IF YOU GO
Augusta is two hours east of Atlanta on I-20.
Stay
Partridge Inn. Legendary classic Southern hotel that is ground zero for celebrity spotting outside Augusta National during Masters week. Rates start at $129. 2110 Walton Way, Augusta. 1-800-476-6888; partridgeinn.com.
Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center. Located next to the Riverwalk and within easy walking distance of many of the city's best bars, restaurants, shops, galleries and museums, including the Morris Museum of Art across the street. Rates start at $159. 2 10th St., Augusta. 706-722-8900; marriott.com.
For Masters week home rentals, search the listings of the Masters Housing Bureau at mastershousing.com.
Eat
Whiskey Bar (Kitchen). Downtown gastropub known for its gourmet burgers and extensive whiskey selection. Burgers start at $8.25. 1048 Broad St., Augusta. 706-814-6159; whiskeybarkitchen.com.
La Maison on Telfair. French-style fine-dining restaurant inside an old mansion, with a wine and tapas bar attached. Entrees start at around $20. 404 Telfair St., Augusta. 706-722-4805; lamaisontelfair.com.
Visitor information
Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitor Center. Located in the lobby of the Augusta Museum of History. 560 Reynolds St., Augusta. 1-877-284-8782; visitaugusta.com.
The Masters. April 9-12. Augusta National Golf Club, 2604 Washington Road, Augusta. 706-667-6000, masters.com. The 2015 tournament is sold out.
Driving into Augusta any day of Masters week you’ll see people by the side of the road looking for tickets or waving you into parking areas, just like you would heading to any big football game.
Mysterious signs are posted with random letters or numbers, apparently leading those in the know to a house or big corporate event somewhere.
Many Augustans leave town for the week. In fact, Masters week is officially spring break week for the locals, some of whom make a small fortune by renting out their homes and heading to the beach, or turning their yards into makeshift parking lots and tiki bars if they live within walking or private shuttle distance of Augusta National Golf Club.
Scoring a ticket to the Masters is one of the hardest “gets” in all of professional sports. But even if you don’t have a golden ticket to enter the grounds of the ultra-exclusive golf club, Augusta is still worth a visit during Masters week. The Garden City goes into full vacation and party mode the first full week of each April, when the azaleas are at their pastel-colored best and a tingling sense of excitement permeates the fresh spring air.
On hallowed ground
Tradition reigns at Augusta National. You won’t see any blatant examples of corporate sponsorship. The only brand promoted is the Masters. Even the very affordable food has the Masters logo on it. Beer is domestic and imported, but you won’t see the brand’s name on the cup. Egg salad and pimento cheese sandwiches, two traditional Masters menu items, cost $1.50 each, so you won’t have to get a line of credit to eat and drink the way you do at other professional sporting events.
Many golf fans prefer going to the practice rounds on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of the Masters to see their favorite players up close without the overbearing crowds of tournament days (Thursday-Sunday). The club allows cameras during practice round days. Cellphones aren’t allowed on the grounds, ever — a nice touch that keeps the focus on the game and doesn’t distract the players. Don’t try sneaking your phone in because you’ll get caught during the airport-like security screening process at the gate.
Wednesday at the Masters is known for the lighthearted nature of the Par 3 Contest. Golf legends, current pros and their family members play the par 3 course for fun before the seriousness of the tournament begins Thursday. The goal, seemingly, is not to win — no winner of the contest has ever gone on to win the tournament. To this end, you’ll see players letting their wives or kids make crucial putts while joking around with each other and the crowd.
Another fun aspect of the practice rounds is at Hole 16, where the crowd will chant “skip, skip,” asking for players to skip the ball across the pond. Cheers erupt whenever they oblige by driving the ball so it skips across the surface of the water up to the green.
How to get Masters tickets
Unless you're well connected, the only way the general public can obtain tickets to the tournament or the practice rounds is through an online registration process akin to playing the lottery. The 2015 tournament is sold out; now's the time to start planning for 2016. Create an account at masters.com and you'll be notified via email when the selection process occurs, usually in June. If selected, consider yourself extremely lucky. Tickets are $100 per day for the tournament and $65 for the practice rounds.
Masters week events
The Mayor's Masters Reception takes place April 6 downtown. This family-friendly gathering features food from local restaurants and celebrates the game of golf by honoring legends of the sport. It also serves as a general kickoff to the festivities of the week.
On the Augusta Common. 836 Reynolds St., Augusta. Gates open at 6 p.m. Entrance fee $1. 706-823-6600; visitaugusta.com.
Rock Fore! Dough is a charity concert the night of April 7 that has become a crowd favorite, bringing top musical acts to Lady Antebellum Pavilion at Evans Towne Center Park. Darius Rucker returns this year as the headliner.
7016 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans. 4-10:30 p.m. Tickets $30 in advance,$35 at the gate day of show. 706-364-4653; rockforedough.com.
A newer Masters week tradition, the Major Rager, skews more toward the jam band side of the musical spectrum. Gov't Mule, Lettuce, the Revivalists and Omega Moos will perform the night of April 9 on the Augusta Common.
836 Reynolds St., Augusta. Gates open at 5 p.m. General admission tickets $30; VIP tickets $100. 706-724-4067; themajorrager.com.
The Morris Museum of Art, worth a visit any time of year, features two exhibitions during Masters week: "In Celebration of Golf: Landscapes by Linda Hartough" and "American Dreams: Paintings by John Mellencamp."
1 10th St., Augusta (Augusta Riverfront Center). Exhibitions run April 7-12. Museum admission $5. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 706-724-7501; themorris.org.
A cruise on the Augusta Canal aboard a replica Petersburg cargo boat falls into the don't-miss category for any warm weather visit to town. Embarking from the Augusta Canal Discovery Center at Enterprise Mill, the cruises ply the historic waterway past old textile mills and through a verdant natural area teeming with wildlife. On the evening of April 10 the Moonlight Music Cruise features live music on the open air boat as the sun sets and the moon rises; bring your own beverages (even the adult kind) and a light jacket to ward off the cool early spring breeze on the open water.
Augusta Canal Discovery Center. 1450 Greene St., Augusta. Regular daytime canal cruises $13; Moonlight Music Cruise $25. Music cruise departs at 6:30 p.m. 706-823-0440; augustacanal.com.
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