The Masters: Augusta, Georgia

The 86th Masters Tournament hosted at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia was an experience I will never forget. If you ever have the opportunity to attend the Masters, you must. I am extremely grateful I was able to experience this so early into my lifetime.

The Masters spans over a week long; the first three days are practice days and the following four full days, Thursday to Sunday, are for the international competition. My father arrived a couple days early because he would be attending all four days of the competition while the rest of the family would only be going Saturday and Sunday. We flew into Atlanta on a red eye Thursday night and drove straight to Augusta Friday morning. The drive to Augusta from Atlanta is about two hours depending on traffic. Once we arrived in Augusta, we settled into a house we rented for the weekend. In Augusta, it’s very common for locals to rent their houses for the tournament. This weekend is also very important for local restaurants and shops because it’s an opportunity to put their best foot forward for the masses of visitors entering their small town. You can feel and see the excitement and transformation in Augusta.

Saturday morning came quick and we were off to Augusta National by seven o’clock. We had the nicest driver named Jimmy who took us all around Augusta for the weekend. Before entering, we gave Jimmy our phones and headed through the beautiful entrance. Per the rules, no electronic devices are allowed inside so no photos or videos are able to be taken. When I shared this on Instagram, it issued a lot of shocked responses. This happened to be one of the most special parts of the entire tournament. Thousands and thousands of people detached and fully present in the moment. There’s not a lot of circumstances in this day and age where this happens. Even though I really wish I could have shared more of the pristine course and iconic golf shots, I am glad this rule applies and I hope they never change this.

As we walked through the entrance, it was important for our group of seven to establish meeting points throughout the day in the chance we got separated from one another. Whether it be the Masters or Disneyland, this is essential for any crowded, busy place. Once those were set, we headed to the shop to purchase the famous Masters gear. If you’re looking to purchase Masters gear for yourself, family or friends, make sure to go as soon as you can. Gear sells out quickly and it’s nice to get it over with. Next to the shop is a checking and shipping center. We opted to ship our new gear straight to Los Angeles, mainly because we didn’t want to carry it around all day but we also knew it wouldn’t all fit in our carry-ons.

After shipping was done, we were off! Augusta National Golf Club is 345 acres in total. Thankfully I packed good walking shoes because we were moving all day long. The course itself was unlike any I have ever seen or will see. Growing up near golf courses my whole life with a father who religiously goes to the course, I thought I had an idea of how beautiful courses can be. When I say I was blown away by Augusta, I am still struggling to explain the beauty of it. Each hole has it’s own unique, pristine terrain and structure. A little fun fact as well is there is one palm tree on the entire course at the fourth hole.

During both days, we ate a lot, drank, and watched every golfer go through different holes. We stopped for the famous pimento cheese sandwiches and refilled our drink cups at concessions throughout the course. Men, I am sorry to say this but be prepared to wait in the bathroom line. Because the ratio of men to women is about twenty to one, ladies never have to wait in a line to the bathroom. I think this is one of the only places in the world where this is the case. I absolutely loved it.

With all that being said, I want to say I wasn’t an expert about golf before the Masters and I still definitely am not after this weekend. For me, it was really amazing just being able to go and especially unbelievable to see Tiger Woods play as it would be for many. Shocker! But seriously, I felt electric energy from the crowd each time Tiger hit a shot. I truly loved walking the course alongside the players and learning about the history of the Masters and Augusta, and more about the culture of golf. My favorite holes to watch at Augusta were 2, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13 or famously known as Amen Corner, and 16.

Every person’s experience is different at the Masters, and I know this experience is not accessible to everyone. I am insanely blessed to have been able to experience such a special event. I am writing this to give insight into my experience and information I gained by attending.

…… And the winner of The 86th Masters Tournament is Scottie Scheffler, ranked number one in the world before and after this weekend.

Here are a couple more Masters facts and tips I learned:

ANI, or Augusta National Inc., is the only authorized source/seller of Masters tickets. You must apply online for tickets and be selected in order to attend. You have to complete the application during a three week period and if you are selected, those tickets are only valid for that year. Essentially, you will have to apply each year in order to attend.

Never follow Tiger Woods at a golf tournament. Each hole Tiger is playing at will draw a crowd of about 5,000 people. My advice is to pick a specific hole, grab a good spot, and wait for your favorite players to arrive. Especially if you’re on the shorter side, you will not be able to see if you try to follow Tiger, and many other golfers. You can hear the Tiger “roar” from the crowd surrounding him so you’ll always know what hole he is at.

To become a member at Augusta National Golf Club, you must be invited. During the Masters, each member is required to wear their green jacket for the entirety of the tournament as ambassadors.

Masters Sunday is championship day for those who don’t know. The green jacket presented to the winner is the most important jacket in the world of golf. It is custom for the previous years winner to present the green jacket to the new winner. Once you win the Masters, that person has the jacket in their possession for one year. After that one year mark has passed, the jacket must be returned to the club and is available whenever the champion visits. It will live at the club until the winner has passed away. When the winner dies the jacket is burned.

The permanent Masters Trophy we see the winners holding lives in the Clubhouse on a pedestal. There are bands of silver where the winner and runner-ups names are engraved.

Each year, the defending champion hosts a dinner for Masters champions, or better known as the “Champions Dinner”, on Tuesday night of the Masters. The defending winner selects the menu and receives an inscribed gold locket in the form of the Club emblem.

The Masters is one of the most efficient events in the world. They really have everything planned out to a tee and I think that is what made our experience so enjoyable. There’s a checkpoint before entering where you can check your phone if you need to. When leaving, ride-share options are very easy to use. There’s a designated parking lot and an Uber stand where you are able to get a car.

If you need to make a phone call for any reason, there’s phone banks located around the course. Simply dial the number into the phone and you’re connected! Old school… I love it. We used the phone banks to call our driver to give him updates on our departure time.

Always check the temperature and be prepared for anything. Layers are your best friend. On Saturday, the conditions were extremely windy and cold, but Sunday was 75 degrees and sunny. It can change very quickly.

If you’re interested in getting a good seat at a particular hole, get to the course early, purchase a Masters chair from the shop, and plant your chair down. If you’re not interested in purchasing a chair, there are bleachers at the majority of holes to sit at.

This does not even begin to touch the history and fun of the Masters, but I hope this does give you just a glimpse of how special this competition is. It truly was unlike anything I have ever been to.

Next years Masters will take place from April 3rd to 9th.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a reply below.

All photos are pulled from @themasters Instagram.