If you're a golfer and watched the Masters at all over the years, then playing Augusta National Golf Club is one of your life goals. Even if Augusta National for some reason isn't atop your list of courses you most want to play, no reasonable person would down an opportunity to play there when the club isn't closed (which is May-October). In fact, some people would risk their employment for that chance.
So, how do you get to play Augusta National? What's the best way to get a tee time at the home of the Masters?
8 ways to get a tee time and play at Augusta National Golf Club
- Know a member: This is the easiest way to get on at Augusta National, and that's saying something. But you can be an invited guest of a member (here's a list of some to see if you might know one) when the course is open for member play.
- Get in the Masters Tournament: This is arguably the hardest way to play Augusta National, as you'd have to fit in one of 19 criteria to get in the Masters. One of those includes having already won the Masters, so 18 categories. Your best bet is to figure out how to win the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur or a PGA Tour event. So good luck with that.
- Win the Masters media lottery: If you're a member of the media credentialed by Augusta National to cover the Masters, you can enter a lottery during Masters Week to play Augusta National the Monday after the Masters ends. Less than 10 percent of the credentialed media get picked. You also have an opportunity to play if you cover golf for the Augusta Chronicle, if you're willing to go that far with it.
- Become a Masters volunteer: If you can find an opening, take it if you can get it. Volunteers get an opportunity to play Augusta National in May, a month after the Masters ends.
- Play college golf at Augusta (State) University: If you play collegiate golf for the school, you get an invite to play the club once a year. Patrick Reed, who went there, said it typically was when the weather was colder.
- Get employed at Augusta National: If you can earn a job at Augusta National -- ranging from caddie to security to other staff -- then you get occasional opportunities to play the golf course.
- Earn the Robert T. Jones Scholarship: Emory University, Queen's University, University of Western Ontario and Georgia Tech each select a graduating senior or graduate student to spend a year studying at the University St. Andrews. After the year is over, these students get one round at Augusta National.
- Have an in at Augusta Country Club: If you're a member at Augusta Country Club, you could be in the right place at the right time. Augusta National only allows foursomes to play, so, if someone backs out, sometimes the club calls its neighbor, Augusta Country Club, for a fourth.
