During Masters week in Augusta, the weather is anything but small talk.
After a relatively dry Thursday and scattered showers Friday, Saturday’s high temperature in Augusta is expected to be 52 with a 100% chance of rain. Sunday also has a high chance of rain, setting up the possibility of a rare Monday finish for the tournament.
No one likes playing golf in the wet; a look at past tournament scores demonstrates how the rain tames Augusta National’s famously fast greens. The 2020 tournament (played in November without fans due to the pandemic) set multiple records for low scores attributed to weeks of rain ahead of the contest. Dustin Johnson won with a score of 20 under par, the lowest ever. Nine players finished 10 under par or better, and Cameron Smith became the first player ever to shoot all four rounds in the 60s.
Credit: Curtis Compton / curtis.compton@ajc.com
Credit: Curtis Compton / curtis.compton@ajc.com
The group most negatively affected by wet weather is the patrons, few of whom have access to the buildings and covered areas at the club. The golf course must be evacuated if lightning and thunder are detected.
Course evacuations are the biggest challenge in terms of crowd control and traffic management, according to John Usry with Augusta Traffic Engineering.
“Because of our existing infrastructure, we can either set it all up to get people into the parking area, or we can set it up to get people out of the parking area. But we do not have the capacity to do both at the same time,” Usry told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
When patrons evacuate, Washington Road restaurants quickly fill up, including the nearby Hooters which famously sets up a huge tent for overflow service. A cluster of local restaurants at the intersection of Wheeler and Berckmans roads also sees a huge influx of patrons during rain delays.
“If there’s weather on the horizon, we’ll add extra staff,” Cary Goldsmith, owner of Bodega Ultima, told the AJC. “We’re walking distance from the course, so a lot of patrons would rather walk a mile to sit down at a restaurant, then walk a mile back, than try to get their car off the property.”
Tourist attractions also see a surge in foot traffic. Rainy weather benefits the Augusta Museum of History, housed in a cavernous repurposed rail depot downtown, according to director Nancy J. Glaser.
The accredited museum has plenty for golf fans to see, but also introduces tourists to much more of the region’s history. One of its exhibits, “Celebrating a Grand Tradition, the Sport of Golf,” is the only place outside of Augusta National where a legitimate green jacket is on display, Glaser said.
The museum is also home to “The Godfather of Soul, James Brown,” a spectacular exhibit on the artist once known as the hardest-working man in show business. The exhibit traces Brown’s life from its origins in extreme poverty in rural South Carolina to becoming one of the first 10 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It includes instruments used by Brown’s backup musicians, many of his famously elaborate outfits and recordings of some of his most important performances. Brown died in Atlanta on Christmas Day in 2006.
Patrons can also visit the Augusta & Co. store downtown for more ideas about what to do. The store, which sells locally made products, also serves as the physical location for the Destination Augusta tourism organization. Knowledgeable staff members can help anyone looking for something to do around town.
Tempers can sometimes flare when weather ruins what many people see as a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list experience, but the air of reverence (and heavy law enforcement presence) encourages most people to be on their best behavior.
“Some of the stuff we see on a normal week, we typically don’t see on Masters week,” said Usry, the traffic engineer. “I would say people are pretty patient and they seem to be cooperative, but yeah, there’s a lot of deputies all over, too.”
While weather delays present plenty of challenges, Goldsmith said Augusta natives are ready to step up when the challenge arises.
“Our little town turns into the center of the universe for a week,” Goldsmith said. “It’s spring break for all the schools... so there are always people willing to help and make a little extra money.”
Still, Goldsmith said visitors’ overall experience is more important than anything.
“Selfishly for the business... and my employees making more money, you love to see that influx,” Goldsmith said about wet Masters week weather. “At the same time, you want Augusta to show its best this week.”
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