It was around 4pm on the eve of the 2014 Masters and the final preview piece had been filed.

Those competing in the season’s traditional opening Major were away competing in the Par 3 Contest.

The championship Augusta National course was now closed to any further practice rounds but didn’t deter the three who had gathered on the First Tee.

There was good friends and colleagues Euan McLean (Daily Record), Neil McLeman (Mirror) and myself.

After the rain that had washed out play on Monday, Wednesday was a glorious Spring afternoon.

We entered the Pro Shop and were advised ‘Yes’, the course is open and the green fee, including a set of rental clubs, was $10 but then it was $10.80 with tax.

“Woh!   We get to play at Augusta on the afternoon before the Masters for just $10.80.  $10.80!”.

The attendant asked:  “If you would like to hit practice balls it’s $5.00 a small bucket, $7.50 an average size bucket and $10 for large”.

And if you were in need of golf shoes there was a rack of second-hand golf shoes for $5 a pair.

However we agreed just to head to the first tee and enjoy the opportunity to play Augusta.

And without teasing you any further we spent this wonderful afternoon playing golf on the 6-hole First Tee of Augusta course.

The course is a mix of a par five, two par four’s and three par threes, and for $10.80, yes 10.80 you can play as many loops as you like.

If fact, we played two loops with not a soul on the course and here it was 4pm on the day before The Masters.

It’s a great golf course with a variety of tees so no matter your handicap there is reward for golfers at any level.  And just because it’s not the usual 18 holes there’s no reason to feel short-changed on fun.

I have to indulge in some chest-beating now as the unthinkable nearly happened in playing the second hole the second time around with my wedge tee shot hitting the base of the flagstick and then rolling left around the hole and stopping an inch from the cup on the rightside of the hole.

“You might as well have been 10 feet away,”  I think I heard someone say.

Surprisingly, there is parts of the course were you could be easily forgiven you were not out on Augusta National as a couple of holes mirror the Georgian golfing gem where four days later Bubba Watson would capture his second green jacket in three years.

In fact, Augusta National is one of two major sponsors of The First Tee of Augusta with a plaque on the wall in the clubhouse identifiying the club donated $1m to the club. (see photograph)

There is a selection of photographs below but at $10.80 The First Tee at Augusta it has to be the best-kept golfing secret in Augusta.

*Click on photographs to open and click again to enlarge.