The Masters. A tradition unlike any other.
Apart from the November Masters in 2020, tournament week at Augusta National is usually the same. Monday is the Amateur Dinner, Tuesday is the Champions Dinner (and the annual "what would be your menu be" discussion), Wednesday is the Par 3 Contest, and Thursday brings the first round.
So, how do players spend Monday through Wednesday at The Masters? Of course, different approaches abound, but each player has some degree of playing practice rounds, general practicing, and meeting with the media.
At most tour events, if players are invited to offsite sponsor events or other gatherings, those tend to take place on Monday or Tuesday night. The logic there is that a player is not tied up with anything on the eve of an important day.
For example, the Player Reception at the PGA Professional Championship is on the Friday evening ahead of Sunday's first round.
As for The Masters Par 3 Contest, that, as mentioned, occurs on Wednesday, the day before the opening round. And though it is still on the grounds of Augusta National, it is not played on the competition course but on the nine-hole track on the other side of the clubhouse.
Let us disregard the tradition for a few moments and explore why a player would or would not want to play in the Par 3 Contest.
First, why would someone want to skip out? Well, beyond the curse that no player has won the Par 3 Contest and The Masters in the same year, that is.
The cons of playing The Masters Par 3 Contest
If players are participating in the Par 3 Contest, they obviously can't be on the regular course for a practice round.
None of the greens on the Par 3 Course are replicas or like any of the regular course's putting surfaces. And if players want to work on various shots, they can only do so in the tourney's practice area or on the course itself.
If the Par 3 Course’s yardages are a satisfactory set of yardages, then great. If not, players might not get the kind of prep they're looking for.
If I were competing at The Masters and wanted to get as much unobstructed work in on the regular course, I might find Wednesday the best day to do it, as most of the players and patrons are elsewhere.
Now, why would one want to play?
The pros of playing The Masters Par 3 Contest
Tournament weeks are tiring. Players have travel and sponsor obligations, and after playing two to three practice rounds of prep, they could be more worn out than playing the competitive rounds themselves. As a result, many play only nine holes in a given day in practice rounds.
If I were playing in the Masters, I could use the Par 3 Content as an excuse to play a nine-hole, 1,000-yard course at the tournament site in a competitive-light atmosphere.
Instead of the haul of playing either nine or 18 holes for a third day in a row or a true off day, the Par 3 Contest would deputize nicely.
The Par 3 Course has greens and surrounds with the same specs and conditions as the competition course and can help learn the shots needed for Masters week.
For me, I would also appreciate my family caddying for me, wearing the white jumpsuits for a day, and yes, the possibility of nine holes-in-one.
Conclusion
Having a casual and light day before a major championship is welcome. That it does not necessarily drag late into the night before the first round, like other gatherings can, is another plus. I can get in some great work in a different setting than the practice area to get the game ready. And I get a memorable few hours with family and nine shots at crystal.
If my game is suspect, if I arrived in Augusta late, or if a Par 3 Contest tee time was far outside what I wanted, I could see the reason to skip.
In the end, players want to enjoy their week, get themselves ready for The Masters, and be ready to play when Thursday arrives.