AUGUSTA, Ga. – The pimiento cheese sandwiches are still here, and so is the Hogan Bridge over Rae’s Creek. So much else has changed at Augusta National this week, when the first fall Masters will be held without many of the traditions that make it a tradition unlike any other.The azaleas have long since bloomed, the galleries will be sparse and even the green jacket presentation ceremony in Butler Cabin will look a little different for the pandemic-delayed tournament that tees off on Thursday — seven months after originally scheduled.
The biggest change: With the course closed to the public, the roar of the crowds will be silenced and many of the fan-pleasing entertainment will be skipped.“We all miss the energy of the crowds.