Along with being perhaps the most famous and respected golf course on the planet, Augusta National Golf Club is also one of the most exclusive.
Augusta National, the home of the Masters since 1934, has about 300 members at any given time, with membership given strictly by invitation only. Membership can’t be bought and there is no application process.
While Augusta National, known for being notoriously private, does not speak publicly about its membership, a Bloomberg report in 2015 revealed 118 members of the club, which included some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world. Billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffett were among those on the list.
Up until 2012, Augusta National was also an exclusively male club, which sparked controversy ahead of the Masters that year. In August 2012, Augusta National announced that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and business executive Darla Moore became the first female members of Augusta.
The initiation fee to become a member of Augusta National is around $250,000 to $500,000 according to Forbes, while the annual fee is reportedly a further $10,000.
There are several other highly exclusive golf clubs that rivals Augusta National, many of which are located in the United States.
Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey has been voted the best golf course in the world by Golf Magazine several times and has about 930 members. Notable members have included George H. W. Bush and Sean Connery.
The initiation fee at Pine Valley is reportedly $500,000. Up until 2021, it was also a male-only club.
Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, California is also one of the more exclusive golf clubs in the world and has fewer members than Augusta National at only 250. Fees are determined by yearly running costs and divided among members.
Seminole, Shinnecock Hills, Oakmont, Los Angeles Country Club and Riviera are among some of the many super exclusive clubs across the USA. There are dozens, if not hundreds, where membership is invitation only and waiting lists take years to get through.
Queenwood Golf Club in Surrey, England, which reportedly charges a joining fee of £200,000 and has a few hundred members, is thought to be the most exclusive golf clubs in the UK. Golf de Morfontaine in France only has 450 members and is possibly the most exclusive golf club in continental Europe.
However, Augusta National remains on its own level when it comes to history, secrecy and aura, and might just be the most exclusive of them all.
