Saturday, April 8, 2017

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- It's not a surprise when the Augusta National buys neighboring businesses and property, but there's one spot that still stands.

111 Stanley Drive is the only house that sits in the midst of the Augusta National Golf Club parking lots. Pat Richards is one of the 10 children who grew up in 58-year-old home, and he said his family is asked the same question every year.

"They come by and say 'Hey, whats the deal? Why is this house here?'" Richards said. "Then we have to go through the story, 'Well, it's a family house, my mom raised ten kids here.'"

Richards said things are different now compared to when the house was built.

"This used to be all houses in this neighborhood so now you see what it is now. It's like a parking lot at this time of year," Richards said. "We never thought it would look like this."

He said there is more traffic this Masters with the new Berckmans Road, but the pros of living in front of Gate 6 outweigh the cons.

"Just being in the festivities, being right here on the ground pretty much and meeting all the different people," Richards said. "That's what it's about. We enjoy meeting people from all over the world."

Nate Toth has been to the Masters the past five years. He said he met the family the first year he attended and has stopped by every year after that.

"We generally stop by and say hi, see how they are doing," Toth said.

The family has the same response for patrons who ask why their home is the only one next to the Augusta National, and Richards said they have the same answer for the famous golf club who has asked to buy their house.

"It's staying, it's staying," Richards said.