What are the requirements to become a member of the Augusta National Golf Club?
The Augusta National Golf Club hosts the most esteemed event in the history of golf, the Masters. It is not easy to enter the Club which includes only 300 members.
The Augusta National Golf Club membership includes extensive rules, specifically about avoiding talking about the club publicly except for the chairman.
The club is for the rich and people with good connections. As one of the spots gets vacant, the other club members are allowed to nominate individuals for membership. It is important to meet the criteria to gain membership.
The Augusta National is owned by a private company, publishing no accounts. The club refuses to disclose joining fees or yearly membership fees as well as the revenue collected from hosting the Masters.
The Augusta National was criticized for its policy in the previous years. They didn't allow black people until 1990 when television executive Ron Townsend became the first African-American to join the club. Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and businesswoman Darla Moore were the first female club members to be inducted in 2012.
Some prominent members of the Augusta National Golf Club
Membership is accepted strictly by invitation and there is no application process to become a member. If you become a member, you get a chance to play the course from October to May along with a green jacket of your own. The green jacket must remain on the club premises only.
The members are not only golfers, but people from various fields such as sports, politics and business as well. It is believed that the joining fee is around $40,000 with an annual fee of a few thousand dollars.
Some of the prominent members of the club include:
- Bill Gates, Microsoft Co-founder
- Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State
- Warren Buffett, Billionaire
- Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner
- Lou Holtz, former college football coach
- Hall of Famer Lynn Swann
The season starts from October to May with a break for the Masters, which lasts for a week to ten days. Members also have the right to bring guests but they are not allowed inside if the member is not present. Guests are charged green fees that are not revealed to the public.
Every employee of Augusta National is allowed to play once on the course. Any professional golfer can participate in the Masters and play at Augusta. Top sports journalists also get a media pass to play on the course.