Augusta National Golf Club
Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones created Augusta National, which opened in 1933, a par 72 of about 7,510 yards that has hosted the Masters since 1934. The most famous and most exclusive course in the game, home of Amen Corner and golf's most coveted green jacket.
Photo via Google.
The verdict
Augusta National is the most famous golf course in the world, and arguably the most influential. It was the dream of the great amateur Bobby Jones, who recruited the celebrated architect Alister MacKenzie to help build his ideal course on the site of a former plant nursery. The course opened in 1933 and hosted the first Masters in 1934. MacKenzie died in early 1934, before the tournament that would make his final design immortal, never having seen it host a single Masters.
Our verdict: as a piece of design and theater it stands alone. The wide fairways, the strategic angles, the lightning fast greens and the springtime azaleas have shaped how the world imagines great golf. It is also the most exclusive club in the game, so for almost everyone the experience is the Masters as a patron rather than a round as a player. For the wider region, see our guide to golf in Georgia.
Augusta National Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1933
- Designers
- MacKenzie and Jones
- Type
- Private members club
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,510 yds
- Host event
- The Masters
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Augusta National and leading golf records: Alister MacKenzie with Bobby Jones, course completed 1932 and formally opened 1933, par 72, about 7,510 yards from the Masters tees. Augusta National is an exclusive private club with no public play and invitation only membership, so there is no published visitor green fee. The course is lengthened periodically; always confirm current details directly.
The holes worth the trip
Every hole at Augusta National is famous, but the heart of the course is Amen Corner, the stretch of the 11th, 12th and 13th. The par 3 12th over Rae's Creek, with its swirling wind and shallow green, is perhaps the most nerve testing short hole in championship golf, and the par 5 13th around the corner of the creek has decided countless Masters with its risk and reward second shot. This is the ground where the tournament is so often won and lost.
The wider course is a masterclass in strategy and movement. MacKenzie and Jones built generous fairways that ask the player to choose the right angle for the pin, then defended the course with greens of extraordinary speed and contour. The downhill par 5 15th, the long par 5 second and the dramatic finishing holes all reward bold, precise play. It is a course that looks serene and plays terrifyingly fast under pressure.
Augusta sits at the summit of American golf, and on a Georgia golf itinerary it anchors a wishlist that includes the historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Bobby Jones's own home course, and the coastal resort golf of the Sea Island Plantation Course.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | One of the most exclusive private clubs in the world; there is no public play and membership is invitation only, so there is no route for a visitor to book a round |
| Green fee | No public green fee exists; the course is not available for visitor play under any standard arrangement |
| The Masters | For nearly everyone the experience is attending the Masters as a patron; tournament and practice round tickets are allocated through an official ballot that opens the year before |
| On the day | If you attend the Masters, plan to walk Amen Corner early, and note that mobile phones are not permitted on the grounds |
| Getting there | In Augusta, Georgia, about two and a half hours east of Atlanta by road, with a small regional airport at Augusta |
| Best time | The Masters is held in early April; the club is closed to play during the hot summer months |
Access details verified June 2026 from Augusta National and official Masters information. As an exclusive private club, all arrangements are controlled by the club; the only realistic public experience is attending the Masters through the official ticket ballot. Always confirm current ticket and access details directly.
Where to stay nearby
During Masters week, accommodation in and around Augusta is at a premium, with hotels booked far in advance and many patrons renting private homes for the tournament. Outside of April, Augusta is a quiet small city, and many golf travelers combine a visit with the wider golf of Georgia and the Carolinas rather than staying long in Augusta itself.
If you are building a Georgia golf trip around a Masters visit, anchor a few nights nearby and add the championship history of East Lake in Atlanta and the resort golf of Sea Island on the coast.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Augusta and Georgia.
Build a Georgia golf trip
Augusta National is the dream most golfers experience at the Masters, and we build a Georgia golf trip around the courses you can actually play, from East Lake to the Sea Island coast, with the tee times and lodging booked for you. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Augusta National Golf Club questions
Who designed Augusta National Golf Club and when did it open?
Augusta National was designed by Alister MacKenzie working with Bobby Jones, and the course opened in 1933 in Augusta, Georgia. It hosted the first Masters Tournament in 1934.
What is the par and length of Augusta National?
Augusta National plays as a par 72 of about 7,510 yards from the championship tees, famous for Amen Corner and its lightning fast, severely contoured greens.
Can the public play Augusta National Golf Club?
No. Augusta National is one of the most exclusive private clubs in the world. There is no public play and membership is strictly by invitation; the only way most golfers experience it is by attending the Masters.
What is Amen Corner at Augusta National?
Amen Corner is the stretch of the 11th, 12th and 13th holes, where Rae's Creek and the par 3 12th have decided countless Masters. It is one of the most famous pieces of ground in golf.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; Augusta National is an exclusive private club and access is via the Masters ballot only. Last reviewed June 2026.