Cellphones are banned at the Masters. Food and drink prices are happily stuck in the 1970s — $1.50 for a pimento cheese sandwich — a charming holdover from yesteryear. And painted leaderboards are updated by hand.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, it’s Jones (Bobby) meets Jetson (George). Drones whir over tee boxes. Fans all over the world can track every shot of every player — including balls thwacked on the driving range. As soon as someone finishes his round, his highlights of the day are instantly compiled by AI.
The challenge at this legendary tournament is as tricky as a downhill putt on 15. How does Augusta National lean into emerging technologies without compromising its storied tradition?
Get creative and you can grow the game. Get too cute and you can damage the brand.
“It’s a balance,” said Fred S. Ridley, chairman of Augusta National. “And it’s not always easy.”
That means moving in a Masters-like manner, which around here entails operating so quietly and efficiently that changes seem to magically appear.
“We certainly want to progress,” Ridley said. “We want to try new things. We want to continue our mission to reach out and grow the game. But at the same time, we have to be cognizant of the fact that part of the magic of this place is those traditions and the mystique.”
Last week, three familiar players sought to leave their own mark on Masters tradition. Justin Rose shot a 71 to maintain his lead at eight under par. Bryson DeChambeau shot a 68 and is one back, and Rory McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam, had a 66 to move to six under.
“There’s a bit of a sense that the course is playing a little bit differently today,” Rose said. “A bit windier, for sure, out of a slightly different direction. So just trying to make some of those adjustments. I think it was a fairly favorable wind for the golf course in general, which is why I think you’re seeing some good scores.”
In a larger sense, the winds of change at the Masters have been gusting for some time.
Across the street from Augusta National, through a tunnel under Washington Road, is the content center, nearly 90,000 square feet of colonial structures that house CBS and ESPN production teams, as well as the many media endeavors the club oversees, such as Masters.com, YouTube shows, podcasts, social media and the like. Inside, with its wainscoted white walls and dark oak floors, it’s as luxurious and well-appointed as a Four Seasons hotel.
This home for broadcast media is not to be confused with the center for other domestic and international media such as the Los Angeles Times and many more, which is closer to the course and similarly pristine.
The content center isn’t open to the public but often has visitors, guests of the club, and for one week a year thrums with activity from before daybreak to long after nightfall. Parked in back are nearly 50 production trucks that form a broadcast village that was moved from the area behind the par-three course.
Step into the main floor of the content center and it’s like entering a tee-time time warp, a sweet-spot Smithsonian, with photos, murals, touchscreen kiosks and the faint soundtrack of Masters radio from generations gone by.
“Tradition is everything at Augusta National — everything,” said Verne Lundquist, who covered the Masters for 40 years for CBS before retiring last year.
Walk down the hallway and you’ll find an acknowledgment of the first green ...
