Golf

What happens when the Masters isn’t being played?

Augusta National has 4 widespread members-only occasions.

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Every April, all eyes in the golf world flip to Augusta, Georgia and the Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters, however what about the remainder of the yr?

While it’s one in every of the best sports activities venues in the world, Augusta National is rather like another of the United States’ elite golf golf equipment. There’s member play, a couple of tournaments right here and there and doubtless an occasional look from a Masters Champion (they’re honorary members).

Like a couple of different Southern golf equipment, the course is closed throughout the warmest months of the yr, which is when lots of the modifications and renovations to the course for the Masters are made.

While tournaments are often held with the secrecy you’d anticipate from the inexperienced jackets, we’ve rounded up a schedule primarily based on what we all know.

Augusta National calendar

Mid-October: Opening Party

The first of Augusta National’s 4 huge members tournaments coincides with the starting of member play after the summer season closure. Like two of the different three occasions, all occasions comply with a four-player greatest ball format. The scoring is just a little totally different, nevertheless, as the course doesn’t have an official USGA slope and score. Two factors are given for birdies and one level is given for pars with nothing else counting. Your handicap is then found out by your whole factors from 18.

November: Governors Party

The second members social gathering is held a month after the first and is performed with the identical format. All 4 of those occasions are solely open to members as there isn’t any member-guest at Augusta National. They do draw share of the 300 members for every occasion.

Late March: The Jamboree

Perhaps the hottest of the members occasions is the Jamboree. Jack Nicklaus nonetheless performed into his 80s. In truth, it’s even rumored extra inexperienced coats attend the Jamboree than even the Masters. This is the solely occasion performed with simply two-player, member-member groups. The Masters scoreboards are often arrange for the coming event throughout this member-member and are sometimes used as properly.

The two weeks previous the second Sunday of April: Augusta National Women’s Amateur; Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals; The Masters

If you’re studying this web site, we in all probability don’t have to clarify any of those ones.

May: Closing Party

Just as Augusta National opens their season with a four-player greatest ball event, the membership ends with one as properly. With hotter climate often comes just a little extra of a laid-back ambiance. Former Augusta Chairman Hootie Johnson as soon as mentioned there was a barbeque down by the par-3 course throughout the Closing Party the place members would hit photographs to the 1st inexperienced as they loved their meals and drinks. See, it’s similar to your house course!

May to October: Course closed

During the annual summer season closure, the membership typically lets the fairways and tough go dormant, however the iconic greens are saved up. The closure serves two functions; shutting down throughout the least widespread and hottest time of yr to play in the Augusta space and permitting the membership to make modifications. Augusta National is the most renovated course in the world — take this yr’s modifications to 13 — and the cause the membership could make them so quick is the summer season closure.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, incomes levels in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his highschool golf workforce and nonetheless *tries* to stay aggressive in native amateurs. Before becoming a member of GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but additionally producing, anchoring and even presenting the climate. He will be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.

 

 


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