A Master’s Memory: Latshaw Recalls Ramping up The Greens for Tournament
April 9, 2014 in Alumni, Articles
Paul R. Latshaw served as Augusta National Golf Club’s golf course superintendent from 1986 to 1989. The late Joe Duich, the prolific turfgrass professor and researcher from Penn State University, helped recruit Latshaw to Augusta.
Latshaw’s MO was to provide the best conditions possible, and he was never shorthanded in terms of resources to do so. Latshaw was locked in to his duties. He didn’t let any outside distractions, especially the media, change his mind of how the golf course should play and appear for the tournament.
During his first two Masters, Latshaw had the greens running so hard and fast that people were talking up a storm.
“Mr. (Hord) Hardin (Augusta’s legendary chairman) called me and said, ‘Paul, are the greens alright?’ I said, ‘Yes, why do you ask?’ He said, ‘Because they don’t look too good on TV.’
“The greens were brown and hard and lightning fast,” Latshaw says with a cackle.
— Lawrence Aylward
