Why This Masters Tradition Is One Of The Coolest In Sports

Of all the wonderful Masters traditions – the Champions Dinner, the Par 3 Contest, the Honorary Starters, and the many more that have been in place for years – this one has to be the best, certainly if you’re a patron.

We’re talking about the Masters chairs, and the unwritten rule that once you’ve found the perfect spot in which to watch the world’s best players tackle Augusta National, you can plonk your seat down safe in the knowledge that it’ll still be there for you even after a walk of the course, or an hour or so sitting in the shade with a beer and pimento cheese sandwich.

It’s not known for certain when this ritual began, although most patrons say the same thing: it just happened over time, to the point where pretty much everyone now knows the etiquette surrounding the chairs at The Masters.

So, if you’ve been fortunate enough to secure your ticket to this year’s tournament, be sure to visit the Golf Shop and buy yourself a chair. In 2023, it cost just $30. It’s pretty basic and doesn’t feature any cup holders; there’s no reclining feature or anything like that, but it does come with a neat carry bag and it does have the beautiful Masters logo on it. Here’s the most important bit, though – it has label.

In your neatest possible handwriting, write your name, address and phone number on the back, not just for the obvious reason of making it clear who it belongs to, but also because you want this two-by-two foot nylon beauty to look perfect forever. 

Although there is a relaxed attitude to bringing your own chair, don’t think about lugging in something that doesn’t fold. No, no, no. Most people either head to the Golf Shop (this is a must by the way) to buy the official chair, or they return with last year’s model. There are patrons who have been coming to this famous venue for years, and they’ll still bring the same chair they sat on that very first time. Very cool. In fact, it’s hard not to suffer from chair envy at the Masters.

There are occasions when someone will sit in your seat, and when this happens, there’s no need to call security. This is no time to lose your cool, like you might if someone took your reserved seat on the train. People stop for a chat before moving on. It’s all very civil.

The rows of neatly positioned Masters chairs are a beautiful sight, every bit as aesthetically pleasing as the magnolias, azaleas and pristine fairways that we get treated to every April. It’s hard to think of any other sport that has a tradition such as this.

As wonderful as this tradition is, there is a major no-no when it comes to Masters chairs. Even if you are returning to watch the action the next day, do not leave them in position overnight, as the author once did. “No, sir, you will not be able to visit lost property,” I was told. It did at least provide the perfect excuse to return to the Golf Shop.