Road to U.S. Masters far from idyllic for ticket holders

By Steve Keating

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Augusta National Golf Course has been described as a little piece of golfing heaven on Earth but to get to golf's promised land, ticket holders must travel through a stretch of urban hell.

The road to the home of the U.S. Masters is not lined with majestic Georgia pines, rather a four-lane gauntlet of fast-food joints, gas stations, ticket touts and budget hotels all offering five-star prices during the week of the season's first major.

Those making the pilgrimage to one of golf's most sacred places are often caught off guard when the dreamy images of blooming Azaleas and manicured grounds they have seen on television clash with the reality of Washington Road.

"Yea, they're kind of surprised, in fact first timers are really surprised," said Aaron Helms, who owns a business in one of the several strip malls along Washington Road that is offering Masters parking for recreational vehicles and tour buses.

"It's not what you see on television."

Along the 2.4 km stretch of Washington Road that runs from the Interstate cut-off to Augusta National, there are none of the serene scenes associated with one of the world's most exclusive clubs.

The chirping birds that provide the Masters soundtrack are drowned out by revving engines and honking horns on Washington Road, where young women in tight tops and hot-pants hold up signs welcoming golf fans to 'Bikini Contest Saturday Night'.

It is parking and Masters badges that provide the real commerce and currency along Washington Road during Masters week.