EARLY morning sunlight filtering through the pines beside the Eisenhower Cabin, greeted the excited throng on their arrival here at Augusta National yesterday. A familiar scene. But regular patrons of the US Masters would have noticed the difference underfoot - the unmistakable softness of very lush grass.

So, this was the one-and-three-eighth-inch rough which has been allowed to grow here this year, for the first time since 1960. "Secondary cut," corrected a member of the grounds staff. Either way, it is expected to have a profound impact on the season's first Major.

On closer inspection, it was good to see that everything was up to the usual standard. There were no one-and-three-eighth-inch weeds. Not a one. But there were other changes to be viewed, since Mark O'Meara captured the title 12 months ago.

Out on the course, Darren Clarke was experiencing the alterations on the homeward journey, as he got in some practice after arriving here on Sunday afternoon. Puffs of cigar smoke from the 14th fairway drifted in the hazy sunshine.

"That's cheating," I chided the player who had quit cigarette-smoking last November. "That's stress," he replied with a broad grin.

From the largest field in 33 years, he was one of 96 competitors familiarising themselves with the new-look National, before the 63rd Masters gets under way on Thursday. The addition of 45 yards to the overall length of the course, combined with a "secondary cut", make for the most serious changes since bent grass was introduced to the greens in 1980.

"It may be a little startling at first," said Ben Crenshaw, the 1984 and 1995 champion. "It's different," said Clarke, who shared eighth place on his debut 12 months ago. The Irishman went on: "You don't want to be hitting out of the rough to firm, fast greens, so it will certainly pay to be on the fairway."

Some leading competitors, including O'Meara and man-of-the-moment David Duval, saw fit to make fact-finding visits here in recent months, to check things out. Others, including 1992 champion Fred Couples and 1994 winner Jose-Maria Olazabal, simply arrived for the tournament earlier than in previous years, having missed the cut in the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta last Friday.

But there will be a notable absentee. For the first time in 40 years, Jack Nicklaus, who finished a remarkable sixth 12 months ago, won't be weaving his magic for the practice-day crowds. Recent hip surgery will limit his appearance to the annual champions' dinner tonight.

"They'll miss him in the tournament, absolutely," said long-time rival Arnold Palmer. "I know I'll miss him. For the last 10 years, he and I have played a practice round together. I started inviting amateurs to join us and we had fun making up a match."

Clarke was clearly aware of something special as he made a return trip down Magnolia Lane. And generally, the quality of his play belied fairly grim early-season form which saw him miss two cuts in five stroke-play tournaments and lose to Andrew Magee in the first round of the Andersen Consulting Matchplay.

The puff of the cigar helped him face a tricky eight-footer on the 14th which, he agreed, is the most difficult green on the course. The putt hit the lip and stayed out. It was only on watching Clarke go on to practise chip and run shots with a three wood, that one became aware of another change.

"They've let the grass grow around the greens," he said. "It's probably no more than an inch, but it means that you can no longer use the putter from just off the surface." Which explained why he was taking a leaf out of Tiger Woods's book with threewood chipping.

Down the long 15th, a pushed drive found one of the 17 new trees which have been planted between it and the 17th fairway since last year. It has meant a rerouting of spectator traffic which will no longer be permitted down the right side of the 15th, towards the green.

All of which caused me to make a sinister approach to the green, where I settled in the splendid little stand on the left, overlooking the front pond. "This is one of the best viewing spots on the course," said the Pinkerton security guard. "How do I know that? Well, it's because when Bobby Jones was confined to a wheelchair, this is where he came to view the Masters."

Indeed it offered an excellent view of the short 16th, where Clarke was forced to wait on the tee while the green was being hand-mown. After the mower-blades had done their work, three officials tested the speed of the surface with a Stimpmeter.

When Clarke eventually hit, his shot landed on the edge of the putting surface before bouncing back into the water. "Practice rounds: Use one ball only" declared the sign on the tee. Clarke hit a second ball into the water. It was only when he arrived at the green and repaired the pitch-mark left by his first ball, that one became aware it was only two feet short of being perfect. Augusta.

Tom Watson argued that lengthening the long second by 20 yards reduced the potential drama of the hole. "Bob Goalby always called that the `Delta Counter Hole', because if you hit it in the creek on the left side, you're probably going to be stuck making flight reservations out of here," said the twice former champion. "Now the gamble is gone: it's just a three-shot hole."

Some of that lost drama, however, is likely to be transferred to the 17th, where an additional 25 yards has changed it from a drive/sandwedge hole to a drive and eight or seven iron. "They've made a real golf-hole out of it - a serious wake-up call," said the 1979 champion Fuzzy Zoeller.

Clarke agreed. "The Eisenhower tree will certainly become a factor if the wind blows," said the player who started with a wretched seven there last year. "Instead of thinking birdie on the tee, you may now be thinking that a par might do."

With that, he concluded by dismissing poor early-season form as no more than incidental to the serious business on hand this week. "I was eighth here last year and I'm looking forward to improving on that," he said confidently.

Once more, Augusta had cast its spell and found a more than willing victim. Ever changing, yet remaining the same in its timeless beauty.