Tiger economy felt on Washington Road

Published>Thu, Apr 08 10 01:54 PM

Disgraced Tiger Woods's comeback at the U.S. Masters has done little to help florist Frank's business but former British Open champion John Daly had no complaints as he hawked merchandise nearby on Wednesday.

Sitting no more than a Woods three-iron away from Augusta National, a smiling Frank, as he has for nearly 40 years, stood outside his shop holding a $20 parking sign above his head.

I have had people from around the world come back and park here every year, said Frank, who was unwilling to provide his surname, as he looked back at an empty lot where he has previously squeezed in 25 cars to supplement his income.

The battle for the Masters parking dollar is just a sliver of the fickle underground economy that operates on the fringes of the world's most exclusive golf club.

Washington Road, an unappealing four-lane corridor of strip malls, gas stations and fast food joints that runs straight past Magnolia Lane, is the Masters Bazaar.

On Masters week, young school girls can be found selling homemade cookies on a 1.5 mile stretch of pavement alongside golfing bad boy Daly, who hawks his line of Blue Collar Golf merchandise while posing for pictures outside his lavish motor home.

It is a place where visitors can find everything from cigars to a Masters week lube, or choose between the Miss Par Three Bikini contest at Hooters and a church service.

TOUTS

But Masters badges provide the real currency along Washington Road where the pavement is lined with ticket touts rather than majestic Georgian pines and blooming azaleas.

From dawn until late into the night, hopeful golf fans stroll in search of tickets that exchange hands for thousands of dollars.

Jim and his father Jim Sr. made the five-hour drive from Nashville in the hope of finding a ticket on Washington Road and will drive home later in the evening successful or not.

Tom came from California and had a ticket into Tuesday's practice round but was also out on Washington with hundreds of others on Wednesday looking for a ticket.

We were farther up the road but the cop told us you can't stand here and raised two fingers so move or we could get arrested, he said, after being unable to push a tout off his $500 asking price.

I told him Churchill did (raise two fingers in a V for victory). He didn't find that funny.

Next door to the flower shop, Venus and Adonis hair salon is packed out with cars, an envious Frank explaining that his neighbour had pre-sold all his spots for the week on the internet for $3,500.

On the other side of Frank's tiny white flower shop, the National Hills Baptist Church offers parking and bottles of cold water, asking only a small donation.

I remember when Seve (Ballesteros) won you could hear it here. I did big business that day, said Frank. Women called from around the world sending him flowers.

A Woods victory may not inspire quite as many women to send flowers, but his comeback has already provided a Tiger bounce for businesses elsewhere.

Premiere Global Sports, who supply corporate hospitality and tickets, said their business was up 30 percent on the previous year and saw a quick 10 percent jump when Woods announced his return at Augusta.

Steve Cavanaugh, who has a car repair shop directly across from Augusta rented out his lot to television networks. His neighbour Windsor Jewelers was offered $20,000 by a tabloid for access to their roof and a view of Augusta's driving range.

I wish Tiger would do this every year, Cavanaugh told Reuters. Business is down about 20 percent but I am going to make more because of what the networks are willing to pay.

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