Upcoming The Masters dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
What the Masters is and when it is played
The Masters Tournament is the first of golf's four men's major championships each year and the only one played on the same course every time: Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It is held in the first full week of April, with the final round traditionally on the second Sunday of the month. For 2027 that pattern points to Sunday, April 11, but Augusta National sets the dates, so confirm them before you book travel.
Tournament week has a fixed shape. Monday through Wednesday are practice rounds, with the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday afternoon. The tournament itself runs Thursday through Sunday, with a cut after the second round. The field is small, roughly 85 to 100 players, which makes it the most exclusive field of the majors.
The winner receives the green jacket, a tradition dating to 1949. Rory McIlroy won in 2025 in a playoff over Justin Rose, then won again in 2026 by one stroke over Scottie Scheffler, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back champions.
How Masters tickets are distributed
The Masters does not sell tickets the way other major events do, and that is the single most important thing to understand before you buy. Augusta National controls distribution through two channels:
- Series badges. A badge good for all four tournament rounds is sold only to people on a closed patrons list. Holders can renew every year for life. The waiting list to join that list opened in 1972, closed in 1978, reopened briefly around 2000 and has been closed since. On a badge holder's death, the badge passes only to a surviving spouse.
- The ticket lottery. Practice-round tickets and single-day tournament tickets are sold through an online application on the Masters website, submitted nearly a year ahead. Winners are drawn at random, so there is no line to wait in and no way to improve your odds by paying more. Selection is never assured.
Because of this structure, the Masters is widely considered the second-hardest ticket in sports to obtain, behind only the Super Bowl. Practice-round days are the most attainable through the lottery, and they are also the friendliest days for a first visit, as the next section explains.
What resale availability means at Augusta
You will see Masters badges and daily tickets listed on the secondary market, but the rules behind those listings are different from almost any other event, and you should know them before buying.
- The club prohibits resale. Augusta National's ticket purchase agreement bars reselling badges and tickets. Patrons caught selling can lose their badges permanently, and the club has enforced this more strictly since 2025. Badges also carry RFID chips.
- State law adds a buffer zone. Georgia law prohibits buying, selling or handing off tickets within 2,700 feet of the club, so a curbside swap on Washington Road is not legal.
- Supply is thin and uneven. Because so few tickets exist and holders risk losing them by selling, resale supply is small. Demand peaks for the weekend rounds, and especially Sunday, when the tournament is decided. Thursday and Friday rounds draw less, and practice rounds less still.
Put plainly: a resale ticket to the Masters carries risk that a resale ticket to a concert does not, because the issuer itself objects to the transfer. Read the listing terms carefully and understand what the seller's guarantee covers before you commit.
Patron rules: phones, cameras and conduct
Spectators at the Masters are called patrons, and the club holds them to rules that surprise first-time visitors. As of the 2026 tournament:
- No phones. Mobile phones and other electronic devices are prohibited on the grounds. The tournament's policy bars using any device for calls, email, texting or recording or transmitting voice, video or data. Free public phones are placed around the course, so leave your phone in the car or at your hotel.
- Cameras on practice days only. Personal cameras are allowed during practice rounds but not on tournament days.
- Conduct. No running, no loud talking, no flags, posters or noise-making devices, and hats are worn forward. Breaking the rules can get a patron removed and their ticket privileges revoked for good.
The no-phones rule changes the day more than any other policy. You cannot check a leaderboard app, so you rely on the course's manual scoreboards. Agree on a meeting point and time with your group before you go in, because you cannot text someone you lose in the crowd. Policies are set by the club each year, so check the current patron information on the Masters website before you go.
Where to watch on the course
A Masters ticket is admission to the grounds, not a seat. There are no reserved seats for general patrons; you walk the course and choose where to stand or sit. Elevation on the property ranges from about 160 to 310 feet, so expect real walking on hills.
Amen Corner
Amen Corner is the name for the second shot at the 11th hole, the whole par-3 12th and the tee shot at the 13th. Rae's Creek runs in front of the 12th green, and the Hogan and Nelson bridges cross it. It is the most famous stretch of the course and a place where tournaments are often won and lost, which also makes it one of the most crowded.
Two ways to watch
- Pick a spot and stay. Set up near a green where several holes converge and let the field come to you. You will see every group pass, which is the best way to see many players.
- Follow one group. Walking 18 holes with a single pairing shows you how a round unfolds, but in the weekend crowd you will often watch from several rows back.
Practice rounds are the best first visit
Practice days are more relaxed, players sometimes hit extra shots or play with friends, cameras are allowed, and the grounds are easier to move around. If you only get one day, a practice round with a camera may make better memories than a crowded Sunday spent several deep behind the ropes.
A day at Augusta National: food, parking and traditions
The Masters runs its own operation, and a few details are part of the experience:
- Concessions are famously inexpensive by major-event standards. The pimento cheese sandwich is the best-known item.
- Parking in the tournament's own lots is free.
- The course itself was built on the site of a former plant nursery called Fruitland, and each hole is named for a plant, with names such as Tea Olive, Pink Dogwood, Magnolia and Holly.
The week also carries traditions that patrons can watch for: honorary starters, who are past champions, hit ceremonial opening tee shots to start the tournament, and the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday is a lighter, family-friendly event played on the club's short course. The previous week, Augusta National hosts the final rounds of the Augusta National Women's Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt junior competition.
History of the Masters
The Masters was founded by Bobby Jones, the great amateur champion, and investment banker Clifford Roberts. Jones and the architect Alister MacKenzie designed Augusta National on the Fruitland nursery property, and the first tournament was played in 1934 as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament. The name Masters became official in 1939.
Jack Nicklaus holds the record with six wins, the last in 1986. Tiger Woods has won five times and Arnold Palmer four. The green jacket was first awarded in 1949; the champion may keep it off the grounds for a year before it returns to the club. Other traditions, including the Tuesday Champions Dinner hosted by the defending champion, help explain why so many patrons treat a single day at Augusta as a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get tickets to the Masters?
Practice-round and daily tournament tickets are sold through a random-draw application on the Masters website, submitted nearly a year in advance. Four-day series badges go only to a closed patrons list.
Is it legal to resell Masters tickets?
Augusta National's ticket terms prohibit resale, and patrons caught selling can lose their badges permanently. Georgia law also bans buying, selling or handing off tickets within 2,700 feet of the club.
Can you bring a phone to the Masters?
No. Phones and other electronic devices are prohibited on the grounds, and free public phones are provided on the course. Cameras are allowed on practice days only.
Are there reserved seats at the Masters?
Not for general patrons. A ticket admits you to the grounds, and you choose where to stand or sit along the course.
When is the Masters played?
The Masters is held in the first full week of April, with practice rounds Monday through Wednesday and the tournament Thursday through Sunday. The final round is traditionally the second Sunday of April.
Which day is easiest to attend?
Practice rounds are the most attainable through the lottery and the most relaxed days on the grounds. Sunday, when the champion is decided, is the hardest ticket to get.