Augusta National

[Titleist 4 me]

My Avatar is probably the closest I'll ever get From the picture you can see the hole of Augusta Country Club that runs behind 12 and 13 that people have mentioned.

[TMfan54]

[quote name='CEPick' date='28 March 2010 - 12:03 AM' timestamp='1269749038' post='2345291']
[quote name='tmfan54' date='27 March 2010 - 11:01 PM' timestamp='1269748871' post='2345286']
how does one become a member of Augusta National?
[/quote]

Waiting list longer than the one for people waiting in line to punch Nancy Pelosi.
[/quote]


[quote name='gtowngolfer' date='28 March 2010 - 12:08 AM' timestamp='1269749310' post='2345297']
tmfan....lets just say they put Bill Gates on the waiting list. They probably don't have regular dues. At the end of the year, the owners probably just ask them for
x amount of millions of dollars.
[/quote]


[quote name='masegolf1978' date='28 March 2010 - 01:07 AM' timestamp='1269752855' post='2345380']
I don't think I would call it a "waiting list". It's more of an "invite only" type of thing. From my understanding, the kiss of death is simply saying "I want to be a member at Augusta National", which is essentially what Gates tried to do, although I think he is a member now. As I said earlier, unless you're a titan of industry, the best thing to do would be to start selling insurance in Augusta or South Carolina and make some good connections.

As for dues, I'm not sure if they are that bad. When you think about the money the Club takes in from merchandise, sponsors (Coke, IBM etc) and CBS, I wouldn't think the members themselves would have to put that much money back into the club.
[/quote]


[quote name='labillyboy' date='28 March 2010 - 01:28 AM' timestamp='1269754105' post='2345393']
From what I have heard there is no waiting list... if they want you to be a member, they will let you know. Finances of the club are even more obscure... and there are some regular Joe's who are members.

Doing the math, take the revenues from the Masters and what it would cost to run a golf course in Georgia for 6 months a year and I would be surprised if the dues were very steep.

That would be a pretty cool phone call... "Hi this is Billy Payne; think you could make it over to Augusta to talk to me about becoming a member?" "Sure Billy, could you hang on while I dial 911? I think I just had a heart attack..." "I'll just have them snake a tube down my throat and catch a flight out tomorrow."
[/quote]


thanks for the replies.

[rblmp32]

[quote name='OB ReT Hit 3' date='28 March 2010 - 09:35 AM' timestamp='1269783359' post='2345639']
Quail Hollow does have set dues for all of their members.
[/quote]

Who's your source, generally speaking, for that?

[scs1070]

I am going of second hand knowledge, but I belive Peachtree has no "set dues". I have heard they simpley take the monthly operating cost, and divide it evenly amongst the members each month.

[El Pato]

Here is some info on Augusta CC: [url="http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.aspx?course=239045"]http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.aspx?course=239045[/url]

[mylo]

I had the privilege to play it 6-7 years ago. Simply breathtaking doesn't do it justice. The conditions were immaculate, staff treated us like we were members, I shot an 82 which was great at that time considering the difficulty but we weren't plating from the tips. The only downer of the whole experience is that i have no pics to look back on. I took at least 100 pictures on my digital camera. That night my buddy and I went back to our hotel, indulged in many beers and I spilled a beer on my camera which was lying on the table. Not only did that nuke the camera but also the memory. I was literally sick to my stomach the next day after we dried out the camera and it wouldn't power on. There is still a small chance I can get back on the course but the opportunity hasn't presented itself and I don't want to press my luck.

[Flopadopolous]

[quote name='shorrrno' date='27 March 2010 - 12:14 AM' timestamp='1269663284' post='2343674']
[size="2"]i really dont believe it closes in summer.

Especially if this is what it looks like in winter. [/size]


[/quote]

Im positive it closes in the summer

[rblmp32]

[quote name='drewlbk5231' date='28 March 2010 - 05:32 PM' timestamp='1269811950' post='2346446']
[quote name='shorrrno' date='27 March 2010 - 12:14 AM' timestamp='1269663284' post='2343674']
[size="2"]i really dont believe it closes in summer.

Especially if this is what it looks like in winter. [/size]


[/quote]

Im positive it closes in the summer
[/quote]

I'm beyond positive. It's a fact that it does.

[mylo]

It definitely closes in the summer, I think its from late may-early september.

[Bellyhungry]

I recall hearing a story about the ex-Ontario premier Mike Harris playing Augusta National...

He played with a member from the Atlanta area. Mid round, the member had to leave to tend to an urgent matter. Mr. Harris was allowed to finish but was not allowed to stay in the club house to wait to be picked up.

As a result, the then premier of Ontario was sitting on the curb on Washington Road with his golf bag and sweaty clothes waiting for his car service to pick him up.

[theelvis510]

[quote name='Bellyhungry' date='29 March 2010 - 10:02 AM' timestamp='1269871366' post='2347804']
I recall hearing a story about the ex-Ontario premier Mike Harris playing Augusta National...

He played with a member from the Atlanta area. Mid round, the member had to leave to tend to an urgent matter. Mr. Harris was allowed to finish but was not allowed to stay in the club house to wait to be picked up.

As a result, the then premier of Ontario was sitting on the curb on Washington Road with his golf bag and sweaty clothes waiting for his car service to pick him up.
[/quote]


That would probably never happen. ANGC has their own fleet of shuttles to get both members and guest to and from the airport. I'm not saying it did or didn't happen, just doesn't sound right from the times I have been there.

[suwdawg]

Volunteers also get to play.

[masegolf1978]

[quote name='scs1070' date='28 March 2010 - 03:33 PM' timestamp='1269804818' post='2346191']
I am going of second hand knowledge, but I belive Peachtree has no "set dues". I have heard they simpley take the monthly operating cost, and divide it evenly amongst the members each month.
[/quote]

Likewise, this is what I have heard as well and the course I was referring to in my earlier post. As someone else said though, a lot of private clubs in Atlanta are hurting these days.

I think Golf Club of Georgia is (at least was) offering non-equity membership with no initiation and just monthly dues. That's a lot of golf course for that cash. . .

[scs1070]

I have heard of a few as well. I only wish Ihad one close enough to my house to make it worth while. Indian Hills is the closest, but I personally am not a big fan of the course and practice facility. Smyrna dosnt have much to offer.

[mshills]

You should check out St. Ives and The Standard Club... Even CC of the South has a greatly reduced initiation fee right now.

The only clubs I know that haven't slashed initiation fees are Ansley, Druid Hills, Atlanta CC, Cherokee, Piedmont, the Athletic Club, Capital City, and of course Peachtree.

What are your thoughts on Indian Hills? PM me if you want, I'd like to find out more, for a number of reasons - moving fairly soon and that vicinity [u]might[/u] be a possibility.

[golfwrxnut]

[quote name='ClarkGrswld4' date='25 March 2010 - 05:33 PM' timestamp='1269563614' post='2341040']
i believe there was a guy who played and posted a ton of pics like 1-2 years ago...i'll see if i can find the thread
[/quote]

I remember that! I think he won the Mid-Am and was there playing a practice round. First pictures were somewhat foggy, giving it the "Casablanca" feel if you know what I mean.

[bjfed]

Family friend is from augusta. Knows a ton about the national and the masters. hes also a volunteer on the tournament scoring committee and has worked the scoreboard on the 15th hole for 20+ years. he has played it around 25 times. The last day the course is open is for the masters volunteer appreciation day. they get to play 18 on the big course and can play the par 3 course all they want. they also get use of the clubhouse and can have lunch and cocktails on the veranda overlooking the course. pretty much get the run of the place for a few days. The reason they close the course in the summer is it gets so hot that they dont want it to burn out. they let the course grow out( sometimes the greens to several inches in length). with the heat and the stress on the grass due to the high standards for conditioning they have they would lose the course in a week, at most. I also have a friend who caddies there and he's currently collecting unemployment and enjoying the summer here in the midwest. caddies and regular employees of the club only get to play the national once a year. Needless to say, Im trying to get on the waiting list to be on the scoring committee, as thats my only chance to get on there.

[CheckJV]

A guy a my club has played it a few times...in the Masters...of course he was the US Am Champ once .

I have never set foot on the place.

[Connorws]

My uncle is a member, my dad has played it with ray Floyd it was quite an experience