Two years ago, I wrote about the day I spent with my dad and my sister at the Masters. I received an outpouring of personal stories in my inbox in the following days, and I wanted to help share other Masters memories this year.
I’ve received almost a hundred stories over the last few weeks, and we’ve been publishing them here on Golf.com throughout Masters week. Thank you so much to everyone who wrote in. There is nothing like the Masters!
Grammy would have loved to be here
My Grandma (Grammy) loved the Masters (and Freddie Couples). She and my grandpa taught me how to play golf. Pa is still with us, but Grammy passed away in the fall of 2021. Her first time at the Masters was in 2010. She swore the reason she finally got selected in the ticket lottery, which at the time was by mail, was because she sent a handwritten letter that let the Green Jackets know it was her and Pa’s 50th wedding anniversary. In 2016, I got to go to watch the Par 3 Contest with her. There were nine aces that day, but my favorite part was walking the whole course in the quiet of the morning with her and Pa. Though both were north of 75, they matched me stride for stride.
When we were kids, Grammy would have the whole family over for Masters Sunday. She’d assign each of the grandkids a few of the contenders by clipping their photos out of the newspaper (or printing off her AOL account) so we’d know what our guys looked like. Whoever had the winning golfer got a small prize (usually five dollars). It did a great job of keeping us kids interested in the tournament. Ever since Grammy passed, I’ve hosted a Masters Sunday party, serving pimento cheese sandwiches and other traditional Augusta National fare (at first I made everything myself, but now I use the Taste of the Masters boxes). We set up the putting mat so folks can give it a try, but most importantly, I divide up the whole field and send it to those coming to the party, and whoever has the winning golfer gets a prize. This year, it’s a teddy bear from Augusta. The first year we set everything up, my wife Erin said to me right before anybody arrived that ‘Grammy would have loved to be here.’ – Kevin Gottlieb, Chicago, Illinois
One week and a lifetime of memories
In 2024, my friend Chantal hosted my bachelorette party at her cottage. Twelve of us all played golf and had the best weekend. She made it look effortless, but I know she put in a ton of work behind the scenes.
A few days later, Chantal sent an emergency text: she won the lottery for Wednesday at the Masters and I’m her first pick. Hosting my bachelorette and inviting me to Augusta National in the same week? That’s top-tier friend status. She even brought my husband and my mom, too. We had the most incredible day on the course. The Par 3 Contest was adorable. I consumed six pimento cheese sandwiches without regret, and just soaked it all in. Augusta lives up to the hype.
What I remember most is how genuinely happy everyone is to be there. So many first-timers, and even if it’s not your first, it doesn’t matter. It still feels special. It’s one of those experiences that just never gets old. Even the players are loose on Wednesday, smiling, chatting, soaking it in. There’s this lightness in the air…