The Masters lights up the golf world every April, its spiritual setting warming hearts around the globe. Among the awakening are the players who take to the architectural gem framed by an explosion of colors. To the man, they love to talk about the unparalleled tournament between the Georgia Pines at Augusta National Golf Club.
The gathering every spring is matchless, from the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt competition through the ceremony at Butler Cabin.
Ahead of the 86th Masters, Golfweek conducted its annual survey, this year getting takes on many things Masters from 25 players, nine of whom have won a green jacket, 12 major champions in all.
Today’s questions:
Masters survey: Part I | Part II
What is the most you have ever spent in the gift shop and what was the best item you ever bought?
“I don’t think I’ve ever bought anything. Maybe an umbrella. Barbara, however, has spent a lot of money in there – getting gifts for the kids, grandkids and friends. I don’t know what the most expensive item would be, and I don’t think I want to know.” – Six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus
“I probably spent about $1,000 the last time. And I have this all-white, buttoned-down, really nice dress shirt with a tiny Masters logo in green. I think it looks so clean.” – Abraham Ancer
“Man. Most of the time my wife handles all the shopping. What I do enjoy is watching the pros come out of the gift shop with bags upon bags upon bags of stuff. I remember Tyrrell Hatton walking out with five Scotty Cameron Master putters. I’m like, what are you doing? You just spent like $500 a pop on each putter. He’s like, ‘It’s like when we were kids and we walked into a toy store.’” – Kevin Kisner
“I think we spent like maybe 3,000 bucks. I went crazy. Like, I bought a cigar holder that I would never use. But I looked at it. I’m like, ‘I gotta have that.’” – Jason Day
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“Oh, man. Probably like $2,000 one time. And the Masters putters, the limited editions ones are really great.” – Matt Fitzpatrick
“I did get an Augusta National Golf Club hat one year. I really wanted one of those.” – 1987 Masters champion Larry Mize
“I actually went into the gift shop for the first time in 2020, when there weren’t many people there. I spent maybe 300 bucks. That’s about it. I bought some hats.” – Marc Leishman
“I spent quite a bit of cash in there. You have a lot of friends that you want to get things for that is related to Augusta National. It adds up. You spend a few bucks. But people are really extremely happy when they get their gift. That makes it all worth it.” – Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal
“I’ve spent a lot. I don’t know how much, but it’s a lot. It wouldn’t surprise me if I spend, I don’t know if I should say, but $8,000 to $10,000 a year. Crystal, the special Scotty Cameron putters. It’s not for me. I buy a lot of stuff for my family, friends, my sponsors. For me, I always buy two Masters flags. But when Tiger won in 2019, I went over and bought a bunch more.” – Kevin Na
“That’s a question for my wife. I buy like a commemorative headcover every year. That’s my thing, but I don’t know if we’ve run it up too bad yet.” – Max Homa
“Oh, gosh, it has to be in the thousands. The best thing I bought were a couple of special glasses, crystal Highball glasses, and they have the logo, so they are very cool. Pretty unique glasses.” – Ryan Palmer
“Oh my gosh. There’s a lot of things I get. The gnomes are the best things. And the reason why because at (my) driving range, we were making the shelf and we’re putting the gnomes up so every year that we buy a gnome it goes on the shelf.” – Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
“I haven’t really been in there that much, so like $500, and it was a gift for someone else.” – Justin Rose
“Every year I probably hit it. I do hit pretty hard. The pro shop has some unique things in there compared to the main merchandise area. Wine glasses, shot glasses, head covers, ball markers, sweaters, vests. Dog collars. Favorite things are probably like the wine glasses. Those are really cool.” – 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir
“I haven’t gone in the gift shop when I’ve actually played in the Masters. But you walk into the gift shop and you want to get everything. And they have everything.” – Harris English
“Too much. And I’d say the putter headcover. I bought it in 2018 right before the week of the Masters started and I used it that week and won with it.” – 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed
“I usually get stuff for other people, so the people in my crew have those special limited putters from each year. And my putting coach and caddie buy a special putter every year hoping when I win the Masters I will sign it for them.” – Xander Schauffele
“Oh, man. I’ve probably spent $5,000 there at a time. Between clothes, hats, glasses. I go to the gift shot if I’m there before Christmas to get my dad a nice jacket. And I go in there with that in mind and I still walk out with three, four gift bags of stuff. The best thing I bought? I got a really expensive bag there one time.” – 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth
“I bought one of the custom-edition Scotties (Cameron Masters putter) this year, which I didn’t realize how much it cost until after I left the gift shop.” – Will Zalatoris
“Well, I’ve never spent a dime in the merchandise building or the shop.” – Billy Horschel
“No more than a couple thousand bucks. The best thing I ever bought was a money clip. I still have it. Got it 20 years ago and it’s always in my pocket. Look, the logo is starting to wear off but it’s still the best.” – Brandt Snedeker
What is the best thing you’ve ever eaten at Augusta National?
“Anytime you’re involved with the wine cellar is one of the greatest meals you will ever have.” – Graeme McDowell
“I do like the sandwiches, but I take the club and the Pimento cheese sandwiches and combine them and then I get after it.” – Abraham Ancer
“I’m going to be totally honest with you. It was the Champions Dinner that VJ (Singh) prepared. It was Thai food. With all due respect to the rest of the players, and all the dinners that we have had up to today, that was the best dinner. The food was extraordinary was excellent.” – Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal
“It still stands out to me despite the great menu but it’s simple – the cheeseburger. It is simply amazing and maybe the best cheeseburger in the world.” – Matt Kuchar
“Everything. But I remember the first thing I ate there was a waffle and it had like a golf club and ball imprinted on it and I was like this is amazing.” – Matt Fitzpatrick
“Prior to the Masters dinner, we always have a little sushi and seafood bar, and I think all the past Champions really enjoy that. To me that’s the best food of the week.” – Six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus
“I get the Taste of the Masters every single day. And they have a great breakfast I get every single time. I get scrambled eggs, two pieces of bacon. And sometimes two sausages and best biscuits and make a little sausage biscuit and then eat the other stuff.” – Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
“The fried chicken in the caddie hut they used to have with ranch dressing. I don’t know what they dip the chicken in, and I don’t want to know how many calories there are, but it is pretty insane.” – Justin Rose
“The egg salad sandwiches.” – Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson
“My Champions Dinner. Bone-in ribeye, mac and cheese, cream spinach, Caesar salad, the whole nine yards. There was a lot of healthy stuff for the healthy guys. Just a great dinner.” – 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed
“All the food is incredible, but in the men’s locker room they had some crab and some sort of sauce that is unbelievable.” – Xander Schauffele
“Any of the Champions Dinners. And one time, one thing that really surprised me, was the sushi that Tiger served one year. It was a sushi appetizer, but Zach Johnson and I ordered an extra couple of plates of that to go with dinner.” – 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth
“They have their own chips, which I think is a highly underrated thing. Of course I’ll get the Pimento Cheese sandwich. But their barbeque chips, their own Masters edition chips, are so good. I think after every round I grab at least a couple of bags.” – Will Zalatoris
“My favorite is every time we go and have breakfast. I have corned beef, poached eggs and bacon. Fantastic.” – 1991 Masters champion Ian Woosnam
“The chocolate chip cookies are really good there.” – Billy Horschel
“I eat the egg salad sandwich. The fried chicken in the caddie shed. I very rarely go to the locker room to eat. I think a lot of the players go to the caddie hut because it’s just right off the driving range. And I just eat the fried chicken that’s unbelievable.” – Jason Day
“The breakfast is so good. They will cook you whatever you want. Some good Eggs Benedict works for me.” – Marc Leishman
“During Masters week, I love to just eat it in the caddie house with the guys and all those sandwiches that are there. And if you go stay overnight the other parts of the year, everything they serve is pretty fantastic. A big old T-bone is great and the waitstaff is awesome. I love all those guys.” – Kevin Kisner
“Jumbo lump crab meat. The best.” – Brandt Snedeker
“My dinner was pretty good. A good buddy of mine, who is a chef from my hometown, cooked out that night. That was a great Tuesday night dinner. Adam Scott’s was really good. Some nice Wagyu beef from Australia. That was a really good Tuesday night dinner. The best thing just around are the sandwiches. I know Dustin Johnson talks about that. But their sandwiches are so good. Just their tuna sandwiches are unbelievable.” – 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir
“Growing up in the South, I’ve loved Pimento cheese. I’m not a huge Pimento cheese sandwich fan because it’s kind of too soft. But Pimento cheese and crackers in one of my favorites. And the Pimento cheese at Augusta is off the charts.” – Harris English
“The fried chicken. All the food is so good. And their sandwiches are always right there if you’re hungry. They’ll make you burgers, they’ll make you pasta. They have like this pink pasta that they make year and it’s so good.” – Kevin Na
“Oh, man. That’s always a tough one. I’ll go with Nick Faldo’s Shepherd’s pie. That was awesome.” – 1987 Masters champion Larry Mize
