At the Masters, one rule for keeping toddlers quiet: Don’t say ‘birdie’

AUGUSTA — Sophie Penge, wife of Masters rookie Marco Penge, has learned how to take a toddler to a golf course.

Not without trial and error.

Penge has brought her two children along since oldest son, Enzo, was born nearly two years ago. For the most part, she said, he behaves — but a couple of things can quickly lead to an outburst.

Hunger is the biggest one. Snacks are essential to keep kids occupied and calm.

The other is more specific: avoiding certain words.

“My eldest, he loves to make the bird sound,” Penge said while bottle-feeding her 6-week-old son near the 15th hole. “So we can’t say, ‘Oh, dad’s made a birdie,’ because now he’s squawking around, literally like a bird, and people are looking at him like, ‘What is this child doing?’

“So you just have to say, ‘That was a good hole,’ or something, because if you say ‘birdie,’ he is squawking around.”

Long walks, large crowds and constant hushes can make the Masters a difficult place for families with young children.

Keeping babies and toddlers fed and entertained throughout a day at Augusta National might be the toughest task on the grounds.

Libby Presley faced that challenge this week.

With her husband unable to attend, Presley used her second patron badge to bring her 13-month-old son, Teddy. He babbled in a baby carrier, wearing a white bucket hat that read, “My First Masters.”

Presley has attended the tournament since she was a child, but this year offered a new perspective.

“It’s kind of been difficult making sure he stays quiet, but he likes the pimento cheese sandwiches,” Presley said. “He likes the water, and (Augusta National has) been really good about bringing in snacks and stuff like that for him. So he’s done good so far.”

Like Penge, Presley emphasized the importance of snacks. She also broke up the day with a two-hour nap in the car and stayed in more populated areas, where Teddy could babble without interrupting the silence.

Some family members questioned bringing him at such a young age, but Presley said the environment suited him better than expected.

“They were definitely like, ‘Oh, you’re bringing Teddy?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, why not?’” Presley said. “I mean, if my husband can’t go, then why not? He’s the second option, so I definitely feel a little bit of judgment from a little minority of people, but other than that, everybody has loved waving at him, and he waves at everybody else.”

The effort paid off when Presley found a moment to pause.

“He had his snack over here by the driving range,” Presley said. “It just felt like a full-circle moment coming here with Dad when I was so young.”

Max and Joy Morgan no longer have toddlers, but managing their children’s energy is still vital.

Rilo, 9, and Rowan, 5, even had a trial run at Walt Disney World.

Max stressed the importance of preparation — packing snacks, setting expectations and explaining why the Masters matters.

“I have a Masters shirt that I wore when I was a baby that (Rilo) wore when she was a baby and that (Rowan) wore when he was a baby,” Max said. “It’s kind of one of those things you pass down, and it’s just where you’re from.

“It’s a tradition you hold on to and pass down to your family.”

The kids found their own highlights.

Rilo, a tennis fan, met Rafael Nadal at the Golf Shop. Rowan was just as excited about the concessions.

Morgan was reminded of something Jack Nicklaus once said after watching his grandson make a hole-in-one at the Masters Par 3 Contest in 2018 — that it ranked above even his six tournament victories.

“If you make memories like running into Rafael Nadal and having an extra-good ice cream sandwich,” Morgan said, “that’s just the cherry on top.”