ESPN Golf

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It's a "tradition unlike any other." You'll be told that over and over again this weekend as you strap yourself in front of the television, watching the 2004 Masters unfold. But watching The Masters on TV and actually getting to experience it in person are two entirely different things.

Truth be told, those of you at home will have a much better feel for the tournament -- who's playing well and who's not -- than I will, mainly because I refuse to come to Augusta and sit in the press room watching TV monitors and scoreboards. Well, it's not so much that I refuse, just that The Mag is kind enough to let me roam. For those who've never had the chance to walk through the gates of Augusta National Golf Club, here are a few sights, sounds and thoughts from just outside the ropes on Friday.

There's a great place to watch golf in between the third green and the fourth tee. Figured I'd see a few birdies there as the 350-yard, par-4, third hole is almost drive-able (John Daly reached the front bunker Friday) and the 205-yard fourth is a pretty straight-forward par three. Turns out the third hole yielded 17 birdies, but I just happened to be there for the wrong groups. It took a beautiful wedge shot by Phil Mickelson -- a shot that spun to within two feet of the hole -- for me to finally see a red number posted. Mickelson promptly bogeyed the fourth, burying his tee-shot in the front bunker and failing to save. There were eight birds recorded on the fourth hole. I saw not a single one.

In addition to that spot between three and four, there are a few other spots at Augusta where you can keep track of what's going on. More often, however, you play the listen and guess game. You hear the crowd roar, you guess what hole it's coming from, you check your pairing sheet, then you tell whoever will listen what you think just happened. On one occasion Friday, everyone was able to figure out what happened instantly. That was when Tiger Woods birdied No. 16, getting to even for the first time in the tourney.

Woods looked like he'd surely give back at least a stroke when he drove the ball through the right woods on No. 18. With trees and a huge scoreboard blocking his path to the green, Woods still managed to hit the green and two-putt for par. While Woods and his group were walking, a ball came flying over the gallery and landed in the 18th fairway. It was an errant approach shot -- a really errant approach shot -- by Darren Clarke, who was playing to the ninth green. Clarke had to wait nearly 15 minutes before he could hit his third shot. He sat on his bag for a while, then had to have the gallery near the 18th green clear out for him. His wedge shot had to be hit over two television towers. Clarke landed the ball on the green and two-putted for bogey.

For anyone who's ever been to a PGA Tour event and dished out mega-bucks for food and drink, The Masters goes in the exact opposite direction. The most expensive items on the menu are a Masters club sandwich and a fried chicken breast sandwich, which go for $2.50. All the other sandwiches -- all cold because they don't want the smell of food cooking in the air -- are $1.50. Beer is $1.75, unless you want it in a collectable plastic cup. Then it's $2.50. Amazing that I absolutely stuffed myself for under $10.

Davis Love III played a nine-hole practice round with Arnold Palmer on Wednesday and said he tried to hurry his group so he could watch The King finish up his final round at Augusta on Friday. Palmer competed against DL3's father, the late Davis Love II, at The Masters. "(Arnie) talked about my dad in the practice round. It's just amazing, the little things that he remembers, that my dad qualified through the U.S. Amateur to get here in '55, and Arnold remembered and he remembered the matches he won. I think he won that amateur in '54. But he remembered matches that he had won and remembered my (father's matches). He has a great memory, but when he brings it up, it makes you feel good. He's been good to me since I was a very small child. So it was an honor to get to play with him in his last Masters."

Ian Poulter, a 28-year old Brit, made the loudest fashion statement of the week, playing Thursday's first round in a pair of pink pants with saddle shoes to match. He was not the only player to push the boundaries of good taste. Darren Clarke, who has recently dropped about 30 pounds and bleached his hair blond, also went with some pink trousers on Thursday, but toned his look down a notch Friday. "Maybe it's a bit of a mid-life crisis, I don't know," said Clarke. "I do know they don't need as much material to make me pants now, so maybe I'm a little more comfortable wearing clothes that stand out."

Yours truly also tried to stand out from the crowd on Friday, making my own fashion statement by refusing to dress as if I had a late afternoon tee-time. I wore a T-shirt, shorts and running shoes because I did not see it written anywhere that spectators had to wear proper golfing attire. I guess it's no different than adults who wear replica jerseys to other sporting events, but it is humorous to see adults dressed from head to toe in tour worthy attire, complete with hats advertising some equipment company and, yes, golf shoes. I guess there'd be a reason to wear golf shoes if the course was wet. But when you see that not a single caddie feels the need for golf shoes & just makes you wonder, "why?" Of course, these are the same people who are constantly working on their swings (and practicing their putting strokes with their umbrellas) from just outside the ropes.

Apparently when people score a Masters badge they assume they're going to run into a celebrity or two. On Thursday, it was actor James Cavaziel who drew the autograph seekers. Friday, it was me. For some reason, two people thought I was John McEnroe and asked if I'd sign their hats.

Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.