'It Will Be A Very Sad Day If This Unique Masters Policy Ever Changes'

I've been to The Masters twice and there are almost too many amazing things to mention when people ask me what makes it so special.

From the hills to the glorious azaleas and the stunning course conditioning, there are so many aspects of the tournament that take you aback, but if I had to pick one thing that stands out I would go with the cell phone policy.

Phones are not permitted on-site during Masters week, with patrons forced to either leave theirs in their vehicles or in a locker before entering the grounds.

Leaving your phone for some 10 hours seems almost unfathomable in today's modern world, and I must admit I assumed many patrons snuck their devices in and caught up with messages and emails on the sly - but that is certainly not the case, as Mark Calcavecchia found out when being escorted off the property on Wednesday.

Being found with a phone will result in removal from the grounds and the permanent loss of credentials - ie, you will never be allowed to buy tickets again.

But what if you need to make a phone call?

The Masters has thought of that, as there are banks of free phones dotted around the course for any emergencies, as long as you know the number you need to ring.

It's such a unique policy in sports and the result is an atmosphere unlike any other in the game of golf, where fans usually tend to keep to themselves and watch much of the action through their screen when filming swing videos.

At The Masters, you know you only have your eyes to watch the golf. It allows you to really take in what you're viewing and adds a truly special layer to the experience.

It also means you'll find yourself chatting to fellow patrons a lot more than you might expect.

Want to know what time the leaders go out? If he's putting for birdie or par? Or perhaps where the nearest concessions stand is? At any other tournament you'd take your phone out of your pocket and ask Google.

At The Masters you ask the patron standing next to you, if they haven't already tried to pick your brain for any questions they have.

The inevitable 'Where are you from?' question follows as well as 'Is this your first time here?' I would guess that almost half of the interactions I've had on my visits would not have happened without the cell phone policy.

Sure, some may find conversations a little annoying and prefer peace and quiet - and I am not saying all you ever do is chat to random people at The Masters - but human interaction is very valuable and having friendly chats with strangers from different parts of the world while cell phone-less at Augusta National is a unique experience.

It's the same when it comes to the leaderboard.

At any other tournament you would simply be monitoring the scores all day on your phone, but at Augusta you are at mercy of the on-site, human-operated leaderboards.

I was sitting by the 18th green last year to await Rory McIlroy's career grand slam victory, and the entire crowd around the green were waiting with nervous anticipation for the leaderboard to change.

Then suddenly the box for the 17th hole opened and we witnessed McIlroy's score change from -11 to -12.

It was pure theatre and caused jubilant scenes, creating a memory I'll have for life. With cell phones that moment simply doesn't happen.

It's something that, thankfully, won't be changing any time soon.

“I think that’s something that does set us apart,” Augusta National chief executive Fred Ridley said of the policy in 2019.

“I think our patrons appreciate our cell phone policy. I know that we have now become an outlier, if not the only outlier in golf.

“I don’t believe that’s a policy that anyone should expect is going to change in the near future. I can’t speak for future chairman, but speaking for myself, I think we got that right."

It was fantastic to hear this from Ridley in 2019, and it will be a very sad day when this Masters policy changes.

The players love it, too.

Imagine being filmed by dozens, if not hundreds, or people every time you step up to hit a drive. Players are show-offs after all and having swathes of patrons locked onto you, watching with only their eyes, allows for far more appreciation of the strike and ball flight. And no cell phone means more claps, too.

I've become increasingly concerned about phone use over recent years, particularly on the younger generation, after watching documentaries and listening to podcasts about the negative impacts of spending hours upon hours each day swiping through content.

It reduces attention span and I believe it is contributing to negative mental health in the next generation as well as loneliness.

And seeing excessive phone use during regular PGA Tour events and Majors is annoying.

If you've spent hundreds on tickets, travel, accommodation and food, why would you stand there with your phone out filming everything? Sure, get a few pictures and one or two videos but are you really going to be watching back half of the content you've captured?

I find the same annoyance with music concerts. Why hoist your phone up high to film some mediocre audio and bumpy footage when you could just watch professional footage of the performance?

Anyway, back to the golf...

The Masters is a spiritual experience. From the sounds of the birds to the colors of the flowers and the vibrant greens of the immaculate turf, coupled with the smattering of applause and the Georgian sunshine, it's truly special.

Add in the fact you are without your phone and it becomes somewhat of an escape from life as you enter the dream world of Augusta National.

Leave all your worries and stresses at the gates and enter a serene and calm space where you can simply take in all the joys that Augusta and The Masters has to offer.

I think the strict cell phone policy needs to be protected at all costs. It's completely unique and sets The Masters above any golf event on the planet.