The History of the Masters Golf Course in Augusta, Georgia

The Masters tournament is one of four annual major professional golf tournaments held by the Professional Golfers Association of America, or PGA. The tournament is held annually at the Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Georgia. As of May 2010, Augusta National ranks as the number one golf course in the United States by Golf Digest magazine, according to Golf Digest magazine. Each of the courses 18 holes is named for a flowering plant.

  1. Founding

    • Augusta national was the conception of Georgia native and retired professional golfer Bobby Jones. The property, formerly the Fruitland Nurseries, was purchased by Jones' business partner, the investment banker Clifford Roberts in 1930. Jones designed the course in partnership with the famed Scottish golf course designer Alister Mackenzie. Construction of the course began in 1931 and took one year to complete.

    Early Masters Tournaments

    • The concept of holding an annual national tournament at the course was conceived by Jones and Roberts. Dubbed the Augusta National Invitation Tournament, it was inaugurated when play began on March 22, 1934. Horton Smith was the victorious golfer, whose victory earned him a prize of $5,000. Smith won the tournament again two years later. The Masters has been held annually since 1934, with the exception of a suspension of play during World War II (1943 to 1945.)

    Green Jacket

    • Beginning in 1937, winners of the Masters Tournament were awarded a green suit jacket, usually presented to the victor by the winner of the tournament from the previous year. On several occasions, players have won consecutive Masters Championships. The first golfer to achieve this feat was Jack Nicklaus in 1965 and 1966. Winners also have their names engraved on the permanent Masters Trophy which resides at Augusta National. They receive a replica of the trophy and a gold medal.

    Course Records

    • There have been 23 hole in one's at Augusta National since its opening. The first hole in one was achieved by Ross Somerville in 1934 on the 16th hole. Jack Nicklaus has the best career course average at the course, notching an average score of 71.98 through his 163 career rounds. Modern Masters tournaments at Augusta National have been dominated by Tiger Woods, who won in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005.

    Membership

    • Only members of the Augusta National Golf Club are allowed to play at Augusta during the year as amateurs. Members are exclusively male and must be nominated by current members as there is no open application process. The present membership of the club is estimated at 300 members who pay annual fees beginning at $25,000.

    Controversy

    • In 2002, Martha Burk, the chairwoman of the National Council of Women's Organizations, sparked a public outcry about the membership processes at Augusta National. Burk sent a letter on the organization's behalf urging them to admit female members, but was rebuked by then club president William Johnson. The controversy sparked a nationwide debate on sexism in sports and the rights of private clubs. To this day, August remains male-only.