Martin Dempster's Masters 2024 diary: Donaghy despair, early-bloom blow, Ollie's turf fear and new $17,000 pass

Our golf correspondent gives you the lowdown on what’s happening at Augusta National

Fall forces Scottish caddie to miss out

It’s not exactly shaping up to be a Masters to remember from a Scottish standpoint after Glaswegian Mick Donaghy missed out on carrying Tyrell Hatton’s bag following an untimely fall. The tumble happened on Saturday night and forced Donaghy, one of the game’s real characters, to miss the final round of LIV Golf’s Miami event due to requiring a visit to hospital. “His reputation is an interesting one, so I don’t know how the fall really occurred. But, either way, he landed on his shoulder,” revealed Hatton, who has drafted in his friend, Hugo Dobson, for the season’s opening major. Donaghy’s absence comes on the back of no Scot securing a spot in the field at Augusta National for the first time since 1984.

Lack of flower power again

Tyrrell Hatton pictured with caddie Mick Donaghy during the 2023 Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

It may still look stunning on your TV screens but those azalea bushes are lacking their customary bloom for this year’s event. Due to mild winters becoming more common in Georgia, the splash of spectacular colour at Augusta National has become earlier than used to be the case. “It’s still pretty pristine and as close to perfect as a golf course gets,” wrote Scott Michaux, Mr Masters, in his Divot column for this week’s Global Golf Post. “Nobody is turning down a tournament badge because the flowers are underwhelming. But if you show up expecting to see Monet’s Garden at Giverny and find Water Lilies at Hogan’s Bridge instead, you might be a little let down. But it’s nothing a Crow’s Nest lager and egg salad sandwich in Amen Corner can’t cure.”

Spaniard recalls ‘scary’ first visit

Jose Maria Olazabal is celebrating a double Augusta National anniversary this week, which marks the 30th anniversary of his first Masters win and 25th of his second success. “I have always said this place is very special to me regardless of the anniversaries or not,” admitted the Spaniard. His first appearance was in 1985 as the Amateur champion and Olazabal shared a story that probably resonates with every single player to tee up up at the Georgia venue over the years. ”Walked on to the driving range, which was the old driving range, and I had never seen grass so perfect before in my life,” he recalled. “So I started to warm up, hit some wedges, and you know what? I thinned them all. I couldn't hit a divot. I was so scared of spoiling such perfect turf!”

Pass for new hospitality facility costs $17,000

A general view of azaleas during a practice round prior to the 2024 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

The first and only official Masters hospitality experience outside the gates of Augusta National has opened for business. It’s called Map & Flag and is a seven-minute walk to the North Gate. According to a report in the build up to the season’s opening major, a weekly pass costs $17,000 – yes, you read that right – and for that you get access to the hospitality venue as well as a tournament badge. Is it worth that amount of money? “It’s Augusta. They did it perfect,”a golf industry veteran who hosts clients at the Masters every year told Golfweek. “First year deal, you’d think there would be issues but, no, it works and my people love it.”