Nina Caldwell
The Masters Tournament, usually referred to as the Masters, is one of the four men's major championships in professional golf. It is held annually during the first full week of April at the private Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, and is the first major golf tournament of the year. The tournament was conceived by American golfer Bobby Jones, and first played in 1934 as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament. The Masters is one of the world's most prestigious sporting events, with golfers invited to compete based on their past achievements. The winner of the tournament is presented with a green jacket, a tradition that began in 1949.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Tournament | One of the four men's major championships in professional golf |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location | Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia, United States |
| Course | 72-hole golf course |
| Founder | Amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts |
| Designer | Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie |
| Year founded | 1934 |
| Original name | Augusta National Invitation Tournament |
| Current name | Masters Tournament (usually referred to as the Masters) |
| Renaming suggested by | Roberts |
| Year of renaming | 1939 |
| Champion's award | Green Jacket (Pantone 342C, "Augusta Green") |
| Other awards | Gold medal, lifetime invitation to the Masters, automatic invitations to the other three majors for the next five years, club member's distinctive green jacket, name engraved on the club's silver Masters Trophy |
| Champion's Dinner | Held on the Tuesday before each Masters and is open only to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club |
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What You'll Learn
The Masters Tournament
The Masters is the only major tournament played at the same location every year. The Augusta National Golf Club is a private course that was designed by Jones and renowned golf course architect Alister MacKenzie. The club opened in 1932 or early 1933 and first played host to the Masters Tournament in 1934. Originally known as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament, the name was changed to the Masters in 1939.
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Augusta National Golf Club
The Masters Tournament is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf. It is the only one of the four to be played at the same location every year. The tournament is held during the first full week of April and is the first major golf tournament of the year.
The club has about 300 members at any given time and is known for its exclusivity and privacy. Unlike most private clubs, Augusta National is a for-profit corporation and does not disclose its finances or membership information. In recent years, the club has expanded by purchasing the surrounding land, including an entire neighbourhood that was turned into a grass parking lot for patrons.
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Traditions and rules
The Masters Tournament is steeped in tradition and has a strict set of rules that are part of the event's charm. It is the first of four major PGA championships in professional golf and is always held in the same location, at the Augusta National Golf Club.
Traditions
The Masters has a tradition of honouring amateur golf. It invites winners of prestigious amateur tournaments worldwide, and the current U.S. Amateur champion plays in the same group as the defending Masters champion for the tournament's first two days.
The most recognised tradition of the Masters is the awarding of a Green Jacket to the winner, which they must return to the clubhouse the following year. The jacket then remains the winner's property and is stored in a designated cloakroom. The Green Jacket can only be worn at Augusta National Golf Club, except for reigning champions, who can wear it off the grounds of the club.
The Par 3 Contest takes place on the Wednesday before the first round of the Masters. It is a nine-hole course with a par of 27, measuring 1,060 yards in length. Participants and past winners get together for a friendly competition, with golfers' loved ones often acting as caddies, dressed in traditional caddie outfits.
The Championship Dinner is held on the Tuesday of Masters week, where past winners enjoy dinner and exchange stories.
Pimento cheese sandwiches have been served as a concession since the 1940s and are considered iconic to the tournament.
Rules
The Masters has a strict dress code for patrons, with golf shoes with metal spikes and footwear with pointed heels prohibited. Wearing baseball caps backward is considered a rude violation of etiquette, and going barefoot is not allowed. Shorts, denim, untucked shirts, and five-pocket pants are also not permitted.
Augusta National has a zero-tolerance policy on cell phones.
Only four minutes of commercial time is aired each hour during the Masters, with only ads from official Masters U.S. sponsors being shown.
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Past champions
The Masters Tournament, usually referred to as the Masters, is one of the four men's major championships in professional golf. It is held annually during the first full week of April and is the first major golf tournament of the year. The tournament was founded by amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts.
Since 1949, a green jacket has been awarded to the champion. The Champions Dinner, inaugurated by Ben Hogan at the 1952 Masters, is held on the Tuesday before each Masters tournament and is only open to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club. Beginning in 1963, distinguished golfers, usually past champions, have hit an honorary tee shot on the morning of the first round to commence play.
Some notable past champions of the Masters Tournament include:
- Jack Nicklaus: Nicklaus was the first Masters winner to conduct his post-victory interview from inside the Butler Cabin in 1965. He won the tournament four times.
- Arnold Palmer: Palmer was the first golfer to win the Masters Tournament four times and the first to earn $1 million in tournament prize money.
- Gary Player: Player became the first non-American to win the Masters in 1961, beating defending champion Arnold Palmer. He won the tournament again in 1974 and for a third and final time in 1978.
- Ben Crenshaw: A two-time Masters champion, Crenshaw won in 1984 and again in 1995, just days after the death of his mentor Harvey Penick.
- Tiger Woods: In 1997, 21-year-old Woods became the youngest champion in Masters history, winning by 12 shots. He won the tournament four times in a row, completing his "Tiger Slam" in 2001.
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Course design and modifications
The Masters Tournament, usually referred to as the Masters, is one of the four men's major golf championships. It is held annually during the first full week of April at the private Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The golf course was co-designed by amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and course architect Alister MacKenzie, a British surgeon who later became a golf course architect. MacKenzie is also known for his work in California at Cypress Point and Pasatiempo.
The 72-hole golf course opened in early 1933, with the Masters Tournament being inaugurated in 1934. Since then, the course has undergone several modifications to keep up with the modern game and the changing equipment technology.
Prior to the 2002 Masters, the course at Augusta National was lengthened by 285 yards (261 meters) to address the improved strength conditioning of contemporary golfers. Additionally, the fairway bunkers on three holes were reshaped to pose more of a challenge for long drivers. The course was lengthened again before the 2006 Masters, this time by 155 yards (142 meters) to a total length of 7,445 yards (6,808 meters).
The Augusta National Golf Club is renowned for its spectacular flora, particularly the azaleas, which bloom for only a few weeks each year. The course's 13th hole is named for these vibrant flowers, and the club makes a concerted effort to ensure their blooming coincides with the tournament.
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Frequently asked questions
The Masters Tournament (usually referred to as simply the Masters) is one of the four men's major championships in professional golf. It is held annually during the first full week of April at the private Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
The Masters was founded by amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts. It was first played in 1934 as the "`Augusta National Invitation Tournament."`
Since 1949, a green jacket has been awarded to the champion. The Champions Dinner is held on the Tuesday before each Masters and is open only to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club.
