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The Marty Smith Podcast: Masters Tournament Episode, Live from Savannah River Brewing Co. in Augusta, Georgia

The guys have a special one in store for listeners this week as The Marty Smith Podcast hit the road and recorded live from Savannah River Brewing Company as they previewed the 2022 Masters Tournament. For the first time, hosts Marty Smith and Wes Blankenship recorded the show in front of a live audience at the brewery. They had fun with this one as they talked a little college basketball, were joined by ESPN’s Matt Barrie, and discussed The Masters at length.

Originally, Marty and Wes thought about taking the week off for The Masters. However, the Outsider crew decided to take advantage and head to Augusta National since Marty was already covering the tourney for ESPN. Plus, the podcast host couldn’t pass up one of his favorite beers in Savannah River’s “No Jacket Required” Czech Style Pilsner. So it was no-brainer to pop down to Augusta early, record the show live, and talk all things Masters.

The hosts dive into what they love about The Masters. They talk about Tiger Woods and whether or not he’ll compete in the tournament this year after last year’s car crash. Additionally, the guys pick their favorites to win at Augusta National and claim a green jacket. We’ve got that and much more in this week’s episode of The Marty Smith Podcast.

Marty Smith Explains Why He Loves Augusta’s ‘No Phone’ Policy

Early on in the show, Marty Smith and Wes Blankenship get into what they love about The Masters. There’s a million things you could choose from: the immaculate golf course, the history of the tournament, the green jacket tradition, and much more. Yet Marty added a less talked about aspect of attending The Masters that he loves. Augusta National does not allow electronic devices, including phones, laptops, and tablets on their golf course grounds.

“I’ll tell you guys another thing that I love so much about The Masters – you can’t have your phone,” Marty explained on the show. “There’s something so beautiful, especially in today’s world, about being immersed in an event with your family or your best friends or son, daughter, whomever it is that you’re taking in the tournament with. That you’re not watching it through the lens of your iPhone. You’re actually watching it and creating those beautiful memories in the film strip of your mind. And today, that is so rare that we actually pause and aren’t in this thing (points to iPhone) all the time.”

Wes understood where Marty was coming from and shared that he had a similar experience recently. While at the 2022 CFB Playoff National Championship a few months back and rooting on his Georgia Bulldogs, he didn’t have his phone towards the end of the game. He simply took in the scenes and enjoyed being in the moment of the Dawgs title-winning game. Wes said it made the moment that much more special to be locked into his surroundings instead of his phone. The two hosts agreed, Augusta National gets it and their no-phone policy is a great idea all around.

The Hosts Share Masters Memories and Pick Their Favorites to Win

As the guys continued their conversation, each couldn’t help but recall how special 2019 was at Augusta National. Both Marty and Wes were in attendance at the 18th hole when Tiger Woods completed his stunning comeback and won his 15th major.

Marty recalled being 10 rows up in the stands and writing furiously on a notepad in an attempt to remember the wild scenes after Tiger won The Masters once again. Wes was there as well covering the huge golf event for a local TV station a few years back. The pair agreed about just how special the 2019 Masters Tournament was, but when ESPN’s Matt Barrie joined the conversation, he chose a different year’s tourney as his favorite Augusta National memory.

As an Arizona State grad, Barrie’s allegiances lie with PGA legend Phil Mickelson. As many tournaments as he had won in his career, a win at a major eluded him for years. Yet in 2004, Mickelson finally pulled it off at Augusta and earned his first major tournament victory along with a coveted green jacket.

As their Masters conversation rolled on, they weighed in on who they thought would be wearing the green jacket on Sunday. Marty Smith kicked off the predictions by saying he loved Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas’ chances this week. Yet his final pick went to John Rahm. Next up, Matt Barrie jokingly told Marty he’d hate him for taking the popular pick, but he’s sticking with Scottie Scheffler to win it.

The hosts and their special guest get into much more Masters talk throughout the most recent podcast. So make sure to check out the full show below, or tune in and listen to The Marty Smith Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever else you listen to your favorite podcasts.