AUGUSTA, Ga. — Charles Coody knew he was in trouble when he went searching for the 11th tee, backed up about 30 yards since last year and obscured by the towering pine trees at Augusta National.

"I was looking for the resuscitator," the 67-year-old Coody quipped, "after the walk I had just to get there."

While extreme, Coody's plight exemplifies the challenge facing the older generation at the super-sized home of the Masters, which began today with defending champion Tiger Woods — only 30 and with four green jackets already — as a heavy favorite.

While the inclusion of past champions has always been a revered tradition at a club that zealously guards its history, the 60- and 70-somethings — heck, even the 50-somethings — are being pushed aside by the ever-expanding course.

Coody says this will be his last Masters. It's hard to see 70-year-old Gary Player or 63-year-old Raymond Floyd hanging around much longer. Even Ben Crenshaw, still relatively young at 54, knows his days are numbered.

"It's time for us to pull over in the slow lane," quipped Crenshaw, a two-time winner. "If we don't pull over, they're going to run us over. I've already been run over many times."

Sixteen players were making their Masters debut Thursday, and another 16 had less than three years experience at Augusta National. Combined, these johnny-come-latelies account for more than a third of the 90-player field — undeniable signs of a youth movement at the venerable ol' course.

Augusta National greased the inevitable by expanding its layout to a staggering 7,445 yards, though a few in the old guard are doggedly hanging on.

"I continue to play because of the tradition," said Floyd, the '76 champion. "I'm not here to be competitive. I'm here to be part of the history. I would never go over and play a regular Tour event because I'm not competitive."

A few years ago, club chairman Hootie Johnson sent out those infamous letters to three former winners (Billy Casper, Doug Ford, Gay Brewer) asking them in not-so-tactful terms to give up their automatic spots in the field.

Even though Johnson hasn't used that tactic again, the message is clear: It's time to step aside if you're not showing at least a semblance of being competitive.

Arnold Palmer got the hint, playing for the final time in 2004 as he closed in on his 75th birthday. Jack Nicklaus was 65 when he followed suit after last year's Masters, saying he didn't want to play the tournament if he was only being viewed as a monument. This is the first time since 1954 that neither Palmer nor Nicklaus will play in the Masters.

With the ever-growing course — it's grown by 460 yards during the past five years — look for aging players to step aside a lot quicker than they did before.

"It's crossed my mind," said Crenshaw.