If you want to spend more time today watching golfers and less time watching taillights, police and traffic officials have this advice: Don't drive to Augusta National Golf Club on Washington Road.

The quicker routes for the first two days of practice rounds have been by River Watch Parkway or Martintown Road through North Augusta. Both routes get you to the course via downtown.

Officials say that they have been telling motorists this all week but that no one seems to be listening.

Tuesday's patrons packed into Washington Road from the Interstate 20 exits, creating a bottleneck of slow-moving traffic. At its peak around 9 a.m., traffic was backed up about two miles along I-20.

Many of those delays were backups caused by motorists slowing down to enter the new free parking lots off Washington Road, according to Steve Cassell, Augusta-Richmond County's traffic engineer. Many would stop to enter the first new access point behind Publix. The road is narrow and slower to navigate.

Traffic officials -- and on Tuesday, some deputies -- urged motorists to continue on and make right turns at Stanley Drive, where two larger lanes provide access to the new lots.

By late morning, drivers appeared to have gotten the idea, Cassell said. A Richmond County sheriff's deputy stationed at the intersection seemed to help.

"We're still trying to find the right balance to feed those parking lots," Cassell said. "We need better communication between us and the people on the street."

Any challenges motorists face this morning might be magnified late this afternoon when crowds from the Par-3 Contest start leaving.

"Based on past experience, we're expecting Washington Road to have serious congestion," Cassell said.

Sheriff's Maj. Richard Weaver is more optimistic: "As long as they obey the traffic signs and our deputies, they should have no problem coming out."

Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.