Winning the Masters

Hi, it's Mike, golf fanatic. The Masters is here and with spring—and schwag—in the air, we've got lots to talk about [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hey, everyone, this is [Mike Croley](, golf correspondent (and addict) here at Bloomberg. For us chops, Masters week is the first major tournament and the [most exciting time of the year](. It officially starts today, April 6, and runs through Sunday. The other major championships have their charms, but the Masters is a [beast unto its own](, with a legion of fans and corporate hospitality teams descending upon the ultra-exclusive Augusta National Golf Club and its surrounds, [flexing their expense accounts](. Magnolia Lane, one of the most famous driveways in America. Photographer: Augusta National/Masters Historic Imagery Tickets are actually relatively cheap by major sporting event standards, from $75 for practice rounds to $115 for tournament play, but they’re about as easy to come by as two consecutive hole-in-ones. [The annual ticket lottery](for the chance to purchase them gets over 1 million entrants. So for those of you, like me, tuning in at home, here’s a few ways to feel like you’re walking in the Georgia sun but without the heat and humidity. But if IRL heat and humidity is what you want, here’s the five best courses near Augusta. Source: Champions Retreat The official Masters Tournament app (for [iPhone]( and via [Google Play]() continues to be one of the most innovative and efficient sports viewing apps ever created. Not only can you watch every player in the field hit every single shot on every single hole, but this year IBM has partnered with Augusta to allow virtual watch parties with up to eight friends on the same live stream. The function is also available on [Masters.com](. IBM is also enlisting its Watson AI to generate text commentary as well as predictions for how each player will fare on a hole. “The predictions are based on AI-powered analysis of six years of historical Masters data on hundreds of players and more than 120,000 shots,” the company said in a press release. This will be much more interesting to think about than how I can save triple bogey on each hole. Beyond AI, oddsmakers suggest golfers from the Saudi-backed LIV have little chance at Augusta. Photographer: Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated Next up, dressing the part: The Masters is the symbolic start of spring for golfers which means golf apparel brands use the tournament as a showcase for their new collections. Players’ outfits are styled and scripted and equipment companies hawk special green-tinted releases, like [TaylorMade’s Season Opener golf bag]( and [Golf Pride’s Honorary Starter golf grip]( trimmed in green and yellow. (I’ve included some more brand and links below.) “Even if you’re not particularly familiar with golf, you know the Masters,” says Stephen Malbon, whose eponymous apparel company was one of the first to [infuse golf with a streetwear vibe](. The tournament especially aligns with his mission “to inspire others to get into the sport and to drive awareness around the greatest game on earth.” Released today, Malbon’s Asics collaboration in Masters-appropriate shamrock green. Source: Asics Atlanta’s [Sid Mashburn]( is inspiring me to lose some pounds so I, too, can channel the style spirit of two of Augusta’s most daring winners, Arnold Palmer and Seve Ballesteros. The Mississippi native (and college basketball fanatic who picked [UConn to win]( this year) cut his teeth at J.Crew and Ralph Lauren before setting out on his own. His outfits for PGA Tour pro Keith Mitchell are [pure retro-refinement](, eschewing polyester and tech fabrics. One of his [Pima cotton pique polos]( under a [blazer]( is a surefire way to make an impression at any Masters event. Keith Mitchell wearing Sid Mashburn is my style inspiration, on and off the course. Source: Sid Mashburn Which brings me to my final Masters-at-home tip: Food! August National’s official [Taste of the Masters]( boxes ($175 plus shipping) sell out early—bookmark that page now for next year—but with a little kitchen creativity you can hack your own themed spread together, minus the branded coasters and potato chips Goodies you’ll want to make include the [famous pimento cheese](, [egg salad]( and [barbecue pulled pork](; brew up some sweet tea ([fancier is more fun](); and let the tourney’s [peach ice cream cookie sandwiches]( inspire dessert. Pimento cheese and Champagne? Don’t mind if I do. Photographer: Beall + Thomas Now, who’s going to win the Masters and don that famous green jacket? My sentimental pick is Rory McIlroy to complete the career grand slam, and he’s been playing well. But don’t be surprised if Scottie Scheffler repeats, becoming only the fourth player to defend his title. Connect with Michael via [Twitter](, [Instagram]( or his [website]( More fashion for golf fanatics. Beyond just the boom in playing, golf apparel companies have also seen an increase in sales as relaxed dress codes at work have become the norm. These are my favorite new releases this spring whether you’re on the course, in a cubicle or at a watch party. [Malbon x Asics Gel Lyte III OG]( These $140 suede sneaks are meant to evoke the fairway, sand bunkers and classic caddie uniforms. Sure. They also just look badass. [Adidas Fair(way) Floral Polo Shirt]( Augusta National Woman’s Amateur Champion Rose Zhang sported these florals when she earned her laurels. Adidas has also outfitted Xander Schauffele and Colin Morikawa, the world’s No. 7 and No. 12 players, with the $70 shirts [Foray Golf Sleeveless Jumpsuit]( Great for a cookout and for a quick nine, this $200 jumpsuit in stretch-wicking Italian jersey is one of my wife’s favorite pieces. Fun fact: Rae, the daughter of Foray’s founder (get it?), is named after Rae’s Creek, the famous slip of water fronting Augusta’s 12th green and where many Masters hopes have been sunk. [FootJoy Premiere Series “Pastel Pack” Shoes]( Powder blue, primrose pink and hazy yellow colorways on the outsoles are a stylish nod to spring. The $220 shoes, for men and women, are just the latest in the 100-year-old brand’s continual reinvention. (Check out its Todd Snyder and Garrett Leight collabs, too.) [Travis Mathew Our Favorite Time of Year Polo Collection]( With bold prints and “enhanced stretch” (great for making a swing or going double on the pimento cheese), Mathew’s mesh cotton and tech fabric shirts feel soft and worn-in on the first wear. Catch up on your reading. Golf–notoriously slow, great for naps–is also prime time to catch up on reading material. Here are some topics and magazines to turn to when you want to go deeper on the sport. ● Augusta National Golf Club is gorgeous. It also sets a distorted view of how golf courses in the US are supposed to look. [Slowly but surely](, superintendents are realizing [“Mother Nature is always better.”]( ● One of the big headlines this week is how the players from LIV Golf, [the splinter league]( backed by the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, and the PGA Tour will get along. Some early hints might be found in Netflix’s popular golf documentary series, Full Swing. [While I probably know too much](, fans have flocked to the insider look of life as a pro golfer, which includes loads of pressure and riches to be earned. ● [McKellar]( is the labor of love of Tom Dunne and Lawrence Donegal, two veteran golf writers hellbent on curating a magazine that finds the sport’s overlooked corners to get at its [egalitarian roots and soulful appeal](. ● [The Golfer’s Journal]( has expanded to include podcasts and even video stories, but its bread and butter is still lush photography and storytelling. ● Industry Shakers [Eastside Golf]( has been serving up the golf apparel world with an authentic point of view. You had some questions! We only picked the golf ones this week, but keep the curiosity coming via our dedicated [AskPursuits@bloomberg.net](mailto:askpursuits@bloomberg.net) question line or shoot us a [DM on Instagram](. What are some of the best golf courses in the world, aside from Augusta? The National, as locals call it, is definitely up there but for your next trip, @aadigshah, consider a pilgrimage to Ireland and Scotland, where the ancient game was founded. Standouts in Ireland include [Royal County Down](, [Ballybunion]( and [Royal Portrush](. Worth the trek is newcomer [St. Patrick’s Links]( and the charming [Rosapenna resort]( in County Donegal, in the far northwest. In Scotland, you’d be remiss to not hit the [Old Course at St. Andrews](, considered the home of golf. Make time to include [North Berwick]( and [Cruden Bay]( among many, many others—over 550 in fact. Scotland was was named [best golf destination]( at the World Golf Awards last year. American golf is also having a renaissance now, largely due to [Bandon Dunes]( in southwest Oregon, which is almost 25 years old but has pushed [older resorts to renovate and innovate]( and [newer ones]( to come on the market. Thank Bandon founder Mike Keiser for [creating an entire paradigm for traveling golfers]( in North America. Although Covid put a crinkle in my plans, these nine new courses I wanted to play in 2020 still hold up three years later. Source: Rancho San Lucas Which Masters final rounds would you stream? In what order? ESPN+ lets you [watch the recaps of each year](. And though this Instagram DM was really just my friend @kornhm’s way to tell me what he would watch, at the top of my favorites is Ben Crenshaw’s win in 1995 while grieving the loss of his famous teacher, Harvey Penick. Also musts: Phil Mickelson’s 2004 win when he was golf’s loveable loser, and Tiger’s ’97 win, which shifted the entire foundation of professional golf. Readers, how about you? Golf? What is this, a ’90s boy club? Judging by the eyeroll emoji that finished this question, I don’t think you meant for me to answer, @madame____george, but you bring up a really fantastic point: Golf may have much to atone for but [women are now the key driver]( of the sport’s growth. In fact, the Covid golf boom has not only brought more women to the game, it has made [municipal golf and public golf more relevant](. For the future of golf, we should look to the past. Members of the municipal Wake-Robin Golf Club at Langston in 1947. Source: National Park Service Increased player numbers mean increased revenue for these important community hubs, which means they don’t have to put up with shaggy greens or less-than-ideal conditions. A model created by the [National Links Trust]( in Washington to invigorate its public golf facilities is now being copied to [revitalize courses around the country](. I’m going to the Masters. Where’s the best place to camp out? [Amen Corner]( is a great place to take in a lot of action and see multiple groups playing all at once. Other hints: Take advantage of UPS shipping to get your gear home from the new merchandise pavilion near Washington Road, and make sure to enjoy a [Georgia peach ice cream sandwich](, which returns after a year hiatus. Rumors of its permanent demise thankfully turned out to be premature and unwarranted. And if you can snag a spot at the Wheels Up hospitality tent and their full-size replica of [Rao’s](, send pictures. And if you read just one thing... Me and my brother, Tim. Source: Michael Croley Last year, mired in grief at the untimely death of my brother, I set out to play as many courses as I could to honor him and sort of find myself. [I wrote about it for Esquire](. It was an existential journey that took me from the Pacific coast of Oregon to the western coast of Ireland and revealed to me the true power of the game. New for subscribers: Free article gifting. Bloomberg.com subscribers can now gift up to five free articles a month to anyone you want. Just look for the "Gift this article" button on stories. (Not a subscriber? Unlock limited access and [sign up here](.) Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? [Subscribe to Bloomberg.com]( for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and subscriber-only insights. Want to sponsor this newsletter? [Get in touch here](. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Bloomberg Pursuits newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox. [Unsubscribe]( [Bloomberg.com]( [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( [Ad Choices](