Within the historical past of the Masters, Ben Crenshaw’s identify is writ giant.
He was the low beginner, which means the beginner who performs one of the best that week, in back-to-back years, 1972 and 1973. In 1984, he received the event, besting Tom Watson by two strokes. Nevertheless it’s his 1995 victory at age 43 that’s one for the historical past books.
Simply days after his coach and mentor Harvey Penick died, he paired once more with Carl Jackson, the Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership caddie, to win by one shot. When the ultimate putt dropped, Crenshaw draped himself round Jackson in an emotional embrace on the 18th inexperienced.
Crenshaw, 70, hasn’t performed within the event since 2015, however he has turn out to be a guiding presence on the annual Champions Dinner. He’s additionally among the many prime golf course architects. He and his enterprise associate, Invoice Coore, have designed or renovated a half dozen courses rated within the prime 100 on the earth.
Forward of his fiftieth Masters, Crenshaw spoke in regards to the course, the gamers and the historical past. The next has been edited and condensed.
How has the expertise of the event modified through the years?
With trendy golf, I’m amazed how Augusta Nationwide has striven to maintain up with the occasions. They’ve stretched the size of the holes virtually as a lot as they probably may in loads of situations. However the precise intent of taking part in the golf course could be very a lot the identical. You continue to need to drive the ball right into a place so you may have one of the best angle into these greens. In our day there was no second reduce [of the higher grass just off the fairway that was instituted in 1998] — it was reduce grass in all places you appeared. The ball would preserve operating. It was very strategic in that regard. There have been loads of situations the place an errant tee ball may run into bother.
Augusta Nationwide will play 7,510 yards this 12 months, 300 yards longer than the common PGA Tour course. Nonetheless, it’s the greens, not the size, that problem one of the best gamers. What are they like?
The greens are exceptional in the way in which they play. It’s the contours of these greens and what can occur to the ball. From a participant’s standpoint, Augusta Nationwide could be very a lot in regards to the strategy shot to the inexperienced. However you study the course over time. You don’t go on to the flagstick. You play over there to get the place you’re going. When a participant is making an attempt to observe and study the golf course, you’ll see the newcomers go to many spots across the greens and hit these chips and little brief photographs. You’ll be able to’t observe them sufficient. I’d hit them from varied spots; I’d hit it someplace I hadn’t been.
So distance issues much less?
Let’s face it, a lot of the emphasis is on how far individuals can hit the ball and what benefit they’ve. That’s true. However for those who look over the champions record there are such a lot of individuals with various distances off the tee. It should all the time reward the lengthy hitter who hits it the place it ought to be.
You have been the low beginner within the ’70s, and a winner within the ’80s and ’90s. What challenged you over the a long time?
The course goads you into taking probabilities. You understand for those who don’t deliver that shot off, you all the time undergo the implications of lacking by a really small margin. Should you miss a spot on the inexperienced, the ball may go 60, 70 ft away from the place you need it to go. Nobody can play protected and win at Augusta. You’ve acquired to take probabilities to attain. Nothing offers you extra confidence than once you hit a great shot. It places the joy within the recreation. There was nothing like being in competition at Augusta and listening to the group.
What’s the dialog like on the Champions Dinner?
Once we’re on the dinner all of us look across the desk and we’re seeing completely different eras of golf. The dialog among the many champions is all the time how they performed, who you have been chasing, who have been your pursuers, what probabilities did you’re taking. There’s a thread woven via all of us that we’re very lucky to be in that room. You all the time need to ask Jack Nicklaus or Gary Participant or Vijay Singh: “You confronted this shot, and also you knew you needed to take an opportunity there. Did it come off as you deliberate?” We confronted the identical challenges, and we acquired via it.
