Augusta National and the Masters tournament ooze tradition - from the drive down Magnolia Lane to the all white jumpsuits the caddies wear, from the honorary starters to the Champions dinner, from the pimento and cheese sandwiches to the green jacket.
But the most entertaining, the most fun of all the traditions, is the annual par 3 contest on the Wednesday of tournament week.
The par 3 contest has been a tradition since it was first played in 1960. And lucky for us, starting a few years ago, the powers that be decided to start televising it.
The contest is played over 9 holes to a par of 27 on an absolutely gorgeous design.
And this contest is all about fun. The atmosphere is spirited, relaxed, and casual. Here's where you see the pros' kids caddying for them, dressed in oversize caddy jumpers, and even putting for dad!
Here's where you see three of the all-time greats - Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player - paired together, firing at flagsticks and draining 40 ft putts.
Here's where you hear great banter between player and caddy, player and child, player and fans. At last year's contest, Jim Fyruk promised his daughter she could finally putt for him on one of the holes. He then had to explain to her why she couldn't - he had made a hole in one! She didn't care about dad's great shot, she was just bummed she couldn't putt!
And yes, if you've never seen a hole in one, or if you have and want to see more, you're virtually guaranteed of seeing at least one. There have been 72 holes in one in the contest's history. The record for one year was five in 2002!
Despite the relaxed atmosphere and fun of it all, they do crown a winner at the end. But let's just say it's not a title any pro is keen to win, at least if they're superstitious or a student of history. No player has won the par 3 and gone on to win the Masters in the same year. Who knows - maybe this year will be the first.
The par 3 contest airs on ESPN on Wednesday at 3 p.m. You can also go to www.masters.com to view live coverage online.
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