The Masters are nearly upon us, and greenkeepers have been hard at work ensuring that Augusta National is as pristine as ever.

The famous course suffered ‘catastrophic’ damage due to Hurricane Helene last year, but months later, it is back in spectacular condition.

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From the fabled emerald fairways to the lightning-quick greens, The Masters course looks idyllic for fans watching at home.

However, there’s no TV trickery involved in helping make it look picture perfect all the way through the four days of action.

The Masters may have the smallest field of the four major championships, but there are still around 90 players taking divots on each hole.

Especially now that Tiger Woods isn’t playing due to injury, with the golf icon once bamboozling Scottie Scheffler by claiming he often doesn’t take a divot when hitting shots.

Woods told YouTube golfer Grant Horvat: “It is true. When I’m hitting my best.

“But if I have to hit a shot, I’m going to hit turf. I’m going to lean the shaft. I’m going to take turf. Now, if I’m just here flushing it, with no wind, no I don’t take divots … it depends on how the wind is.”

Not every player has the technique of the 15-time major winner, so what about those who are playing at The Masters?

Why there are no divots at Augusta?

Taking a divot is the action of digging up a chunk of turf with the head of the golf club, usually an iron or a wedge, while playing a shot.

Usually, when taking a divot, it’s the responsibility of the players or caddie to repair it, but The Masters greenkeepers have a different method.

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Every night at the end of play, divots are cut and replaced with new sod on tee boxes to ensure a pristine surface for the next round.

Fairway divots are sanded with green sand, which acts almost as a camouflage once blended unless fans are looking right up close.

Augusta has purchased a special facility to use as its sod farm which grows grass especially for divots leading up to the tournament.

The Masters 2025: How to follow

The 2025 Masters Tournament will get going on Thursday, April 10. 

It will take place at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia and will be played over four days until Sunday, April 13.

talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage of all the action, with the event also set to be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.