Why Augusta National Kicked Masters Fans Out, Turned 'Into a Bloodbath'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Masters is the ultimate golf event, with fans going wild for the green jacket ceremony. Each year an unbelievable number of patrons and celebrities attend the event, and this year was no different.
The 89th Masters was filled with celebs like Paige Spiranac, NFL stars Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, Peyton Manning, and Eli Manning rubbing shoulders with golf royalty, as Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose battled for the green jacket.
Shockingly, amid all the buzz, thousands of fans were shut out at the gates.
Last-minute patron ticket canceled at Augusta National
At Augusta National Golf Club, mobile phones are a big no-no. As a result, all tickets are physical badges. They should be either lanyards or paper passes that must be displayed around a person's neck or on their belt loop, wrist, etc.
The Masters is a prestigious event following a list of its own rules for decades now. One of them also includes how the ticket should be sold.
AUGUSTA, GA - APRIL 09: Jack Nicklaus signs autographs for fans during the third day of practice prior to the start of the 2008 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2008...
AUGUSTA, GA - APRIL 09: Jack Nicklaus signs autographs for fans during the third day of practice prior to the start of the 2008 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2008 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by) More
Getty Images
Additionally, as the official Masters website reads, "Augusta National, Inc. is the only authorised source/seller of Masters® Tickets. The resale of any Masters ticket is strictly prohibited. Holders of tickets acquired from third parties, by whatever means, may be excluded from attendance at the tournament."
Despite the strict rules, third party ticket sales have existed for years.
This happens extensively through reselling the original tickets at a much higher price every year. According to Cllc.com, the ticket prices, which were $100 on the practice days and $140 on the tournament days, were being resold at $8000 for the final round.
But this time Augusta National enforced the ticket-selling technique much more strictly, and the results were shocking. One hospitality company executive told Front Office Sports, "It was a bloodbath."
He added, "Several of our customers were interrogated on arrival, and about half of those badges were canceled."
The 'bloodbath' did not end here, though. According to the source, the worst part was when "a ticket that scanned with no problem Thursday and Friday would get targeted Saturday."
How are the tickets being restricted?
Augusta National is super strict about ticket sales—if you're caught selling your lifetime badge, it's revoked, no questions asked.
When a badge holder passes away, their tickets don't get passed down to family members; the club keeps tabs on local obituaries to cancel those tickets.
Interestingly, this approach followed by Augusta is much different from other major events like the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, and the Open Championship. According to the reports, they work with external ticketing platforms like AXS, SeatGeek, and R&A.
A spectator wears a hat covered in Masters badges on 9 April 1992 during the US Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, United States.Visions of Sport. (Photo by David...
A spectator wears a hat covered in Masters badges on 9 April 1992 during the US Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, United States.Visions of Sport. (Photo by David Cannon/Allsport/Getty Images) More
Getty Images
Augusta National, on the other hand, controls ticket distribution in-house, from general admission to VIP badges. Recently the Green Jacket event has been running live events and hospitality—Map & Flag—to sell more VIP tickets and rake in the profits.
According to new reports, the average sales through Map & Flag are 2,500 passes for a straight $17,000 each this year. But that's not all, though! Currently, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley is gearing up to expand Map & Flag.
Applications for 2026 Map & Flag passes are currently open, with a hefty price tag of around $17,000 per week.
Meanwhile, the standard Masters ticket lottery for 2026 will open on June 1, with ticket prices ranging from $100 for practice rounds to $140 for tournament rounds.
More Golf: Justin Thomas Takes Mudbath after Playing RBC Heritage Shot from Inside a Marsh
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