b'The greenkeeping crew are easily theAs a golfer who regularly plays withTop-left: Nyk Pike, the former director of best in the business, and yet they perform100-year-old hickory-shafted clubs, I wasgolf at Chambers Bay and now the general most of their magic out of sight of thegobsmacked getting up close to the setmanager at Lake Spanaway GC in Tacoma, patrons and golfers. Ever wonder why,that the immortal Bobby Jones used toWash., has worked security for several years when watching the Masters on television,win the Grand Slam in 1930.at the Masters. He helped Hall get a personal you dont see a bunch of divots in theAlthough Ive been invited back totour of inside the Augusta National clubhouse. Pictured is the Champions Locker Room. landing areas? Its because the turf folkswork this years Masters, it may be a one fill them in with green sand/seed mixture,and done experience for me, althoughTop-right: Hall brought a two-page with the color an exact match of the grass.you never know. In the meantime, Ivespreadsheet to keep track of all the souvenirs Like any great expedition, havingsubmitted nominations for eight friendshis friends, family and co-workers had asked a knowledgeable guide definitely addsand coworkers who want to follow in myhim to buy at the Masters Pro Shop. to the Masters experience, and forfootsteps as a rookie working security at the Chambers Bay contingent, thatthe Masters. Its truly an experience that guide was Lake Spanaway GC Generalis worth every long hour and lack of sleep Manager Nyk Pike.for 11 days, just to be on the inside of Nyk was the director of golf atAmericas greatest golf tournament. Chambers Bay when I first started working there, and hes one of the nicest guys in the golf business. This was his third year working security at the Masters, and he has made a lot of great connections at Augusta National. Nyk arranged for some of us to get a guided tour of the venerable Augusta National Clubhouse, led by none other than the longtime clubhouse manager, Mr. John Johnson. While the clubhouse is truly imposing from the outside, the real heart of Augusta Nationals storied existence lies within its memorabilia-rich interior. Seeing the original clubhouse plans, first-year menus, framed correspondence, and oil paintings by Dwight D. Eisenhower, made Augustas history tangible.'