68 Fun Facts About The Masters

In which U.S. state is the Masters played every year?

Unlike the other three majors, the Masters never rotates venues; it has been held at Augusta National in Georgia since 1934.

Which player has won the most Masters titles?

Jack Nicklaus won six Masters between 1963 and 1986, more than any other player; the next best total is five.

Which three holes at Augusta National are known as Amen Corner?

Amen Corner is holes 11, 12 and 13: the second shot at 11, the par-3 12th over water and the tee shot at 13, the most treacherous stretch at Augusta.

What is the par of Augusta National as set up for the Masters?

Augusta National plays to a par of 72 for the Masters, 36 out and 36 in; the two nines were swapped after the first tournament in 1934.

Which golfing legend co-founded the Masters with Clifford Roberts?

Jones had retired from competition at 28 after his 1930 Grand Slam and wanted a course and tournament of his own.

Who was the youngest Masters champion when he won in 1997 at age 21?

Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters at 18-under 270 by a record margin, breaking the four-round scoring record of 271 that had stood since 1965.

How old was the 1986 Masters champion, who won a record sixth title that year?

The 1986 champion was 46, the oldest Masters winner through 2025; he shot a final-round 65 to finish one stroke ahead of Tom Kite and Greg Norman.

Which network has televised the Masters in the United States every year since 1956?

CBS first televised the Masters in 1956, covering only the closing holes, and has carried it every year since on one-year contracts with the club.

Each hole at Augusta National is named after what?

Every hole is named for a tree or shrub growing on it, such as Tea Olive (1st), Golden Bell (12th) and Azalea (13th).

What does Augusta National officially call the spectators at the Masters?

Augusta National calls spectators patrons, a term dating to Clifford Roberts, and broadcasters are expected to use it rather than 'fans' or 'gallery'.

Which former U.S. president had a pine tree on the 17th hole named after him?

Dwight Eisenhower, a club member, hit the pine on 17 so often that in 1956 he proposed cutting it down; chairman Clifford Roberts adjourned the meeting rather than refuse.

Roughly how many players compete in the Masters, the smallest field among the majors?

The Masters field is usually 85 to 100 players; it is an invitational, and past champions can enter for life, which keeps the numbers low.

What is sold to fans at Augusta National for a few dollars as the tournament's signature snack?

The famously cheap concessions are part of the club's controlled, old-fashioned atmosphere.

Which month is the Masters normally played in?

The Masters is played in April, the first men's major of the year; the first edition in 1934 was in March, and the 2020 edition was moved to November by the pandemic.

What was the Masters originally called when it began in 1934?

The event began as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament; its co-founder thought 'Masters' too presumptuous, and the name was not officially adopted until 1939.

Which caddie uniform is mandatory at the Masters?

Caddies must wear the club's white jumpsuit, with a green Masters cap and white shoes; the player's surname is printed on the back.

Who won the very first Masters in 1934?

Horton Smith won the inaugural 1934 event by one stroke over Craig Wood and won again in 1936; his green jacket sold at auction for over $682,000 in 2013.

Who was the first winner to be awarded a green jacket, in 1949?

Sam Snead, the 1949 champion, was the first winner presented with a green jacket; members had worn the jackets since 1937 to be identifiable to spectators.

Which course architect designed Augusta National together with the club's co-founder?

Alister MacKenzie, who also designed Cypress Point, laid out Augusta National in the early 1930s but died in January 1934, before the first tournament was played.

Who hit the 1935 double eagle on the 15th hole known as the 'shot heard round the world'?

The 4-wood from 232 yards tied him with Craig Wood, and he won the 36-hole playoff the next day by five strokes.

Which past champion started the Champions Dinner in 1952?

Ben Hogan, the 1951 champion, hosted the first Champions Dinner in 1952, gathering past winners on the Tuesday of tournament week.

Who was the first non-American to win the Masters, in 1961?

Gary Player of South Africa won in 1961, the first champion from outside the United States; he took his jacket home and kept 'forgetting' to return it.

Which writer coined the name 'Amen Corner' in a 1958 Sports Illustrated article?

Herbert Warren Wind coined 'Amen Corner' in Sports Illustrated in 1958, borrowing from a jazz record he remembered, 'Shouting in That Amen Corner'.

Who broke the tournament scoring record with a 268 in November 2020?

Dustin Johnson shot 20-under 268 in the pandemic-delayed November 2020 Masters, two better than the previous record 270, and won by five strokes.

Which Augusta native holed a 45-yard pitch on the second playoff hole to win the 1987 Masters?

Larry Mize, born in Augusta, chipped in from about 140 feet on the 11th, the second playoff hole, to beat Greg Norman in 1987.

Who won the 1996 Masters after Greg Norman blew a six-shot lead in the final round?

Nick Faldo shot a closing 67 to Greg Norman's 78, turning a six-shot deficit into a five-stroke win and his third Masters title.

What is the Par 3 Contest winner's prize?

The Par 3 Contest winner receives a crystal bowl; the Wednesday event began in 1960, and through 2025 no winner had gone on to take the Masters that week.

Who was the first African American to play in the Masters, in 1975?

Lee Elder became the first Black golfer to play the Masters in 1975 after winning the 1974 Monsanto Open; he returned as an honorary starter in 2021.

Which Argentine lost the 1968 Masters by signing an incorrect scorecard?

Roberto De Vicenzo signed for a par on the 17th when he had made a birdie, because playing partner Tommy Aaron marked it wrong; the extra stroke cost him a playoff with Bob Goalby.

By how many strokes did the 1997 champion win?

The 1997 champion won by 12 strokes over Tom Kite, the widest margin in Masters history through 2025.

What is the course record for a single round at Augusta National?

The record is 63, set by Nick Price in the third round of 1986 and matched by Greg Norman in the first round of 1996.

What does the low amateur at the Masters receive?

The Silver Cup has gone to the lowest-scoring amateur to make the cut since 1952; the runner-up amateur receives a silver medal.

Which theme music has CBS used for its Masters telecast since 1982?

Dave Loggins wrote 'Augusta' after his first visit to the course in 1981, and the network has used the instrumental as its Masters theme since 1982.

How many minutes of commercials per hour does the club allow on the broadcast?

Augusta National allows only 4 minutes of commercials per hour from a handful of sponsors, far below the norm for televised sport, and keeps the screen free of clutter.

Who was the first left-hander and first Canadian to win the Masters?

Mike Weir of Canada beat Len Mattiace in a playoff in 2003, becoming the first left-handed champion a year before Phil Mickelson's first win.

What did Sandy Lyle serve at the 1989 Champions Dinner?

Sandy Lyle served haggis, the Scottish dish of sheep offal and oatmeal, at the 1989 Champions Dinner; past champions may serve whatever they like, so national dishes are common.

What was the Augusta National property before it became a golf course?

The land had been an indigo plantation and then a nursery since 1857, which is why the holes are named for plants.

The 1986 champion's back nine on Sunday was played in how many strokes?

The 1986 champion came home in 30, six under on the back nine, with an eagle at 15 and birdies at 16 and 17 for a closing 65.

What is the shade of the green jacket, as registered by the club?

The club's registered shade is Pantone 342; the jackets are made by Hamilton Tailoring of Cincinnati with brass buttons from Waterbury Button in Cheshire, Connecticut.

Whose name is on the stone bridge at the 13th tee, dedicated in 1958?

The Nelson Bridge at the 13th tee was dedicated in 1958 to Byron Nelson, honoring his 1937 win, when he birdied the 12th and eagled the 13th to overtake Ralph Guldahl.

Where is the green jacket ceremony first held before being repeated by the 18th green?

The televised presentation takes place in Butler Cabin, built in 1964 and named for member Thomas Butler, before the ceremony is repeated outside for the crowd.

Who won the first sudden-death playoff in Masters history, in 1979?

Fuzzy Zoeller, playing his first Masters, birdied the 11th, the second extra hole, to beat Ed Sneed and Tom Watson in 1979; sudden death had been adopted in 1976.

The tree species of the Eisenhower Tree was which pine?

The Eisenhower Tree was a loblolly pine about 65 feet tall, standing roughly 210 yards from the 17th tee; it was removed in February 2014 after ice-storm damage.

Which two women became Augusta National's first female members in 2012?

Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore were admitted on August 20, 2012, nine years after Martha Burk's protest over the club's all-male membership.

The 1995 champion said he had 'a 15th club in my bag' in tribute to which mentor who died that week?

Harvey Penick, the Austin teaching pro who coached Ben Crenshaw from boyhood, died the Sunday before the 1995 Masters; Crenshaw served as a pallbearer on Wednesday.

Where do amateurs in the field traditionally lodge during tournament week?

The Crow's Nest, a 1,200-square-foot room in the cupola above the members' dining and locker rooms, sleeps up to five amateurs; the building below dates to 1854.

Who finished runner-up at the Masters four times without ever winning it?

Tom Weiskopf was second in 1969, 1972, 1974 and 1975, the most runner-up finishes by any player who never won the Masters.

Which body of water guards Amen Corner?

Rae's Creek runs in front of the 12th green and past the 13th tee; it is named for John Rae, an eighteenth-century settler whose house stood near Fort Augusta.

What is the highest winning 72-hole score, shared by champions in 1954, 1956 and 2007?

The highest winning total is 289, one over par, posted by the champions of 1954, 1956 and 2007, including Jack Burke Jr. and Zach Johnson.

Who became the oldest player to make the Masters cut, in 2023?

Fred Couples was sixty-three and a half when he made the 2023 cut, edging Bernhard Langer's 2020 mark; he also shares the record of 23 consecutive cuts made.

Which player leads Masters history in first-round leads, with five?

Justin Rose has led or shared the lead after the first round five times, most recently in 2025, yet lost playoffs to Sergio García in 2017 and Rory McIlroy in 2025.

Which whimsical merchandise item, introduced in 2016, became a daily sell-out at Augusta?

Fans are limited to one each; the design changes every year and resale prices have run several times retail.

Which caddie carried for Arnold Palmer in all four of his Masters wins?

Nathaniel 'Iron Man' Avery caddied for Arnold Palmer in all four wins, 1958 to 1964; until 1983 every player had to use one of the club's own caddies.

In what year did the Masters first impose a 36-hole cut?

A 36-hole cut was introduced in 1957, originally the low 40 scores and ties; it has been adjusted since, to the low 50 and ties from 2020.

Where did Clifford Roberts die by suicide in 1977?

Roberts shot himself beside Ike's Pond on the par-3 course in September 1977; the pond had been dug in the late 1940s for the president to fish in.

The permanent Masters trophy, introduced in 1961, is a silver replica of what?

The trophy is a sterling silver model of the clubhouse at Augusta National, made in England and first presented in 1961; winners have received a smaller replica since 1993.

How old was Guan Tianlang when he became the youngest player to make the Masters cut in 2013?

The Chinese amateur was 14 years, 168 days on opening day and also became the youngest to make a cut at any men's major.

What is the record for birdies in a single Masters round, set by Anthony Kim in 2009?

Anthony Kim made 11 birdies in the second round of 2009, one more than Nick Price's 10 in his 1986 course record.

What is the greens' turf, installed on the main course in time for the 1981 Masters?

Bentgrass replaced Bermuda on the greens for the 1981 Masters after a trial on the par-3 course; it can be mowed shorter, making the greens far faster.

The reigning U.S. Amateur champion is always paired with whom for the first two rounds?

The U.S. Amateur champion plays the first two rounds alongside the defending Masters winner, a tradition honoring the club's amateur co-founder.

In what year was Magnolia Lane, the club's famous entrance drive, paved?

Magnolia Lane, lined with 61 magnolias planted in the 1850s, was a dirt road until it was paved in 1947, once the club's finances recovered after the war.

What was raised on the Augusta National grounds while the Masters was suspended for World War II?

Some 200 cattle and 1,400 turkeys were raised on the course to help the war effort; the tournament was not played from 1943 to 1945.

What was the winner's first prize at the inaugural 1934 tournament?

The winner collected $1,500 from a total purse of $5,000 in 1934, when a tournament pass cost $2; by 2025 the winner's share had reached $4.2 million.

Who was the second non-American to win the Masters, in 1980?

Seve Ballesteros of Spain won in 1980 and again in 1983; non-Americans went on to claim more than half the Masters of the 1980s and 1990s.

Which two past champions served as the Masters' first honorary starters?

Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod, two Scottish-born veterans, became the first honorary starters in 1963 after years of simply being the first group off the tee.

What did Bernhard Langer serve at his 1986 Champions Dinner?

Bernhard Langer, the 1985 champion, chose Wiener schnitzel, a breaded veal cutlet popular in his native Germany, for his 1986 dinner; champions traditionally serve a dish from home.

Who became the first Australian to win the Masters, beating Ángel Cabrera in a 2013 playoff?

Adam Scott holed a birdie putt on the 10th, the second playoff hole, to beat Ángel Cabrera in 2013 and end Australia's long wait for a green jacket.

The hospitality venue Berckmans Place is named after a family of which nationality who owned the land?

The Berckmans family were Belgian; Louis Berckmans and his son Prosper made the property famous for its plants and trees from the late 1850s until 1910.