Why The Masters Matters

Jill Parker

I’m a golf junkie as many of you know.? ? And no, I am not a great golfer.? I’m not even a good golfer.? I am, like most golfers, mediocre, inconsistent and a terrible putter. ? But I love the game.? I love to play it, I love to talk about it, I love to buy cute golf outfits and most importantly, I love to watch it on TV.??????

I know many of you are saying, “Jill, I would rather watch paint dry-it’s boring.”? But honestly I will argue that point all day long.? ? Golf, and more importantly, PGA Tour Golf is anything but boring.? And the Masters Tournament is downright electrifying. And let me tell you why.????

1. ?The majesty of Augusta National is unmatched. ? ? Anyone who has ever seen video from the annual Waste Management Tournament in Phoenix knows that golf spectators can sometimes be anything but civilized. The Masters and Augusta are the antithesis of Waste Management. ? Spectators are “patrons” and the entire tournament is run like a well oiled machine.? You won’t likely see an IG reel of some patron getting hauled out of Augusta from having one too many azalea cocktails. ? It simply isn’t done. ? And being a fan of a dignified game, I am here for it.?
2. The feature stories from my main man Verne Lundquist.? The deep dives on the longshot PGA tour player who barely makes the cut or the longtime golf pro who finally gets to the Masters. ? ? We learn about hardships and tenacity and growing up playing golf. ? Stories about overcoming a tough childhood to learn the game or the special relationship between a caddy and a player.? ? I don’t care who you are or if you don’t even like golf. The stories are ALWAYS compelling.??
3. Two words.? Jim. Nantz. ? I wait all year for Nantz to say my favorite line on Saturday morning; “It’s moving day at the Masters.”? ? Nantz is the MAN.? Nuff said.??
4. The Tiger Woods factor. ? We are fortunate to witness one of the greatest golfers in the history of the game playing in our lifetime.? ? Due to some tragic events and injuries, Tiger is not in peak form but still thrilling to watch. ? And he can always surprise you.? ? I’m always hopeful, he has one more great tour victory in him.?????
5. The FOOD! ? I’m all in on egg salad and pimento cheese sandwiches, barbecue potato chips and Georgia pecan caramel corn.? ? Anytime I can enjoy the drama and thrill of sport and eat amazing food at the same time, yes please!

Finally, it’s the magical surprises.? The implosions, the comebacks.? ? Sunday tiebreaker shoot outs and the tense walk up the fairway after an out of bounds shot.? ? ? Any player hugging their wife and holding their new baby on the 18th? green is a joyous spectacle that gives me goosebumps every damn time.????

So what does any of this have to do with business?? So, so much.? The attention to detail and precision of the tournament and Augusta National’s execution is an example for any enterprise looking to model great operations and service.? ? The focus and determination of the players model how an individual can achieve greatness under tremendous pressure. ? We can all probably draw comparisons to our own journey.? Of course, my day to day doesn’t include an $18MM purse (sigh).? The demonstration of dedicated individuals honing their craft and playing the literal long game to achieve excellence is always something a leader can observe and emulate.? ? You get the idea.???

So if you’re looking for me this weekend, I can be found in my living room, watching ESPN and CBS while munching on pimento cheese sandwiches and sipping an Azalea…Cheers!

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