After a brutal third round of golf at the 2007 Masters golf tournament,
the powers that be at Augusta had some mercy on the competitors and
softened the course for the fourth and final round.

Make no mistake it was the Masters golf course, Augusta National, that
won this most recent golf tournament. Not since the 1950's and 1960's
had viewers seen such a high winning score.

Little known Zack Johnson eventually won the 2007 Masters with a
score of 1 over par, but the grand old Masters golf course left little doubt
about the real winner.

Ever since Tiger Woods tore the golf course apart by shooting 18 under
par in 1997, the Masters golf course has been criticized as a relic of the
past.

The golf course at Augusta hosted the first Masters in 1934. Bobby Jones
called the tournament the "Augusta National Invitational Tournament"
until 1939.

After Tiger Wood's dismantling of August National in 1997, the
membership has wrought many changes. These changes have been
popularly referred to as "Tigerproofing".

The most notable changes involved lengthening the course, adding a
rough, additional trees, and deepening bunkers.

Several critics, including Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, have voiced
concern. Many are concerned that the changes have robbed the
Masters golf course of it's unique character and charm.

Before the changes, they argue, Augusta National had a unique mix of
holes that required the player to be cautious on one hole and aggressive
on another. Now the players must constantly play defensively, they
argue.

It is hard to disagree with these critics after witnessing this most recent
Masters tournament. The fabled "Augusta roars" were largely missing
from Sunday's back nine.

We think the secretive decision makers at Bobby Jone's course panicked
after Tiger's 1997 romp. They feared that new technology in golf balls
and golf clubs was threatening to render their course obsolete.

But Zack Johnson's 1 over par winning score shows the flaw in their
thinking. Augusta National can still be plenty tough as it showed this past week.
Some of the measures taken were appropriate. Others, such as adding rough and deepening bunkers have robbed the course of it's uniqueness. We hope the next changes restore some of Augusta National's character.

Please, give us back the Masters. The Augusta National golf course won but golf didn't.