The Best Thing About the Masters: No Phones

Troy Wahlberg waited over 15 years to walk across the meticulously manicured landscapes at Augusta National Golf Club.

The golf club, nestled in east Georgia, has hosted the prestigious Masters since 1934. Golf enthusiasts worldwide travel to the annual tournament to watch the sport’s best battle for the coveted green jacket.

Wahlberg managed to snag tickets to the Masters through its lottery system. “It’s a lifelong dream come true,” he told Business Insider.

When he arrived for the practice rounds at Augusta National this week, he had a small point-and-shoot camera in his pocket.

His cellphone, however, was absent.

Attendees are prohibited from bringing cellphones onto Augusta National’s grounds during the tournament. Other electronic items, like laptops, tablets, radios, and TVs, are also a no-go at the Masters. Patrons violating these policies could be removed from Augusta National’s grounds and lose their tickets.

In the era of ubiquitous screens and nonstop notifications, the Masters keeps things analog.

“It’s peaceful,” Wahlberg said. “It’s like camping. You slowly detach.”

Attending the Masters means disconnecting from the world for sometimes hours at a time, which can cause problems for people who rely on our super-connected society for work. A Wall Street Journal reporter wrote that some working in finance who attended the tournament on Wednesday were unaware, for instance, that President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on many tariffs until he told them.

Wahlberg felt a “phantom buzzing” in his pocket for the first few hours at the Masters but said the lack of cellphones is part of the event’s magic.

“You sit next to other patrons, and nobody has a face in a screen, so you’re forced to have conversations,” he said. “I couldn’t tell you the names of anybody we sat by, but I could rehash all the conversations.”

Patrons at the Masters aren’t completely off the grid, though. Instead, they wait in line to use pay phones provided by the golf club.

Augusta National also allows patrons to bring cameras during the practice rounds, but they’re prohibited on tournament days. “It was neat to have a camera there to capture moments,” Wahlberg said. “We got to get our selfies.”

The anti-cellphone wave has gained traction in recent years. Garth Brooks banned phones during his Las Vegas residency. Many comedians also now require guests to place their phones in cases until after the show.

Most performers and athletes, however, still perform for a sea of cameras and smartphones. Wahlberg doesn’t want that at the Masters.

“I think the patrons and fans of this event would appropriately riot if they ever decided to change,” Wahlberg said. “I 100% hope we continue this trend of no cellphones at events.”

Fortunately, it doesn’t appear Augusta National will change its policy anytime soon.

Masters chairman Fred Ridley discussed the ban ahead of the 2019 tournament, saying patrons appreciated it.

“I don’t believe that’s a policy that anyone should expect is going to change in the near future, if ever,” Ridley said. “I can’t speak for future chairmen, but speaking for myself, I think we got that right.”