April 8 -- Michael Breed is the PGA Head Professional at Sunningdale Country Club in Scarsdale, New York. He is also one of the most accomplished golf personalities in America; a former PGA Metropolitan section Teacher of the Year, a Golf Magazine Top 100 teacher since 2003, a golf journalist on The Golf Channel and a featured talent on a host of instructional videos and articles found throughout several other golf mediums (including PGA.com). But Breed has one other significant bullet on his golf resume that he rarely publicizes, he was a one-time employee of Augusta National Golf Club, the hallowed home of The Masters. Michael will be our Masters expert this week, serving as our Local Knowledge insider, our A Lesson Learned instructor and providing an audio analysis of the tournament following play on Sunday evening.

PGA.com: Michael, this might be a pretty short interview. In our limited space here, we can't really provide too much insight into Augusta National that hasn't been said a million times before in all those books, magazine articles, television specials, all of that, right?

Breed: Yeah, that's correct. Thanks, have a good night.

Members at Augusta National Golf Club take great pride in welcoming the world to their course during Masters week. (Getty Images)

PGA.com: Okay, wait. Let's try anyways. Let's talk about your time at Augusta National. When were you there?

Breed: I was there from 1989 to 1992 and have been involved with the Masters over several more years.

PGA.com: Were you in constant awe of your surroundings as you walked around the facility or did you have to look at it as a job like thousands of other golf professionals in America.

Breed: Well, the moment you step foot on the property, you know you're somewhere special. But you also were there for a reason and you had to live up to that expectation. So it was both, we were mindful that there was a standard of excellence expected of us because of where we were, but we also knew what our roles were and how to go about that professionally.

I would like to add that the Augusta National Golf Club from when I was there was really quite different than the club today. Think about what has happened to golf and the media since I was there. Tiger Woods, his win in 1997, has revolutionized the profile of golf in today's world. There was the Martha Burk fiasco. There is The Golf Channel, websites like PGA.com, tons more money involved, just the whole complexion of attention and coverage for the course, the tournament and even the membership. I've always maintained that there is Augusta National Golf Club, which is a great great golf club and The Masters, which is a great great golf tournament. Most of the time, we operated Augusta National. That is always special, but come tournament time, there is a little different mindset. But you always know you're somewhere really special when you're there.

PGA.com: When we turn on the t.v. this week, we'll see azaleas, dogwoods, the greenest fairways, the whitest bunkers and the most perfectly manicured greens in the world. How much of that is just for this week? If we all go back to Augusta in late June, will we be able to spot a few weeds in the fairway?

Breed: Not ever, but especially not ever this week. With the amount of pride and investment the membership has in this course, it's not just about showing off the course for The Masters, it's about having the best golf course all the time.

PGA.com: Are we to believe that God just smiles on Augusta National and the flowers bloom perfectly at the right time each year? Do they ever force the issue, ice plants to keep them from blooming, things like that?

Breed: Sure they do. The land is a former nursery, they greatly appreciate the appeal of that the flora provides and they are going to make it "pop" when the world is focused on them. The reason The Masters is held when in the Spring is that they know the three to four week window that will provide the best scenery and conditions for the tournament.

PGA.com: Tell me something about Augusta National that you've heard that you can definitively say is wrong or untrue.

Breed: There are a number of misconceptions. First of all, some people suggest that the tournament is very tough because of the speed of the greens, and that the rest of the year, the course isn't that hard at all. That's bogus. It is a demanding stern test. Play that course in January when it's cold and the wind is whipping, tell me how easy it is. April actually makes the course play a bit easier than other times of the year.

Another thing that galls me, really, is the idea that the membership and leadership of the course is a bunch of elitist, secretive, difficult people who want no attention other than the week of The Masters. The people I knew, and still know, are some of the most engaging, open, and fun people I've ever met. The club gets a bum rap in some circles, and though I don't think it bothers them too much, it certainly bothers me. I'll just say this about Augusta National. For every decision that they've made in regards to the club, The Masters, or for the game of golf, they seem to get it right. I can't think of one time when they haven't gotten it right.

PGA.com: So what did you take away from your time at Augusta National that has served you in the rest of your career?

Breed: You learn so much about professionalism and membership interaction when you are at Augusta National. They set a standard for excellence that many clubs will try to emulate forever. I know I do.

PGA.com: Finally, how good are you at getting your friends a round of golf there?

Breed: [laughter] As I tell a lot of people, it depends on how good a friend they are.

PGA.com: Point taken. Thanks for your time.

Breed: Thank you. And enjoy the tournament, I know I will.