Golf editor Keith Jackson hits the lottery jackpot at the Masters

In a Masters Notebook special, golf editor Keith Jackson describes what it's like to win the ultimate golfing lottery: the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play at Augusta National.

If you ask any casual or club golfer around the world which course they would most like to play before they depart the planet, there is probably more than a 90% chance they will reply: “Augusta National.”

It is a course which millions are familiar with having marvelled at the majesty of the Masters venue every April, but – apart from an elite few – the hope of playing there is an impossible dream.

So when I was informed this morning that I would be playing golf on Monday, at Augusta National, the day after the 2015 Masters champion is crowned, the magnitude of my good fortune was hard to comprehend.

Members of the media here are invited to enter a ballot - they call it a lottery here - which opens on Thursday and closes Friday. There are around 700 media personnel at Augusta, although not everyone puts their name in the hat.

Just 28 names get drawn out, and announced on Saturday morning. The staff here are not permitted to tell me how many hopefuls had tried, but the buzz around the media centre is that the odds of being one of the lucky ones is around one in 10.

I arrived at my desk, logged on, and I had been tweeted a picture of the list of 28 names who would be teeing up on Monday, together with a “congratulations”. I didn’t understand quite what this related to at first, but it suddenly dawned on me. I had won the lottery.

Seeing is believing

I checked and double-checked with reception, and there it was in black and white. It was the most fantastic piece of A4 paper I had ever seen. My name was at the bottom of the list, which probably means I was last out of the hat. Every time I walked past afterwards, I checked to make sure my name hadn’t fallen off the bottom.

I spoke to a few other stunned journalists who had made the cut, including my 10:50am playing-partner Ewan Murray – the Guardian writer, not the esteemed Sky Sports commentator – and shared their euphoria. Everyone is all-too aware that there are thousands, millions around the world who would give much to be in our shoes on Monday.

For much of the rest of Saturday, staying focused on the job in hand was extremely difficult. Every time I had put it to the back of my mind, something happened to remind me that I would be out there playing the same course as Rory, Tiger, Spieth and Mickelson.

The word spread quickly around the team, and everyone was incredibly gracious in wishing me well. I was watching some coverage with Colin Montgomerie and Butch Harmon, and they were giving me tips on how to play certain holes after watching the pros tackle them.

I even got congratulated by Jamie Redknapp, who I had hoped to borrow some clubs from. Unfortunately, he was heading back to blighty on Saturday evening and hadn't packed any sticks.

Privilege

As if playing 18 holes here is not enough, you are allowed to arrive via the iconic Magnolia Lane before being taken to the interview room in the media centre for a reminder of the rules and regulations. Cameras are permitted, but still no mobile phones.

Then, we will get escorted to the champions locker room to get changed, and each of us will be allocated a locker. I spoke to one journalist who played a couple of years ago – his locker was Phil Mickelson’s. Butch is hoping I get his father’s – 1948 winner Claude Harmon.

The lucky 28 will also be allocated a caddie, which will be crucial to tackling the feared greens in particular. I’ve been told stories about four-putts and five-putts galore, and one guy who didn’t manage a routine two-putt until the 14th hole. My handicap is 10 - I'll be delighted to break 90 and I haven't said that in many years.

As excited as I am, and this is surely the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime experience for a golf fan, I did feel genuinely sympathy for those who have tried, tried and tried again over a number of years. One English journalist has had his name in the draw for 12 years without success – this is my first trip to Augusta!

Beginners luck? Absolutely! Now all I’ve got to do is rent some clubs and keep my fingers crossed for good weather. I actually looked at my clubs before I left home and considered taking them, just in case. But then I thought: “Nah, it’ll never happen.”

It did, and eight hours after finding out, I’m still shaking. Chances of a good night’s sleep on Sunday night? Zero!

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