This golf club can be found in Augusta, Georgia. It is also known as The National or Augusta. It is a very unique private golf club and what makes it that way is it is operated as a for-profit corporation. As a result of this, it does not disclose its holdings, ticket sales, income, or membership lists.
| Club Name | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Established | 1933 |
| Membership Cost | $100,000-$300,000 |
| Address | Augusta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Type | Private |
| Phone Number | +1 (706) 733-9426 |
| Website | https://augustacountryclub.co:8443/ |
Membership Cost Of Augusta National Golf Club
The golf club has about 300 members and is strictly by invitation as there is no application process. Although there is nothing formal, it is thought that the initial amount for memberships is between $100,000-$300,000 with monthly dues of less than $30,000 a year in dues. There is also a green fee of approximately $400 but during the week of the tournament, it increases. The members of the Augusta National Golf Club are sometimes referred to as green jackets.
History This Club
The golf course was founded by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones. In addition to Bobby Jones designing the course, he was helped by Alister MacKenzie. In 1932, it first opened for play. It has played host since 1934 to the yearly Masters’ Tournament. This is just one of the four major yearly championships for men.
The golf course sits on 365 acres. It was originally called Fruitland (later Fruitlands). It was an antebellum plantation/nursery. One of the founders, Bobby Jones, had the dream to create a winter golf course that was world-class.
Because of the Great Depression, finances were short and membership was low during the first ten years of its existence. This was also partially due to the remote location. At this time, the plans for tennis and squash courts and a ladies’ course plus other estates were not done.
In an attempt to attract players and crows, the Augusta National Golf Club held its first Master Tournament. The golf club is noted for its appearance, which includes discreet speakers that play bird sounds and imported pine needles. The ponds were even dyed blue one time. It is also famous for its dogwood and azaleas.
Golf Course
The course has been built on what was formerly a plant nursery so all of the holes are named after a shrub or tree. Several have been renamed on the first nine holes plus the 11th hole. This golf course has never been rated, unlike most other public or private golf courses. It has been given unofficial ratings though. For example, in 2009, it was rated by a team of USGA raters and it received an unofficial rating of 78.1.
One unique feature of the bunkers is that they are not filled with sand. Instead, they are filled with granulated quartz, also known as SP55, and Spruce Pine Sand. Augusta National Golf Course has been using this since the first part of the 1970s to fill all 44 bunkers.
If you are not a member but want to play at the club, you have to be invited by a member but only on select days of the season. It is not specified which days. Another way to play a round of golf there is to volunteer for a full week at the tournament and then on Appreciation Day, they get a free round of golf.
One of the more famous holes on the golf course is the 12th hole, called the Golden Bell. It is a par3, 155 yards, and is the shortest and most difficult par 3 on the course. What makes it so difficult is the winds and how they vary, requiring using anything from a nine-iron to a six-iron.
Amenities
One of the amenities of the Augusta National Golf Club is that the clubhouse offers good food. There are no food menus in the restaurant. The reason is that they will make anything that the member asks for. The restaurant is top-notch.
There is also a wine cellar, a pro shop, and a bar plus the other buildings already mentioned. There are also locker rooms, a driving range, a short game facility, and a putting green.
Dress Code (Green Jackets) And Rules
Every member of the golf club gets a green jacket (sports coat) with the logo of the club on the left breast. They have to wear them during the tournament but they cannot be taken off the property. Clifford Roberts, the co-founder of the golf club, came up with the idea so that people watching the Masters Tournament could identify the members.
Since 1949, every winner of the tournament gets a green jacket but they do not get a membership to the club. The previous year’s winner presents the jacket to the new winner. The one who is the current tournament winner is the only one that is permitted to remove the jacket from the club grounds but only for a year and then they have to return it.
Few Rules For Augusta National Golf Club :
- Except for the press building, there are no electronic devices or cell phones allowed to be used on the grounds.
- Spectators are not allowed to cheer when a mistake is made by a player
- No running
- No loud talking
- No cameras
There are security guards who enforce these rules. Pinkerton generally provides security guards. The rule breakers are banned from the golf club permanently and if possible, they will be prosecuted.
Use Of Cell Phones :
Using cell phones or any other electronic communication devices is not allowed inside any of the clubhouses except in an emergency. They are only allowed to be used in telephone booths, select locations, parking lots, reserved private rooms, and locker rooms. You can carry your mobile devices but they must be set to vibrate or silent. They can discreetly use them in the club for silent texting.
Trivia Facts
- The Masters’ Tournament is the only major championship that is played at the same course, which is Augusta National Golf Club, every year.
- In 2009, it was ranked as a top course in the list of America’s 100 greatest golf courses by Golf Digest.
- Golfweek Magazine unofficially ranked it as the number ten course based on course architecture in 2011. It was on the list of the United States’ best classic courses.
- The Augusta National Golf Club began its co-hosting duties with Champions Retreat Golf Club for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. This began in 2019.
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife were invited to visit the golf club by Clifford Roberts, one of the founders. The President liked the club and became a member. Clifford Roberts had a house constructed on the grounds for him. While he was president, he visited the club 29 times.
- Membership to the golf club for decades barred African Americans until 1990. Women were also not allowed to be members until 2012.
- During the Masters’ Tournament, for the past 30 years, there has not been a hole-in-one on the 12th hole.
Notable Buildings On The Grounds
- Butler Cabin—this cabin can be found near the 18th hole. It is stated that this cabin is a place of aesthetic death and harmlessness.
- Near the first hole, you will find the clubhouse. It has a wine cellar that is well-stocked. It dates back to the 1850s.
- There is also the practice range.
- There is a former plantation house where the winners of the tournament are presented with their green jackets.
- There are three big cabins that are reserved for the sponsors of the tournament. As of 2020, they were AT&T, Mercedes-Benz, and IBM.
- There is also a press building on-site that has snack options, television studios, and a restaurant. There are also cameras all around the course that, thru underground cables, connect to the building.
Conclusion
Augusta National Golf Club is a very exclusive private club. Membership is by invitation only so you cannot go online or visit the club and apply for membership. It is a club that holds the Masters’ Tournament every year. The course is 7.558 yards with a par 72.