Augusta House: Our writers talk Masters

Like the majority of journalists covering the Masters this week, PGATOUR.COM's group of writers -- Melanie Hauser (MH), Mike McAllister (MM), Helen Ross (HR) and Brian Wacker (BW) -- have rented a house instead of staying in hotel rooms. So what did they talk about Wednesday night? Here's a peek inside Augusta House.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: The annual Golf Writers Association of America dinner has just concluded and the crew has returned to Augusta House. Hauser, the GWAA secretary who oversees the dinner, is the last one to arrive after the 2-1/2 hour dinner.

MM: So, Brian, you want to tell Mel what your nametag said?

BW: Brian Walker.

MM: Not Wacker.

MH: Sorry about that.

BW: Actually, I didn't even spot it myself. I was outside talking to Geoff Russell (of Golf World magazine) and he said, 'Hey, they screwed up your name tag."

MM: Well, I think Brian will forgive you, since you had him sitting 12 inches away from Jack (Nicklaus, one of the honorees).

BW: Yeah, I was so close that I could smell his breath.

MM: Looked like several times you wanted to go up and introduce yourself, but you never pulled the trigger.

BW: I've actually talked to Jack three or four times at tournaments. He's always been great to me.

HR: It was nice to see so many of his family there. That was the first time I've seen Nan (his daughter). She looks like her mom. But her son definitely looks like a Nicklaus.

MM: Are you surprised Jack stayed the entire time?

MH: No. He stayed because of Art (Spander, the former San Francisco Chronicle golf writer who won the PGA's lifetime achievement in journalism award).

HR: Last year, Greg Norman stayed the entire time. I think those guys enjoy the dinner.

MH: Lots of time Jack has to get back to business. But he wanted to stay for Art.

MM: Padraig Harrington made some great comments tonight about dealing with the media, and how it was important for the players to embrace that. You think he's the favorite guy in the press tent to deal with right now?

HR: I'd say Tiger, Harrington and Geoff Ogilvy are the go-to guys for quotes right now.

MH: Harrington was brilliant, actually, tonight. I remember at Carnoustie, a few hours after he won, he was sitting there doing a one-on-one interview with a radio guy from Dublin.

BW: He's nice, accommodating, and thoughtful. He never gives you the pat answers. By the way, did you vote from him as Player of the Year.

HR: I did.

MH: I did.

MM: I did too. Here's the way I looked at it -- which year would Tiger have rather had? No doubt he would have wanted to win two majors instead of one.

MH: The voting wasn't that close.

BW: I voted for Tiger. Winning four of six events, including to me, arguably the greatest win in a major. That was impressive.

MM: Indeed. But other leagues don't hand out those end-of-the-season awards to guys who only played half a year. And it's still two majors to one.

HR: One last thing that surprised me -- when Juli Inkster (who was also honored at the dinner) said she had never been to Augusta National until this week.

MM: Yeah, that caught my attention too. You just naturally assume most of the top golfers have made their way to Augusta at some point, either to play or to attend the tournament. But you're right, there's probably a lot of great women golfers who have never been here.