Teeing up for the 2011 Masters Tournament

The Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, USA, will again play host to the 2011 Masters Tournament between April 7 and 11, and it's always a huge event on the calendar of any golf fan. Running every year since 1934, the Masters always proves memorable, and the 2011 event should be no exception.

This year was marked by two developments, the first being an occasion to celebrate renowned golfer Jack Nicklaus's 75th anniversary as a pro golfer. The second dramatic development has been speculation over a return to form for golfing super hero Tiger Woods, who had slipped down the rankings to 5th spot last year, his lowest ranking since 1997.

Woods has been the subject of much speculation recently - he's won the Masters four times before, but his game has been on the decline recently, having not won a Masters Tournament since 2005. His last win on the PGA Tour was in 2009, before which he was undoubtedly the most successful player on the circuit, winning 14 major championships between 1996 and 2008 (and collecting millions in prizes and endorsements, with Forbes naming him the richest sportsman in 2010).

Woods will not have been the only player undertaking some serious training in anticipation of the 2011 Masters. The top four golfers going into the tournament are Martin Kaymer of Germany, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald of England, and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, with competition set to be fierce.

It's not only the players who require intensive preparation regimes before playing a Masters Tournament, though - golf course managers and superintendents also go into overdrive before a big competition.

Ensuring that the course is in tip top playing condition is absolutely essential for a championship of this calibre, and so golf course superintendents often use any tool that is available to ensure their course is ready for play.

These tools can include using such products as artificial putting greens and driving range mats, which protect the essential parts of the course that suffer from the most wear and tear.

With a prize purse of $7.5 million USD at stake, there's no doubt that the 2011 Masters has a lot of money riding on it. Last year's winner, Phil Mickelson, stated in an interview that he was feeling confident about the 2011 tournament, since as a left-hander he had an advantage on the critical 12th hole.

Whether Mickelson would be able to repeat his 2010 feat this year, or whether Woods would be able to put his streak of poor form behind him and rise to the occasion, still remains to be seen.

What is for certain, though, it that when it comes to sporting spectacles, the Masters Tournament is always one of the greatest shows on earth, up there with the Super Bowl and the World Cup, and golf fans around the world will watch every shot with bated breath.

Daniel Collins writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.