So many things swirl inside Charles Howell's mind when it comes to the Masters Tournament.

Charles Howell says he realizes he is guilty of overanalyzing his game and wants to stop that. (Andrew Davis Tucker/Staff)

It is played on a course he estimates he has played 150 times, 10 of them since it reopened in October at an extended length. He has played the course so often that he worries he might wear out his welcome.

"I may be the reason they changed the rule that once you qualify for the tournament you can play," the Augusta native said jokingly. "I may be the reason that rule gets revoked for everybody."

It is the tournament his career would not be complete without winning. He loved the tournament even before he shot 67 on Caddie Day in 1996, still his best round at Augusta National Golf Club.

"This golf tournament doesn't feel like any tournament," Howell said. "This golf course doesn't have the same feel to me as a U.S. Open or a British Open or a PGA. It just doesn't.

"Those are major championships. They are very important. They are played on great golf courses. But it's not the Masters."

The love affair began even before he shot 79 from the members tees - at age 10. That's evident listening to him emote about the 1986 Masters won by Jack Nicklaus. He speaks about Augusta National as if he were the PGA Tour's resident Masters historian.

"I want to win this thing more than anybody," Howell said.

That's what made missing the cut in 2005 so awful. But he didn't shut himself off from the Masters after the setback. He switched from professional to fan.

"I still watched every bit of the Masters over the weekend," Howell said. "Because I love the Masters. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I might have put it out of mind if I missed a cut at the British Open or the PGA. But not the Masters.

"It was what got me excited about golf as a kid. It's what gets me the most excited about golf now. And I believe that it always will."

Howell has adopted a new outlook this year. He said he basically threw out everything in his game, "including the kitchen sink."

His methodology is to try to quiet the highs and forget the lows and the love for Augusta National swirling around his head. He admits he's guilty of overthinking his game at times.

"It's my challenge in the things I am working on in my game," Howell said. "To put more feel back into my game to become more of a golfer versus maybe a technician. I'm playing and learning different shots. Not everything is a full 7-iron. It may be a three- quarter 6-iron."

It's not that radical of a notion.

"Keeping it simple and smart sounds like a sound strategy," Stuart Appleby said. "Logical decisions and staying out of one's way sounds like a fine way to go at it, especially with all this tournament can present. It's definitely a place where trying not to get caught up in it all can make good sense.

"I know one thing, though. If a player's trying to learn how to better block things out and not overanalyze his game, this is sure one heck of a place to try it out. If a guy can do that here, he can just about do that anywhere."

Reach Jeff Sentell at (706) 823-3425 or jeff.sentell@augustachronicle.com.