What is it?The only one of the four major championships that is played at the same location each year - the ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.
Exclusive?You cannot apply to join Augusta National's 300 members - and it definitely doesn't help if you're female. Membership is by invitation only - and the fees range between $250,000 and $500,000. The all-male ethos of the club led to a high-profile row between the club and Martha Burke, head of the National Council of Women's Organisations, in 2002 - which resulted in the club losing big amounts of money due to some commercial decisions they took in response to the row. When faced with admitting women or losing money, they took the hit on their wallets - which is interesting considering the club includes among its members some of the most successful businessmen in the world, such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
So what do I need to know about the Masters?Everything, everything, has to be perfect at the Masters. Even the ponds at Augusta National have been artificially coloured - using food dye - to make them a deeper green. The club takes this event rather seriously, and a premium is placed on etiquette and decorum. It has many rules on the same, such as insisting purses can be no larger than 10in by 5in by 5in, and running is unacceptable behaviour.
And can an Irishman win it?Padraig Harrington finished last season's edition tied-seventh, four shots behind Zach Johnson - who finished on one over par, so it's not a forgiving course. Harrington, of course, arrived at Augusta this week as the British Open champion, so who knows. Tiger Woods will start as the odds-on favourite with some bookmakers.
So the Masters is worth competing in?Okay, so the 2008 Masters champion will get almost a €1 million, but he'll also have to model an awful-looking, alien-green jacket in front of millions of viewers.
So it's swings and roundabouts, isn't it?In fact, the club insists the green jacket be handed back each year - only once has someone (Gary Player) failed to deliver it back quickly to Augusta, which tells you everything you need to know. Believe it or not, the winner retains "visitation rights" to the jacket. So, whenever he's at Augusta National he can wear the jacket. We're confident no one has taken the club up on this.
- DAMIAN CULLEN
