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Grill Room debate: Favorite Augusta National tradition?

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LUSS, SCOTLAND - JULY 09: Nick Dougherty of England tees off on the 8th hole during the First Round of The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond Golf Club on July 09, 2009 in Luss, Scotland. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Favorite Masters tradition? You get to have your say by voting here. The Grill Room Gang offers its opinion below:

Champions Dinner – The Super Bowl MVP might get to look into a TV camera and shout ‘I’m going to Disney World’ to 500 million people worldwide, but there is nothing better in sports – in my mind – than winning the Masters and then having the honor of planning the following year’s Champions Dinner. Surf and turf? A pizza party? Hamburgers and hot dogs? Nothing but desserts? Oh the possibilities! – Golf Guy


Green jacket – You can take the girl out of the fashion blog, but you can’t take the fashion out of her blogs. Or, at least not when the clothing in question is the greatest fashion statement in golf – the green jacket. It signifies a belonging into golf’s most elite club by way of either an Augusta National membership or a Masters victory. It’s the one article of clothing that makes men – and women now, too – green with envy. It’s a symbol of greatness and accomplishment, something that money can’t buy. It’s the one Masters tradition that will never go out of style. – Bailey Mosier


Limited commercial interruption – Hi, I’m Jason, and I’m a technoholic. I’m not afraid to admit that DVR has completely changed my television viewing habits – if I can avoid commercials, I do it. Before digital recording, I went to the fridge during commericials to grab an adult refreshment. Now I have the pause button for that. And as great as those new AT&T spots are with the cute kids, you can always check them out on YouTube. So in a way, I feel like the Masters is put on especially for me, and (channeling my inner T.O.) I love me some me. – Jason Crook


Amen Corner – A demanding par 4 (No. 11), a diabolical par 3 (No. 12) and the ultimate risk/reward par 5 (No. 13) add up to the best three-hole stretch in golf. Each hole holds countless memories and is always integral in deciding who will slip on the green jacket each April.

Larry Mize’s miracle chip-in on the 11th in 1987 to beat Greg Norman in a playoff. Fred Couples’ ball defying gravity and staying on the bank and out of the water on the 12th in 1992. And, of course, Phil Mickelson’s stunning approach in 2010 from the trees on the 13th as he marched to his third Masters title.

These are just three of many snapshots in my mind. Whether a player is making a charge or fading away, this iconic stretch is never lacking in drama. – Byron Fisher


The back nine on Sunday – It’s not only when the Masters begins in earnest, it’s when the golf season begins in earnest. Everything else is just a run-up.

Nine holes, each with its own brand of drama played out multiple times, as each contender passes through. Some holes are a matter of avoiding obvious danger – don’t let your approach roll off the left side of the 10th green; don’t challenge the front-left pond at No. 11; make sure you clear the water at No. 12. Others tempt with opportunity – the reachable par-5 greens at the 13th and 15th, the opportunistic Sunday pin position at the 16th.

In the best of times, the leaderboard will be jammed, the top spot passed back and forth among multiple contenders. Ultimately, only one will succeed, the others often seeing their dreams drowned on one of the five water holes on the back nine.

For me, the winning putt is bittersweet. Sure, it’s the culmination of someone’s finest day, but it also means it’s over, and I have to wait another year to experience the best day in sports. Al Tays