Raised on a farm in Fillmore County, 1968 graduate of Harmony High School Dr. Len Whalen learned to golf with his college bowling teammates in Winona when he was 21. Golfing became more routine in his life after opening his chiropractic practice in Zephyrhills, Fla. After attending The Masters practice golf tournament in Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia with some friends, he was hooked.
“In 1996, it was the last time you could buy tickets for the first three days of practice rounds,” says Len. “Tournament tickets for Thursday through Sunday had already been assigned to ticket holders from previous years. The par 3 tournament is held on Wednesday on an adjacent par 3 course next to main course. It is like a stadium where people surround the nine holes played around and over two ponds. It is family day where many golfers have their children, grandchildren, relatives, or celebrity friends caddy for them. To get tickets now, there is a lottery in which you can win tickets. You can, like any other event, also buy them (secondhand) from a legitimate broker.” He adds, “Whatever your expectation levels are, they are always exceeded. You are able to see the players in a different light when their spouses and children are gathered around, and sometimes you get to meet them.”
Reading about the historical significance of the grounds, the buildings, and the people involved with The Masters gives Len a different perspective when visiting, and he is enthused to see others head to Augusta each April. Len’s generosity in helping others secure tickets brings this tournament to family, friends, and even strangers. “I have been able to help many attend this beautiful golfing event, but assisting my friend Sean Klotz’s father to go is one of the most satisfying ones. Sean and his brother Mark are both PGA professionals, teaching skills to make the game more enjoyable, and their dad, Mel, had always wanted to go to The Masters. So, I pushed Sean into making the plans and got him a ticket. Mel had a crippling disease which made it hard for him to walk, but they worked it out and he was able to go. Afterwards, Mel wrote the most beautiful thank you letter to his sons, which was shared at his funeral a few years later.”
The Masters grew from the 1930 Georgia “Fruitland Nurseries” to be recognized with the other major golf events: the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship. Under the inspiration of Bobby Jones (the first and only golfer to win the Grand Slam, in 1930) and Clifford Roberts, the event was originally called Augusta National Invitation Tournament, with the name being changed to its present title in 1939. Jones enlisted the Scottish born architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie, known for an expertise in designing golf courses since 1907. This course in Georgia attracts golfers, golf enthusiasts, and even non-golfers with an appeal of visual beauty, rich history, and remarkable talent.
Len is fascinated with history, so knowing stories about Amen Corner, “The Big Oak Tree” planted in the 1850s near the clubhouse, “Eisenhower Pine” which was located on the 17th hole, Ike’s Pond, and that each hole on the course is named after the tree or shrub adds to his personal enjoyment and he thinks everyone should try to attend this amazing event. “One of my favorite memories is when I was able to take my sister Ruth, who knew nothing about golf, but had a wonderful time and even got to meet Amy Mickelson when Phil was at the par 3 playoff,” remarks Len.
Ruth Vaske shares her insights from that outing. “I had heard of The Masters, and as a flight attendant had seen several celebrity golfers on our flights, yet the appeal to me was really being with Lenny on an adventure. I was struck by the attention to detail and professionalism, not just of the golfers, but of all the staff present. I would compare The Masters to a Broadway play where the theater itself allows a person to enter into the production in new way. Also, the staging, costuming, lighting, sound and set design as well as professional actors bring a perfection to the play. I experienced that same great attention to detail; such clean lines, everything is in its place with the grounds groomed to perfection at The Masters and see the tournament as a mastery of staging.”
A person does enter into a new reality at the Masters Golf Tournament, accented by respect for others and their belongings. “You put your chair at a chosen spot in the morning and no one disturbs it all day.” explains Len. “As a test, I once put a wallet on one of our chairs and a bag of hats on another one, then came back two hours later and no one had touched them. Where else in the world could you do that?”
Classmate of Len’s and Harmony resident Jim Beckman agrees. “When Len secured tickets for Scott Evenson and me to attend The Masters in 2006, I was surprised at how cordial people were. Scott picked up a piece of paper someone had dropped and a groundsperson actually came over and thanked him. Everything was quite inexpensive — the food, the souvenirs — and we had a marvelous time thanks to my good friend of so many years, who made it all possible for us to be at this most gorgeous place on earth. Len still sends me The Masters official program each year.”
Jim was surprised that those attending were called “patrons,” and was impressed with the pace of the day. “There were rules, like no running, and places were you could not go, but the chance of seeing the golf pros up close, like Phil Mickelson who won the tournament that year, or Zach Johnson the 2007 Champion, or Tom Watson, who I followed for 100 yards to get an autograph, or John Daly who signed something for Scott, then without breaking stride, threw it over his shoulder and the crowd gave it to Scott, are amazing experiences,” comments Jim.
The course is amazing, whether you are able to walk it all or just find places at different tees to set your chairs. Len says, “One time during the practice round, off fringe on #9 green, Gary Player just touched the ball and someone yelled loudly, ‘Hit it!’ Gary turned around to the crowd and said, ‘Just wait,’ and the ball rolled and picked up speed and went a foot past the cup. Gary turned back to the guy in crowd and said, ‘It’s a good thing you’re not playing this course,’ and we all laughed.”
However, there are times when silence on the golf course is expected, as Len’s niece Jen Needham-Simpson can testify. “I was young when I was able to attend The Masters with Uncle Lenny. I remember how beautiful the course was and seeing Tiger Woods,” mentions Jen. “The memory most amusing to me, although it was not funny at the time, was knowing you are supposed to be totally silent when the golfer is teeing off, and I was taking photos on this camera that decided to automatically rewind at the exact moment everyone (a large crowd) was dead silent.”
The opportunity to attend was also opened to Len’s nephew Eric Whalen, when he attended with his sister Kristen (Rhodes). Eric appreciated this “first big out of state trip I took, and it was very generous of Uncle Len to give me that experience. I remember seeing David Robinson (NBA) as a caddy, and I thought that was weird and funny. I did see Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, also.” As a member of the high school golf team at the time, Kristen recalls, “I was a golfer, so seeing some famous golfers was a lot of fun, but what I remember most was the flowers and how beautiful the course was so early in April!”
The Augusta community and those volunteering are the ones who bring a special touch to The Masters. “My first memories of the course are of its mistakable beauty and the way the people of Augusta embrace their volunteering positions for a week-long tournament. Their hospitality is impeccable and unchangeable from the minute you get there in the morning till when you leave at night,” comments Karen Needham.
Karen has had the good fortune of going with Len several times, and says every year the magic and the charm of the course is different, partly due to the environment since weather affects how the flowers bloom and the experience of seeing this event from someone else’s eyes as they experience it for the first time. “Giving the experience to people is something in which I share great joy with Len. The Masters a very safe environment and you have to wonder if the ‘no cell phone policy’ keeps people more in the present moment. This once-a-year event can be compared to the Super Bowl Experience. There is an energy you feel that is different when you’re at the Super Bowl Experience preceding the event or at the stadium for the game, which is not possible to embrace while watching it on television.”
Among those attending The Masters this April with Len will be Ross McCollum. Married to Len’s sister Jan, Ross has not been golfing for 25 years, yet looks forward to their trip to Augusta. “I respect and admire the talent a professional golfer must have to consistently hit the long drive, make the precise chip shots, and to read the greens to make that delicate putt,” remarks Ross. “When I did golf, however, what I enjoyed most was walking the course. So, of course, what I am most looking forward to is walking on, and experiencing the smells and sights of one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world.”
One reason Glenn Wolfe was invited to join Len this year is because of his enthusiasm for the sport of golf. Glenn notes, “There are dozens of PGA tournaments every year that offer amazing, scenic and challenging settings,… but no other tournament is universally regarded by both players and fans alike, in terms of reverence, as is The Masters.”
He continues, “Well, you can watch golf every week on television, and see stupendous shots, but nothing prepares you for the thrill of standing 15 feet from a professional golfer as he executes a perfect swing and launches a ball 300 yards. That’s why I so look forward to being in the gallery during a practice round at The Masters.”
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