The Masters ticket prices are also reasonable: $ 125 for the two practice rounds, $ 150 for the par 3 on Wednesday, $ 160 for the final three days, and $ 525 for a four-day package— if you can get them. Resale can run as high as $ 5,000- $ 10,000 a day.
Is Masters merchandise only available at The Masters?“ That’ s true. They say that the average patron will spend $ 900. That’ s not always on themselves. Everyone has someone wanting them to bring them something, a cap or shirt.” This year’ s Masters was expected to do $ 70 million in merchandise sales. That’ s $ 10 million a day, $ 1 million an hour, $ 16,000 a minute, $ 277 a second.
Tom Watson( age 76, turning 77 this year) hits his ceremonial first ball at the 2026 Masters.“ I really flushed it this year,” said Watson.
Your best memory of your first Masters win in 1977?“ I remember after winning being in the Eisenhower cabin and waiting for dinner with my mom and dad and calling Stan Thirsk and Byron Nelson and sharing the joy of winning. That was my best memory. I was tied with Jack [ Nicklaus ] after 10, and we stayed tied until 17 when I made a birdie and Jack hit it in the bunker on 18, and I won by two.”
Raymond Floyd presents Tom Watson( age 27) with his inaugural Green Jacket following his win at the 1977 Masters Tournament. Watson secured his second Masters Green Jacket in 1981.
Best memory of your second win in 1981?“ It was nip-and-tuck. I was leading on Saturday, and on 17, I hit a sand wedge into the bunker and made double bogey. On Sunday, I hit the same wedge into the same bunker but hit one of my best bunker shots to about five feet and made the putt, got back in the lead, and then played smart on the last hole.” He won by two over Nicklaus and Johnny Miller.
What was served at your Champions’ dinners?“ Steak and chicken, but we weren’ t given a choice then. Now the winner chooses. We’ ve had cheeseburgers. One year, Phil Mickelson had three-quarters of a pint of ice cream served in a bowl for dessert.”
Did you have a pimento cheese sandwich?“ Not this year, but I like the egg salad sandwich better. Here’ s a good story. When the late Bruce Edwards was my caddy, he would buy an egg salad sandwich and sit on the bench on the 13th hole and eat it; the 13th because it was a par 5 and we always had to wait. So, when Neil Oxman became my caddy, he would buy an egg salad sandwich, and we’ d leave it on the bench on 13 inscribed for Bruce.”
Why are food prices so low at The Masters?“ They want to make it a very pleasurable experience for the patrons.” Indeed, pimento cheese and egg salad sandwiches go for $ 1.50; all other sandwiches cost $ 3; soft drinks and tea, $ 3; beer and wine, $ 6.
Did you buy a Masters Gnome this year?“ I did. The last one. They say this is the last year they’ ll be produced. I have several, but not all.” The 2025 gnome is a hand-painted ceramic statue of an elderly bearded gentleman wearing a green hat, a shirt with prints of pimento sandwiches and peaches, and carrying a golf bag. The 2026 gnome has him wearing a blue vest, khaki slacks, holding a coffee cup, and has a functioning Masters umbrella. Available only in the Masters onsite merchandise shop, only about 1,000 are made available each day of the tournament. They sell out in about an hour at $ 59.50 with a limit of one, resale value ranges up to $ 1,200.
2025 Masters Gnome 2026 Masters Gnome
Best Masters gig no one knows about?“ It’ s standard procedure to hire people to place chairs( without armrests) at various holes on the course. They’ ll get there at 6:30, walk briskly to a hole, and place a chair, and no one steals it. People are very respectful. I don’ t know if they can take more than one chair, but it’ s a good gig if you can get it.”
Other interesting Masters quirks?“ No cell phones. No cameras, but pictures can be taken during practice rounds. No running. Bird chirping is piped in for TV.” Others that could be added include no tipping and no caps worn backward. There are long lines for pay phones. Only four minutes of TV commercial time per hour. You can go to jail for stealing sand out of a bunker or trying to buy or sell tickets near Augusta National.
Learn more about attending the 2026 Watson Challenge at Shoal Creek Golf Course as a spectator and follow player live scoring at www. centrallinksgolf. org.
Alan Hoskins, Golf Writer Lead Feature Writer since 2007 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE ™ Magazine
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