Winners of The Masters receive plenty of perks, including a lifetime exemption to future editions and the Green Jacket.
While champions return the iconic garment the year after they win, it’s still theirs, and they can wear it whenever they are on site at Augusta National, but does that mean they are also given membership for their victory? Not quite.
Augusta National is probably the most exclusive golf club in the world, with only around 300 fully paid-up members. Having the necessary funds to sign up is also no guarantee of a place in the exclusive list.
In fact, having deep pockets isn’t even that big an issue, at least compared to some other clubs. The joining fee is speculated to be around $40,000 - not too high a price considering others run well into six figures.
Instead, it’s the most influential and well-connected people who are most likely to receive an invite. And that’s the other thing: you can’t simply apply for membership if you think your credentials are strong enough. Instead, only current members can recommend those they think are suitable candidates, with the club ultimately deciding who to offer an invite to.
One way to bypass that process (well, sort of) is to win The Masters, as another of the great perks of lifting the trophy is honorary membership of Augusta National.
That doesn’t afford quite the same privileges of full membership, but as well as the player getting to wear his Green Jacket whenever he’s on the grounds, including during Masters week, he can also arrange a round at Augusta National whenever he chooses... or at least try to.
That's because if the player fancies a round with a guest, he can’t just call ahead - he needs a full member to accompany him, and that’s something three-time champion Gary Player told Golf.com in 2023 could be problematic.
He said: “A lot of people assume that I have those privileges, but they’re wrong. If I want to play a practice round with friends, I can’t just call the pro shop and make those arrangements. Trying to find someone who can host is not easy. It makes you wonder, how welcome are we really as past Masters champions?”
As for famous golfers who are fully-fledged members, that is a small list. Six-time Masters winner Jack Nicklaus is on the list and four-time champion Arnold Palmer was after they were offered full-time membership by Augusta National.
For most former champions, though, honorary membership will just have to do. That means even the greatest player of the era, and arguably of all time, five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods is currently subject to the same limitations as other former champions, although that’s not something he seems to mind.
Before the 2024 tournament he described what it feels like to arrive at Augusta National for The Masters, and touched on his status at the club, saying: “Just the fact that I'm able to put on a Green Jacket for the rest of my life is just absolutely amazing. I'm just an honorary member, but I love it.”
