Masters practice round

[Bayougolfer3853]

My buddies and I received a Monday practice round ticket...we will be in GA till Wednesday so we are thinking about buying a ticket for Tue or playing 2 rounds of golf in the Augusta area...being its our first trip I was looking for some advice about choosing...should we pony up and buy another practice round ticket or play some golf?

[golfgirlrobin]

I'd buy another ticket. How often are you going to get to wander around Augusta National?

[Hawkeye77]

Who cares about golf that week even if you can get on somewhere. We are going Wednesday, but we will be looking to buy some Tuesday tickets when we get to town around noon. Figure Tuesday we'll walk the entire course, take care of merchandise and leave more time Wednesday to relax and not try to cram so much in.

[playoffbeard23]

GO to Augusta!.... from what I've heard unless you know someone at a private club all the public tracks are dumps in that area unless you go a few hours out.

[SadTrombone]

If you're plan is to buy once you get there, then play. You'll be able to play 36, have an amazing surf and turf dinner, and do it again the next day, for what you'll pay on Washington Rd. for tickets.

You can likely get in now on stubhub or similar pretty inexpensive. If that's the plan, then play. Unless you're going Wednesday, you won't see anything Tuesday that you won't see Monday, except perhaps more players. Play. Then go home and watch the Par 3 on TV.

[zonacats23]

I went for the first time last year. I wasnt fortunate to have any tickets, but i didnt care, I was tired of waiting. I went Monday and Tuesday, spent $300 for each day and I dont regret it one bit!!! Am i crazy? Some would say yes, but i dont care. Drove from northern illinois sunday morning all the way to Columbia. Went monday and tuesday and drove home after tuesday was finished! Loved every minute of it!

[gtsc03]

Friendly advice - most if not all of the courses within 45 minutes to an hour of the Augusta National raise their rates a significant amount during Masters week. A normal $50 round will go for $100-500 depending on the course. Also, tee times can be hard to come by although if you are a single you can usually find a way to get on with a twosome or threesome.

My advice would be to buy a Tuesday practice round ticket and go for day 2. Spend one of the 2 days and simply walk the course starting at 18 green and going backwards to 1 tee. It's worth it to take in all of various elevation changes, flowers, trees, layout etc. You can then spend the other day following specific players or groups.

Lastly do you know where you are staying yet? I can give you some food suggestions knowing where your home base will be.

[MattyO1984]

Get a ticket for another day if you can! As someone else has said, how often do you get the chance to go to The Masters. Make the absolute most of it!

[jmvargas]

it i ever got a chance to go to the Masters the last thing i would want to do is play golf....unless it's at Augusta National!!

[crazy8golfer]

Unless you want to drive 50 to 75 miles and pony up some bucks, go back to the Masters a second day.

[ob1soccer]

masters for 2 days, not even close

[Matt J]

The grounds are amazing and I would go as early as you can and stay as late as possible, but I don't think I would personally go to a second practice round day. Admittedly I'd always rather "play" than "watch" a sporting event, but watching the pros play this course in regulation is a lot more captivating than a practice round. The atmosphere on Monday is great as far as getting autographs, photos, and not being quite so adamant about silence, but it's pretty much just an opportunity to walk around the place.

I do agree with others that I wouldn't try and play in or around Augusta. You'll need to venture out a little further and do a little research about when you can book a tee time in advance (how many days out) and how far you want to drive, where you want to stay. Just my $.02

Practice round tickets are $400 right now on Stubhub. I'd drive to Hilton Head and play Harbour Town or if you're flying in and out of Atlanta book something at Reynolds Plantation. There are more than a dozen great public courses within a 3 hours drive of Augusta. The trick is getting a tee time, but you're starting early enough to have a chance.

[Bayougolfer3853]

Thanks guys...we have had many conversations and I think we may pony up and pay for Tuesday...I was the one out of our 4 that was more along the lines of playing the next day...if we do end up playing golf though it'll be closer to ATL

[Bayougolfer3853]

Oh and we are staying in Augusta...so bring on the food/water hole recs

[SadTrombone]

[quote name='Bayougolfer3853' timestamp='1450125611' post='12719928']
Oh and we are staying in Augusta...so bring on the food/water hole recs
[/quote]

Wild Wing Cafe - Party was off the charts awesome. Had an 80s cover band there that night. I'm not much for 80s music...but we were singing right along.

The Country Club - Didn't go, but heard it's awesome.

Both right on Washington.

[Thunder Dan]

Don't golf on that trip, all of the courses are way too expensive that week. You'd pay like $150-250 a round. You are better off spending that money on a practice round ticket off the street and kicking it at ANGC for the day.

[Clambake]

Absolutely pony up for a second day at the course instead of playing. The property is huge and you'll really want to see it all, hit the shops, follow some favorites, check out players on the practice facility, etc. I found one just couldn't really cover it all in one day, and a second day gave us a chance to enjoy it even more.

[wtskm]

I went on a Monday practice and Wed Par 3 day 10 years ago, rather than playing a round. Totally worth it !!!

You never know when you'll get a chance to go back.

[Bdmac79]

Get another ticket - no question.

[Bdmac79]

[quote name='SadTrombone' timestamp='1450136757' post='12720792']
[quote name='Bayougolfer3853' timestamp='1450125611' post='12719928']
Oh and we are staying in Augusta...so bring on the food/water hole recs
[/quote]

Wild Wing Cafe - Party was off the charts awesome. Had an 80s cover band there that night. I'm not much for 80s music...but we were singing right along.

The Country Club - Didn't go, but heard it's awesome.

Both right on Washington.
[/quote]

Wild Wing Cafe is the place - it's huge, and there are people from all across the country in there. Outdoor space, bands playing on the patio. Every once in a while you see an odd pseudo-celebrity - John Rocker was in there with a bunch of girls in 2013.

[SadTrombone]

[quote name='Bdmac79' timestamp='1450473406' post='12736958']
[quote name='SadTrombone' timestamp='1450136757' post='12720792']
[quote name='Bayougolfer3853' timestamp='1450125611' post='12719928']
Oh and we are staying in Augusta...so bring on the food/water hole recs
[/quote]

Wild Wing Cafe - Party was off the charts awesome. Had an 80s cover band there that night. I'm not much for 80s music...but we were singing right along.

The Country Club - Didn't go, but heard it's awesome.

Both right on Washington.
[/quote]

Wild Wing Cafe is the place - it's huge, and there are people from all across the country in there. Outdoor space, bands playing on the patio. Every once in a while you see an odd pseudo-celebrity - John Rocker was in there with a bunch of girls in 2013.
[/quote]

Oh, and the hired help is...hmm...how should I say this?

...

Yeah, I can't think of a way to say it without being crass, so just go to WWC.

[thegoomba]

Went a few years ago, drove up from Florida and played Harbor Town the day before then drove to Augusta.

[Bayougolfer3853]

we are gonna play one round while we are there...but tix for both days after alot of back and forth with the guys...so should we play aiken golf club or shell out the money and play Palmetto GC?

[BSKND]

I suppose everyone's milage will vary, but besides stubhub and roadside scalpers, does anyone have any practice ticket advice that they're willing to share?

 

I'm going on Monday (tickets via the lottery) but I booked my hotel through Wednesday AM. So I'll need to pick up Tues tickets at some point.

 

Thanks!

[BLLDWG23]

Living in this area pretty much my whole life i'd say do 2 days at the Master's. Any golf course within a decent drive has "Masters Week" rates. Which means more $$$$ than normal. On top pf that they are usually paaaacked!! I am about an hour maybe away and the courses I play don't jack up the rates but even they are packed that week. As far as eateries Wild Wing is good, if you can get in hit up T-Bonez you usually see one or two of the guys there. If you want to see the gypsies you can always hit up Carrabas or Outback, that always a sight for some folks. Enjoy your time there at the National, when you are walking that course it hard to believe it is in the middle of Augusta. It's like a little world unto itself.

[BLLDWG23]

As far golf courses here is one you can check out: I haven't played it in a couple of years but I hear they keep it in pretty good shape. It's probably about a 30 minute drive and it's off the beaten path so it may not be as packed as some closer.

http://www.applewoodga.com/

[stilinsm]

In the process of finalizing plans for our groups 6th time to the Masters. This will be the 5th Monday practice round. Got Wednesday a couple years ago.

We fly into ATL on Friday, rent a car, and stay and play along I-20. Golf is reasonable the Fri - Sun but gets jacked up starting on Monday. We head back to ATL on Monday night and play near Hartsfield-Jackson, though this year we're considering Bears Best. Since this is our 6th time, one day at Augusta is plenty for the group. A couple years, we stayed in Hickory Knob SC state park. Decent golf and relatively close to Augusta without paying $$$$ hotel.

Courses for this years short list....Wolf Creek, Ashton Hills, Gordon Lakes, The Frog, Mystery Valley, Cherokee Run, Bears Best

[BSKND]

I suppose everyone's milage will vary, but besides stubhub and roadside scalpers, does anyone have any practice ticket advice that they're willing to share?

 

I'm going on Monday (tickets via the lottery) but I booked my hotel through Wednesday AM. So I'll need to pick up Tues tickets at some point.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Just FYI, I ended up buying my Tuesday tickets on the secondary market (eBay), but I will be keeping tabs on the Washington Road scene while I am down there to see how local reselling compares. I'll post something afterwards in case anyone else is interested.

 

 

[gmangolf]

Go to Augusta. One day there isn't enough to take it all in.

[J - Mo]

I suppose everyone's milage will vary, but besides stubhub and roadside scalpers, does anyone have any practice ticket advice that they're willing to share?

 

I'm going on Monday (tickets via the lottery) but I booked my hotel through Wednesday AM. So I'll need to pick up Tues tickets at some point.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Just FYI, I ended up buying my Tuesday tickets on the secondary market (eBay), but I will be keeping tabs on the Washington Road scene while I am down there to see how local reselling compares. I'll post something afterwards in case anyone else is interested.

 

 

Please do, i'm interested in what the prices down there are.