Huber Blog: Wet weather makes it tough for patrons, too

TNT's Emmy Award-winning essayist Jim Huber is in Augusta for the Masters, and each day he will report on what he saw, heard and felt at storied Augusta National Golf Club. This is his Friday edition.

By Jim Huber, Special to PGA.com

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- If the rain comes Friday, as predicted, it surely wouldn't be a great surprise. After all, it has rained during 42 of the previous 72 Masters and the only tournament this decade that hasn't been "weathered" was 2007.

Wet weather plays another role here, emphasizing the tremendous changes in elevation here. And it hits home immediately upon entering the grounds, a slippery slope heading up to the back of the clubhouse and the first tee.

"Geez, this has gotta be really dangerous when it rains," I heard one new patron exclaim yesterday as he made his way up.

"Surely they have folks here to help you up and down," said his friend, also obviously a rookie.

Um, sorta.

They kindly spread a mulch-like mixture over the mud to give you a bit of traction. After that, you're on your own and please don't wear white.

Unreceptive?: After all the joyous talk Thursday of a brand-new receptive Augusta National, we quickly learned Friday how a little wind can change all that.

There were 18 rounds in the 60s Thursday and thus far, not a one on Friday. What that does, from an historical perspective, is set up yet another season when not one player is able to go four rounds under 70 here. For a course that has yielded such low numbers over the decades, that is one of the most remarkable records in the book here.

Rookie stuff: So much for this experience stuff. Anthony Kim took one day to get to know the magical, mystical Augusta National greens and then blistered them Friday with a tournament-record 11 birdies. A second-round 65 with a double at the 10th for the Masters rookie.

He played with the 17-year-old Ryo Ishikawa and 19-year-old Rory McIlroy and thought the folks who made up the pairings had a thought in mind.

"We were put into position where we needed to act accordingly and I think we represented ourselves and our families well."

Pretty heady stuff for the old man of the group at 23.