Toast Masters of The History of The legendary Stars

Sun comes up, just look at the trees in August. People are lining up before dawn to get a better idea about this. On the first tee, depending on the instrument panel, three names with the numbers of players unusual.

But this is not the numbers, it's been years. And now, three people who could teach us a lot of competition, and respect, decades after their first.

Time was running. Three men who walked on the tee in the morning gave 13 names of not only teachers, but 49 grandchildren. Their winning time here began in 1958 and television in black and white, and ended in 1986, and the child is online.

"Three great players, three great men,'' the chairman Billy Payne in August it was said through the microphone. Palmer struck first." I'm nervous,'' he said, bent over to put on the target.

Face in the crowd early in the morning: Phil Mickelson. His start-up time was six hours, but he was there because it was the first masters of the three giants, never served as a snack with the ceremony, so that the time to say something.

All three found the fairway, the player is the longest.

The story was blown up. Wizards can begin.

They sat together at a press conference later, three guys in a green jacket. Nicklaus, on average, a player on his left, Palmer right away.

"We even cried together and we laughed together, and we had a good time,'' said the player.

Thus, we noticed a man who has led a long?

"I do not think any of us can see that far,'' said Nicklaus." We can hear them all the land, though.''

They were fierce competitors, ready to cut each other's heart on the golf course. But they were friends. No tweets stupid or ill-chosen gestures and silly rhetoric. They respected each other and to respect his game, and they respect their incredible success.

They are now old men and young people can learn a lot.

"It was amazing that you could play, in fact, as you know,` I want to beat the hell out of you. However, these can be good friends,'' Player said this week. " And in the East and good friends should be.''

Each of them one by one on Thursday morning to reiterate its appreciation for golf. "I think that these young people come together to be understood that if we do,'' said Palmer.

They teased each other on aging and retirement. "You guys are all saying you are going to retire in 35 years," Palmer recalled them. "I said, 'Bull (beep).

Someone asked if they had called for lawyers to find each other.

Palmer: "What was the question?''

Palmer, Nicklaus, "You need help, this morning, you (gently stroking it, and repeating the question)?''

Palmer: "The last time you called me, you wanted to fish.''

Nicklaus. "And you have not taken''

Palmer. "` I will, if''

Nicklaus: "` You can always'' on Monday.?

Palmer. "No, it's too early''

It does not take much to see, as they wanted, they were there to guide him to the real on Thursday.

"We would still be able to play,'' Nicklaus said." But you know, if you go out and look where our tee shots were. . . I think you'll understand why we are not.''

"If I could do it,'' said Palmer," I will do now.''

They noted their concern about the decline of golf. As the game takes too long and expensive. How to play advanced the ball goes too far, causing the rate design to emphasize the length of common sense. They worry about the hobby they love.

Palmer grumbled that he was hungry, and soon the conference was over.

This is one of the beauties of the masters of the deck is living there now, and the Titans is dedicated to never stop. In what other sport would be an asset, according to Mickelson showed six in the morning to watch the three men between the ages of hitting a golf ball?

"Appropriate'' Palmer word for all three, as the ceremony." We played golf all his life together.''

What they will not to do it again in 1962. But the applause did not stop.

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player Kickstart 2012 Masters in Augusta

Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus.

The Big Three.

Among them, 13 Masters victories (Nicklaus 6, Palmer 4, Player 3).

On Thursday, as they kickstarted the Masters, I imagined three words for the current state of the Big Three: older, wiser, weaker.

They were labeled as honorary starters, but this had all the earmarks of a super-senior long-drive contest. This was a showdown to establish bragging rights for a year, until they return in 2013 for another one-shot exhibition off the first tee at Augusta National Golf Club.

For the record, Palmer is 82, Player 76, Nicklaus 72.

Also for the record, here were their carry distances Thursday on the first hole: Player 236 yards, Nicklaus 218 yards, Palmer 185 yards.

They were hitting into a severe hill, so carry distances and total distances were identical. There was no roll.

In case there are any questions about my credentials as a long-drive judge, I stood at the edge of the first fairway and measured the distances very carefully (from the ball back to the player) with a rangefinder.

Palmer and Player split the fairway. Nicklaus also was in the fairway, but to the left side.

How much did Player want to win this little contest? Very, very, very much.

On Tuesday, two days before the Big Three would start the Masters, Player was asked if he wanted to hit the longest tee shot of the three.

“Absolutely. Absolutely,” he said. “I’ve been training very hard. I’ve just come from the gym right now, in fact. I increased my sit-ups and my weights. Absolutely. We’ve (always) been very competitive.”

Player has been using a new driver that is a big longer.

“I’ve been driving the ball 275 yards with this driver,” Player said. “You must realize there was no roll in that first fairway. Arnold and Jack would have hit the ball 30 or 40 yards farther. That’s true for me, as well.”

Honorary starters are a tradition at the Masters. When I first came here in 1971, Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod were the honorary starters. They played two holes, Nos. 1 and 2.

Over the years, some honorary starters actually played the entire front nine. Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead would have played all day if allowed to do so.

What a joy it would be to watch Palmer, Player and Nicklaus play two holes - say, 1 and 9, which run parallel to each other. In the natural amphitheater that is Augusta National, this would be high drama.

“I would love to play,” Player said.

Sure he would, because he remains a workout demon despite his age.

“Whoever thought of that idea (honorary starters) was very smart,” Player said Tuesday. “Because the people - you’ve got to entertain the people. Without the people, you don’t have this tournament. They just love it.

“And playing with Arnold and Jack, they’re just (he paused) ... you know, it’s coming to an end. If you want to say our lives, our careers, it’s the sunset. To be able to replay, it’s like having a mulligan.”

The players have memories, the fans have memories, and golf is clearly the game of a lifetime. There are so many years in which to collect so many reflections.

We don’t mind seeing our golf heroes grow old, because they are doing exactly what we are doing - playing the game, loving the game, always looking forward to the next shot.

I stood still and listened to the applause. The earth seemed to be shaking. It could just as easily have been 1986, when Nicklaus roared home with a 30 on the back nine.

That was the last time a member of the Big Three would win the Masters, although golf has a way of recapturing its most glorious moments.