In years past, the Mayor’s Masters Reception drew capacity crowds at the Augusta Common with a full slate of speakers and performers. This year, an act called Gritz and Jellybutter headlined a sparsely attended event.
Instead of trotting out and honoring golf greats of the past such as Jack Nicklaus, Fuzzy Zoeller or Arnold Palmer, the honorees were Sage Valley Golf Club principals Weldon and Tom Wyatt, who, despite their philanthropy, are not on par with any of the golf legends making an appearance in Augusta this week.
A handful of vendors selling all natural honey, candy confections and high end sneakers catered to the small crowd assembled. An empty stage pumped out loops of James Brown music. The food trucks that were supposed to be there were not, unless they showed up after I left out of boredom.
Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. ,who has been absent from scheduled events lately and has just recently returned from a trip to the middle eastern nation of Qatar, did make an appearance at the event, but even he seemed noticeably perturbed at the lack of attendance.
When I approached him asking for a picture, the mayor exclaimed “No!” and attempted to cover his head with his suit jacket as he was whisked away by his entourage. Two Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies nearby heard the mayor and perked up and stepped forward to possibly prevent any type of confrontation.
There was no confrontation. I wasn’t there to grill Davis about his many controversies. I just wanted a picture, and because the mayor seemed scared of me and almost ran away from me, I simply went back to the park bench under the wonderful shade of the trees on the Common and waited for something to happen on stage.
Nothing much happened; well, except for mayoral candidate Marion Williams walking by wearing a smart pastel suit, looking every bit the senior statesman following the Easter theme now in vogue.
This year’s reception was the first one held since the COVID-19 pandemic caused its cancelation in 2020 and 2021, and the city was late in announcing its return, so many people did not even know the Masters Tournament celebration was even taking place
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
