Peter Williams: A once-in-a-lifetime experience

I've never enjoyed reading an email as much: "Herald on Sunday is approved for one press credential to the 2006 Masters tournament, with the understanding that this credential is for a writer and not a photographer. Sincerely, Martha Wallace, Media Committee."

At last. I can visit the golf writers' Holy Grail and report on the legendary tournament on the legendary Augusta National course.

I've been lucky enough to have seen Olympic and Commonwealth Games, accompanied the occasional cricket team on tour and covered a Rugby World Cup or two. Being accredited to the Masters tops all that.

My first engagement with the tournament came soon after I started playing golf, nearly four decades ago. The North Otago club secured two colour movies, probably of the 1964 and 1965 tournaments, and had a film evening for members at the club.

Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer were the stars but I remember Bob Charles appearing in a cameo role.

It's a long time ago but I still remember those films vividly. It was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with the Masters.

I first saw it on TV, and in colour, too, when I was an exchange student in upstate New York in 1972. Nicklaus was more stunning than I could have imagined.

We never saw the tournament on TV here until well into the 1970s, and even then it was only after the tapes had been flown in from CBS in New York. The first live broadcast of the Masters in New Zealand was in 1982 when Craig Stadler beat Dan Pohl in a playoff. Thankfully, at least the final two rounds have been televised live here ever since on TV One during the 1980s and then by Sky.

Through all this, like thousands of fans everywhere, I feel as if I know Augusta National - well, the back nine anyway - as well as my own club. I know about Amen Corner, about the two very birdieable par fives and about the demanding, long par-four 18th where the pin for the final round is always cut on the left front of the green, just over the bunker.

It's the most famous golf course in the world, made even more mysterious by virtue of the fact that so few are permitted on the grounds. The ability to buy season tickets through official channels ceased in 1972.

An advance copy of the media guide has only whetted my appetite. It tells me the course this year has been lengthened to 7445 yards with holes in the middle of the layout especially demanding.

From the 7th to the 11th, no hole is less than 450 yards - and only one is a par five.

Unless something totally unexpected happens in the next three weeks, Michael Campbell will be the only New Zealander in the field. I'm glad there'll be at least one New Zealand reporter there to see him play and I'm rapt its me.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY