It is a quiet Masters. (Photograph by Jamie Squire/Getty Photographs)

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods had simply birdied the 16th gap at Augusta Nationwide. Just a few hundred yards away, the operators up within the scoreboard looming over the seventh inexperienced dropped a big pink three into the proper slot.

In a traditional yr, this might have introduced cacophonous cheers from the gallery across the scoreboard. This yr, although, the clanking of plates and dialog between the operators inside drew solely a shushing from a course marshal. There have been gamers making ready to putt, and the quiet speak deep contained in the scoreboard was resonating all the way in which to the inexperienced.

The absence of patrons at Augusta has robbed this place of its coronary heart. It’s like a symphony with out a string part. The sounds you’d repeatedly hear — the tik!s of putters, the thmp!s of sand wedges, the chik!s of strategy pictures — all at the moment are in high-def. And the cannon-blast of Bryson DeChambeau’s driver resounds over half the course.

However greater than that, right here’s what’s fascinating and surprising: all of the little sounds of golf and nature usually drowned out by ambient gallery noise now echo throughout the course.

“It is loopy to see and notice the little issues we are able to hear from so distant,” Jon Rahm stated Saturday morning. “I imply, any person might be digging right into a bag of chips 150 yards away, and generally you’ll be able to hear it, which is loopy.”

The best way sound travels throughout the open fairways and tall pines of Augusta has led to some surprising, odd, typically humorous moments. The sounds of particular person fowl calls are audible. A pine cone falling from a tree echoes. Footsteps on tiny gravel paths echo like a radio tuned to static. The voices of two volunteers telling jokes carry far sufficient that a complete gap can hear the punch traces.

You’re acutely conscious with each step of how open and uncovered you might be at Augusta proper now, how cautious you must be to protect the silence in each route. You’re not allowed to hold cell telephones on Augusta Nationwide, however when you had been, and the ringer occurred to go off, it’d be audible throughout all the property — and each one of many half-dozen individuals close by would know precisely whose cellphone simply rang.

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Gamers are divided on whether or not the silence helps or hurts their sport. “You miss the sound, you miss the cheer, the roar, and when you hit an excellent shot, you miss all that,” Louis Oosthuizen stated. “ It is virtually somewhat bit tougher to essentially get your self pumped up.”

However, there’s a purity to the silence right here, nothing greater than you and your sport. Anybody who’s ever performed an early-morning spherical of golf is aware of the serenity that comes with having the course to your self. It’s a chilled feeling … simply not one you’d anticipate at one of many world’s best-known programs throughout one in every of sports activities’ marquee occasions.

“There’s actually not a lot happening out right here,” Scottie Scheffler stated. “It is actually peaceable. I have not felt distracted in any respect with there being no individuals out right here.”

“I would not say it is simple or tougher to pay attention,” Rahm stated. “It is just a bit totally different.”

Nobody’s allowed on the property exterior of Augusta Nationwide officers, members and their (few) company, gamers and their (only a few) company, and a handful of media. Even birdies and eagles solely draw just a few remoted claps. The irony, although, is that one particular person shifting in a sight line generally is a entire lot extra distracting than a complete gallery shuffling and murmuring.

“It is virtually tougher as a result of there’s much more motion happening with single individuals strolling round,” Oosthuizen stated. “When there was 30,000, 40,000 individuals, you are high-quality simply going (forward and hitting).”

Volunteers and course officers are inclined to congregate across the 18th gap, and there have been a number of dozen gathered across the first tee early Thursday morning for the ceremonial begin of the event. So Sunday’s winner ought to see a small gathering, at the very least, as he walks up the 18th fairway.

Within the meantime, although, we’re in for 2 extra silent rounds from Augusta. Pay attention carefully; you by no means know what you may hear.

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Jay Busbee is a author for Yahoo Sports activities. Observe him on Twitter at @jaybusbee or contact him with ideas at jay.busbee@yahoo.com.

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