Stop and Smell the Azaleas

By: Michael Foster CFA, CFP®

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(In my best Jim Nantz voice) Hello friends. 

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Happy Masters week everyone! Spring is in the air and the best golfers on the planet have descended upon a medium-sized town in Georgia that just happens to host, in my opinion, the single greatest sporting event on Earth. 

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I’m a golf enthusiast, despite not being very good at playing, but one of my favorite parts of the Masters is that it draws people in that couldn’t care less about watching the game on a weekly basis. It’s as much about the spectacle as it is who wins or by how much. The television shows azaleas that are always in bloom, there doesn’t seem to be a leaf or stick out of place, and the bird noise is so pronounced that it’s been accused of being fake.

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I finally had the chance to go to my first Masters a few years ago. The whole experience exceeded anything I imagined beforehand. Not only was the scenery as described, but every facet of the event was run like a well-oiled machine. The merch tent that every patron visits was speedy and organized, the trash on several food items was grass green in case of accidental littering, and you never felt as if you were wasting time waiting in lines at an event with thousands of people. Do you know how good sidewalk to grass edging must be to make you think about it fondly? I didn’t but do now. Every detail perfectly planned. 

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Despite this, the single best thing at the Masters is the crowd. It’s unlike any sporting event, concert, or gathering I’ve witnessed. Everyone is on their best behavior and singularly focused on the event. I’m sure that a variety of reasons contribute to this. The difficulty getting a ticket through a lottery process makes you appreciate every second (and not want to get escorted out). Maybe most importantly, there are no cell phones allowed on the property. Seeing no one taking pictures for Instagram, checking work emails, or holding their phone in the air to film a shot feels almost unnatural. 

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Instead, everyone is taking it all in. They are enjoying the culmination of countless hours of meticulous planning. Planning from the city of Augusta to quell traffic and house people with limited hotel options. Planning on the individual’s end of what to see, how to get tickets, where to stay, and what souvenir(s) they want. Planning from the grounds crew on green speeds, pin placements, and walking paths. Planning from the designers on hazard placement, hole layouts and lengths, and how to create drama. And, of course, planning from Augusta National on how the event should run and the type of experience they want their patrons to have. Once there, the planning allows you to relax, focus on the day, and enjoy your surroundings.

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We try to take the same approach when planning with our clients. We work together to help people prepare for some of the biggest moments in their lives: how and when to retire, purchasing a forever home, leaving a legacy, and sending children to college, among others. With sound financial planning, our hope is that our clients can enjoy these big changes with peace of mind that the hard work has been done and the plan is working for them. We aim to help people reach their goals, reduce stress, and protect their time – allowing them to take in the present and enjoy life’s moments while they stop and smell the azaleas.