The Butler Cabin: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About The Iconic Augusta National Property

Many things set The Masters apart from any other tournament, with an array of quirks and traditions that you won’t find anywhere else.

Going hand-in-hand with those, the iconic course that hosts the Major each year, Augusta National, is also a haven of landmarks and features that have become synonymous with the occasion.

There’s the iconic tree-lined entrance to the property, Magnolia Lane, as well as the daunting three-hole stretch of Amen Corner between the 11th and 13th, while there’s also Rae’s Creek, which also helps define the back nine, along with its famous bridges.

There are several iconic buildings, too, not least the clubhouse, which houses the Crow’s Nest, where amateurs stay during the tournament. There’s also a series of cabins, of which surely the most famous is the Butler Cabin.

The Butler Cabin is best known as the place where, each year, the winner receives his Green Jacket from the previous champion in the presence of chairman Fred Ridley, broadcast for all to see on TV.

However, there’s more to it than that. Here are five things to know about the property...

It Didn't Always Host The Green Jacket Ceremony

The Butler Cabin didn’t come along until 1964, 30 years after the first edition of The Masters, and, originally, it hadn’t been intended as a place for the TV cameras.

In 1965, Jack Nicklaus became the first winner to have an interview in the Butler Cabin and the rest is history.

To this day, it serves as CBS Sports' broadcast headquarters during the tournament, as well as the place where the champion receives the Green Jacket.

What's Its Main Use?

For 51 weeks of the year, the Butler Cabin is used as it was originally intended – a place to stay for Augusta National members and their guests.

In keeping with the secretive nature of Augusta National, not much has been revealed about the layout, but, as well as the famous room where the ceremony takes place each year, it also has a couple of bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen.

Origin Of The Name

The cabin is named after a prominent former member of Augusta National, Thomas B. Butler.

One of his friends was former US president Dwight Eisenhower, who also had a cabin named after him at the course, Eisenhower Cabin.

A plaque bearing Butler’s name is on the front door of the Butler Cabin.

It Has A Hidden Entrance

The cabin, which is located just north of the 10th tee, has an entrance not many get to see.

The champion is not led through the front or back door of the property following his win. Instead, he is taken to the side of the building overlooking the Par 3 Course before being taken through a hidden side entrance.

A Rare Privilege

Very few players ever set foot in the Butler Cabin. One is the winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur, which takes place the week before The Masters, who is presented with the trophy there by Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley.

After The Masters, the previous champion and his successor are guaranteed entrance to the property for the trophy presentation. There is room for one more player, too, but only if he makes the cut.

One player is named The Masters low amateur, as long as a non-professional makes it beyond the halfway point, and he is another invited to the exclusive ceremony following the event, which also includes Ridley and CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz.

There will be no leading amateur this year, however, as all six missed the cut.

The ceremony takes place in front of the fireplace at Butler Cabin, above which hangs a picture of the club’s co-founder, Bobby Jones.

On the subject of the fireplace, it also took center stage during the holiday season of 2023, when the official YouTube channel of The Masters presented footage of it decked out in decorations while a yule log burned.