ISAUGUSTANATIONAL’SBILLYPAYNEGOLF'SMOSTINFLUENTIALPERSON?ByRonSirak•@ronsirak March.25,2017
In2007,BillyPayneoversawhisfirstMastersaschairmanofAugustaNationalGolfClub,apositionheassumedfromHootieJohnsonamonthafterthe2006tournament.Sincethen,Paynehasemergedasperhapsthemostimpactfulpersoningolf.HisdecadeinchargehasbeenoneofimmenseprogressthatextendsfarbeyondtheveryprivatewallsofAugustaNationaltotheglobalgolfcommunity.
SinceANGCwasfoundedbyBobbyJonesin1931,theclubhasleverageditsrolethroughtheMasterstobecomeaquasi-governingbody.Justthinkofit:Ofthefourmen’smajors,theU.S.OpenisrunbytheUSGA,theBritishOpenbytheR&AandthePGAChampionshipbythePGAofAmerica.TheMastersaloneisthepropertyofaprivateclub.TherehavebeensixchairmenofANGCstartingwithCliffordRoberts,whoheldthattitlefrom1931until1976.HewasfollowedbyWilliamLane(1976-80);HordHardin(1980-91);JacksonT.Stephens(1991-98);Johnson(1998-2006)andthenPayne.I’veknownthelastfourandhavehadmemorableinteractionswitheach.Once,whenIwrotetheymighthavelostNo.11green,lettingitbecometoofirmandfast,HardincalledmeinandgavemealectureonJones’theoryofgolfandhowBobwouldhaveplayedthehole.In1996,whenIwroteeveryonewillrememberthefinal-round78byGregNormanbutwhattheyreallyshouldrememberistheclosing67byNickFaldo,oneofthemostbrilliantlyconceivedandexecutedrounds
underpressurethatI’vewitnessed,Stephenssentmealettersayingheagreed.Iwrotehimback,hewrotemeback,andthenIwasthinkingI’dwritehimagainsaying,“How’snextTuesdayat10workasateetimeforyou”butthoughtIbetterleavewellenoughalone.AndwhenJohnsonoversawthefirst“Tiger-Proofing”ofAugustaNational,Iwrotethatitwasaknee-jerkreactiontothedistanceexplosioninthewakeofbiggerdrivers,kinderballsandstrongerplayers.Hootietookmeaside–outthebackdooroftheoldinterviewroom,actually–andfirmlytoldme:“NothingwedoatAugustaNationalisaknee-jerkreaction.”Actually,hewasright.Fromtheoutside,itappearsAugustaNationalisslowtochange,especiallywhenitwaslatetothetablewithbothminorityandfemalemembers.ButthetruthisthatANGCisconstantlychanging,evolvingreally,andevolution,unlikerevolution,unfoldsslowlyandwithaplan.AndthatbringsustoChairmanPayne.Histenurehasbeenadecadeofdecisiveandimpactfulaction.HereispartofwhatANGChasaccomplishedunderhisleadership.•2008–PartnerswithESPNasitscableTVoutlet,greatlyexpandingviewershipofnotonlytheThursdayandFridayroundsbutalsotheWednesdayPar-3Contest.•2009–TeamswiththeR&AtocreatetheAsia-PacificAmateurChampionshipwiththewinnerinvitedtotheMasters.ThesecondandthirdcompetitionwerewonbyHidekiMatsuyamaofJapan,nowoneofthebestplayersintheworld.
•2010–Opensastate-of-the-artpracticerangeonlandthatoncewasaparkinglot.•2012–InvitesformerSecretaryofStateCondoleezzaRiceandSouthCarolinabankerDarlaMooretobeitsfirstfemalemembers.•2013–TheDriveChip&PuttChampionshipstartswithjuniorplayersqualifyinginall50statestogettothefinalsatAugustaNational.•2013–OpensBerckmansPlace,amorethan90,000squarefeethospitalityfacilityadjacenttothefifthhole.•2015–ANGC,alongwiththeR&AandtheUSGA,createstheLatinAmericaAmateurChampionship,whichalsogetsthewinnerintheMasters.AlsoweavingthroughthePayneErahavebeenmassivelandpurchasesthatallowedtheclubtobettercontroltheenvironmentaroundthegolfcourseandcreatedroomforexpandedfacilities.Quietly,andunobtrusively,corporatehousingappearedontheleftsideofthetenthfairwayandthisyearanewmediacenteropens.Yet,theMastersremainsperhapsthepuresteventinallofsportsintermsofmaintainingfocusonthecompetitionandnotsellingitssoultogreed.IthasneverlostsightofthevisionbyJonesthattheexperiencesoftheplayersandthepatronsareparamount.Ticketprices–forthoseluckyenoughtogetthem–arethebestbargaininanymajorsportingevent.Foodconcessionsarerunonabreak-evenbasisandTVcommercialtimeremainslimitedtofourminutesanhouronCBS,itsonlynetworkpartnerever,andESPN.
Yes,theMastersmakesalotofmoneyinmerchandisesales,internationalanddomesticTVrightsandcorporateentertaining.Butitcouldmakemuchmoreifitwantedto.Anditgivesback.OpeningthefacilitytotheDrive,Chip&PuttChampionshipisasignificantgrow-the-gameinitiativeandit’sonlyamatteroftimeuntilsomeonewhocompetedthereslipsonthegreenjacket.Allofthisisaconsciouseffortbyamanwithaplan.“Theprofessionalgame,Ibelieve,isinverygoodshape,anditscontinuinghealthandprosperitydependsuponthecollaborativeeffortofmanyorganizationsandinstitutionswhoprovideopportunityandencouragementtoyoungplayers,”Paynesays.“WeatAugustaNationalGolfClubaretryingtodoourpart,aswefeelacontinuingandgenuineobligationtogivebacktothegame.Thismandatefromourfoundersiseverybitasimportantastheconductofthetournamentitself.”Askedhowlonghewouldremainchairman,Paynewrylyanswered:“Well,thatcommitteehasn'tmetyet.”Andaskedabouthisaccomplishments,hesaid:“Ididn'thaveanyspecificgoals.MygoalistoservewhatevertenurethatIserveandthenfadeintothebackground,because,asI'vesaidmultipletimes,AugustaNationalhasonlytwopeoplewhoforeverwillbeapartoftheirculture,andthat'sCliffordRobertsandBobbyJones.”Historymaywriteitselfdifferently,addingPayneonalinejustbelowJonesandRoberts,rememberinghimasoneofthemostinfluentialindividualsofhiserainthegameofgolf.AugustaNational,fordecadesseenasthestatusquo,isnowabeaconforgrowthandprogress.BillyPayneshouldgetalotofcreditforthat.
