Can one play at Augusta?

**WhoElseButMe** · 04-09-2005

Just wondering is it possible for "anyone" to play at Augusta?

I have NO idea.

If so what would it cost? (approx). Also what's the members list be like?

One more thought if the pros could then wouldn't they benefit from practicing there before the Masters. Never hurts to know the course, does it?

**WhoElseButMe** · 04-09-2005

BTW Its 2:30 in the morning and I am watching the masters. I have to go for a round of golf at 5, so no sleep for me. :-)

**The master** · 04-09-2005

Originally Posted by WhoElseButMe

BTW Its 2:30 in the morning and I am watching the masters. I have to go for a round of golf at 5, so no sleep for me. :-)

Golf at 5 am that is nasty what are you playing night golf?

**Dublinjail** · 04-09-2005

Private club, members only. I think that you have to be invited like any other private club. Golf digest stated that Augusta does not allow their members to disclose anything about the financial amount to join or play. The digest said that if you are lucky enough to get asked to join you can expect somewhere in the low to mid three fiqures for initation dues. I know that Nickolas and Palmer are members, but do not know of other pros. This is why winning is so coveted. You can play as long as competitive and always come back for the festivites such as dinners and all tournament perks.

**WhoElseButMe** · 04-09-2005

Ok Thanks Dublin. So even pros can't play unless they are members? Can't pay green fee and play? No matter how high.

Also Master...it takes half an hr to get there and I prefer to tee off at daybreak so as to finish by 9 (latest). It gets HOT after that. And yes during summers I just love night golf. But that's only in Delhi and I can go there once in a month or two max. But boy is it fun!

**The master** · 04-09-2005

I would love to live where you live it is cold all the time here, if I was you at 2.30 am I would be falling asleep I can't stay up later than 1am.

Also I have a fred dialy match tommorow can't wait it will be great, playing at a good course as well.

**pmclamb** · 04-09-2005

Just to let you know how hard it is to become a member...Bill Gates was rejected membership...who knows, maybe he couldn't afford the dues.

**BogeyGolf** · 04-09-2005

Originally Posted by Dublinjail

You can play as long as competitive and always come back for the festivites such as dinners and all tournament perks.

If you win you can play as long as you want, competitive or not. Palmer hasn't been competitive at Augusta for quite some time.

**VTDivot** · 04-09-2005

A family friend is the CIO of a large national food chain and he has played Augusta in the past. He is playing again this May. I'm not sure how he gets on. I know he said the last time he played, they would not let him play from the back (tournament) tees.

**the hummer** · 04-09-2005

Yes, Dublinjail is right Private Club, members only and invited guests are permitted.

**alexcli** · 04-09-2005

there's a good treatment of how exclusive Augusta is in John Feinstein's "The Majors". Unlike other private clubs, having a lot of $ does not really matter as much as being someone "special". It's also pretty exclusive in the sense that they don't allow female members and did not have minority members for a long time. Being in the heart of the south it apparently fits in with the sterotypical "good ole boys" club. Being a minority myself, I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be there if I ever I got a chance to play there. Don't get me wrong, if I ever got the chance to play there, I'd be all over it but the thought would cross my mind. That's never going to happen though so I'm not too worried about it.

Interestingly, Feinstein also says in his book that just getting tickets to the Masters is the hardest ticket to get in all of sports because you also have to be on some exclusive list just to have the opportunity to buy tickets. The tickets apparently are also relatively cheap (like $100 for all four days) compared to Super Bowl or World Series tickets but Augusta is more interested in being exclusive than making $. That's pretty frickin' exclusive if you ask me...

**kirksey74** · 04-09-2005

Augusta is like the American Express Black...you gotta be asked to have one.

I thought if you have a PGA Tour Card, you can play at any course you wanted to at any time

**GoMocs** · 04-10-2005

Interesting article I read on the Masters said you can still get a sandwhich, chips, and soda for about $4, not each, total. Contrasted to about $20 at the other PGA tournaments. Remember for two years they didnt' accept commercials, just paid their own way on tv.....still only get four minutes per hour of them. As one of you said, the article said you do not ask to be a member, you are asked.

**Bravo35223** · 04-11-2005

I know a couple of members. One is in my high school class. I have also been to the tournament several times - including going into the clubhouse as a guest.

Although I do not know the initiation fee - it is my understanding that it is low...much less than $100,000 for example.

I also have the same understanding about the dues. They are quite low and from what I understand they have not had an assessment in years.

This is all because the club is awash in money from the golf tournament. Getting in is Not all about having money or success. You need a connection and they need to think that you are "their kind of people".

And yes it is also true that on-course beverages are incredibly cheap. They have a different motive for this. They actually want their spectators to have a fantastic time and although they could charge $10 for a ham sandwich and people would pay it - they charge a fraction of that amount.

Supply of Tickets: The reason they are so hard to get is because of the demand vs supply. The attendance at the Master's is Less than other majors. Why? Because the members want the spectators to have a great time. Therefore, decades ago, they decided to limit the attendance to a reasonable amount - thus keeping crowds to a manageable number.

Cost of Tickets (here we go again) are also very very cheap compared to other tournaments. Reason: They have so much money, they figure that there is no need to charge more and they want to treat their longstanding spectator/patrons with respect...

**Scott K** · 04-11-2005

Originally Posted by Bravo35223

I know a couple of members.

So, have you played it?

**Bravo35223** · 04-11-2005

Originally Posted by Scott K

So, have you played it?

No I haven't. If I had - I would certainly post about it.

At my latest high school reunion - I talked to the guy who joined in the last couple of years. He comports himself quite well for somebody who has a staggering amount of money - and frankly as you can imagine - has inherited everything. He is a class act and we talked about playing in Scotland etc when we had a beer at the bar.

But I do not know him nearly well enough to ask him about going there to play....it's beyond good taste for me to do this.

The other fellow who joined from here had no family ties to the club - so I was surprised he was admitted.

They are very very careful about who they invite in. While I am sure they Do want some high profile members, much of the time their new members have no national profile at all - such a President of a Fortune 500 company etc.

And I think since the Martha Burke thing, some of their membership philosophy is "defensive" to a certain extent. No boat rockers etc. It is my understanding also that only about 25 members really call all of the shots. The rest are told in one way or the other to shut up, pay your dues and have fun.

**Scott K** · 04-11-2005

Originally Posted by Bravo35223

No I haven't. If I had - I would certainly post about it.

I figured, but the question was just hanging out there to be asked.

I was going to recommend that you brush up on your "suck up" skills, but after your deft explanation I see that would be fruitless.

I might just note that Machiavelli would find extortion to be a very viable option in this situation.

**wirehair** · 04-11-2005

I'm pretty sure they do what they want. In the 17th fairway there's a tree called the Eisenhower Pine. He was a member & the story goes that in 1956 he wanted to cut it down. Clifford Roberts vetoed it, & adjourned the meeting.

Ike was a pretty high profile guy in 1956.

**Bravo35223** · 04-11-2005

Originally Posted by wirehair

I'm pretty sure they do what they want. In the 17th fairway there's a tree called the Eisenhower Pine. He was a member & the story goes that in 1956 he wanted to cut it down. Clifford Roberts vetoed it, & adjourned the meeting.

Ike was a pretty high profile guy in 1956.

I think your story pretty much puts it all in perspective...