The Masters (2025)

I just woke up from an extended nap and boy, it was a hell of a day. For the second time, I was fortunate enough to attend a practice round of The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. For those of you who don’t know, The Masters is one of four major golf tournaments played each year. It is the only major played at the same course year in and year out. Augusta National Golf Club is a special place. Nothing is out of place and there are a heavy set of rules. No running, no backwards hats, and no phones on the course, just to name a few. You might think, why is this fun? If they take your phone, tell you what to do, and make you feel like you are being watched over the whole day, how do you enjoy yourself? The rules are the best part of The Masters. They keep annoying shitty patrons (they don’t even say fans here) in check. There is nothing more annoying at a tournament than a hundred phones being sent up into the air so you can't see anything. At Augusta, not a phone in sight. Everyone is enjoying golf the way it was meant to be enjoyed. I love it! There are a few things that were different going into our Masters expedition this year. First, it was a two-man show. Last time, my mom joined in. Well, to be honest, I think I joined in. This time it was just Smokes and I. My mom came down to Georgia to hang out but didn’t buy a ticket. Second, we were going on a Wednesday instead of a Monday. This meant that we could go and watch the par three contest. Third, I am fully invested into the sport right now. Not that I wasn’t a huge fan in 2022, but I certainly wasn’t obsessed. I would actually credit that first trip to Augusta as what got me back and hooked on the game again. Fourth and finally, I really wanted to get a gnome this time. Look up Masters Gnomes if you're interested in what that means, but I really wanted to get my hands on the exclusive gnome. Leading into this week has been the most excited I think I’ve ever been. It's really hard to explain the feeling you get when you first step on the grounds. There is a magic to it, kind of like the way you feel at St. Andrews. This is my favorite week of the year for a reaon! I don’t really know where to start with a recap of the day, so I'm going to slide down the list of objectives/goals I made for the day and just number them out. I’ll try to include everything, but there is just too much to say! I am bound to miss something.

Get a 2025 Masters Gnome, SUCCESS!

In short, they are literal garden gnomes that come out in a different design each year. They have become a rare and exclusive collectible over the years and were sold out last time we went. This time, I was on a mission! I wanted a gnome and I wanted one bad. We looked online beforehand and saw success stories galore. We decided to enter through the south gate instead of the north gate because it would be less populated. We got to the gate at 6:08 AM, which opens at 7 AM. It was definitely a PC (pressure cooker) and we were worried about the line waiting in our future. Not only to get the gnome, but to wait to check it for the day. We waited around and just talked until 7 AM. As soon as the gate opened, we turned on Lewis Hamilton mode. Overtakes left and right. Smooth ride through security and we were to the “golf shop” (merchandise store for us normies) in no time flat. We were in and out of that joint in no less than five minutes. We were some of the first people in, so we each got a gnome. It is one gnome per patron per transaction, so Smokes and I both got one. We were second in line to check them too. All stress was relieved. Mission #1 completed in the first fifteen minutes!

Try Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich, Eh… Success.

When we made our maiden voyage to The Masters, there were supply chain issues with the famous Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich. This year they had them and we were bound to try. Honestly, slightly disappointed. Very sugar cookie flavor and not too much peach. I was planning on eating a hundred and just ended up having one. As for the other concessions, Augusta is the best place in the world. No price gouging, fast lines, and great polite workers. Some of my favorites of the day include: the Crow's Nest beer, pulled pork BBQ sandwich, classic Coca-Cola, the chips, and of course my all-time favorite... the blueberry muffin! Fuck you pimento cheese, you suck!

Get Rory McIlroy’s signature, UNFORTUNATE FAIL!

I’m not silent about my man crush on Rory. One of my favorite things about going to tournaments is trying to get an autograph from my favorite players. Call me a kid, but I am! Rory is a really tough one because he is so popular, but I wanted to try. The Masters is really strict about where and when you can get autographs. It felt like if you weren’t disabled or a little kid, you were shit out of luck. I totally understand and honestly respect it. The par 3 course was a little more lenient on that rule, so I got a few opportunities to ask Rory but wasn’t successful. It was really cool to get to see him play up close. We followed him for his first nine holes and then saw a couple holes at the par three contest. At the very end I got in a spot to have him sign my flag and he signed the kid below and next to mine. All good! Smokes got a fist bump from him, which was pretty cool! Slightly disappointed, but nothing can ruin a perfect day like today.

See a Hole In One, SUCCESS!

I didn’t think this one was going to happen, so I don’t know why I included it on my list to even try. We just happened to be standing next to a tee box and saw Captain Keegan HOOP it on the 6th hole at the par three contest. It was the first time I had seen a hole in one from tee to hole. The crowd went crazy and he had a cute moment with his kid. Here is to Bethpage in September!

Get a Flag, DOUBLE SUCCESS!

If you have seen my dorm room, I have a wall of flags from different tournaments and golf courses from around the world. I don’t know why, but it is my favorite thing to collect. I want to have a room covered in flags when I get older. I knew I was going to get a yellow 2025 Masters flag that matched my 2022 flag, but I didn’t know there was a Wednesday-only Par 3 Contest flag. I bought both and was hoping to get Rory to sign the yellow one. I ended up getting Justin Rose, my second favorite golfer, to sign my par three contest flag. I was very excited because he signed my 2022 flag last time in an unauthorized zone. I was so excited then and I’m so excited now!

Other miscellaneous successes!Here is a quick fire list:

• We got two PURE navy hats, which were sold out last time

• I got a Masters logo performance hoodie!

• I told Michael Kim that I love his Twitter diaries

• I got to say hi to Harry Diamond, Rory’s caddy

• We saw Gary Player hit it to a few inches and Nick Faldo up close

• Got a picture in front of the 12th tee

• I’m forgetting something!!!!

  
  

Today is a day I will never forget. I was looking forward to this for so long and it lived up to the expectations and more! I hope I get the opportunity to come back many times and bring my kid here one day. That would mean the world to me. Bringing my kid with my dad would be something special. The weather was absolutely perfect, there was barely a cloud in the sky. It was just a special, special day. Thank you so much to Smokes and Jean for making this possible! I appreciate it more than you know and I love you so much! I know I’m missing something, but there was just so much perfection! Now it is time to watch the tournament. Go Rory! Happy Wednesday, everyone. Enjoy The Masters!