The North Carolina Sports Network’s new show, ROAD TO AUGUSTA, hosted by Durham native Ward Clayton, former Augusta Chronicle sports editor and longtime golf author.
Clayton explains how he became fascinated with Augusta after first attending the Masters in 1985 with Durham friends from the Whitfield family, and says the series will explore not just the tournament but the wider culture of Augusta—restaurants, local golf, Washington Road, patron tips, and what the community is like beyond Masters week. He recounts learning golf through Durham’s Hillandale municipal course and nearby lit par-three courses, credits local newspapers and the Herald-Sun Papers golf tournament for sparking his interest in journalism and storytelling, and shares a golf story involving Dean Smith and Mack Brown at Finley.
Clayton describes why golf’s mental demands make it ideal for writing, then explains how an opportunity—connected to Chapel Hill friend John Fish—led him to become sports editor at the Augusta Chronicle, where the paper produced extensive Masters coverage including special sections and daily wraparounds. He recalls his first impression of Augusta National’s immaculate turf, discusses the no-cell-phone atmosphere, compares Augusta’s culture to Pinehurst (including The Cradle and Tom Pashley’s Augusta ties), and notes changes around the course such as reduced roadside vending, the Hooters being torn down, and free adjacent parking.
In quick-hit questions, Clayton names Arnold Palmer as his favorite golfer to cover, highlights the 1975 and 1986 Masters (especially Nicklaus’ 1986 win), shares favorite on-course food choices (pimento cheese tradition and the chicken breast sandwich), and says he’d buy a hat from the famous ‘hat wall’ in the pro shop while referencing Bryson DeChambeau buying azalea-scented candles. He says his most meaningful Masters memory is the annual reunion-like relationships and meeting new people, mentions longtime patron Lou Miller bringing first-timers, and promotes his book The Legendary Caddies of Augusta National while discussing caddie influence through figures like Iron Man Avery, Willie Peterson, and Carl Jackson, plus a recent example of caddie psychology with Rory McIlroy, plus a look ahead to future interviews with longtime Augusta Chronicle Masters writer David Weston—nicknamed ‘the Ghost’—and referencing influential Masters writers such as Herbert Warren Wind, Dan Jenkins, Furman Bisher, Rick Reilly, David Barrett, and David Owen.
00:00 Welcome to Road to Augusta (and a little NC barbecue talk)
01:41 Reset & official show intro: Why Ward is telling Augusta’s story
03:20 Ward’s golf roots in Durham: Hillandale and the junior program
04:24 First rounds & par-3 night golf in Durham
05:32 Falling in love with journalism: Durham papers and the Herald-Sun tournament
07:27 Covering Tobacco Road + Dean Smith’s competitive golf stories
10:30 Why golf makes for the best storytelling (mindset, pressure, writing)
11:46 The call to Augusta: Becoming sports editor & Masters coverage at the Chronicle
14:36 First steps on Augusta National: the ‘AstroTurf’ grass and no-phones magic
17:12 Augusta beyond the ropes: food, vibes, Washington Road & what’s changed
17:52 Road to Augusta preview: Pinehurst parallels, series timeline & guests
22:46 Quick-hit Q&A: favorite golfer to cover and favorite Masters moment
24:57 CBS’ Broadcast & the Electric Masters Finish
25:22 Augusta Spectators Gone Wild: Remembering ’86 Jack Nicklaus
25:56 Pimento Cheese, Chicken Sandwiches & Pro Shop Must-Buys
28:26 A Seminal Masters Memory: The People You Only See at Augusta
30:15 Legendary Caddies: The Hidden Cornerstone of Augusta National
33:13 Off-Camera Banter: Golf Movies, Access, and Media War Stories
38:17 Building the Show: Recording the ‘Road to Augusta’ Hook
40:39 Episode Tease: Augusta’s ‘Ghosts’ and Guest David Weston
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