Did you know that The Masters Tournament has a total ban on cell phones and cameras? Masters fans, or officially named “patrons,” are required to follow a number of restrictive rules at this worldwide golf tournament that takes place each April over a 6-day period in Augusta, Ga.
But why do these odd requirements exist?
These strict rules were made to preserve an exclusive atmosphere at the event, which helps uphold a traditional, 1930s-style etiquette.
Freshman Alex Brown is a huge golf fan who doesn’t mind some of these unique rules.
“I think the no phones policy is actually a really good idea,” Brown said. “I think people are actually connected to the tournament rather than just looking at their phones and taking pictures.”
A lot of other golf and dinner related traditions that take place at The Masters date back many years to when the event was first held in March of 1934. This concept helped shape the magical tournament that many golf ‘patrons’ know and love today.
“I think it has some of the best traditions in all sports,” Brown said.
When The Masters first began, it wasn’t originally named “The Masters.” It was named the “Augusta National Invitation Tournament,” before the name was formally changed in 1939.
Amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts founded the tournament. Jones wanted to build a golf course after his retirement from the game, so he sought advice from Roberts, who later became the chairman of the club. Jones was delighted when they came across a piece of land in Augusta, Ga.
“Perfect,” Jones said in an Irish Golfer interview. “And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course upon it.”
Jones hired Alister MacKenzie to help create the design of the course, and in 1931, construction began. The course formally opened in 1933, but, unfortunately, MacKenzie died before the first Masters Tournament was played due to a heart disease. In 2005, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, honoring his legacy and accomplishments.
The holes in the first Masters course were played in a completely different order than we see today, with the current 10 through 18 holes played as the first nine, and holes one through nine played as the second set.
Along with this, the 16th hole was replaced completely in 1947. Today’s 16th hole is now a 190-yard pond-guarded hole, which was never imagined in MacKenzie’s original design. Some golf fans would argue that changes of the course lost some of the original spark it had.
“I get they can change the yardages and placements to make the course harder,but I wish they kept some of that old MacKenzie style in it,” Brown said.
The first winner of The Masters was American golfer Horton Smith in 1934, who took home a prize of just $1,500. Today, the money racks up to $4.5 million. Despite his measly winnings compared to now, Smith later received a Green Jacket in 1949 for his wins in 1934 and 1936, which ended up shaping a tradition we see every year.
Each year, the winner of the Masters receives a Green Jacket, which is an iconic symbol of golf excellence. The 1949 Masters marked the beginning of this tradition.
The person who wins a Green Jacket must return it to the Augusta National Clubhouse one year after their victory. A golfer who wins The Masters more than once receives the same jacket they previously got unless it needs to be re-fitted.
The most acclaimed Masters winners over the years consist of Tiger Woods with five wins, Arnold Palmer with four wins and Jack Nicklaus, who has six wins, which is the most in history.
One of the long lasting traditions at The Masters is The Champions Dinner, which was inaugurated by Ben Hogan at the 1952 Masters. It is held on the Tuesday before each tournament and is open only to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club, including the sitting Chairman.
The Amateur Dinner, held every Monday of tournament week celebrates that year’s amateur participants with a dinner in the clubhouse. Young amateurs receive advice from leaders and learn about the history of the competition.
Another tradition is The Par 3 Contest, which occurs on the Wednesday of the tournament. It features players’ families as caddies in a lighthearted, but competitive game.
Finally, distinguished golfers, usually past champions, hit an honorary tee shot on the morning of the first round to commence play.
This year, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy finished in first place with a 12-under-par performance, edging out American golfer Scottie Scheffler, who came in a close second at 11-under.
Although McIlroy held a massive 6-stroke lead going into Saturday, that advantage quickly vanished after a slump of a day when he shot a 1-over par 73, which put American golfer Cameron Young, who shot a 7-under par 65 on that Saturday, tied at the top of the leaderboard with him.
“I know what can happen around here, good and bad,” McIlroy said in a Reuters interview. “You don’t have to remind me not to get ahead of myself around this place.”
What once looked like it would be an uneventful final day of the tournament, turned more exciting than ever. McIlroy was able to recover after his slow previous day, and win The Masters for the second consecutive year.
When McIlroy won in 2025, it also marked the completion of his career Grand Slam, and his win this year made him the 4th ever professional golfer to win the tournament in back-to-back years. The other three consecutive winners were Nicklaus (1965-1966), Nick Faldo (1989-1990), and Woods (2001-2002).
The Masters averaged a viewer count of about 14 million people in the United States this year. Despite the 2026 final round achieving its highest viewership in 13 years, some people would argue that golf is not very exciting to watch. A 2018 YouGov survey found that 70% of respondents considered golf boring to watch. Other people, obviously, have the opposite opinion when it comes to golf.
“I feel like it’s probably the best thing to watch on television during April,” Brown said .
Freshman Beckham Kowski, who played on the Prospect JV golf team this school year, thinks golf can be more appealing to play than watch because the heat of the moment can be exciting. Kowski was introduced to golf at a young age by his grandpa, and has loved it ever since. He enjoys playing golf and teaching it to his family and friends. Kowski is also a big Masters fan, and enjoys watching with his family.
“Me and my grandpa, we watch it [together],” Kowski said. “My favorite part about it is probably the final round on Sunday where you get to finally see who’s the winner.”
Brown’s favorite professional golfer is Xander Schauffele, because he admires the way he swings the golf club and likes how his mannerisms are always calm and composed.
Kowski, on the other hand, models his game after McIlroy because of his swing mechanics and his strong mental game.
“It helps you get through the round,” Kowski said. “[It] helps you stay calm, maintained, and focused.”
Even if golf does not specifically appeal to some people, golfers and golf fans would still convince them it is still fun to give it a try. It can end up being a lifetime enjoyment, or even just a side hobby that they do every once in a while. Watching The Masters is a great way to learn rules and some traditions if you’re looking to get into golf more. What if you like it so much that you want to attend The Masters? But if you do actually go, don’t forget to leave your cell phone at home.
- Never miss important news: every Monday, get a preview of what’s going on this week at Prospect, and what went down last week. To sign up for the Knight Notes newsletter, click here.
- The Prospect Sports Center is maintained by student journalists at Prospect High School – it is a collection of scores, schedules, and sports coverage. To view sports schedules, scores, and rosters, click here.
Never miss important news: every Monday, get a preview of what’s going on this week at Prospect, and what went down last week. To sign up for the Knight Notes newsletter, click here.
