Charles Howell is crazy about the Masters Tournament, but he's not insane.

For the first time, Charles Howell will be playing in a tournament the week before competing in the Masters, something he hopes will help his game and his mind-set. (Jackie Ricciardi/Staff)

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, Howell is shaking up the routine for his seventh appearance in his hometown major.

For the first time, Howell decided to play a tour event the week before the Masters. He went to Houston if for no other reason than to get his mind off an event that has consumed him since he was 7.

"I think playing the week before will make a huge difference," Howell said. "Because I find myself the week before that all you can think about is Augusta, and you can only get worked up and antsy for it. I just think playing the week before I'll focus more on Houston and then go into the Masters playing rather than already thinking about it and getting worked up for a week."

His decision will have a cumulative effect on Howell's tournament preparations and the routine he has followed the past six years. Assuming he made the cut, he'll arrive at his parents' home in Augusta on Sunday night and spend less time at Augusta National on Monday.

"I think it will run the flow of a much more normal week," he said. "What other tournament do you see a guy play 18 holes on Monday?"

That quest for normalcy takes more effort for a golfer who has been dreaming to the point of obsession about winning the Masters since he started playing the game.

"The toughest thing is to do nothing different," Howell said of his Masters prep. "Treat it like it's every other week. The challenging part of Augusta is to stay normal and to keep doing the same things that you always do.

"I still haven't gone in and played the full week as I do a normal week. Even another major, for that matter. Everybody gets worked up for Augusta, and if they tell you something different, they're lying. But for some of us -- being a home game, if you will -- the challenge is doing the same things those seven days as I do the seven days somewhere else."

His Masters habits aren't the only routines Howell has changed since finishing 18th on the money list last season. He has changed his equipment from Callaway to Bridgestone. He has changed the make and style of his clothes.

Most importantly, he has changed the pace of his schedule. At 28, the days of him playing 30 events a year are gone. He didn't play more than two weeks in a row on the West Coast and won't play more than three consecutive weeks until the season-ending playoff series.

The plan not only gives him more rest but also allows him to spend more time in Orlando, Fla., working with his swing coach, Kevin Smeltz, to avoid letting bad habits creep into his game.

"I'll have to miss a couple of events I like, but I think it works out well," Howell said. "I realized I had good starts on the West Coast but hadn't played that well in the summer. When I'm playing a lot, I'm away from Kevin. So if I play a little bit less, I'll see him more at home. It's so we hopefully avoid getting off a bit, and the next thing I have to go back and make some changes."

Making those midseason changes is what knocked Howell off stride after a hot start in 2007. After tying for 30th at the Masters, he didn't have a better finish until September.

"When you're always trying to get better, sometimes you can try too much," he said. "I've stayed a whole lot more consistent this year. I haven't got off to quite as hot a start as I did last year, but hopefully I'll play more consistently throughout the year."

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.