May 2025Welcome Message

Standard ImageTitleBy Ed Mate, CGA Executive Director/CEOI have watched a lot of golf tournaments during my life. Just ask my wife! I will confess, I have also fallen asleep to a lot of golf tournaments. There is nothing as relaxing as listening to the soothing sounds of drab golf commentary and succumbing to Sunday afternoon laziness.And then there is The Masters. I don’t believe I have ever fallen asleep to The Masters. Certainly, some have been better than others, but there is nothing quite like the back nine on Sunday at Augusta National.And then there was this year’s Masters. Rory McIlroy’s win last month quickly went straight to the mountain top of my Mt. Rushmore of Masters memories. For me, my (current) top four Masters (in chronological order) are:

1986 – “Yes Sir!” - Jack Nicklaus’ improbably 6^th green jacket.

1996 – Greg Norman’s collapse.

1997 – Tiger’s “Win for the ages.”

2025 – Rory’s Redemption and career grand slam.

While recognizing that this might be recency bias, if I had to pick my favorite Masters ever, the 2025 tournament is the winner.Leave it to a man from Holywood, Northern Ireland to write a script that even (the other) Hollywood could not dream up. Consider these 18 story lines…

The demons of 11 attempts to win the career grand slam at Augusta National.

The memories of a Masters back-nine implosion in 2011.

Being paired with the player who snatched the U.S. Open from our story’s hero just last year.

A double-bogey start to give back the 54-hole lead on the very first hole!

Back-to-back birdies on 3 and 4 to quickly reclaim the lead.

Two more back-to-back birdies on 9 and 10 to take a four-stroke lead into the final stretch.

A double-bogey on the easiest hole on the back nine caused by one of the worst 90-yard wedge shots in tournament history.

Another bogey at 14 to validate every pessimists expectation of yet another tragic end.

A lightning bolt 7-iron around the trees on 15 finishing just a few feet from the hole.

Near misses on very makeable putts on 15 and 16 to keep the tournament in doubt.

An unlikely birdie on 17 set up by a brilliant approach to within a few feet.

Needing a par on the last and letting it slip away with a “Greg Norman-like” miss on the approach.

A weak, low-side miss reminiscent of Tom Watson’s 18-hole putt at Turnberry in 2009.

Going into a sudden-death playoff with none of the momentum and facing the player on who shot a final round 66 that included 10 birdies.

Somehow summoning up a perfect tee shot on 18 to set up a short approach to 18.

Stuffing a wedge approach to within three feet to top your opponent’s brilliant approach.

A sigh of relief as the final putt dropped that reverberated throughout Amen Corner.

A story of resiliency and redemption that NEVER actually happens in REAL life!

Thank you Rory McIlroy for giving us reason to believe that “Holywood” endings can happen.CoverWelcome MessageMember ZoneRules videoOn the CoverInside the RopesU.S. Senior OpenCloser LookSwing TipCommunityOutside the RopesTravelWellness TipHealth CareEnvironmentRMGCSAColorado GolfVolunteersSOTG PodcastGearFeatured Club