This is supposed to be The Masters week.

Considering this is one of the most popular annual sporting events in the world, and my editor Thomas Grant Jr. gave me the idea, the theme is Augusta Memories.

Probably 1 memory that resonates the loudest is each time I enter the grounds. It’s spectacular. It’s like walking into an amazing picture. There is nothing parallel to this that comes to mind.

What’s really odd is that each time I walk on the grounds, while it’s fresh and new, simultaneously, it’s exactly as I imagined.

A footnote is that there are several ways to access the grounds and all are breathtaking.

My roommate in college, Chris Newnham, took me to a live competition round for my 1st visit in 1980. I was completely awestruck for I had never walked into a picture. I had never been this close to refined outdoor perfection. August National is man-made, but it seems natural. This property gives us a great example of natural perfection.

Alex Bowers, now a senior at Winthrop, was 1 of several in a group of youth ranging in age from 8-18.

Bowers could have been youngest of the group, but definitely the best dressed to start the day. ‘Momma bear’ Melonie had this young cub decked out with shine. He was glowing in spring color.

We stopped for breakfast and I don’t know how the red Gatorade spill could be so complete. Within minutes of sitting down, Alex had that glow and look that will be in my mind forever. He spilled the entire cup of Gatorade evenly across the front of his shirt.

We got through this and by game time, his smile plus his new outfit equaled ‘Augusta Glow’.

The next part of this story is the oldest of our group. Chris Etheridge missed the 5 pm curfew to leave and having Augusta security on alert was a brand new experience. All I could envision once we found Chris was trying to explain to his mom how I had given Chris permission to venture out without me.

Needless to say, future rules were amended.

A few years before this, we woke up to hear on the news that night rainfall had cancelled the practice round. It was to be my daughter’s first trip at 8 years old.

Not knowing really how she felt, I thought such news would be fairly easy to move beyond. As I woke her up, suggesting she just stay in bed and sleep in, she teared up then quickly went into an uncontrolled cry.

When she calmed down enough to speak, her first words were “they may open back up when it stops raining”. She simply would not accept the “closed for the day” news. Her only words that I could understand were “I just want to go to The Masters.”

On Washington Road just before the entrance, the big sign flashed ‘CANCELLED’ and Mary Chandler starting wailing again. She asked me “can’t we please just try daddy?”

With that, I turned into the entrance. Security immediately surrounded my van but the only window I rolled down was hers. As the trooper looked in his expression reflected my heart. It was hilarious but sad at the same time.

“I am so sorry little girl, but we can’t let you go in today,” he said. “The course is flooded and nobody can play golf.” This explanation seemed

This explanation seemed to settle her. She finally stopped crying and began planning our next trip.

Since Wesley, my youngest son and middle child, actually played in the 2018 Masters, I thought I would share his top memory.

“I was playing a practice round with Rory (Mclroy) and he crushes a tee shot over the trees and corner on #13,” he said. “I hammer slam a hook around the trees and end up 2 or 3 yards in front of him.”

I’ll share a couple more next week.