There are a lot of rules at Augusta National. From no cell phones to no running, there’s a right way and a wrong way to conduct oneself when on the grounds at Augusta National, and you better behave.
That goes for the pros too. So, we asked them: Have you ever stepped out of line or done something wrong at the Masters?
Turns out some of them have — or in certain cases, their family members broke the rules. From Gary Player accidentally taking his Green Jacket home to South Africa to Will Zalatoris getting instructed by a greencoat on how to walk into a press conference — bet he won’t make that mistake next time — here are the best answers to the latest Golfweek Masters Survey question.
Not that I know of. I’ve never been reprimanded in any formal way. I think times have changed and the members at Augusta realize that this is a competitive event and people are going to show some competitive fire. They are a lot more obliging to that.
I supposed you know the story about when I took the green jacket home after my first win.
No and I hope to keep it that way.
I was hitting through the trees on the practice tee near the chipping green and one of the members came over and said, “Can you stop that, please?”
I haven’t but one time my sister entered the courses with me and she had her phone. She took a picture and a cop busted her and was going to kick her out. She started crying. The tears worked. The cop fake kicked her out and then let her come back in.
I think my biggest transgression is I gave my wife’s ticket to my manager to get in and he was stopped and escorted out. That was like 20 years ago when managers didn’t get a pass.
If I had, I wouldn’t tell you!
My wife has. She had her phone. Our kids were in daycare and she went into a bathroom to talk to them and she got caught doing it.
I’ve never been caught doing anything wrong. I don’t really push the envelope there either.
The first time I was brought into the media center I walked ahead of the member who was in charge of media. He was totally nice about it but he was like, no, this is how you do it. I walk in first and you’ll go in that chair.
I’m sure I have but I haven’t been told.
Twice. One was my cell phone, which was a brain fart. I did a social media post back in the day when I did social media. On the eighth hole, I took a panoramic video during a non-Masters week and I was told I had to take it down. I got my member who hosted me in trouble, which was awful. The other time was on a Wednesday (during a tournament week) on 14. I was gripping a 9-iron and it felt like my thumb had dented into the shaft. I called the Titleist rep in the middle of the fairway. The equipment trucks leave on Wednesday afternoon so I felt I had to get in touch. If I don’t, I could be playing with a non-conforming club and I can’t do that. A Green Jacket slapped my wrist telling me I can’t be doing that and I explained the situation and that was OK.