The Crows Nest, where dreams go to die
No amateur has ever won The Masters, and if you’re required to stay in the Crows Nest, one may never accomplish the feat.
There have been close calls: T2: Stranahan (‘47), Venturi (‘56), Coe (‘61); T3: Patton (‘54). Since then, the best amateur finishes have come earlier this century: T13: Wittenburg (2004), Moore (2005).
Amateurs are unique in that they are the only competitors allowed to stay on the grounds during Masters week. So, John Daly isn’t gunning beer funnels with Frank the Tank in the houses off the 10th tee at 11pm on Friday night, at least, not that we’re aware of.
Enter the iconic Crow’s Nest, situated on the top of the austere clubhouse.
- 1200 sq ft, 4 “rooms” separated by short change room dividers
- 5 WWII-era single beds (thankfully zero bunk beds)
- One communal bathroom, plus a bonus second sink...and a 19” television
- Likely a smell similar to your great aunt’s house (complete with a bowl of hard candies)
- Accessible by a near vertical staircase that would kill most Augusta members in a fall
Who amongst us hasn’t endured the “shared restroom experience” on a buddies trip or dealt with a room shaking snorer. This is fine for a weekend, booze fueled hit and giggle with your friends, but what about having to perform in front of peers and 100s of thousands of viewers, in person and on TV?
Although there would be the temptation to stay off site to improve the ever fleeting chances of an amateur Masters win, one could do worse than to “suffer” in the Crow’s Nest during Masters week:
- You’re close to the first tee of golf’s Mecca
- You have 24/7 access to all the milkshakes you can drink
- You are feted like royalty by the membership all week
- They don’t check you out if you miss the cut
If one is to suffer low quality sleep under a bed spread resembling what you’d find at Ben Crenshaw’s grandmother’s house, just make up for it by pilfering a souvenir bathrobe like Brandt Snedeker did during his stay.
