Rare is the golfer who doesn’t light up when talking about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. The spiritual setting that warms the heart, the singular tournament that stirs the senses. The explosion of colors, the anticipation of a Sunday charge. A 12th hole that basks in beauty while serving as a devilish conquest, a green jacket that triggers dreams and lives on forever.
The gathering every April among the Georgia pines is matchless, from Augusta National Women’s Amateur to the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. While we won’t be seeing any of these events in the coming days due to the coronavirus pandemic, we think you’ll still be interested in reading about Masters traditions, the iconic holes at Augusta National and your favorite golfers who would have been in the field this month.
Golfweek surveyed 39 golfers, including 14 winners of the green jacket and 24 major champions in all, to get their views on certain features of Augusta National and the Masters. From putting to eating to predicting to offering their architectural viewpoints, we’ll roll out their takes on a variety of topics in the next 10 days.
How many ticket requests do you receive and how difficult is it to handle the allotment?
“I use this analogy a lot. My dad was an attorney so I asked him if he had a really big case and spent a lot of hours in the office, did you ever take me to the office? No, that’s a terrible idea, he said. Well, I told him the Masters is my really big case for me. It can be distracting with so many people there. I have no problem with people coming but don’t expect me to hang out. Dealing with all the people you would love to bring was so hard those first two years. It’s a stressful week. I’ll give out the tickets, but they know I get in my own world there.” – Brandt Snedeker
“Too many.” – Patton Kizzire
“You get eight and you can buy four more. People do know it’s the hardest ticket to get, so immediate family is a given. And then close friends know they can’t go every year, so you work out a little bit of a rotation. They know we have a limited amount. Still tough.” – Rickie Fowler
“More than I can count and more than I can get.” – Charles Howell III
“It could not have been any easier, because we just say no.” – Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson
“Ask Sean (O’Flaherty, his agent). I separate myself from it.” – Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy
“It’s always difficult, no matter what. At the same time, that’s what makes it so special. You can’t give away as many as you want. And you know how special a ticket to the Masters is, and you know the people that get them appreciate them so much.” – 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed
“I have a decent group of people around me that don’t bombard me.” – Billy Horschel
“It’s not difficult. They only give you a certain amount and that’s it. I use them for family and that’s it.” – 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson
“A lot. It’s hard to handle. I try to get it done well ahead of time. We just can’t get a lot of them. Family gets first priority and then I let everyone else hash it out.” – 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland
“I’ve said no to people for so long now that I get less requests. Still, it’s not easy to deal with.” – 2103 Masters champion Adam Scott
“It hasn’t been difficult because you have a hard stop. You can’t go and get anymore.” – 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth
“It’s tough to give them out. But your friends know we have a limited amount, but it’s still so tough.” – 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley
“That’s a tough one. I don’t make any commitments until it’s closer to the tournament because people ask me a year ahead of time and I forget. But it’s tough to deal with.” – 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel
“Now that I’m in 12, 13 years of playing there, it’s less difficult. But those first few years your friends came out of the woodwork.” – 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose
“More than I get. It’s pretty tough giving out the tickets. Especially my first year, because there are so many people who were along for the ride as far as supporting you. You want to take everybody with you. It’s extremely hard to take care of. I have sort of a waiting list going.” – Tony Finau
“Oh, man. It’s hard. You get a certain amount of tickets. I delegate the whole thing to my wife, so I don’t have to get involved. She does the hard work. Right around the time the new year comes the requests start to ramp up.” – 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman
“My wife does it. You get what you get, so it’s not easy.” – 2015 PGA champion Jason Day
“Now that it’s been about five Masters in a row, it’s become a little less distracting. The first year I had a lot of requests but now everybody knows who’s getting tickets and that’s about it.” – Kevin Kisner
“Less than I used to. I’ve said no enough that people realize I can’t get them a ticket.” – 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson
“It varies. The last year was probably the most difficult as far as the most requests. But you get a limited number and that’s what you get and I think that’s great. Otherwise it would be really difficult.” – 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson
“You get quite a few. I have a list of who gets what and there isn’t enough paper for a list that long. I try to get my wife to take care of it or someone. It’s not easy.” – Luke Donald
“Used to be more. It just got to the point where I had to tell so many people I just couldn’t help them.” – Matt Kuchar
“I think my family and friends were very respectful my first year and that was it. I’ve heard stories, but it wasn’t bad for me.” – Keith Mitchell
Editor’s note: Check back each day for another Masters Survey.
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