AUGUSTA, Ga. - All right, I'll admit it.
I've never visited Egypt's pyramids. I've never seen the Great Wall of China.
I haven't even ventured to the Grand Canyon when I've had the opportunity to travel to the southwest corner of the United States.
Maybe my opinion is clouded.
At the very least, it's under informed.
But Augusta National Golf Course might just be the coolest place in the whole world.
For the second time in my just over four years of working at the Minot Daily News, I am at Augusta National covering the legendary Masters Golf Tournament.
I'm not sure what's on your "Wonders of the World" list, but Augusta National is near the top of mine.
The first time I was at the Masters, it was an eye opener. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's safe to say I was blown away by the beauty and history that the course exudes.
Covering the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday reminded me of how great of a place it is.
Watching Jack Nicklaus, Arnie Palmer and Gary Player all in the same group at Augusta - can it get any better?
If you're a rock 'n' roll fan, it's the equivalent of watching the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin all play on the same night at the Fillmore, or whatever the best rock venue would be.
People-watching at the Masters is almost as entertaining as watching the golf.
You see a lot of people walking around with big, goofy grins on their faces. Grins that they don't even know they have and that couldn't be removed with a sandblaster. For awhile Wednesday, I was one of those people.
For every gigantic grin, there's an amazed stare. When I covered the Masters in 2006, I think that was my most common facial expression.
The grass at the Masters boggles my mind. It's not like any green I've ever seen before. It's greener than green. It's otherworldly. It's like Kryptonite green. It's so green it could destroy Superman. It's like hitting a golf ball off of Kermit the Frog or something.
It's not just the grass. At the Masters, everything is top shelf.
They have beer on tap in the press room.
Not just one kind, three different varieties.
Don't tell my bosses, but I enjoyed one while working on this story.
Don't worry, they won't find out. I don't think they will read this column anyway.
This year's Masters is shaping up to be a spectacular tournament.
The world's greatest player, Tiger Woods, showed he's officially back from his knee surgery and ready to compete for his 15th major title after winning at Bay Hill just two weeks ago with a clutch putt on the final hole.
Two-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson has won twice this season, most recently taking a World Golf Championship event at Doral less than a month ago.
Padraig Harrington has won the last two majors, although a certain Mr. Woods wasn't in the field either of those times. Aussie Geoff Ogilvy is a favorite of many experts to have a great weekend.
Or maybe it will be another surprise winner like 2007 champ Zach Johnson or last year's winner Trevor Immelman.
Regardless of who's in contention on Sunday, the star of the show is almost always the course.
(Chris Bieri is a sportswriter for the Minot Daily News. He can be reached via email at cbieri@minotdailynews.com)