The towering oak tree next to the Augusta National clubhouse creates a shady town square at the Masters, and by-invitation viewing spot for some of the most powerful, influential and famous people in the sports world and beyond.
Players, caddies, coaches, agents and credentialed media stand or mill about under the tree. So do celebrities from other sports, such as 6-foot-10 tennis star John Isner, who was there Wednesday.
One of the many traditions that makes the Masters unique is the golfers and their caddies have the course to themselves; the media don’t get inside-the-ropes access. But a press badge does allow reporters under the tree and lots of interviews take place there. Club members, who wear their green jackets during the tournament, have access to that area too, as do their guests. Meanwhile, ticket holders stand along the black chain that separates the area so they can people-watch between tee shots.
The limbs of the tree, some thick as barrels and nearly touching the ground, are supported by a network of cables so camouflaged they’re virtually invisible. The fear of some people is the oak will fall victim to an ice storm, as the club’s famous Eisenhower tree did in 2014.
