About Town: Augusta
By Ceri Mobley, PGATOUR.COM Associate Site Producer
If you have ever been, or are ever, lucky enough to find yourself among the patrons at Augusta National Golf Course, then you hold the envy of millions of golf fans worldwide who would give just about anything to walk the course at the Masters. Perhaps the most beloved course and tournament in professional golf, the TOUR stop in Augusta cannot compare to any other. There's just something about it.
If you're one of the fortunate ones this week, then you most likely already know how hard it is to find accommodations in this small Georgia town at this time of year -- and hopefully have taken care of that long before now -- but here are some suggestions to keep in mind in case you have the foresight to go ahead and book for next year.
SOMEWHERE TO SNOOZE
Rooms for rent: Above all, usually, the best plan of action for a week in Augusta is to rent a house. While golf fans around the globe have undeniable passion for the Masters, some of the locals really don't. As fun as it is to be one of the thousands descending upon this old Southern city the first week of April each year, it's not always as much fun for the residents -- many of whom get the heck out for the week and pay for their vacation by renting out their homes to tournament-goers. You can find the bare minimum to the best of Augusta depending on how much you want to pay (and how close you want to be to the course). Also consider getting out of the city and renting a house on Strom Thurmond Lake for the week -- it's really pretty up there and only about 45 minutes away. Houses both in and out of Augusta range anywhere from the low one-hundreds per night to several thousand for the week.
Other options:
• Augusta has all the Southern charm you can find if that's what you're looking for. To take advantage of this good old boys' town, book a room at Rosemary Hall. A three-and-a-half-star bed and breakfast, Rosemary Hall is about 10 minutes away from the course in North Augusta, S.C. Rates start around $150 a night (if you're timely).
• Even closer than Rosemary Hall, the three-star Marriott Courtyard Augusta is just five minutes away from Augusta National and can be booked starting from $125 a night (again, if you're smart about it).
SOMETHING TO SNACK ON
You might have been told that it's slim pickins for restaurants in Augusta, but don't let those small-town bashers stop you from enjoying the best Augusta has to offer.
• Laugh if you will, but an egg salad sandwich (or pimento cheese for that matter) has never tasted as good as it will at Augusta National. Spare yourself the pain of remembering how much your ticket cost you, and instead bask in the pleasure of the fact that eating and drinking at the course will far from match your financial expectations. All the sandwiches are hand-made, and your drinks come in souvenir cups (that you can nonchalantly hand your friends when they ask for a soda the week after the tournament). Don't bash these sammies til you try them. I am feeling the urge to go to the store and buy some eggs and mayo right now...
• If stocking up on sandwiches at the course won't see you through until bedtime, then head to Sconyers BBQ, an Augusta institution, for dinner. Order the plantation platter and make sure it comes with a side of Sconyers' world-famous hash (no, I don't mean browns). If you don't like barbecue then A) don't go here, and B) what on earth is wrong with you?
• After you've saddled up with barbecue, put seafood on the menu. T's Restaurant has good-old-fashioned Southern seafood that washes down well with a glass of sweet tea. The oysters come highly recommended, but if a fried smorgasbord is more your taste, then that's pretty delicious, too.
• We like our food just like mama used to make it in the South, but if you want a dinner on par with the host course this week, reserve a table at La Maison on Telfair. Fine food, a wine bar and a tapas lounge make La Maison the perfect place for classy Georgian dining. And here's a tip: Order the she-crab soup -- they really know how to cook that in these parts.
SOMETHING TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT
I don't say this much, but please, what else are you going to tell your friends about besides having the coveted (and so worthy of the hype) opportunity to attend this prestigious event? I guarantee you have never seen fairways grow so green. You have never seen azaleas bloom so pink. You have never seen golf balls fly so smoothly. You have never seen smiles beam so real. And you have never seen golf passion so zealous. You have never heard Tiger hit his driver so hard. You have never seen amateurs with eyes so wide. You have never seen galleries trek through mud, rain, sunburn, crowds and lines for pimento cheese sandwiches like this. The main attraction this week is most certainly Augusta National Golf Course, and if you don't go home feeling like you have experienced something more special than words, then you did something wrong my friend.
However, if you do feel the need to fill those empty hours around the start and close of each round with something other than Masters TV highlights and previews, here are a couple of ideas:
• Downtown Augusta is a historic area of the city and not always enjoyed by visitors to the grand course on Washington Road. Built on the banks of the Savannah River -- and now enhanced with a riverwalk -- downtown Augusta offers shops, restaurants and entertainment from renovated buildings that kept the integrity of this old Southern gem.
• When the weather warms up, you can watch movies outside on Augusta Common for just a $2 entry fee. This Friday, April 11, Shrek the Third will be the feature presentation. Come on, who doesn't like Shrek?
• Another somewhat undiscovered (by Masters patrons) part of Augusta is the canal. An industrial power canal that's still in use, the canal can also be used for leisurely pursuits. You can fish in it, kayak on it or bicycle around it. Whichever way you choose, it's a beautiful way to spend part of your day.
STICKING AROUND?
• G-E-O-R-G-I-A: If you know The Peach State at all, you'll know that while the Masters trumps all, there are plenty of other sport-centered towns around. No, not Atlanta. Whether you are a Georgia Bulldogs fan or not, consider taking a day trip to Athens (roughly two hours away) if you have some time before or after the "toonament." This little college town boasts big activity with a downtown area that makes you say "man, I wish I went to school here." It's not football season, but check out the campus anyway -- it'll have you planning to come back for some Dawgs action in the fall. Also, if you hear of any good bands playing while you're in town, go and see them; Athens is a small town for sure, but it also produced such famous musicians as R.E.M., Widespread Panic and the B-52s.
• Lake Marion: About two-and-a-half hours outside of Augusta, Lake Marion in South Carolina waits just off (actually slap-bang in the middle of) I-95. A busy angling spot for locals and tourists, Marion is part of the Santee Lakes system and has played host to several major fishing tournaments. From the road, the lake looks grand and fresh, but it also has some dark, swampy areas, and much of the water is dotted with stumps of old cypress trees, which provides plenty of hiding places for those big, shy, too-stubborn-to-catch fish.
Just remember that no matter what you do with your spare time around the four hallowed days at the Masters, Augusta National Golf Course will leave the biggest footprint in your memory.
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