Watching golf inherently makes you want to play golf, which makes Masters week equal parts pleasure and pain.
From the sounds of birds chirping and Jim Nantz on the call to the breathtaking drone aerials of the undulating fairways, golf viewers spend all week drooling over the mere thought of driving down Magnolia Lane for a round at Augusta National Golf Club, ranked No. 3 among Golfweek’s Best classic courses.
So how does one go about scoring a round on one of golf’s most famous courses? Here are a few ways you can pull off the seemingly impossible (but it certainly won’t be easy).
A detailed view of a logo on a member’s green jacket during the 2021 Masters Tournament. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
Augusta National’s exclusivity is one of the many aspects that sets it apart from other clubs, so getting an invite from a member just might be the easiest way to get a round. You either need to meet some new friends in high places, or maybe try your hand at college golf? College teams are sometimes invited to play by members, like when Notre Dame played a handful bucket-list courses to prepare for the 2020 season.
Easier said than done. There’s no place to pick up an application. In order to join, you’ll need an invitation. So, good luck. Next.
Rose Zhang during the final round of the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The ANWA runs the week before the Masters and features a loaded field of the best women’s amateur players in the world. After taking a break in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event returned in 2021 and featured a playoff for the title.
There’s an annual media lottery for a Monday round after the Masters, and a few Golfweek writers have won over the years. They even spoke about their experience on our Masters preview podcast.
Volunteers get to play a round, but vacancies rarely occur, and when they do, there’s a wait. You know you’re doing something right when there’s a line of people waiting to work for you for free (with a round of golf on the side).
Augusta National staff also get to play a round.
Austin Johnson, caddie for Dustin Johnson, rakes a bunker on the 10th green during the second round of the 2021 Masters Tournament. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)
If you work as a caddie for the golf club, you might gain access to play 18 holes, as one day is set aside for caddies to play.
