Before this year, when Chris Gotterup was invited to Augusta National, he would be said no. It didn’t feel good. Gotterup was literally in town the week of the Masters last year, but fell through.
“They would ask me if I wanted to go and I would say no because I didn’t want to go on the property until I actually played,” he said at Pebble Beach last month.
But then he won. And then he won again. And again, just for good measure.
Now he must prepare to play the “real” Masters.
That’s how he ended up at Augusta National last week with his father and brother, but only after finding the answer to an important question: How do you get through Augusta, anyway?
“I had someone help me with it, but I had talked to the pro and we worked it out,” Gotterup said Tuesday ahead of this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. In other words, he did not call the store himself, but learned how the club works before the biggest tournament in the sport.
“So I think the rule is you can bring two guests with you, but you have to play with one member. So you just have to find someone who’s willing to take you and spend the day,” Gotterup said.
Augusta National places restrictions on its guests, its participants and even its past champions; except for the rare legends who have become full members, such as Jack Nicklaus, even former Masters winners cannot show up and play unaccompanied at will. (Gary Player it was vocal for his less than enthusiastic reception.)
But for Gotterup and his two guests, the process was easy. They linked up with a local green jacket and did it all: toured the property, played the big course and also played the par-3. There are rules, sure, but it’s a well-oiled machine.
“I think if we went on our own and our border wanted to come with us, we can go – no TIMEbut as you said, ask the professional and he will tell us what days they work.”
So after all that construction, what did he think?! Gotterup had some interesting ways.
The biggest surprise, he said, was how narrow the ring is off the 18th tee.
“Much tighter than TV gives it credit for,” he said.
The slopes are more dramatic in person, he added, from the start. The first green, he said, was “much rougher” than he had seen on TV.
“You obviously have a solid ball and then you have to hit a good second shot to be able to get it in the right half,” he said.
Then there’s the par-5 second. During the week of the tournament, the green is surrounded by spectators. But during the members game? He sits in a green ocean.
“Two Green looks so wild because it looks so massive on TV and obviously the framing of all the people behind it,” he said. “(This time) it was like, the green had just been dropped – into perfect grass obviously. So it looked a lot smaller and different.”
What about his favorite hole? Gotterup had an election under control.
“I think the 7 for me was like — it’s so simple, but you just have to hit a good ball and you have to hit the right shot coming to the green,” he said. “Just visually when you step on the drive box, look, wow, this hole looks really nice. I think, just because you see all the others all the time and all the shots on 13, 18, 12, and I think that’s one of the holes you can sleep on. That was one of my favorites.”
As part of his visit, Gotterup made his way through the pro shop. He got some hats. Something about his brother and father. Something for mom, sister, girlfriend. And he added a few little extras: “Playing cards and stuff, just little things like that.”
Gotterup wasn’t too good of a Tour Pro with it – he admitted he was in awe of the whole experience.
“I think this is the only tournament or course where, having not played, I know every hole there,” he said. “And it’s something that everybody watches the Masters and knows Augusta National.
“But there are definitely holes where I was surprised, with certain balls and things that I probably need to prioritize in the weeks leading up to it.”
Traditionally, some holes at Augusta National set up well for a right-hander who makes a par—No. 2, 10 and 13 between them. Gotterup is a natural fader, so he said he will adjust his practice accordingly.
“A couple (putts), like hole 2 wouldn’t be a hole that suits my eye, possibly hitting a cut. So that’s something I’ll touch when I’m playing practice rounds or something fun beforehand.”
Augusta National isn’t the only major venue Gotterup is playing for the first time. He enters this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational as the World No. 6, which shows how far he’s come: this time last year he was outside the world’s top 200, reeling off three straight losses and playing the Puerto Rico Open on alternate course. Forget Augusta National. Just being in Bay Hill is a dream come true.
“Mostly you think about 18, some of the shots Tiger made on 18 — I feel like it’s always a good finish,” he said.
Okay, I shouldn’t have said “forget Augusta National.” Nobody does. Neither does Gotterup. Especially as he prepares for his first time on tour.
“Everybody in the world of golf would love to go play a round there, but obviously to be able to get a shot at the Masters is great,” he said. “To be able to share that, my brother and my dad had never played either, so to be able to go out there with them and share that whole experience was pretty cool.”
His next trip should be too.
You can watch our extended ‘Warming Up’ interview with Gotterup below.
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