[jeffwarne]

Kids 8-16 are allowed to attend The Masters this year free when accompanied by an accredited patron.
Given the demand for tickets and the shrinkage on spectator areas due to course lengthening, this is an amazing development.

Say what you want about the architecture, but NO Major sporting event comes close to taking care of the fans the way The Masters does.
Merchandise and F and B at reasonable prices, free patron parking-free addmission for kids!

In my opinion this will make tickets much more expensive for scalpers as local patrons will be less likely to give up (scalp) their tickets given their additional ability to now bring their kids (many of who may never have been).
Hopefully this will make the event a little more of a family affair like it used to be before the corporations snatched up much of the available tickets to entertain clients.

As one who grew up in Augusta going sunup to sundown on practice round days, this is an exciting development which could go a long way in the promotion of the game.

[Sam Morrow]

Say what you want about Augusta but they do some wonderful things for the patrons. I think of Augusta when I pay $11 for a margarita at a Rockets game.

[J_ Crisham]

Jeff, Does this also hold true for the pratice rounds? If so It sure could get crowded. The 4 opportunities that I've had to see the tournament I would agree that I didn't see many children. I understand the value of the experience-I would hope more younger people will be in attendance.

[J_ Crisham]

Sam, But isn't the ability to see a 8 foot tall Chinese guy pale in comparison to watching say Tiger for instance?

[Sam Morrow]

Sam, But isn't the ability to see a 8 foot tall Chinese guy pale in comparison to watching say Tiger for instance?

If the 8 foot tall chinese guy had any speed, agility, or shooting skills maybe.

[jeffwarne]

Jack,
I don't know if it includes practice rounds.
Augusta gets more crowded every year and the spectator corridors shrink every year with all the new tees,trees,  and player walkways etc.

It's a bold move.

Used to be loads of kids there.
I used to get in by working scoreboards during the tournament.

Somehow I don't think my PGA badge is going to allow me to bring a kid free.

[Bill Gayne]

The R&A provides free admit to children for the Open. From the R&A website:

"Juveniles (under the age of 16) will be entitled to free admission if they hold a Juvenile admission badge, having applied in writing in advance to The R&A Ticket Office, or if they are accompanied on the day by a responsible adult. If a juvenile does not hold a valid Juvenile ticket or is unaccompanied by a responsible adult they will not be entitled to free admission. The juvenile may purchase a Youth ticket."

 

[jeffwarne]

Bill,
The R &A is to be applauded for their efforts as well.

The US Open at Bethpage did this on Thursday and Friday in 2002. I waited 2 1/2 hours in line in the rain with my 9 year old twins, finally got to the gate and nobody knew anything about it. Fortunately, they were equally disorganised at preventing to us from entering when I told my girls to just keep walking with the crowd;  

The diference is the complete unavailability of tickets. We had a last minute guy join us last year. He DID NOT get in and was offering $1000 for the day on Thursday(addmittedly that was the worst day anyone local or otherwise could recall).
(prices go down on weekends as the corporate guys go home.)

[jim_lewis]

The kids deal at the Masters does not include the practice rounds.  The kid must be accompanied by the patron whose actually bought the badge. In other words, if I gave or sold my badge to you, you can not take your kid. That will limit the number of kids, because most of the patrons' children are grown. There will be grandchildren and children of friends mostly.

[Art Roselle]

I got to take my 8 year old son last year (long story) and he was not the only kid there, but close.  Even if it is limited to the actual owner of the badge, the gallery will have a very different feel (better in my opinion).  It does seem like a difficult thing to monitor.  I would think that every "accredited Patron" would end up with a kid in tow somehow.  It is a big request to ask for someone's ticket.  It is a little less so to ask them to walk your child in for you.

I wonder if badge owners who are attending will start selling kid tag-along rights.  That would probably get your badge revoked if they found out, but I bet someone will try it.

[Lloyd_Cole]

I wonder how the youth will rate to the sandwiches?

[Matt_Cohn]

How will this help to promote the game?

I'd guess that children of Masters patrons probably would have been introduced to the game, anyway.

I'm not saying it isn't a nice move though.

[Ray Richard]

The USGA allows kids 12 and under free admission at the gate of the U S Open-we took 2 young guys to Shinny and Winged Foot-they were very well behaved, totally thrilled by the spectacle, and they have become avid golfers-so what's negative about that?

[jeffwarne]

Matt,
If you don't think this will help promote the game......
well, I can only tell you bring your kids if you get the chance.

Sure, kids of Masters patrons are probably introduced to game (hopefully not by their father giving them 27 instructions tying them up in knots).
But to see the game in one of the grandest cathedrals of golf, witness the impeccable behaviour of players and fans alike, well-I can't think of a better experience to better promote golf.
It certainly lit and perpetuated the fire in me and all my golffriends who were given the opportunity to attend as kids (via working the tournament)

Sure it's not promotion of inner city golf to disadvantaged kids, but those programs rarely achieve much success anyway. (although I think there's no better sport for a disadvantaged kid to be a part of)
There is a course a need for such programs (on both a social and golf participation level), but in my opinion we as pure golf promoters spend too much time and resources courting kids who probably aren't going to continue to play anyway(for evidence look at virtually any high school or college roster), and not nearly enough time promoting it to kids who are the perfect candidates.
Meanwhile golf is dying a slow death as kids and dads from demographically eligible backgrounds(who formerly were avid players)edge away and become involved 24/7 in organised sports such as year round soccer, baseball etc.

[Michael Powers]

Jeff,
While there is no doubt that the Masters is unique in there care for the event and the "Patrons".  I have been to 3 Masters tournaments and found the spectators to be of 3 categories, 1. A who's who of Augusta area business people and locals who have had tix willed to them. 2. Corporate big shots and those who have hooks with these guys 3. PGA Pros who get in for free (like me).

If ANGC wants to allow more people to attend, why don't they run a lottery for John Q. Public to have a shot at actually viewing a tournament round?  I for one have no interest in attending, as I found that there were too many people there to begin with.

One thing they really need to get a handle on are those that buy all those folding chairs, strategically place them in the "Sitting Areas" behind the greens of the closing holes.

[jim_lewis]

Michael:

Masters patrons are not allowed to will their tickets to their children or anyone else. They have my social security #, and when I die, my heirs are out-of-luck. Many patrons do enjoy giving the use of their badges to family and friends,  A significant percentage of the fans you see at the Masters are there courtesy of those gifts.

Some things in this world are not available to "John Q. Public". Live with it!

If they wanted to make a few more spots availabe, perhaps they could eliminate the free passes for PGA pros who are not playing in the tournament.

Jim Lewis

[jeffwarne]

Jim,
Well stated (and I'm a PGA pro)
More kudos to Augusta for promoting golf by allowing PGA pros and supers admission to their event. Surely this limits the add'l tickets they can sell--and they treat us like gold.

Michael,
The Masters struggled for YEARS to get enough patrons to keep the event economically viable. Many families and supporters in Augusta and around the southeast supported the event when golf and The Masters was not so incredibly popular. Those families and and supporters are rewarded by being kept loyally on the patron list (and no they can't be willed to their kids-they do work off their waiting list which was closed in 1978).
Kudos to Augusta for keeping the ticket prices REDICULOUSLY low compared to other sporting events and not selling out their long term supporters.
They could easily get 10 times their face value if they opened it up to the market.
Of course many tickets do slip out to corporations ala scalpers, but I think that number may go down as this move has strengthened the sentimental value of tickets to those local holders with families.

The practice rounds are a lottery so John Q public does get his chance. And many/most of these tickets get scalped so I'm not so sure it's a great idea.

Saying you have no desire to go back because it's too crowded reminds me of an old Yogi Berra saying about restaraunts and no one going to them anymore because they're too crowded.

It's the greatest sporting event in the world-and the most affordable.

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