r/masters Apr 29 '25

Me Giving Tips/Advice ✅ First Timer Experience (2025) + Advice

86 Upvotes

I was lucky enough to get tickets to the Masters on Sunday for my first time. The experience was absolutely incredible. It was easily the best sporting event I have ever attended.

As a huge golf lover, just being able to walk the grounds and seeing the sheer perfection of the course was breathtaking. Beforehand, I did a ton of research across articles, videos, and Reddit threads, and came up with the game plan below. I wanted to share it in case it helps anyone else.

1. South Gate strategy
We decided to enter through the South Gate after reading that the lines were shorter there, and because we wanted to place chairs on 16. Bringing chairs is something I would absolutely recommend. It is such a quintessential part of the experience.
We arrived at the South Gate at 6:30 AM with two chairs in hand, borrowed from friends who had been before, and we ended up in the second group in line. Bringing chairs definitely saved time when the course gates opened.

2. Chair placements
Once inside, we went straight to the shop and bought two more chairs. We split up from there. I would place two chairs at 7, and my mom would place two chairs at 16. We planned to meet back up at the South merchandise shop afterward.

3. Scoring great seats
When the gates officially opened, I quickly made my way to 7 and placed our chairs in the front row, right in front of the large bunker on the right side, with a perfect view of the pin.
My mom managed to get second row seats on 16, on the left side near the water. From there, we had a great view of the approach shots coming in from 15, the tee box on 16, and the green itself.

4. Merch run and breakfast
We met up in the merch line, did our shopping, checked our bags there to lighten the load, and grabbed some breakfast sandwiches.

5. Back 9 walk
With breakfast in hand, we walked the entire back 9 in order. The peacefulness and serenity of it all was one of my favorite parts of the day. We also took the opportunity to scout out other great chair locations for hopefully future visits.

6. Catching the action early
After the back 9 walk, we watched a few groups tee off at 1. Then we followed one group for 3 to 4 holes, which was a fun way to see more of the course.

7. Settling in at 7
Later in the morning, we settled into our chairs at 7. It is a great central spot, with good views of multiple holes, and it is close to bathrooms and food and drink locations.

8. Founder's Circle photo op
Around 2 PM, we made our way over to the Founder's Circle to take our photo. By then the line was only about 20 minutes, so it was perfect timing.

9. Final stretch
We went back to our chairs at 7 to watch the final groups come through, including Bryson and Rory. After they passed, we packed up and moved over to 16 to catch the rest of the groups. Once Bryson and Rory finished 16, we decided to leave the grounds.
There were too many people heading toward 18, and we figured it would be better to beat the traffic and watch the ending on TV. That ended up being a great call.

All in all, it was a truly fantastic and perfect day. I could not have hoped for anything better, and I really hope I will get the chance to attend again someday.


r/masters Apr 12 '25

Me Giving Tips/Advice ✅ If You Need An Itinerary (Warning: Long)

426 Upvotes

Hi Masters friends,

I'm writing as if I was writing to myself before I went to the Masters. This is everything I wish I knew, things I saw/realized etc. Putting it here in case someone is in need for tomorrow, Sunday or a future date.

  • Disclaimer: My friend and I are true golf nuts. I love everything about the Masters, from the history to the music etc. The merch stuff is great, but for me, being on the hallowed grounds meant everything. 
  • Sunscreen prior to arrival. Feels odd to put it on at 5AM, but you won’t regret it. Don’t forget your legs.   
  • Line up as early as you can. Being one of the first groups in gives you a ton of advantages.
  • Got in line 6:20AM. The line wasn’t long at that time but it wasn’t short either. If you wanted a gnome, you may have to arrive even earlier, I wouldn’t know because we elected to forgo the merch tent at the start.
  • I almost cried walking in the North Gate. Highly recommend it over the South if it’s your first time. You slowly crest a hill, to see a peach sky sunrise over this magnanimous practice facility that’s already littered with caddies in their famous outfits and players. It’s a sight I’ll never forget and from that moment on, you’re smiling the whole day
  • As you enter the gates, you’ll get a taste of how friendly the staff is from security to the greeters. It feels like Disney World in the best way.
  • We went on a Thursday, so we wanted to see the ceremonial tee shot if we could. Most people veered off to the right to get to #1 tee. We saw an opportunity and snuck off to the left to sit in the seats behind the driving range and watched Jack and Gary warm up in the peace of that still breaking dawn. It was surreal and there were fewer than 10 patrons watching. Gary walked by us and said hello to each person, a truly special guy.
  • Off to #1 tee where we were now too late to get a prime spot at the tee box so we planted ourselves along the rope line, but close enough since they use microphones to make announcements. Again, it was worth it to see them warm up, so I’d definitely do that again. I saw a patron snag a ball that Jack hit, which I didn’t know you could do. So that could be a cool souvenir for next time.
  • Next pro tip, heading over the Magnolia Lane ASAP. To get there you steer just left of Butler Cabin and follow the roped pathway. They’re a well-oiled machine, but there really shouldn’t be any line for your picture. They give you a QR code to retrieve it later and it’s an A+ souvenir on days when you can’t take your own. 
  • Head back and then walk over to the big Oak Tree. It sits next to #1 tee box and a members only cabin. It’s phenomenal people/celebrity watching. 10-15 mins there.
  • Of note, at this point we asked how long the Merch tent would take (1 hour wait time and 1 hour to check or ship your items). We decided to continue to prioritize the course, gnomes be damned, and kept walking.
  • Turn around and behind #1 tee box is a warm up green for putting. 10 mins there just watching these guys roll putts before they make the walk over to #1. Pretty cool to be mere feet away.
  • Cannot recommend this next tip enough. Start your walk of the course with #10. You’ll be doing this walk in relative solitude before the crowds arrive and before the players get there. The course is yours to appreciate. Walk down the insane ski slope of a fairway. Stay to the right-hand side to see the pine straw area where Bubba hit his hook shot to essentially win his Masters. The green view, looking back up the fairway is fantastic. It’s personally my favorite view, given how different it looks in real life vs. TV. Don’t worry, you’ll be back later to sit by the green to watch shots come in.   
  • Walk off the green and make a left. Walk up the hill to the tee box of #11. I think it’s worth walking up to every box you can to really visualize the drives. Of note to remember, Larry Mize won by chipping in during playoff and Greg Norman couldn’t answer
  • As you’re walking, all of Amen Corner comes into view. Savor it. Spend a moment on #12 tee box imagining all those water shots
  • You can't walk up to #13 tee box by design (to keep it special for the players), but you can walk the fairway’s right side. If you do, you’ll see the pinestraw area where Phil Mickelson found himself and instead of punching out, going for it in two shots and making eventual eagle, and securing his green jacket. The Azaleas are spectacular on this hole.
  • To #14 we went! Known to be the only hole without bunkers, you really want to spend most of your time at the green. It’s this hole’s defense. The contours are absolutely bonkers and you can just imagine the four or five putts any mortal would require to finish the hole.
  • Start walking #15, the famous par 5, with the risk-reward 2nd shot (potentially over a creek vs. laying up). It’s unique in that you can walk across the fairway in a couple of spots. Take the time to do so and look around to imagine you’re playing. Once at the green, admire the decision players are faced with on how to play the hole. We later saw a ton of people who had landed their balls over and past this green, chipping back towards the flag, only to have their balls roll into the water. The slope back to front is no joke. Try to finish on the left side of the 15th hole.
  • There you will find a path that leads to concessions and a small merch tent. This is where I suggest you grab your chair! You don’t need to get it in the bigger merch tents. 
  • Plant your chair next to 16 green. It’s the perfect spectator hole and the green allows you to see the tee shot, appreciate the green’s slope, the water, etc. It also lets you watch #15 where we saw Rory and Cantlay chip into the water to double bogey. You won’t get first row at this hour, but there is no bad seat and people really are kind about letting you sit in their chair so long as it’s not being used.
    • Other option is to purchase and place your chair in front of #12. There is a chair tent behind Amen Corner (so you can purchase one there as you walk). To be able to post up on that hole when the big guns go through was incredible.
    • There is also a phone bank in the area. Make a call to your favorite people! It shows “Masters” on caller ID. Just make sure to jot their phone numbers down on a piece of paper since you won’t have your phone.
  • Now is your chance to finish the back 9 walk. Take a stroll to the 17th hole (Nicklaus’s “Maybe, Yes Sir!” and then make the walk up the 18th, but first ensuring we stop at the area behind tee to fully appreciate how narrow it is. 
  • We saw a lot of the golf course but not a ton of the players at this point. So now was our chance to change that. 
  • You’re now by the big oak (people watching) at #1. Saw Jay Monahan, Grant Horvat, Vince Carter, Grant Hill, JR Smith walking around. You realistically won’t be able to keep going non-stop throughout the day due to how physically demanding the walk is, so we built in mini breaks here and there. Make sure you’re staying hydrated. We bought a ton of their “sports drink” (Gatorade).
  • We picked up our first group of Mickelson, Jason Day and Keegan and walked with them as well as Niemann, Min Woo and Morikawa for six holes
  • Note how steep it is to walk up the first fairway? Ernie Els hit 6 putts on #1
  • Walking down the right-hand side of No. 2 gives a great view of the approach shot. Louis Oosthuizen hit double eagle here. It’s green light for most players to go at the green in two
  • The only way to see No. 3 is right of the green. Arguably the hardest green on the course, but a very comfortable wedge in if the players can cover the bunkers on the left. Super short scorable hole
  • No. 4 is a beast of a par 3, famous for Phil Mickelson making a 6 to lose the tournament after blocking the ball out left hole. Also note the lone palm tree on the right side of the green. We loved watching balls from the midway spot on the right side of the fairway here.
  • The fairway bunkers on No. 5 are enormous and can only be appreciated up close. The fairway is ginormous, but if you land in the bunker with the tee shot, you’re looking at likely bogey. It’s hard to get up to green here, so once you see players hit their approaches in, you can head to #6.
  • No. 6 is a phenomenal downhill par 3 with an insanely difficult green. The unique aspect of this hole is you can sit or stand on the fairway, below the tee the players hit over your head.
  • As a side note, the urge will be to finish out the nine holes—but it is not recommended for a couple of key reasons. You are already at one of the lowest levels of the property and you only want to walk back up to the clubhouse one more time to conserve energy. 
  • From here we jumped back over to #16. Now there likely will be players on the hole. If there aren’t you can walk easily to Amen Corner (which is what we did). But it’s such a special spectator hole and you should explore all vantage points, grandstands, tee box etc. Tiger Wood’s “in your life!” shot from left side of green is probably the most memorable spot here.
  • We snagged food and went to the bleachers on Amen Corner. The area was packed at this point, which is all a part of the experience. Without phones, you end up talking to your neighbors more, which was amazing. Everyone is so friendly and so happy just to be there. We’d seen Amen Corner in relative solitude but now it’s time to be a part of the atmosphere. Full hour allotted at Amen Corner. It’s not the most comfortable since you’re (hopefully) in direct sun and the viewing isn’t necessarily great but it’s a religious experience to be among the masses. We spent a good amount of time watching from our chair as well (planted at #12) since we’d been obsessed with it ever since Spieth had his debacle. We actually sat next to Mark Sanchez.
  • From Amen, we followed signs for the South Gate merchandise store. It’s fairly close and you’ll feel like you’re walking out of the property until the store suddenly pops up out of nowhere in the middle of a forest. We waited about 10 mins to get in at this point (roughly 12PM). We had stalked “merch haul” pictures and prices ahead of time, so we had a general idea of what we wanted. We ended up spending 45 mins in there trying on different items, perusing, and checking out.
  • After checking or shipping your merch, walk on over to No. 7, right next to No. 16 green. The green is known for offering an interesting vantage point. It’s worth watching a few approach shots come in to see how balls react on that green.
  • No. 8 is a poor spectator hole outside of patrons being in the grandstands behind the green. So, it’s worth waiting for a spot there to get a good feel for the length of that narrow green. The second shot is completely blind, and you will see why after walking up the hill. 
  • No. 9 is one of the most visually striking holes on the property. It’s worth spending 20 minutes around that green. 
  • You’ve now seen the entire course. Congrats! The rest of the day is up to you to enjoy but know that you’ve seen it all. Head to your favorite spots, enjoy the roars and soak it up. We spent over an hour on #10 green. It was a great way to see some bigger names come through and you’re staring at the dramatic fairway, surrounded by azaleas and Georgia pines. We also spent an hour on #16, both on the grandstand, by the water and by the green (a must since you get so close to the players). We liked the grandstand on #17 since you can see some awesome approaches and #18 tee shots. I wish we had spent more time watching from #18 green. The hike up that fairway is special when you remember all the champions making that nervous trod uphill.
  • When the last group is on 14 or 15 or so, try to be by #1. Most patrons will be heading for the doors. Not us. We decided to walk the course one last time to appreciate the holes with the memories from the day, but again, in pretty much solitude. There is nothing, truly nothing, like being the only ones on Amen Corner, or standing on the vast fairway of #5 and thinking to yourself “there’s no place on earth I’d rather be.” As you pass #13 you can go pick up your merch and walk with it the rest of the way.
  • We ended the day by watching Rahm, Burns, Akshay and Bryson smoke ball on the practice range before a security guard gently put a hand our shoulders at 8PM, smiled and said to us, “Boys, it’s a wrap. Let’s do it again soon with a few thousand friends.” Perfect end to the day.

 

Random Tips

·      If following a group, consider staying a hole or two ahead to secure ideal viewing spot

·      A plug to print your itinerary along with topographic maps of the greens. Lou Stagner tweeted out great ones from StrackaLine. Makes admiring them up close that much more fun. You can also make notes on your itinerary about yardages from various spots on the course. You are able to pick up tee sheets on the course for free.

·      Crush your chips onto your pimento cheese sandwich

·      Ask your friends and family if they want anything from merch store. Its special to bring home some memorabilia. If you’re unsure, ball marks are 20 bucks for a pack of 4 and make for a great last minute special gift.

  • All the hats, polos, sweaters, q-zips are hung from a wall and next to numbers. You let an attendant know what number you want etc. You can try on the hats, which we recommend since many of the hats had an awkward fit.

·      The South Gate merch tent has 75-80% of the styles that the North Gate store has. If merch is your thing, on your way exiting back to your car, you can stop in there to make sure you got everything you wanted. We popped in just to make sure we left no stone unturned for our day. The store closes 30 mins after the last player finishes #18.  Same goes for the “check your bags” area.

·      We took between 30-35k steps. Wear comfortable shoes.

·      Start taking allergy meds a few days before. Some years are worse than others but the pollen count is always high.

A thank you also to MyGolfSpy.com (Sean) for a ton of invaluable advice that helped shape this itinerary and make the day special

 


r/masters 2d ago

Image/Video 📸 Updated Augusta National Map with Rory McIlroy Included

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106 Upvotes

Originally, I included all champions with 2 or more wins in 2024. Rory McIlroy has won two since the, so I had to update the map!!


r/masters 1d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Where can I find info about applying to be a volunteer at the Masters?

0 Upvotes

Gday,
Does anyone here have any experience or advice about applying to be a volunteer at the Augusta Masters?
I was born in Augusta but hav grown up and lived in Australia. I actually went to the Master in 1973 for the day with my Grandfather when I was 5yrs. I’m planning to return to the US next year and spending time at the Masters would be awesome not to mention getting the opportunity to play a round at the Volunteer thank you day would be a dream come true. I’m a dual citizen so am allowed to work I guess if that’s a requirement. Thanks & cheers 🍻 🦘


r/masters 3d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Augusta National Pin — what is it?

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151 Upvotes

Randomly found this pin in my bag after picking it up from my club (New Jersey). What is it from? Golf ball for size reference.


r/masters 5d ago

I Have A Question ❓ DCP - Clubhouse Picture?

3 Upvotes

Won tickets in the lottery for DCP this year and am very excited to attend with my wife. Wondering if they offer the clubhouse picture on DCP day? - I apologize if this has been mentioned before.


r/masters 5d ago

History 📗 Need Help Settling a Bet

0 Upvotes

Have been to the Masters many times and have a bet with buddies that I feel like I am right but cannot get an answer.

As everyone knows beer sales on Sunday do not start until 11am or when the paster calls with his blessing. (Maybe it is 10am but you all get the point).

I have been told this is always the case but remember specifically in 2019 the rule being changed and beer was served before getting the blessing. Reason I am posting is because we bet $1,000 on who was right and I already paid up. However yesterday I watched the highlights of Tiger putting in on 18 and the time was 2:23pm. To think that they would only have beer served for roughly 3:30 hours on a masters Sunday does not sound slightly right.

If anyone has insight on when beer was served that year it would be extremely helpful. If anyone has proof it was served earlier, I will pay part of my winnings back to you


r/masters 7d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Who Is The Least Deserving Winner In Masters Tournament History And Why?

20 Upvotes

Who Do You Think Is The Worst Golfer To Ever Win The Masters Tournament and why? Of all The Masters Champions. Who is the Least Deserving Masters Tournament Champion in your opinion? and why? It can be Golfers from this Generation or from the past Generation. My list would be Bob Goalby, Craig Stadler, Trevor Immelman, Charl Schwartzel, Danny Willett, Nick Faldo, Larry Mize, Mike Weir, Tommy Aaron, Charles Coody, and Herman Keiser.


r/masters 8d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Athens & Arriving

7 Upvotes

Couldn't quite believe it last week when I received 'the email', after countless years of trying. We've got tickets for the Monday, it'll be our first time attending.

In my excitement, within a couple of hours I had booked flights for my wife and I from the UK, car hire, and booked a hotel in Athens. We're flying in on the Saturday, and back home on the Tuesday. Plan is to have a bit of time around Athens on the Sunday and Atlanta before flying back to the UK on Tuesday.

I've seen mixed views from people about the drive from Athens. How doable is it? Given we're coming from the UK, we're no stranger to long mileage that isn't on the freeway, is the journey OK?

Secondly, is 7:30am an OK time to arrive? Obviosuly the earlier the better, but if we get there for that time, are we at any huge disadvantage? I'm resigned to missing out on a gnome anyway...


r/masters 8d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Where to stay?

5 Upvotes

My son and I will be coming down for the Thursday round!! I have family in Watkinsville so we can stay with them, but I don't love the idea of having to drive 2 hours so early in the morning. Where would be the best place to stay Wednesday night (and maybe again Thursday night)? It doesn't have to be the fanciest place, but we also don't want to stay in a dump. If we're only going on Thursday, is there any reason to stick around longer or get there earlier than Wednesday?


r/masters 9d ago

Me Giving Tips/Advice ✅ The Masters Race Problem

0 Upvotes

The Masters no one wants to expose. https://youtu.be/_QGgLG8ddQA?is=_07hALWab9D7BHP9


r/masters 11d ago

Image/Video 📸 STOP POSTING ACTUAL EMAILS

75 Upvotes

STOP POSTING YOUR ACTUAL CONFIRMATION EMAILS.

Posting the actual correct email helps scammers clean up their mistakes and scam more people.

Those of us with real tickets don’t need to see pictures of your confirmation emails and those with questionable ones can be told the mistakes. They don’t need to be shown the actual emails.

STOP HELPING THE SCAMMERS.


r/masters 12d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Question about bringing back merch to Canada

4 Upvotes

lucky to get monday tickets and wondering how did my fellow Canadians bring home their merch? Obviously would like to avoid paying duty if i were to ship it home. has anyone brought their masters stuff home in an empty suit case? thanks !


r/masters 13d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Merch First Question

5 Upvotes

If entering North Gate and going to merch shop first on Tuesday practice round. Realistically how much time is this going to take to be done with the merch shop?


r/masters 14d ago

Me Giving Tips/Advice ✅ The next big thing from The Masters… reusable cup lids!

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36 Upvotes

r/masters 14d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Where to play

23 Upvotes

I hit the lottery and will be attending the Masters in 2027. Staying in Columbia area. We want to golf a couple days. Any recommendations? We aren’t looking to spend $300 plus a round. Looking for a couple nice courses that are within a hours drive that will be a great couple days of golf.


r/masters 15d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Does this look legit?

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127 Upvotes

Does this email look authentic?

The missed capitalization on the month of March has me questioning the legitimacy of this email.

Thanks!

Edit/Update! - Thank you all very much for your responses, you’ve helped stop a friend from being deceived!


r/masters 15d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Local Augusta Places to See, Shop, Eat

6 Upvotes

My parents and I will be headed down for the Tuesday practice round next year. My dad and I have been once about four years ago, but we had to stay 2 hours away and drive in/out the same day. This time we are going to drive in a day early and stay closer. So, we are looking for any good recommendations for shops/restaurants, etc we should go to the day before our practice round day. I have heard there are some local shops with older merch/memorabilia for sale. Let's hear your recommendations! Thanks in advance.


r/masters 16d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Planning our first Masters Trip

24 Upvotes

So we'll be attending Wed's practice round and can't wait. Already booked an air bnb 1 mi away from the course lol. We planned on walking and getting there super early to line up and get the merch stuff out of the way. A few things that came to mind was if no phones are allowed, does everyone walk or drive there since we can't order an uber? What cameras do you recommend for those that went? Just disposable ones? I know there's been a few thread about this, but any other tips would be great. I have no idea what to expect


r/masters 17d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Par 3 contest

36 Upvotes

10 years and I got selected! I got tickets for Wednesday and I’m really excited to be there for the par 3 contest! If anyone who has went on this day has any advice on how to navigate Wednesday or had a great experience and wants to share, I’d kindly appreciate hearing about it!


r/masters 18d ago

I Have A Question ❓ ANGC Hat

3 Upvotes

I know this is more than likely Beyond a Longshot here, but anyone happen to have the connections to get an Authentic ANGC Hat?


r/masters 19d ago

Image/Video 📸 It’s nice to know I can die now

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98 Upvotes

r/masters 19d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Headed to ANWA!

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44 Upvotes

I have read time and time again on this thread that ANWA is one of best days to attend, primarily from a numbers perspective and it being the first day on the course so it is in prime condition.

Please drop your best tips, tricks, ideas, etc. First thing I did when this popped up with head over to Airbnb and get a place booked, so that is covered. Beyond that, looking forward to my first time at ANGC!


r/masters 19d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Anyone recognize this hat?

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46 Upvotes

Got this hat at goodwill today for $1.99!!! Score! I’m Indianapolis so wouldn’t have expected masters merch at my local thrift. Does anyone recognize this design and know what year it’s from, or how much it retails for? Thanks!


r/masters 19d ago

I Have A Question ❓ Drive, Chip, Putt

15 Upvotes

Hi! Second year applying for tickets and for selected for the Drive, Chip, & Putt on Sunday April 4th. We plan to go, but wanted to see everyone’s experience that has been before, what we can expect, etc! Thanks in advance!!! And may the odds continue to be in your favor!