An object lesson in the difference between the Masters, PGA

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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. - Want to see the differences between the PGA Championship and the Masters in stark fashion? Take a look at the menu above at the PGA Championships: $7.50 for a sandwich, $3.50 for chips, about six bucks for a beer: that's getting in the range of a good couple sawbucks right there for a decent lunch.

Now, in an entirely unfair comparison, take a look at the Masters menu there at right. That's from last year, not 1953. That same beer, chips and sandwich would cost you less than six bucks. Or, put another way, you could have three times the beer at Augusta as Atlanta ... and get yourself thrown out of the course a whole lot easier.

Of course, as commenters and emailers have correctly pointed out, the challenge is getting in the gates, not digging through your wallet once you're there. Masters badges are so difficult to get that they may as well be the Ark of the Covenant, whereas you can walk up to the PGA Championship right as Tiger's teeing off and snag a couple ducats. (Face value, the PGA is more costly: four-day ticket packages start at $250, and go way up, for the PGA, while they're $200 total for the Masters. But good luck finding Augusta tickets for anything within an extra zero of face value.)

But hey, at least you get to see Tiger Woods take about the same number of strokes at both venues. Zing!