in the game.

4. Phil is the Man

Phil Mickelson is not only a great golfer but also a great man and a true gentleman. Two years ago he played with a Florida State golfer during a practice round. I am sure it was a great experience for Phil but an experience of a lifetime for the Florida State golfer.

5.  The Beverage and Food Menu

Tickets to the Masters are pricey and often difficult to obtain, but once inside the grounds the prices for food and beverages are quite cheap. Grab a pimiento cheese sandwich and bottle of water for $3.00.

6. Masters Chairs

Get to the Masters early and make sure you have your Masters chair. Leave that chair wherever you may choose and walk the grounds of Augusta National. Your chair will not be removed, it will not be touched. It's the Masters.

7. Expect the Unexpected

I had the opportunity to witness a 12-year-old boy hit Fuzzy Zoeller's club. He hit one ball, and it landed within 20 yards of the pin.

8. See a Young Professional Become a Star 

Rory Mcllroy would look great in a Green Jacket. He turns 22 on May 4, 2011.

9. See Something You Might Not Ever See Again

During two tournaments Vijay Signh skipped a ball across the water, and it landed on the green. I guess it's true what they say: these guys are good.

10. Tiger Woods

I had the opportunity to witness Tiger Woods play in his first time back on the course since his chaos off the course events. The gallery cheered louder for him than they did for any other player all day. Will the 2011 Masters be Tiger's return to golf glory?

A Skier's Sunday at the Bird Part 1

To get a initial idea of how optimal the conditions were today at Snowbird check out this video I took from the top of the Tram. 11,000 vertical feet.

Spring Skiing in Snowbird/Alta Provides Endless Possibilities

One of the great things about snow skiing is the variable conditions that you deal with. Often times you get dressed put on your skis and have no clue what you are getting into. Unfortunately, sometimes you expect fresh snow and find none. At the same  time there are days where you go out with minimal expectations  and find powder shots you wouldn’t dream possible.

 Springtime in Utah means one thing: variable conditions. Today was my first day on the mountain.  I spent the day skiing with my Dad and we were out early and ready to have a great first day. After the first few runs we could tell today was not going to provide the best skiing conditions. The weather was up and down all day and there were also several other factors that contributed to the subpar snow today.  A big storm passed through about a week ago and provided optimal skiing for the next few days.  Not long after that storm the greater Utah area experienced a warm front and the once fresh powder became flattened heavy snow.

Numerous times throughout the day
I saw skiers having difficult time with conditions

For those of you not familiar with Snowbird and Alta let me give you a background of why its such a sought after place to ski. Snowbird averages 500 inches of snowfall annually. Alta typically receives a similar amount. These two mountains hold a distinct competitive advantage over others outside of Salt Lake City because of there geographical location. Little Cottonwood Canyon experiences a phenomenon called “lake effect” (if you are unfamiliar with the lake effect I will explain it in a later post.)

Knowing that skiing was not at our optimum level we set out to find the best runs on the two mountains and stick with those for the remainder of the day. We ventured over to the Collins Tree’s at Alta, which is usually a go to spot for guaranteed good snow; today the good snow was not there unfortunately. We decided to return back to Snowbird and this proved to be a great decision.

I am typically not a big fan of the Tram but we decided to give it a shot and try to find some good snow. Let’s just say the Tram was the best decision. The tram takes you to the highest point off the mountain 11, 000 feet. We found a great bowl right off the tram, the Upper Cirque. This bowl is almost always great to ski as it gets snow blown in it from close areas on the mountain and it does not receive as much direct sunlight as most places on the mountain. It was so good that I decided to make the 3,240 vertical foot decent three times.

As if skiing today wasn’t enough, Snowbird was hosting the World Freesking Championships today. Some of the world’s best freestyle skiers took Snowbird cliffs to a whole new level.

Freestyle World Championships Provide Locals and
Visitors the opportunity to relax and watch some crazy skiing.

A day of spring skiing always ends with a final lift. My last lift actually eneded up coming prematurely. I got to the base of the mountain and learned that the lifts were temporarily shut down due to a lightning strike not far from the mountain. Thus I had to make a short vertical hike to The Cliff.

Only in Utah.

Only in the Spring.

Is it worth the Price Tag?

The heart of the city of New Orleans, the French Quarter

I had the opportunity to visit New Orleans two weekends ago. This was my fourth consecutive year to visit the city, and I felt that I needed to come away with a different experience and overall perspective than the previous three years. I had grown agitated from the class of people there, thus I was thinking with a closed mind. I made it my goal to talk with as many people as I could whether they were locals, visitors, or homeless men and women looking for a few dollars. One conversation can lead to a unseen connection. These interactions proved to be the highlight of my weekend as I discovered a side to New Orleans I had never seen.

I have grown up a life long Atlanta Falcons fan, a team that has historically been bitter rivals with the New Orleans Saints. I was down in New Orleans last year during the same weekend as the Super Bowl, and I found a new respect for the city and all the hope that a football team could bring to a seemingly lost city.

The one purchase I made on this trip that I cherish is the pictured wine bottle above. For the entire weekend Saints fans, locals, and tourists went around yelling "Who Dat?" A simple interpretation: “Who is going to beat them Saints?” And no one did beat them as they went on to become World Champions. "Who Dat" merchandise was more prevalent by far than any other item within the city. While the price tag on the bottle reads $12.99, the bottle holds no market price value as its meaning is worth much more to me. This purchase came into my mind shortly before we left for New Orleans and was the basis for me becoming more open to the New Orleans culture and their people.

The most meaningful purchase I made in New Orleans this year

The street vendor I learned the most from was a man named Alexander, a vendor selling paintings around the French Quarter. I have a growing appreciation for artwork, and when I saw this, I immediately knew that I would purchase it no matter what the price. While Alexander didn’t necessarily paint this, the conversation I had with him about the city and what the word’s on.

The French Market has hundreds of vendors

The majority of my great experiences came with the vendors within the French Market, which is pictured above. I made an effort to connect with everyone I talked to even if their English wasn’t quite up to par.  Probably the most unique find was the picture to the right.

I had a great conversation with the lady about the process that she went through to flatten the bottles to make them into cheese platters.  Does anyone else see the irony here: eating cheese off a flattened wine bottle? There were numerous bottles including various types of vodka, wine and bourbon. I plan to follow up with the vendor and make several more purchases.

I made several other small purchases; those are the significant ones that stick out to me. While I might have spent a good deal of money in New Orleans on materialistic items, I see them as much more than that. Before I purchased an item, I would get to know the vendor. Dig as deep as I could in a casuals conversation to how they got  They would talk to me and explain their business and their motives behind what they did. The lady who sold me the flattened wine bottle had a passion for what she did. She took me through the entire process of how they were made and answered all of my questions with great enthusiasm. If you are ever in New Orleans, I highly encourage you to branch out and meet some of these local people who are not so different from you and me.

The Changing Face of the Music Industry

(Chris Martin captivates audiences with his stage presence and passion for music-Picture is from a Birmingham Concert I attended May 2009)

Coldplay's recent single release 'Christmas Lights' is furthering reason that the band has not yet reached their peak. It is hard to imagine topping the fluidity and dynamics of their last album of Viva La Vida but I assure you it will happen. If you have the opportunity go see them in concert it will change your perspective on the music industry. Chris Martin is simply electric and captivating, one more incredible album and I will start my Beetles comparisons, get ready for greatness folks. I used to be less "open" to new music until I got into Coldplay. I have always been bias towards not liking Dave Matthews band due to the cliquey feel I have always gotten from him and his fans, but I have recently started listening to them more lately and have a greater appreciation for their music. I will be working abroad this summer and am hopefully going to have an opportunity to see Coldplay in Europe, talk about an amazing concert.

(Coldplay sets up side stages throughout various areas of their performances)

Scratching the Surface of Silver Trophy

Auburn's all time leading scorer Wes Byrum exits the field after his game winning field goal as time expired.

Having the opportunity to attend a National Championship game is a once in a lifetime opportunity most people that few people have the experience to partake in. If someone told me that four years ago that I would be a senior at Auburn University and they would go on to have one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history and win a National Championship I would have called you crazy. I was fortunate enough to be able to see Auburn and Oregon play for a National Championship in Glendale, Arizona. Everyone who attended the game had a unique experience in the hours leading up to the game, the game itself and the period once the game ended. If at some point during the game there were not chills running down your veins then I question whether you appreciate college football. While these are emotions and feelings I will never forget, my most memorable feelings and moments that just make you appreciate everything God has given us came from my time in Arizona came away from the football field.

When I first began to make travel arrangements the thought did not even cross my mind that I would soon experience what I now consider the most uniquely diverse state in our Nation. Having traveled to many places across the World I do not think I had my expectations high enough for what I was about to take in for the next few days. Phoenix is mostly flat desert but once you get into various suburbs you start to discover its beauty. Their winter is magnificent as it brings pleasantly warm days and slightly cool nights.

Phoenix sunsets provide another intangible that you learn to appreciate about the state of Arizona.


Various mountains throughout the area offer peaceful hikes with spectacular views. Leave Phoenix and head North, through the rolling mountains into Flagstaff. A college, ski town with magnificent food and down to earth people. Head an hour North to one of the seven wonders of the world the Grand Canyon.


Never have I seen such topographical changes in such a short period of time. Five-minute drives would take you from beautiful red rock to snowy mountains. The middle of January and a pleasant sixty degrees without a cloud in the sky; I could get used to this. At the same time I was only a two hour drive from a well respected ski mountain. I now know why this is such a sought after place.

A morning hike through knee deep snow followed by an afternoon hike at Cathedral Rock, which offered views you never think you will experience in your lifetime.

With all the spectacular sights and places I had the opportunity to visit one thing that really stuck out to me. People in this state are active and love the outdoors. Their active lifestyle was really surreal to witness, as it seemed living in such a magnificent place just makes them want to pursue an active lifestyle. People are simply not lazy, they are fit and love to explore, my type of people. So while there were a few drinks to be had a few hours of talking smack to the Ducks before the game and the dreamlike experience of attending a game of such magnitude I gained much more out of this trip than I would have ever thought imaginable. While most people traveled home to their respective homes soaking in a National Championship I thought about the endless possibilities the state of Arizona offers.

A "before" perspective to the Arizona people might not see outside Glendale

After numerous visits out West, I have fallen in love Utah, Wyoming and Montana. These three states are truly beautiful; not only do they offer great skiing in the winter but also their summers prove to be just as spectacular with surreal fishing, hiking and mountain biking. One state that I have always wanted to trek through is Arizona. With Auburn University playing for a BCS National Championship, it has bestowed that opportunity to take in this illustrious state. While I am no doubt enthused about the opportunity to watch first hand Auburn play for a National Championship I can honestly say I am equally as enthused to do some exploring in this great state. One great thing about the West is the lack of humidity in the air. While the common perception might be to think of this as advantageous in warm weather, it actually proves equally beneficial in the cold as it actually makes the air warmer. Arizona also provides areas of vast topographical differences. Phoenix, the capital city maintains the most suitable temperatures this time a year with pleasant sixty degree averages during the day while it cools off at night but is still pleasant. Flagstaff offers a ski mountain via a small ski town feel with fine dinning options. Sedona is one of the most unique places in Arizona with typically warmer temperatures and is known for its red rocks. The Grand Canyon is a third option available it stays very cold this time of year, with highs typically ranging in the thirty’s. Thus it is a great place for people like myself who will actually be able to with stand the cold and enjoy the lesser crowds. After exploring and doing the many unique places Arizona has it almost slips my mind that there is a football game to be played. The atmosphere should be surreal, as fans from Auburn and Oregon will both represent their respective Universities. This is what I look to gain out of my time in Arizona; experience one of the most unique geographical spots in the United States, and witness my school Auburn University have one of the most dominant historical seasons in college football history and cap it off with a BCS National Championship, a senior year to remember. The only thing could that could top this trap is some fresh Utah powder. Fortunately for me that is right around the corner. What is it they say? War Damn Eagle.

A Monday at the Master's

(Photo taken by Patrick Markham, March 5, 2010)


Where else in the world do so many top stars of any game come together to compete in the same place, the same time of year, year after year? A small field of only about 90 golfers competes in the annual event known as the Master’s.

Two friends and I had the opportunity to attend Monday’s practice round of the Master’s at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It was one of the greatest Monday’s of my life. The car ride up was a wrestles one. I could only imagine what I was about to experience; the history, the tradition, the unparalleled excellence of arguably the most prestigious golf course in the world. The moment we stepped on the grass of Augusta National I realized why this place is so special. The grass was like any other grass I have ever seen on a golf course. It seemed to almost glimmer with perfection. Every step I took around the grounds I felt as if I should go back and wash the grass I had stepped in. The people were more dignified and respectful than any other course in golf. Tiger Wood’s was making his first appearance on a golf course since his leave of absence from golf. At a press conference after his practice round Tiger was pleasantly surprised with the fans reception of him back into the game of golf. “The galleries couldn’t be nicer. I mean it was incredible. The encouragement I got; it just blew me away.”

For me the highlight of the day wasn’t Tiger Woods, but instead was a name not as recognizable to the average fan, Fuzzy Zoeller. As we sat on Number 12 of Amen Corner and watched golfers play through our Monday at the Master’s became even more memorable. Zoeller picked four kids from the crowd to see who could hit the ball closest to the hole.

The materialistic prize for the kid that got the ball closest to the hole: A crisp one hundred dollar bill.

After the first three golfers failed to get the ball out of the tee box, ten year old Bobby Jones stepped up to hit. Zoeller said afterwards, “We told him try to relax, put good swing on it, but then we turned him around and showed him all the people up behind number 12, ha ha, so he’d get the feel of that.” Jones did that and then some as he proceeded to hit a strike on the green within twenty feet of the hole. “The first 3 kids just didn’t even make it off the tee box and I got up there and hit it onto the green.” Only at the Master’s. The irony behind the kid’s name, Bobby Jones, makes the story that much more special.

The not materialistic prize for Bobby Jones: A story and a experience of a lifetime that he will be able to share with his own kids one day.

There is probably not another sporting event in the world that would make me miss the Brave’s first game of the season which included Jason Heyward’s spine tingling first Major League home run on the first swing he took as a big leaguer. What made this day so special is not necessarily the game of golf itself, but the experience of Augusta National Golf Club and all its splendor that comes with it.

Opening Day Just 7 Days Away

(Pictured above Braves Home Opener April 2008, Braves lost to Pirates. Photo taken by: Patrick Markham)


With Opening Day just seven days away heres a look of what the braves starting lineup, rotation and bullpen will be coming out of spring training.

ATLANTA BRAVES

Projected Opening Day lineup
1 LF Melky Cabrera
2 2B Martin Prado
3 3B Chipper Jones
4 1B Troy Glaus
5 C Brian McCann
6 SS Yunel Escobar
7 RF Jason Heyward
8 CF Nate McLouth
9 P Derek Lowe

Projected rotation
1 RHP Derek Lowe
2 RHP Jair Jurrjens
3 RHP Tommy Hanson
4 RHP Tim Hudson
5 RHP Kenshin Kawakami

Projected bullpen
CL LHP Billy Wagner
SU RHP Takashi Saito
SU RHP Peter Moylan
MI RHP Kris Medlen
MI LHP Eric O'Flaherty
MI RHP Jesse Chavez
MI LHP Jo-Jo Reyes

The Importance of Team Chemistry and Clubhouse Moral in Major Leauge Baseball

Pictured above is Jason Heyward, the 2009 Minor League Player of the year and number one overall prospect in baseball (Photo is from an outside source)

Often times people look at a MLB team and judge how good they are by their talent. While talent is a main factor that goes into becoming a World Champion a key aspect that is often over looked is the chemistry of a ball club. The 2010 Atlanta Braves are a perfect example of how this works.

Team chemistry can simply make a ball club go from good to great. Let's start by looking at superstar in the making Jason Heyward. Jason makes everyone else on the Braves better. His maturity level is far beyond most major leagures. He has one of the best attitudes of any professional athlete I have ever seen. He loves what he does, he has a true passion for the sport of baseball. He works harder than anyone in the game. Jason plays the game like it is meant to be played. He runs out every ground ball, is always hustling and giving 100 percent effort every second he is on the field. This type attitude will spread through the whole team and we will see the Braves playing with a different attitude than we have been in recent years since their playoff drought began. Jason will bring an energy level to the team that has been long missing.

The Braves also have veterans to teach players like Heyward. John Smolthz h elped to season Chipper Jones when the entered the league, Chipper will now be given the same oppertunity with Heyward. Chipper is the only player remaining from the 1995 season when the Braves won their last World Series. He is the clubhouse leader, and will season Heyward on everything he will need to know about being in a Major Leauge Ball Player. The Braves have a good mix of young players and up and coming stars like Heyward and phenom pitcher Tommy Hanson. They also have one of the most diverse ball clubs in baseball in terms of nationality; players from the United States, Japan, Netherlands, Australia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.

The Braves clubhouse mood has been great throughout spring training, which will inevitably transfer over to the first game of the 2010 season. General Manager Frank Wren along with Bobby Cox both love the makeup of the ball club heading out of spring training. Come April 5 the Atlanta Braves will be set to return to dominance.