Cellphones are banned at the Masters. Food and drink prices are happily stuck in the 1970s — $1.50 for a pimento cheese sandwich — a charming holdover from yesteryear. And painted leaderboards are updated by hand.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, it’s Jones (Bobby) meets Jetson (George). Drones whir over tee boxes. Fans all over the world can track every shot of every player — including balls thwacked on the driving range. As soon as someone finishes his round, his highlights of the day are instantly compiled by AI.
The challenge at this legendary tournament is as tricky as a downhill putt on 15. How does Augusta National lean into emerging technologies without compromising its storied tradition?
Get creative and you can grow the game. Get too cute and you can damage the brand.
“It’s a balance,” said Fred S. Ridley, chairman of Augusta National. “And it’s not always easy.”
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That means moving in a Masters-like manner, which around here entails operating so quietly and efficiently that changes seem to magically appear.
“We certainly want to progress,” Ridley said. “We want to try new things. We want to continue our mission to reach out and grow the game. But at the same time, we have to be cognizant of the fact that part of the magic of this place is those traditions and the mystique.”
On Friday, three familiar players sought to leave their own mark on Masters tradition. Justin Rose shot a 71 to maintain his lead at eight under par. Bryson DeChambeau shot a 68 and is one back, and Rory McIlroy, who needs a green jacket to complete a career Grand Slam, had a 66 to move to six under.
“There's a bit of a sense that the course is playing a little bit differently today,” Rose said. “A bit windier, for sure, out of a slightly different direction. So just trying to make some of those adjustments. I think it was a fairly favorable wind for the golf course in general, which is why I think you're seeing some good scores.”
In a larger sense, the winds of change at the Masters have been gusting for some time.
Across the street from Augusta ...
