The first full week in April is always circled on my book as the official start of the golf season. Here in the south that means one thing, The Masters!

The weather starts to give us blooming dogwoods, azaleas and beautiful flowers surrounding the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club. I have spent countless days on the hallowed grounds during the tournament and as a caddie one year back in 1996. The place never gets old and it just makes me smile and feel like a kid again.

My Dad and I spent many days strolling around Augusta National and it routinely fell on on his birthday April 6th. I lost my dad to Melonoma Cancer in 2004 and one of the things that keep his smile and endless joy in my mind are the times we spent together out there.

During the time I lived in Augusta my dad and I played a lot of golf together. He was one of those guys that always had one foot on the gas and one foot on the break and felt like we were behind right from the first shot. He was a busy business owner who had a full plate but always had time for a round golf. The fact was that during Masters he was never in a hurry or worried about his pager of cellphone, it was pure freedom for him inside those gates.

He always had a skip in his step and was thrilled to see his hero’s and watch the players on the range then perch himself over at Redbud #16. He was like a little kid when he would get a call from a friend who has a badge and offered it up to him. Sometimes he would get badge for an afternoonor for the whole day and would shoot out to do what he loved and it made him so happy.

I had the luck in 2001 to receive my own badges and to share them with him was just great. The best part was not even out on the grounds, it was the visits with him talking golf and watching the Sunday drama unfold with him as we watched on TV. He and I would sit and eat breakfast every morning reading the Augusta Chronicle’s Master Section everyday and talking about where we were the day before.

As we come upon another Masters each of us, in our own way have vivid memories of each year but for me the greatest memories of all, are not the Bears Charge in 1986, Tigers first win in 1997 or Faldo’s win over Greg Norman, its the times out in line early on brisk spring day beside my Dad acting like two kids at the top of the steps before our parents called us down for Christmas morning.

This week represents three things I love, Easter and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Dad’s birthday and the Masters Tournament.  What else can be better? Bob Pritts you are forever loved and missed but never forgotten. It is only fitting that Easter, your birthday and the Masters all fall on the same week again this year. Happy Birthday Dad I know you will be watching!!

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