By Rich Copley
Staff Writer
Augusta Chronicle

Around the world, the Augusta National Golf Club is revered as one of the golf courses, mentioned in the same breath with St. Andrews.

There's talk of the azaleas, the grand tradition of the Masters and the warmth of springtime in Augusta.

But after two rounds at this year's Masters, most foreign players were talking about the same thing American players dwell on: those blasted speedy greens.

``It's been a good experience, although my first impression would be to say that's it's been the worst experience I've ever had on a golf course,'' said British Amateur champion Gordon Sherry of Scotland, after missing the cut in his first Masters at 11-over par. ``I knew the greens were going to be tricky.''

His memories of Augusta will include shots like Friday's at the 16th hole, when he popped the ball out of the bunker at the back of the green and it just kept rolling and rolling and rolling - bogey.

``Tee to green it's nothing,'' Italian Costantino Rocca said, after finishing 9-over par. ``It's all on the greens. If you make the wrong shot on the greens, you can easily bogey or double bogey.''

But not everyone was dwelling on the beatings their short games had taken.

Japan's Satoshi Higashi enjoyed playing in the Masters, according to his caddy, Fred Sanders, despite finishing 7-over par.

After all, simply strolling the fairways of the Augusta National made him the envy of many of his countrymen.

``Many people, particularly businessmen, have started playing golf in Japan, and they want to come to America and sneak in to play here at Augusta,'' said Mitsuyorsu Oda of the Japanese Kyodo News Service. He said the Masters is recognized as the most prestigious golf tournament in the world, and is well known for holding to its traditions.

German Alexander Cejka was surprised anyone would even ask whether the Masters was a big deal to him.

``It's the Masters,'' he said, as if that was all that needed to be said. ``Of course, I've wanted to be here since I saw it.''

His first view of the Master was in 1985, when he saw fellow German Bernhard Langer slip on the green jacket.

The day before play started, New Zealander Michael Campbell recalled sitting on his couch at home watching the Masters, which he said came on at about 8 a.m.

``There is such a mystique here,'' Masters rookie Campbell said. ``Coming here and seeing all of these people and all of these places I've only seen on TV is quite intriguing. I'm taking in the atmosphere and having fun.''

Of course, too much mystique isn't always good.

``It's a very nice course, very well manicured. But coming from Britain, there's a lot of hype about the course, and with hype, there's a certain amount of disappointment,'' said a man in Sherry's entourage who declined to give his name. ``They make it out to be a Garden of Eden, and it's not a Garden of Eden. It's a golf course.''

Of course, it's a golf course Sherry hopes to play again. And when he does, he said,

``Hopefully I'll be able to handle those greens a little bit better.''