Debunking the Masters ice myth

It’s almost April, the Masters is right around the corner, and Tiger Woods is leading at Bay Hill.

But around Augusta, it seems folks only want to talk about one thing: Will the flowers be in bloom for Masters Week?

The unusually warm temperatures in Augusta this winter and early spring have caused an explosion of color throughout the city. It seems you can’t drive anywhere locally without seeing beautiful azaleas in full bloom.

That leads to this type of exchange.

My wife: “Well, I guess they’ll just have to pack them in ice at the Masters so they’ll be pretty that week.”

Me: “Uh, I’m not sure they do that.”

In defense of anyone who has grown up in the Augusta area, the ice theory has been prevalent for decades.

So I checked with a professional horticulturist to trouble-shoot the theory.. Here’s what I learned:

-- Think about the logistics involved. Augusta National is 365 acres big and filled with thousands of flowers and plants. The 13th hole alone contains more than a thousand azaleas. It would take a small army to perform this task.

-- Ice melts. (Well, I knew that already.) But the point is it would be tough to keep the ice on the plants in this heat.

-- Even at home, packing plants in ice doesn’t work very well.

As always, Mother Nature will have the final say. There are some things even the Masters can’t control.

“I have no doubt we’re going to have some blooms this year,” the professional said.

Even if Augusta National doesn’t pack its plants in ice.