Augusta National is not like other places because it has its own rules, so if you’re going to the Masters this April, it’s better to plan a little before you go.

The tournament runs from April 6 to 12, 2026, and the first three days are practice rounds. From Thursday, the real matches begin. Everything feels different than the crowd, the pace, and the energy around the course.

One simple thing to do is download the Master's app before you go because you won’t be able to use your phone inside, so this is where you check updates. They usually update the app in late March.

Parking opens at 6 a.m., gates at 7, and the course at 7:30. Coming earlier won’t help because you’ll just be waiting there for so long.

Tickets are very strict, and you can enter only two times a day. There’s no place to collect a ticket if you forget it, so make sure you bring it with you. If you lose it, you have to talk to security. And giving your ticket to someone else, even for a short time, can cause problems.

What Gets Through the Gates and What Doesn't

Bags must be small, no larger than 10 x 10 x 12 inches. Clear bags are okay, but size is what really matters there. Also, you can bring a chair, but it must fold and have no arms. The important thing is that Binoculars are useful if you plan to watch from a distance.

Cameras and photographs are allowed only on practice days on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Starting from Thursday, they are not allowed at all. So watch the rules. The same goes for outside food, drinks, coolers, radios, drones, strollers, tripods, and selfie sticks. You can wear a fitness tracker or smartwatch, but you can’t use it for calls, messages, or recording data.

There are many rules about what you can’t bring inside, and Augusta National follows them very strictly, so it’s best to check everything before you go.

How to Make the Most of Your Day on the Grounds

Augusta National keeps its advice simple: walk the course in the morning, shop later. The Golf Shop is open from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on practice days. Patron photos at Founders Circle run from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, April 6.

Save the shopping for the afternoon because the morning belongs to the course which means so roaming around in the there at that time.

And the one place every patron should be heading first thing? Amen Corner. Holes 11, 12, and 13 sit in a part of Augusta National where tournaments are won and lost in the space of three holes. Even sometimes in the space of one swing.

Hole 11 White Dogwood is a long par-4 that bends left with water lurking on the right side of the approach. Attack it, and the water comes into play, and play safe, and suddenly the approach is longer than you want. But neither of the options seems very comfortable.

Hole 12 follows the golden bell and is just 155 yards, but the wind off Rae's Creek shifts without warning. The best players in the world have pulled the wrong club here and watched their tournaments evaporate. It happens every year.

Then, Azalea the 13th and a par-5 that dangles the chance of a birdie or eagle in front of you, with a creek hugging the left side, ready to collect anything that gets too greedy.

Spots around Amen Corner disappear fast, especially on weekend rounds. Get there early or accept whatever view is left.

For getting around, use GPS and scan the QR code on your ticket. Traffic around Augusta shifts daily, so plan everything on time.

No other week in golf feels like this one and get there early and make the most of every hour on those grounds.

Read more at Club Golf!

Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Kalp Thaker