Nick Price: How I learned to love Augusta
Course record holder Nick Price on why it took him time to cherish the feted venue
Nick Price is the first one to admit Augusta National wasn’t the course for him at one time.
The man from Zimbabwe never truly challenged for a Green Jacket – with his best finish coming in tied for fifth in 1986.
But it was that very renewal of the famous major tournament where he made history, and became a horse for the course.
Price made 10 birdies on his way to a stunning 63 in Georgia, with one bogey being the only stain of what is still a record-breaking piece of parchment.
The three-time major champion told NCG how Augusta became a happy hunting ground after all:
“There was no real advantage to being a great driver of the ball at Augusta.
“Augusta was never my favourite.
“It was almost like the fairways when we played were wide open, there was no rough and the only defence the golf course had was the greens. I never really putted great on fast greens.
“I would drive the ball as well as anyone when I was playing well and I never really got any benefit.
“There was no real advantage to being a great driver of the ball at Augusta.
“I think you could see that from guys that won, guys like Crenshaw and Sandy and Seve, guys who won there consistently, they were guys who were never really great drivers of the golf ball but they were great finishers.
“They were great iron players and good chippers and putters. That wasn’t my game. I always felt my strength was from tee to green. It’s such a hard golf course for me.
“Why it ever became a major championship you don’t know”
“I think what they’ve done now to the golf course – not necessarily the length but they’ve softened the greens a little bit and they’re not quite as fast as they used to be, in the 90s they were a nightmare, I mean they were ridiculously fast.
“I think they’ve put more flat spots in the greens for better pin positions, if they’d had the course set up the way it is now with a little bit of rough I think I really would have played better there over the years.
“It frustrated me and Trevino was the same way, not that I want to put myself in his league.
“If you’re a real purist, why it ever became a major championship you don’t know because it’s at the same course every year.
“So even if you get to a US Open venue that you don’t like, next year there’s going to be one that you do.
“Because every golf course is going to suit certain players more than others. And it’s just unfair that if you’ve got a game like Mickelson then you’re champing at the bit to get to Augusta each year, Nicklaus was the same. And so is Tiger.
“So my course record 63 was a real surprise… and came from frustration! I just putted as well as I ever have and the greens that year were a little slower and a little bit softer, but I just putted unbelievably well that day.
“I didn’t hit the ball any better than I had done on previous occasions but I just holed every putt I looked at.
“And it could have been better because I ran it over the top of the lip on 17 and then horseshoed out on the last.”
Now read: Is the Masters Par 3 contest the deadliest curse in sport?
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
