pocketwiley, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The logo for the Masters Tournament, made of Yellow Jasmine, at the Augusta National Golf Club.
This year we attended the 90th annual Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. It was our first live golf tournament and we had a spectacular time. Getting a chance to watch anyone who is the top of their sport is always exciting, and observing players drive a ball over 300 yards, placing them with precision, particularly impressed us. The sound also was engaging: a solid thwack as the driver made contact and the ball whirred off the tee, soaring towards the hole.
Media can’t do justice to the experience of actually being on site. The grounds are immaculately maintained and the grass a vibrant, deep, rich green that pictures or video just don’t capture. The club grounds span about 350 acres, with a course layout of 7,565 yards this year. We more than got our steps in as we explored the course, taking in the action from every hole.
Patrons, as the fans are known, follow the club’s strict rules of decorum, and never drop a piece of litter, raise their voices, or run on the grounds. As we watched a putt amid thousands of other patrons, we were amazed at the silence, as if we were the only ones there. The otherworldly feeling at Augusta is further enhanced by a complete ban during competitive rounds of any electronic devices, including cell phones and cameras. This was the only negative for photography-loving folks like us.
The design of the legendarily challenging course, consistently ranked amongst the ten most-difficult in the country, also is much more apparent in person. The greens slope and dip, subtly in some cases and dramatically in others, requiring intense focus and careful calculation for even the shortest putt. Frustration rarely was visible, but we’re sure it’s tough when the best players in the world miss short putts. It’s a challenging course and, as a consequence, really exciting to watch.
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Ryan Schreiber, CC BY 2.0
Hole 16 at the Augusta National Golf Club.
The pressure of playing in the Masters is known to produce mistakes in experienced competitors, while others unexpectedly rally, with finishes often determined in the last few strokes of round 4. Our favorite, defending-champion Rory McIlroy, ended round 1 tied for first with Sam Burns, both at 5 under par. McIlroy leapt ahead in round 2, finishing with a tournament record -12 halfway score, six shots ahead of second place Sam Burns. But round 3 concluded with Sam Young rising from 12th to tie McIlroy for the lead at -11 as McIlroy shot 1 over par for the day.
During round 4, McIlroy’s lead was at risk when he finished 2 over par on hole 4 and 1 over on hole 6. In a close finish, McIlroy rallied to finish at -12, with Scottie Scheffler at -11 and a four-way tie for 3rd at -10. McIlroy became the 4th back-to-back winner, along with golf greats Tiger Woods (2001–2002), Nick Faldo (1989–1990), and Jack Nicklaus (1965–1966). The competition was deeply engaging and very exciting.
In addition to thoroughly enjoying the course and the play, we also got a view behind the scenes at Augusta. A good friend is a member of the famously secretive and exclusive club, and he generously invited us to attend as his guests. The event attracts a high-caliber crowd including professional sports stars, Fortune 500 CEOs and senior government officials. We had some great meals, enjoyed every minute with our friend, and met some incredibly interesting people.
Always fans of technology, we also spent much time touring the broadcast media center. Starting this year, Amazon Prime Video is an official broadcaster for the tournament, along with CBS and NBC. The Amazon Prime team did their usual stellar production job, and we were very impressed with the innovativeness and quality of the data and visuals that the Masters technology team created as well. Their app and website are particularly impressive, allowing easy access to a multitude of information about each player and the tournament overall.
And then there is the coveted Masters memorabilia, available only on-site during tournament week. Patrons line up for well over an hour to purchase souvenirs, many leaving with several large bags stuffed with thousands of dollars of goods that they tote back to their cars before returning to the course. Others avail themselves of the Masters shipping service to more conveniently send their purchases home. The most valued collectable by far is the limited-edition Masters gnome, unique every year and restricted to one per patron. Selling on-site for $60, Masters Gnomes often are available on the secondary market for ten or twenty times that price.
Our 2026 gnome will be a wonderful and unique reminder of the exceptional time we had at the tournament. We are extremely grateful to our friend for inviting us to attend as his guests, and for being such a gracious and generous host.
Sounds like a terrific time. The Masters golf course is so lush and stunning. Yes, this year the competition was exciting and intense. I was surprised to read somewhere that annual dues for the Club are only around $10,000 annually. Seems like a bargain for such a spectacular and hallowed club and golf course.
The dues are not the blocker for entrance into the club. One has to be invited and they maintain an absolutely tiny group of members making invitations a truly rare and special opportunity for those that receive them.